The Death of Malice

[Black Widow]

Aerie — The Funeral

As she had expected, being around Zach and Ashley was easy. She didn’t have to explain anything to them or defend her actions. They didn‘t ask her any questions. Ashley had quietly asked Zach about the nature of Haleigh’s power of manifestation, to which he’d quietly quipped that he thought of her more like 3D printer. Haleigh smirked at that but didn’t comment, pretending instead to not have heard them. They almost seemed to be in their own little world together, and Haleigh was content to be merely in their orbit. As they cut wood for the pyre, she took the time to process her thoughts.

She was angry, angry with her mother for putting her through this, angry with herself for not being able to find another way to navigate the situation. The anger with her mother could be quenched by the satisfaction of having being an agent of Diana’s demise. The anger with herself was a more stubborn thing. All she could tell herself was that there may have been other ways, but that didn’t mean anything could have been better.

Additionally, she had an immense, guilt-ridden grief. She had not just lost a brother-in-arms, she had killed him. There was no real consolation in the fact that she had done it to protect the others from her mother. Yet, it was the only thing that dulled the pain. If she hadn’t killed him, he would have eventually gotten free, and the consequences of that would have been unspeakable.

By the time they lit the fire, she had achieved a sense of calm. She could withstand the sounds of the others mourning, and not feel like a monster. She could look upon his corpse and not feel impaled herself. While she didn’t feel okay, she felt less unsteady.

She honored his memory with a few words. He was brave, and always ready to take the fight to the enemy. She had admired him for that, and for his honest desire to help make the world a better place. Sometimes he was a little too gung-ho, and they had needed to reel him back in, but he’d always had good intentions. He had never flinched, even in the most dire of circumstance, or when facing the darkest of evil. She knew what he went through in the end, and she knew he must have fought as hard as he could. She would never forget his sacrifice, and she hoped they would meet again someday. Stranger things had happened.

After she said those things, she was quiet. She didn’t look around at all. She watched the fire with vigilance, to make sure it burned fiercely enough to render his remains to ashes. She moved only to stoke the flames, and she stayed until it was done. Once the embers were cooled and the axe taken down to the vault, she looked around to see most everyone had left. Her hand reached to find Cameron’s, and she led him away, but not to the wake.

Not yet, anyway. She needed to be alone with him. She needed to feel something that wasn’t despair, something she didn’t have to ignore. She had a strong desire to feel his heartbeat against her breast. She wanted the strength of his embrace. She had felt dead inside for so long, but he had been resurrected in her mind and she could think of no better way to feel alive than to be with him. In fact, at this time, she could think of nothing else. It was a relief, when all the burdens melted away, and it was just the two of them, like that night in the garage.

 

[Recall]

Aerie - The Wake

Zizi refuted her words in her sweet and signature way. She knew Oracle would say everything was fine, because she always did. But she wasn't fine. She missed Gabe, she was dealing with anger and grief, and she was trying to do it alone. It was the burden she felt at being leader of the team. But Oracle didn't have to share this burden alone. Even as team leader, she should be allowed a bit of mess, to get...dark.

Oracle: "As for John and Andrew, last I heard Steel had somehow been convinced to take the ferry to Ireland and they were driving south headed for Cork."

Vivica smirked to herself. She was glad they were enjoying herself but secretly jealous. Their trip sounded like a dream. And it wasn't long after she found herself sitting there that she realized just how very much she missed both John and Andrew. She found herself so attracted to John, but he was as inpenetrable as his techno organic steel. She could never get him to open up. And she hated not being able to solve things. And Andrew was the opposite. He was so brutally honest all the time. And simple. But not in an offensive way. He lived in the now, he was easily pleased, and he was...just a lot of fun. Watching paint dry was fun with Andrew. She had gotten close to her crews at Clandestine, but the birds were something different.

"I would pay money for any footage we might find of that trip. Good money, Ziz."

Oracle: "But after my message to John before we left for Aerie, I would expect they're on their way back home now."

"Good. I want them home. I miss them..."

Oracle: "There will be lots for us to do - not the least of all figuring out your little -- hiccup."

Vivica flashed back to the battle moments ago. She was certain she was going to die. And then she teleported away. Something within her awakened. Suddenly, she was in sync with a frequency she couldn't hear before. This energy, it moved through her, protected her. But she had no idea where it came from or how to control it. Still, Vivica had a brilliant mind without her mutant ability and she was determined to figure it out.

"Something's up with me for sure....I was rusty...I haven't been in the field in months. I was maintaining...but I certainly wasn't training. I was...more scared than I wanted to admit. One of those demons from the rift caught me at the right time...and then? I felt it. It was like a reaction to the fear. I just felt this.....really beauitful energy, that also scared me...."

She shuddered as she pictured that beautiful rainbow colored energy flow through her body. Whatever she had done, it was intoxicating. It felt as if she was she always meant to channel it. It felt like she was connected to all mutants. She loved it and feared it.

"I could...sense mutation...like...I saw the mutation in my head, and I could duplicate it...but it's not exact, Ziz. It was like my body's interpretation of someone's power. I should have said something earlier. I think my power's growing..I've noticed that i've been able to start copying voices and sounds exactly. At first I thought it was because I had given myself a break...that my power was simply finding more productive ways to operate....now...I'm just trying to figure my shit out."

She shook her head, and promptly sat down her champagne, instead gesturing for a cup of coffee.

"It worries me...thinking about what's going to happen from here. You're right, there will be lots for us to do. This is gonna start a war in the city. With The Sisterhood gone? All the aspiring crimelords are gonna come after it's turf...or at the very least, start acting more brave than usual...."

[thinking]

"The Purifiers are still out there. They're nationwide. We have to deal with them. New York is about to need some real help....let's hope our stock remains on the rise, right?"

Vivica 'cheers'-ed in Oracle's direction and took a long sip of her coffee. She didn't do well with dead time so she was itching to throw herself into something to activate her brain and distract it from her emotions. Perhaps Oracle already had a plan?

 

[Prophet]

Aerie - The Funeral

The funeral was sweet. Cameron had been to many funerals, most of them his own, but he'd never been sent out in fire. And it fit Nicolas. As he watched the flames consume his comrade, he fell lost in thought and the hypnotic flicker of the flames against everyone's faces. He had never much gotten along with Nicolas. When Cameron came back from the dead the last time, he arrived back in orbit of The Six to find a man who shared his last name and power set, oh and was otherwordly strong. Nicolas had taken his spot on the team, and firmly planted himself at Morgan's feet. It didn't seem like Prophet and Rampage were really ever meant to get along. But they found a balance, and eventually a mutual respect. Nicolas was a damn good telepath. Cameron loved interacting with other telepaths. They were like snowflakes, each approaching their power from a different approach and reason. For as strong as he was, Rampage was a very subtle telepath, but his energy was distinct. Strong.

He remembered a training session once that ended in them knocking each other out while battling in The Astral Plane for a good hour. They awoke, burst into laughter and headed upstairs to have a drink in the hotel. Nicolas was best one on one. He had told Cameron to break up with Alycia when he knew that he was insufferably in love with Haleigh. Rampage made an effort. One that Cameron didn't return. And he felt bad, releasing all that guilt into the flames. He had taken his eye off Diana for a second, and she had taken him. Cameron had done so well. He had reacted to every move perfectly. All he had to do was pay attention and he could have saved the world and the day. And his hesitation had resulted in Haleigh having to take his physical life, after her mother had taken his very soul.

The service concluded as Haleigh led him by the hand away from the pyre, but not towards the wake. He didn't care. It was a funeral, and he was sad - but he was filling to the brim with anticipation. They found themself in a clearing, deep within the woods, which Cameron could ascertain as they got closer, this was once a place of instruction. Now it was a beautiful garden park with large marble picnic tables and lush flora and fauna blending against the background. All Cameron could hear was his own heartbeat and the crickets who's volume increased at their silence.

The two stopped in front of one of the tables and stared at each other. God he loved her eyes. He could see all of her moods in them, in return, they could see right through him. He grabbed her face in the palm of his right hand, and ran his fingers through her hair with his left.

"God, it's so fucking good to see you..."

He leaned in, kissing her tenderly but deeply, letting his the warmth of his lips rest against her. Cameron smirked, still pressed against her lips as he could feel her react. It gave him a kick that he could make her swell like that. He grabbed her face with his other hand and brought her to him, rubbing her lip lightly against his stubble as he kissed her passionately for a few moments. He wanted it to last forever. There was nothing in the way anymore. He didn't know exactly what that meant, but he knew he was no longer going to hold back from her. His mouth moved towards the side of her face as he kissed her ear lobe.

[whispering] "I'm sorry it took me so long to get back...."

Cameron's hands moved down from Haleigh's face and onto her ass as he cupped with with a squeeze, pulling her as close to him as possible. He was baiting her. She was going through a lot of shit right now, and while he wanted to throw her on top of that picnic table and fuck the life out of her until they both passed out from exhaustion, he had learned that when it came to Haleigh's emotions, it was best to let her lead him to the conclusion, or else she'd withdraw. If she wanted to cry? scream? fuck? He was ready for it, but the ball was in her court right now. He would tease her to see what she needed from him, and he would give it to her.

"How can I make it up to you?"

 

[Orion]

Aerie — Cliffside

Ava: “Please go.”

She told him, but he couldn’t. He’d made it this far, because somehow, he still cared about her. But just as he couldn’t justify another step closer, he wouldn’t allow himself to shrink away either. He pointed out that she was quite close to the edge of a very long drop. Unfortunately the statement did nothing to restore her senses. She replied that she wasn’t going to jump, if that was what he was hoping for. He snorted, a vexed sort of noise.

“Well if it were just Persephone taking the fall, perhaps,”

He began wryly, but his tone softened a bit afterwards. He could sense the guilt brewing in her and drained it away, feeling bad himself now for making her feel bad about something Persephone had done.

“However, since I can’t separate her from you, I’d much prefer if you brought yourself away from the cliff.”

He said, but the stubborn woman told him to leave her alone. He had an idea of what was bothering her. It wasn’t Nic’s death. All the emotions his funeral ruled up most likely had to do with that Red Knight bastard. To Zach, the guy was a real piece of work. He’d obviously been an asshole of the highest order to Ashley, which was enough eliminate any positive impact he might’ve had in Zach’s mind. Yet clearly, Ava had seen something in him, and she was hurting over it.

“You’re alone enough,”

He observed gently, as he leaned against a pine tree, folding his arms across his chest. She was the opposite of her sister in matters of the heart. While Haleigh seemed to possess an uncanny propensity to shut down, Ava’s ability to manage her emotions appeared to have dramatically weakened. He was not about to withdraw help he believed she needed, even if she wouldn’t admit it to herself.

“I think I’ll stay a while, and enjoy the view.”

He added obstinately, while he kept a careful watch on her silhouette. The tree would make decent cover if she decided to throw something at him.

 

[Black Widow]

Aerie — The Garden

Haleigh led Cameron away from the others, to a place where they could be alone for bit. They wound up in a garden of some sort. It was a nice place, tranquil and just a little wild. The marble table looked like it was sturdy enough. She stopped here, turning to look up at him.

<<FLASH>>

:: Breathing her in as if it were the last time. ::

"Who the hell ever thought we'd get HERE, Hales..."

"That we'd ever be this important to them..Here I am, holding everything back that's in my body so I can be there for them, and here you are...making a terrible choice to protect them...and me...When did we become so soft?"

:: He smiled. ::

"Sometimes I miss the days that we didn't care. It was easier. But we wanted them so badly. And dammit...we got 'em.."

:: Cameron slinked up in the passenger seat as the two made electric eye contact. He realized that he wasn't telepathically barred from this body, but he also knew that Diana wouldn't let that happen for long. For the first time in a very long time, he flexed the mental bond that had made them who they were, he quietly and delicately made Haleigh aware of that connection again. ::

"I love you."

:: Squeezing her hand. ::

"Not that it changes things...and not like it's unpredictable for me to say something like that at a time like this...but the one thing that kept echoing through my mind when I saw you dead..or so I thought, was how much time we wasted..not admitting that. How we thought we would destroy the other if we dared to love each other openly. It was stupid. I see that now. So I want you to know, that when all the chess pieces get in order and all the chips fall where they will, I will still love you. You are leaving for The Hellfire Club and I still love you. You are the daughter of the woman who has spent the better part of two decades destroying me and my family, and I still love you...and not in the bitter, sad "what could have been" kind of way. Even if you really end up being the monster you think you are...I will still love you Haleigh."

It had meant a great deal to her then, and meant even more now that it could be verified. He told her it was good to see her, and she smiled. For the first time in a long time, she felt genuinely happy. Then he kissed her, and she forgot the horror of the last several months for a while. Her arms slid around his torso and she stood up on her tiptoes to be closer to him, kissing him back until she was breathless.

Cameron: “I’m sorry it took me so long to get back….”

“I forgive you.”

She replied without hesitation. He grabbed her ass, pulling her abruptly into him, and suddenly there was another kind of smile playing on her lips. He asked her what he could do to make it up to her, and unexpectedly the question made her pause.

“You don’t have to do that.”

She said, finding his gaze again.

“It’s no factor, for us, I mean. You did what you had to do. Better than anyone else, I understand that. The time it took, the decisions you made, the sacrifices… that was the cost of survival, and victory. We both paid a steep price, and fuck if there aren’t enough people around here that we owe apologies to for it all. Let’s not hold anything against each other.”

She added, and then her hands slid down his back to find their way underneath his tshirt.

“All that being said, since I have you here, now… I WOULD like to have you, here, NOW. If you’re up for it.”

She suggested casually, despite the significant spike in desire she was feeling.

 

[Oracle]

Aerie - The Wake

Vivica asked about John and Andrew. It was strange having half their team absent, but Zizi knew she had done the right thing. This day could have ended very differently, and there was something to be said for not having all your eggs in one basket. Having said that, John would have gotten himself and Andrew on the first plane back to New York, and she told Vivica so.

Vivica: "Good. I want them home. I miss them..."

Zizi nodded slowly. She wasn't blind, nor stupid, and though she might choose not to openly discuss some things, it didn't mean she didn't notice them. Or that they didn't worry her. She said they would have lots to do when they returned home, the least of which was figuring out what was going on with Vivica's powers.

"There's no need to rush anything - just let things play out and see what happens."

Vivica: "I could...sense mutation...like...I saw the mutation in my head, and I could duplicate it...but it's not exact, Ziz. It was like my body's interpretation of someone's power. I should have said something earlier. I think my power's growing...I've noticed that I've been able to start copying voices and sounds exactly. At first I thought it was because I had given myself a break...that my power was simply finding more productive ways to operate....now...I'm just trying to figure my shit out."

Zizi nodded again, thinking through the parameters of what Recall was saying.

"Second mutations are not that uncommon. They usually occur after a trauma. I think your body has been preparing for this, and then with the stress of the battle when you were, as you say, rusty...the mutation was triggered. We need to run some tests in a secure environment. I would suggest we ask the Six to loan us their danger room...but I'm not sure I trust our new allies completely just yet."

Vivica: "It worries me...thinking about what's going to happen from here. You're right, there will be lots for us to do. This is gonna start a war in the city. With The Sisterhood gone? All the aspiring crimelords are gonna come after its turf...or at the very least, start acting more brave than usual...The Purifiers are still out there. They're nationwide. We have to deal with them. New York is about to need some real help....let's hope our stock remains on the rise, right?"

Vivica clinked her glass against hers. Zizi sighed.

"Rise or fall, someone has to be there to do what needs to be done. The Six scored a win today, but that doesn't fill the gaps in their priorities. We can't let the city fall to ruins while they decide whether to help."

Zizi was silent for a moment, then shook off her somber mood and smiled at Vivica.

"We need to regroup. Reach out to our allies, be more organized. I'm tired of just reacting when the world's about to end. We need to get out in front of the bad guys, get them off the streets before they can do harm. There's a world of information at our fingertips-"

She wiggled her fingers out in front of her.

"Let's use it."

 

[Spellbinder]

<< For a moment, in the battle, she had been reminded of who she was at her core. But those memories quickly vanished as she watched her beloved burn in front of her. At this point, it was simply yet another deadly consequence for a decision she made. Part of her wanted to flee, and a huge part of her really, really, really wanted a drink. She wanted something to numb the chaotic storm brewing behind her icy, violet eyes. She had broken down enough for one evening, and her pride couldn't take another hit. >>

<< As the heat of the flames danced against her face, she began to think of him. He had been so surprising to her. Morgan had lost faith in men a long time ago. In fact, she couldn't really recall a time in her life when she had ever liked a man. Her father was a monster. The boys at school were monsters. Belasco was a literal monster, despite how little she remembered of him. And then she met Nicolas King. >>

<< He wasn't perfect. The former sorceress supreme had come to realize that no man could fully exist without SOME kind of toxic male quality. But he was a true gentleman. Despite his strength, he was soft with her..and his power meant that he was one of the few being on earth capable of protecting her. He showered her with gifts, was so performative of his love. And she needed that. She was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. If someone like her mother could fall into such a dark domestic situation, she trusted no man completely. Except for him. She got angry at him, because that was one of her love languages, but she never questioned his devotion. >>

<< And then like a BITCH, Morgan took advantage of his devotion to fuck another man behind his back for the better part of the last six months. Everything Nicolas gave her, she threw it back in his face, and for no reason at all. >>

"Shit."

<< Tears fell freely from her face as she felt herself cry. Despite her pride she was too exhausted to control herself. She had done him so wrong, and for some reason, him dying thinking she was some kind of goddess was kind of killing her! >>

<< Thankfully, Haleigh drew distraction and decided to say a few words, though they ended up not helping Morgan's emotional state. Haleigh Davidoff was as polished as matte paint when it came to public speaking, but she always spoke from her heart, in her own way. But Haleigh had done enough. Morgan asked her to take the kill shot and she did, without hesitation, because she, like Morgan was living in the real world, and assessing real risk. As much as she wished she could have the naivety and the earnest emotion of those like the Birds of Prey, Morgan knew better. War meant death. War was about assessing risk and taking action based on that assessment. Wars could not be won in counting on people to do the right thing, or believing you can change the deep seeded ideological differences between each other. But, especially after watching Haleigh settle back into her place next to Cameron, Morgan knew that war had no winners, most especially not it's generals. The only thing that brought her comfort as she continued to cry was knowing that Haleigh would not hold this against her. More than that, Haleigh was her sister, something that felt in such a kinetic and visceral way that she hadn't given herself a lot of time to think about it. >>

<< She continued to weep, a bit louder now. Wherever her pride had gone, it was keeping itself well hidden, but she didn't care right now. She was in pain. She missed Nicolas. She missed her entire life, while hating everything about it simultaneously. It felt like she had added all of her life into a blender with ice, and felt bad about pressing the pulse button, while not being able to stop herself. >>

"What are you going to do now, Morgan?"

Vivica: "I'm here for ya, Spell. Whether you like it or not."

<< Morgan felt Vivica's hand grab hers and squeeze it tightly, and she immediately tensed up, reflexively wanting to BASH the mutant where she stood for such a brazen display!!?! But then... >>

"I like it just fine, Vivica.......thank you..."

<< It was fine. Vivica was showing compassion. Most people were afraid of her (with good reason). Any woman who had the courage to approach her so brazenly in a time like this - it meant she cared. Rampage had always had a soft spot for Vivica. It was a not very well known thing among the group, but Mike had grown up in the same neighborhood as Vivica and Cameron. He was older than them, so he never crossed paths with Cameron King, but he had a history with Vivica and her family. It never really came up because Vivica and Mike never really crossed paths again until recently, and both fortunately and unfortunately for them, they weren't necessarily at the center of gossip for The Six. But Nic and Mike were like brothers, and Morgan quickly noticed how quick her boyfriend was to defend her whenever she would complain. He looked out for her, and the two shared a relationship outside of something she was really able to comprehend as a beautiful, rich white supermodel. So she just supported it. Vivica had always been there for them, so Morgan stopped being a bitch and in this moment, simply let her be there. >>

<< Morgan stayed until the last ember gave it's very last breath. Nicolas was gone. Despite her hopes that Ororo would adopt him as one of her rescues, and do for him what she had done to so many of them, she knew this was final. As final as a death could be in The Six. And she was left with the wild chirping of crickets and other bugs in the brush, and the crushing weight of reality on her shoulders. She had fallen apart so many times tonight. She had outed herself as a cheater. As an alcoholic. As a bitch. She had asked Haleigh to kill Nicolas because she was too weak to. She had been unable to fully save Dominique. She was no longer Sorceress Supreme. She wasn't even sure if she was welcome back in Limbo. Nicolas was dead. >>

Blaze: "You ready to come inside, Morg?"

<< Spellbinder was raw, and Blaze's voice didn't help. Something that Morgan had realized in her several month separation from the likes of Alison, Karen and Blaze, was that she had a very uncomfortable relationship with Firebird. It hadn't always been like that. When Foxfire died, Morgan felt inconsolable. When Firebird arrived, she was just happy to have her sister back. But that was the thing...it wasn't her sister. Not really. >>

"I think I'm just gonna sit here for a bit, Blaze. I promise, when i'm ready to head in, i'd prefer you as an escort."

Blaze: "That's my girl...It's been too long."

<< Blaze left a wet kiss on her mouth before dissappearing. Foxfire had been messy and emotional. She was completely uncontrollable. She changed her opinion and her entire personality on a whim and sometimes just for fun. She was infuriating, but Morgan secretly loved it. She had a little sister. Blaze was her polar opposite, and when she'd learned that Blaze was the result of her father fucking some drug addled prostitute, she initially wanted nothing from the woman. But Foxfire wanted her approval so badly. And Morgan understood that. She and her mother had lived quite a charmed life after Christopher. A peaceful and glamorous life. Foxfire just wanted to share the shine. When she met Firebird for the first time, it was a knee jerk reaction. Firebird was like everything she wished Foxfire could have been, so she let herself get lost in that. So lost that it wasn't until recently that she realized she missed the mess that was Blaze Fielding. Firebird didn't seem real to her anymore. In fact, it was a bit painful to hold space with Blaze Victory. Because she felt like she was betraying her dead sister. It was complicated and Morgan had enough on her plate, so she sent Firebird away, and noticed Delilah still standing there in silence. She couldn't tell if it was intentional or by chance, but she took the opportunity either way. >>

"I'm half expecting this to be some kind of prank he's playing on you...."

<< The former sorceress supreme begins to bridge the gap in between them. >>

"But it's not....he's dead."

<< She was face to face with Delilah now, and Morgan took a moment to remember how beautiful Delilah was. Despite Morgan's love affair for fillers, creams, potions, and spells on her quest for the fountain of youth, Delilah Trelaven had a natural beauty that not even magick could buy. And she was too good of a person to use it for evil. In short, she was a total jackpot. She could have had any man, so why did she choose....him. >>

"I really blew you off a few months ago...I'm sorry for that. I know...I don't really deserve it, but would you mind staying with me for a bit? I think we are a bit overdue for a conversation, especially considering what i've word vomitted into your lap a few hours ago..."

<< Morgan gestured for Delilah to follow, heading into the brush, making sure to avoid the path she saw Cameron and Haleigh taking and heading forward. Thankfully, on the way she stopped at a service shed, grabbed a bottle of Chardonnay and uncorked it, taking a swig as she walked further in. >>

"You gotta hate this place, right? I mean this is where....you tried to end it all...can't be easy, being here..."

<< She took a swig, thankful for the swell of relief she felt rush over her body. Morgan knew she was towing the line with Delilah, but she figured she was out of options. They had been talking at each other for over a year now, and there had been no real progress. Most of that had been Morgan's fault, but in the wave of everything she was going through, she needed some kind of different page with Delilah. She didn't know why, but it felt important. >>

<< Soon, the two came into a clearing with the most beautiful starscape Morgan had ever seen. Immediately, she grabbed Delilah by the hand and plopped them both down in a clearing, as they laid on their backs next to each other, their equally beautiful eyes reflecting the night sky of stars above them. >>

"I don't know how to talk to you anymore, and I don't like it..."

<< She grabbed onto Delilah's hand, interlocking their fingers and giving Delilah a familiar squeeze. >>

"You were there for me, tonight...I appreciate it. But I don't deserve it. Not from you."

[sighing]

"How did we get here, Delilah? How did we get to a place where we don't even know each other anymore?"

 

[Prophet]

"I forgive you."

Her words were like foreplay to him as he nibbled her ear lobe, gripping her ass in his right hand as his left ran his fingers through her hair. Cameron wanted to consume her.

"It's no factor, for us, I mean. You did what you had to do. Better than anyone else, I understand that. The time it took, the decisions you made, the sacrifices...that was the cost of survival, and victory. We both paid a steep price, and fuck if there aren't enough people around here that we owe apologies to for it all. Let's not hold anything against each other."

"Mmmm...."

He could feel her skin on his and she slid her hand underneath his shirt. He returned the favor by pulling her even closer to him, their hips writhing together with reckless abandon. Both of them had just been through hell and back. Cameron had meant what he said, no matter who she was, he loved her. He knew why she went to Hellfire, because he would have too in her shoes, and he would have then - had he not just claimed leadership of the team. Once the dust had settled, Cameron and Delilah had a chance to talk, and they realized that this was their chance. There was no way they weren't going to rescue Haleigh. Despite how bad things had gotten between them recently, Delilah trusted Haleigh more than anybody, possibly even more than Cameron himself. They knew that in order to save Haleigh, they would have to destroy Malice, and when they finally agreed to enact The Malice Protocols, they went to work. Case in point, Haleigh Davidoff's teardrop ass in Cameron's hands right at this very moment.

Haleigh: "All that being said, since I have you here, now...I WOULD like to have you, here, NOW. If you're up for it."

He kissed her neck as he spoke into her ear with warm breath, grabbing one of her hand's and placing it firmly in his groin area, making sure she had a strong grip on what she was presented with.

"I've been up for it for the last hour, take a feel..."

His free hand slid up to the button of her pants, running his finger along the length of her waistband.

"I've missed you Hales....so much."

Two fingers penetrated the layer between Haleigh's lower abdomen and her jeans as Cameron, pressed against her, kissing her lips passionately as he swung her around, flopping her onto one of the granite picnic tables nearby, using his TK to really accent the punch. She was much stronger than him, but he liked to show her that he could put a dent in her if necessary. Then he stripped her of her pants and underwear, and buried himself between her legs as he knelt in front of the table. A few seconds later he rose up, wiped his mouth on his forearm, and kissed her, pressing his body once more against her. He bit her lip as he grazed his beard against her cheek, pulling away and tracing her face with his finger as he spoke.

"You want to have me? Then take me..."

 

[Persephone]

It wasn't lost to Ava the distance Zach was keeping from her. While she understood his reasoning, it still left a sour feeling in the pit of her stomach. He wanted to 'help' her, but was hesitant to even come close to her...a true indication that their relationship had severely changed since that night on the roof. Though not as snarky as her tone would normally be, Ava still let him know she wasn't going to jump despite him likely wanting her too.

Zach: "Well if it were just Persephone taking the fall, perhaps, However, since I can’t separate her from you, I’d much prefer if you brought yourself away from the cliff.”

Ava shook her head gently while softly scoffing, feeling a well of anger and guilt rising within her. It was always someone wanting a part of her gone. Again, she understood Zach had his reasons more than anyone, but it hurt to know that despite the last fifteen years of their relationship while merged, he so easily could let a part of who Ava was jump off the cliff. She hurt him in ways she will never forgive herself for...but god damnit, Diana pulled the monster out of her and snuffed out all humanity to get a job done. And it wasn't the job of destroying The Six or Birds for the sake of Hellfire's triumph, it was the job of isolating Ava away from everyone she ever cared about by turning her into an irredeemable villain in their eyes so when all of this was done, win or lose, she would have no one left.

But despite Diana and Helena's best efforts, she did have someone...until she didn't. Shutting her eyes, the burn of tears filled them, wanting so desperately to feel the warmth of Alek's arms around her again. To hear his voice. He was home. And she wanted so desperately to feel at home again.

"Leave me alone."

Zach: “You’re alone enough, I think I’ll stay a while, and enjoy the view.”

"If you don't leave i'll finish what I started!"

She growled through her teeth, though never looking at Zach. It was like a trapped dog snapping out of fear, knowing they needed help but too wounded to accept it. But as soon as Ava uttered those words, she immediately gasped in a sharp breath of regret and guilt.

"I'm sorry.....I didn't-"

Her threat was sharp, but the intention behind it dull. She had known Zach since she was a child, and no matter if they ever truly got back to the relationship they had before that night on the roof, she would never hurt him intentionally. But in that moment, she wanted to hurt SOMEONE the way she was hurting, even if it was just with empty threats. Finally Ava turn her head to look at Zach, tears staining her face as the wind blew strands of chocolate hair forward, causing them to stick to the wetness.

"...of all the things I had to do while in Hellfire....I regret that night the most...."

Weeks of emotions were brewing within her, untamed without the help of Selene to staid them. Ava felt like she was losing control -- her normal cold and emotionless outer armor cracking for the first time. Her body swayed weakly as she clutched her side. And for a split second, she thought maybe going over the edge wouldn't be such a bad idea.

 

[MorningStar]

None of this seemed real.

She was standing at what amounted to Nicolas King's funeral. And she felt like an intruder. She and Nicolas had fought vocally so many times, and there were so many more times that she had wanted to knock Nicolas' lights out. It had been no secret that Delilah didn't think he was the right man for Morgan, that she thought he tried to buy her love instead of doing the work. And yet...

Delilah didn't want him dead. She had never questioned his place on the team. And now that he was gone she was looking back and questioning everything. Why hadn't she just been happy for Morgan, who had found someone after so long? Why hadn't she brushed off his bravado as just that of a young man, as the others did? She felt like a terrible person, like Nicolas might return from the grave to shame her. She was somewhat surprised none of the others had mentioned it - especially Alison - out of spite.

Next to Morgan Nicolas was the last person she would have thought would fall in battle. He had so many abilities - he was a demi god for pete's sake - what could possibly kill him? But Malice had. She couldn't leave this world without taking one of them with her and it had been Nicolas.

She watched Morgan grieve. Delilah wanted to go to her, put her arms around her, comfort her - but something stopped her. How could she give comfort at Nicolas' death when she had so hated him in life? Wouldn't Morgan despise her for trying? She had broken down completely earlier, but Delilah knew Morgan, and that wouldn't last. Her armor would be back up and she would shut everyone out.

But Delilah didn't leave. She watched the fire burn to embers. But she wasn't going to leave Morgan alone, even if they didn't say a word to each other. But then to her surprise, Morgan spoke.

Morgan: "I'm half expecting this to be some kind of prank he's playing on you....But it's not....he's dead."

Delilah let out a noise something like a laugh, and nodded.

"I can hear him now, 'See! I KNEW you really loved me!'"

Delilah's voice broke on the last syllable. Morgan was coming towards her.

"It's the kind of thing he would do, definitely. I wish that he had."

Morgan: "I really blew you off a few months ago...I'm sorry for that. I know...I don't really deserve it, but would you mind staying with me for a bit? I think we are a bit overdue for a conversation, especially considering what I've word vomited into your lap a few hours ago..."

Delilah didn't know where Morgan was going with this. She had tried to smooth things over between them months ago...only to bail and not follow through with anything she had promised to do. Namely to take her to Limbo and reunite Delilah with her daughter. It had hurt bitterly. It still did. She answered quietly.

"I won't leave you."

They walked a bit, with Morgan somehow managing to find a bottle of wine. Delilah almost suggested that a drink wasn't going to help her, but there was plenty of time for that later, when the embers of her boyfriend's funeral pyre weren't still glowing. Still, her mouth gaped a bit at the sight of Morgan Victoria swilling Chardonnay from the bottle. Delilah wasn't sure she had EVER seen Morgan drink from anything but a crystal glass.

Morgan: "You gotta hate this place, right? I mean this is where....you tried to end it all...can't be easy, being here..."

Delilah smirked. She hadn't thought about it, actually.

"If I avoided every place with a bad memory attached, I'd have to live in Tibet."

It hadn't been the place that had driven her to walk into the ocean, it was everything that had happened before then. The loss of everything in her life - her friends, her lover, her home. And truth be told, this was also the place that she'd found out Bishop had been returned...that she was carrying Alexia...

She followed Morgan to a clearing, and was a bit shocked to have her grab her hand and pull her down onto the grass. They laid there, staring up at the stars.

"We used to do this when we were kids...in your backyard..."

Morgan: "I don't know how to talk to you anymore, and I don't like it..."

She was silent for a moment. So much had happened, so many things had been said and done. She wanted things to be the way they had been before...but she wasn't sure that was possible.

"I don't either."

Morgan grabbed her hand, the way she had when they were children, and Delilah felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. She looked over at her old friend.

Morgan: "You were there for me, tonight...I appreciate it. But I don't deserve it. Not from you. How did we get here, Delilah? How did we get to a place where we don't even know each other anymore?"

Delilah shook her head, looking back up at the stars again. She thought about it for a long moment, then sighed out.

"We stopped caring what each other thought. Stopped caring how each other felt. We cared more about doing what had to be done. We hurt each other."

She shook her head.

"And we stopped being a team. All of us...the Six doesn't exist anymore. We're just a group of people with super powers, alone but sometimes in the same place."

She turned her head and looked at Morgan.

"But I do want to help you, Morgan. And I am sorry, about Nicolas."

 

[Black Widow]

Aerie — The Garden

Things were heating up quickly between them, but when he started apologizing Haleigh made sure to let him know she wasn’t interested in holding any grudges against him. There were plenty of other people they owed apologies to, they didn’t need to be giving each other grief. With that established, she turned to what she was interested in, him. If he was up for it.

Cameron: "I've been up for it for the last hour, take a feel..."

She could feel him through his jeans, and it sent a thrill through her. He told her he missed her, and kissed her again. She pulled his shirt off, but didn’t get much further before he whirled her around and onto the table. He used his power to augment his strength, and she gave him a wicked smile. She laid back onto the cold stone as he went down on her. She didn’t bother to stifle her moans. She didn’t care if there was anyone around to hear them. If they were smart they’d make themselves scarce, or else there might be another funeral.

Cameron came up for air, and suggested that if Haleigh wanted him, she should take him. She sat up towards him, her hands sliding over his bare chest with a smile on her face. She kissed his lips, and then his neck, and then his pecs, working her way down his torso. Her hands were already at the destination, easing him out of the front of his pants. She slipped off the edge of the table, taking him into her mouth.

She wanted him every which way at once, but of course that wasn’t practical. She toyed with him a bit, but ultimately it was her own impatience that drove her decision making. She got up quickly, throwing an arm around his neck and a leg around his waist. She guided him inside with one hand, groaning in satisfaction.

“Ah, I missed you too, Stud.”

 

[Orion]

Minerva’s Aerie

He tried to express the fact that he was unhappy with Persephone for trying to kill him, but that the animosity didn’t extend to Ava. It only seemed to upset her, and she told him to leave her alone. He wasn’t going to apologize for being frustrated about almost getting murdered, but he wasn’t going to totally abandon his longtime friend either. His refusal to leave further pissed her off, and she threatened to ‘finish what she started’.

And here I thought after going through all that trouble to get you free from her, you’d be done doing Helena’s bidding.

He thought bitterly, but he felt it would be a cruel thing to say, and scolded himself internally for thinking it. He wasn’t too concerned with her words. It was how she felt that really mattered, and in his experience people often said things they didn’t mean out of irritation and stress.

“Ava, I didn’t come out here to have a fight with you. I’d like to repair our relationship, will you meet me halfway, or am I wasting my effort?”

He responded patiently. She quickly apologized, but that wasn’t what he was paying attention to. Her moods seemed so capricious, far more than usual. And she seemed to be holding her side, as if it hurt.

“Are you injured?!”

He asked with alarm, as he saw her sway a bit. He left the safety of his tree without thinking, his hand gently grasping her shoulders.

“Come away from the Gods-damned cliff already.”

He said with mild exasperation, leading her over to a fallen tree where she could take a seat. He sat next to her with an expression of concern.

“Did Karen not heal you after the battle? She’s probably just overwhelmed with— wait…”

His look of concern shifted to confusion.

“You didn’t arrive until the funeral…. How’d you get hurt?”

 

[Spellbinder]

Aerie - Away From The Others

Delilah: "We stopped caring what each other thought. Stopped caring how each other felt. We cared more about doing what had to be done. We hurt each other."

She hated Bishop more than she hated any man, inlcuding her own father. Christopher was a monster, but he never truly presented as anything but. Bishop didn't pretend to be something he wasn't, he just so happened to be an incredibly handsome doe eyed himbo with a titled moral compass and enough angst to get somebody like Delilah to care about him. She had always been like that, always liked her men dangerous and emotionally unavailable, like most cops, but this was different. Something about Bishop changed Delilah, and Morgan could never ascertain if it was for better or for worse, but she remembered it feeling worse.

Delilah had never been more depressed. Nothing could seem to shake her out of losing him. And then the pregnancy. A pregnancy that was foretold would kill her. Morgan hadn't stopped caring about how Delilah felt, she just didn't trust those feelings. Morgan fully believed Delilah to have suffered a mental break, and that was something she would stand by. Every decision she made, she made to save Delilah. Maybe that wasn't the right thing to do, maybe none of it was Morgan's call to make, but from where Morgan stood, she was watching her oldest friend lose her mind. She had just mourned Bishop's death, and then he was back, and then he was gone again. And then she was pregnant. Morgan wanted to protect Delilah. So she took charge, like she always did. Delilah was alive. Her daughter was alive. Delilah could hate her methods, but Morgan would always be fine with the results she got....at least objectively.

She sometimes wondered why she couldn't just support and be happy for Delilah, but she knew it was because she had never seen her friend more miserable. No man was worth that kind of pain. Not even Prince fucking Charming. Not even the man she had just watched burn in front of her in some halfhearted depressing vigil. Delilah had been her moral compass for so long that seeing that even someone like her could have that big of a blindspot when it came to love, it was really unsettling. Morgan had dabbled in changing the past so she knew it was futile to dwell on it, and she wouldn't. It just felt good to know she still had passion behind her feelings with Delilah. It meant their was hope for them. And Delilah wasn't all wrong. At certain point, Delilah's anger with her caused a mirrored reaction. It was easier to be bitches to each other than it was to actually talk about things.

"We did hurt each other...and SADLY, I don't think it will be the last time, either...."

Delilah: "And we stopped being a team. All of us...the Six doesn't exist anymore. We're just a group of people with super powers, alone but sometimes in the same place."

"We're still a team, Delilah...It's just that we're all here out of obligation and not desire...we lost our passion. Our vision....we started this because we wanted to make sure that the things that happened to us as children didn't happen to anyone else. The last decade it's been nothing but a personal vendetta against us. Sometimes I think the only thing we've ever really saved is our own asses...."

[smirking]

"Which you know, as a supermodel, I'm grateful for. But sometimes, it's hard to see any actual GOOD we've accomplished that didn't directly benefit US. I realized quite a long time ago that we weren't here for the greater good...we were here for each other. The night the founding members of The Six spent in The Citadle forever bonded us. What we experienced there, who we encountered and how we got out, it changed us. We were drawn towards each other, for better or worse..."

Her mind replayed that night in The Citadle. When she murdered her father, she expected to feel free. Little did she know, the damage had already been done. No matter what man was in front of her, she always worried. Worried they would become just like Christopher.

"I don't think any of us back then anticipated just how much worse it would get...."

Delilah: "But I do want to help you, Morgan. And I am sorry, about Nicolas."

"I appreciate it, Delilah, but i'm realizing the only person who can help me is me...and thank you, about Nicolas. I know you never liked him..."

She squeezed Delilah's hands as they watched the glorious starscape above them. She had been among those stars hours ago fighting against Set with Dominique.

"Dominique..."

Morgan made note to check in on her before she left the mansion. AND Cameron. Whatever he had done had nearly killed Isis, and while she was grateful that it worked, she needed to know what was behind it. She took another swig and laid the bottle next to her hip.

"I don't say that to make you feel bad. I just...I know you always felt like it was an act...like he was acting. But it's who he was. He was performative....expressive...both manly...and childish. And I needed it...I needed that kind of validation from him for so long, because...it felt good to experience something other than VIOLENCE from a man..."

Her eyes swelled a bit with light tears as she gave a bit of a sniffle.

"And then...it wasn't enough. I don't know why...I just felt....stuck. All those things that I loved about him became...hard to accept, despite how genuine they were. I wanted to feel like a woman, not a porcelain doll...."

She began to get a bit teary eyed.

"And I wanted to at least be able to tell him that....now? I never will. He died not knowing the truth about me, Delilah. I'm not sure I can forgive myself for that...."

"No."

She couldn't let this become another outburst of emotion, another scene about herself. So she rolled to her side and offered Delilah the bottle of chardonnay.

"But honestly...fucking ENOUGH about me. How are YOU? What's going on in that head? What's got you excited or worried or scared...I want to know."

 

[Prophet]

Aerie - The Garden

Haleigh: "Ah, I missed you too, Stud."

God he loved it when she called him stud. Something about it gave him goosebumps from the top of his spine to the tip of his toes. He would never forgive himself for not finding a nickname that provoked such a reaction in her. But that's what he loved about Haleigh, he could be the strongest telepath alive and she'd still find a way to surprise him or turn the tables. She was lethal in every way that it mattered to him, and being this physically close to her, in this moment, it let him forget what he was sure to process in an unhealthy manner in the future. He grunted loudly as he once again, flipped her over on her back without his manhood leaving her and began to kiss her neck with the ferocity of a dog and his bone.

"Let me in, Haleigh.....let me feel you."

With an almost erotic intensity, Cameron lifted the barriers between each other's minds and more specifically their psyches as his whispered against hers with a vibration she physically felt all throughout her body as Cameron entered her again with an exalted grunt. There would be no more secrets between them, no more left unsaid. He hovered down and kissed her neck, pinning her arms above her head as in his mind, he was back in the Cathedral, relieved to find that the damage he and Malice had done was repaired. He nibbled her ear as he melded their minds even closer together, until they were moving as one physical unit all working towards the same naughty little goal. He would never live without this feeling again, and neither would she.

Prophet let go of her arms as he hovered over her, his eyes wet with intensity, beads of dew across his forehead. Their eyes met, locked in intense embrace.

"God, I fucking love you...."

And suddenly, within the cathedral of his mind, a rather large spiderweb covered the corner of the ceiling diagonally, it's presence casting shadows against the kaleidoscope of colors from the stained glass windows. He loved the way her mind worked, how it compensated for the virus and her power. She didn't have a cathedral, a citadle, a library in her mind - it was pitch black. Empty but full, so much of herself seemingly kept on some kind of hidden hard drive somewhere. The same energy he felt in her mind was the same energy of the web. Their psyches were now linked.

"Ughhhhh...."

He grunted again as he forced himself back into the present, wanting to watch his lover's eyes as he brought her to climax. Cameron picked up the pace as he used his power to swell her pleasure receptors, and to stoke the embers of her passion. She was his, and his alone. And it was all he wanted. They locked eyes as they climaxed together, shuddering and grasping at each other's limbs with perfect memory. Cameron made a note to have sex with Haleigh in an actual bed at some point, and the thought complimented the waves of euphoria rushing over his body as he collapsed on top of her, his chest heaving as he rested his chin on Haleigh's wet shoulder. It felt good to be mortal again. He would teach her how to use their new bond later, but in her mind, against the full black emptiness of Haleigh's psyche, a door appeared, both behind the web in Cameron's cathedral and the darkness of Haleigh's mind. This door led to each other, and he would show her just how deeply a man could love a woman. He laid there for a few moments with his eyes closed, breathing her in, smelling her hair and existing in her presence. Then, with a smirk, he lifted his head and kissed her on the lips.

"Well...I didn't intend on this being another quickie, but....looks like you enjoyed yourself...thoroughly.

 

[MorningStar]

Aerie

Morgan: "We did hurt each other...and SADLY, I don't think it will be the last time, either...."

Delilah sighed out, looking back up at the stars.

"Probably not."

After a pause, she commented that they'd stopped being a team - which they had. They were all separate people now, living separate lives and avoiding each other as much as possible.

Morgan: "We're still a team, Delilah...It's just that we're all here out of obligation and not desire...we lost our passion. Our vision....we started this because we wanted to make sure that the things that happened to us as children didn't happen to anyone else. The last decade it's been nothing but a personal vendetta against us. Sometimes I think the only thing we've ever really saved is our own asses...."

Delilah closed her eyes for a moment.

"Did we even do that? Look at us. All of us. We're a mess. But you're right: we used to care about what we were doing. Now the Six is just a chore that we have to do."

Morgan "I don't think any of us back then anticipated just how much worse it would get...."

She shook her head.

"We thought things would get better..."

She looked at Morgan, told her she wanted to help her, that she was sorry about Nicolas - a fraction of the things she wanted to say.

Morgan: "I appreciate it, Delilah, but I'm realizing the only person who can help me is me...and thank you, about Nicolas. I know you never liked him..."

Delilah started to speak but Morgan continued.

Morgan: "I don't say that to make you feel bad. I just...I know you always felt like it was an act...like he was acting. But it's who he was. He was performative....expressive...both manly...and childish. And I needed it...I needed that kind of validation from him for so long, because...it felt good to experience something other than VIOLENCE from a man...

"I should have supported you more...I'm sorry about that, looking back."

Morgan: "And then...it wasn't enough. I don't know why...I just felt....stuck. All those things that I loved about him became...hard to accept, despite how genuine they were. I wanted to feel like a woman, not a porcelain doll...And I wanted to at least be able to tell him that....now? I never will. He died not knowing the truth about me, Delilah. I'm not sure I can forgive myself for that...."

Delilah squeezed Morgan's hand.

"He died knowing you loved him. That's enough."

Morgan: "But honestly...fucking ENOUGH about me. How are YOU? What's going on in that head? What's got you excited or worried or scared...I want to know."

Delilah laughed.

"I think today of all days you're entitled to a little self-centered conversation."

She let a deep breath out as she looked upwards at that glowing expanse of dark sky.

"I'm...fine...I guess."

She shook her head.

"No, I'm not fine but I'm getting by. Where do we go from here? Malice is dead, the world is safer. Maybe safe enough that Alexia can come home..."

Her voice caught.

"But will it ever be safe, for any of us? I'm just tired, so tired. Of all the tragedy, of never having anything good happen anymore..."

She took another deep breath and let it out.

"How do we even keep doing this? Keep going on and on until all of us are dead? I just...I just want to quit. Go off somewhere, bury my head in the sand and not think about any of this anymore. Escape."

Be normal.

 

[Recall]

Oracle: "Secondary mutations are not that uncommon. They usually occur after a trauma. I think your body has been preparing for this, and then with the stress of the battle when you were, as you say, rusty...the mutation triggered. We need to run some tests in a secure environment. I would suggest we ask the Six to loan us their danger room...but I'm not sure I trust our new allies completely just yet."

" We're never gonna have a handle on their trust. It's impossible. I'd rather deal with whatever is happening to me internally. In fact i'd let Ashley take a torch to me before I ask Cameron for his Danger Room."

She smirked a bit, happy to be able to compartmentalize the grief she was feeling about Nicholas to an external hardrive. It was only slightly ironic that Oracle could see what she was doing in real time. She couldn't hide from Elizabeth, and that made it easy to just be honest with her.

"Half the reason i ran to Miami was to escape them. We saved their asses at Hellfire. We crippled the black court. And they send Isis on a mission to shame us into helping. Please!"

Vivica downed the rest of her champagne.

"But you're right, girl. We need allies. We need like minded people. Even if those people have said no before. Alexis, Alycia, Sharon..I still don't think all hope is lost...and I only have that kind of hope, when I'm hanging around you."

She smirked setting her glass down on the table.

"If there's one thing I'm good at...it's compartmentalizing. I can't come back here and immediately stand still. Any kind of work, no matter how menial, please...throw it my way. I promise I won't neglect myself. Zach and Ashley deserve to stay in their bubble, but we have work to do. Or more specifically, I'll find work to do..."

Vivica leaned back in her chair as she took a moment to survey all the faces around her. Her mind went to Nicholas. She felt his death weirdly personal. Vivica had been there the night The Six was formed. She had fought off techno organic monsters that had risen to the street level from The Citadle..but she could never find herself in the inner circle. When she had found out Nicholas was a member, part of her felt hopeful that the reasons she used to think they didn't accept her weren't true. There were not many prominent mutants of color, and his role in things was important. She didn't want his death to be in vain. She wanted to inspire people the way he had inspired her. Before leaving for Miami she had been spending as much time as possible at Rose's orphanage. It felt so good to know that there was somebody in the city taking care of mutant youth.

"We should probably start by checking in on Rose. The kind of psychic battle those two just went through? No way she hasn't been affected..."

She thought of Julian Keller, one of the teenage resident's of Rose's home. He was a telekinetic who used his ability to make the most broody and angry and expressive art Vivica had ever seen. She had gotten very close to him in the months before she left, but found herself in a difficult situation. She cared for Julian so much, but she was worried that she was on her way to creating another Cameron King for herself. Someone to pour all of her energy into making perfect to the detriment of herself. Despite her computer like memory, Vivica was a bit of a softie at her core, and just like her mother, she never met a stray she didn't want to take in. She was at an impasse. She had this reservoir inside of her that was full of love. Love that she wanted to give. To a lover. Or to a child. Or to somebody just really important to her. She was ready to move on to the next chapter of her life, and she new that chapter was not one she could begin to write alone. Recall needed someone. She just didn't know what.

"On an unrelated note, if I thought you would actually tell me you were disappointed in or mad at me, I might say that I'm sorry for leaving you in the lurch so soon after Gabe, and I'm sorry for not being at the funeral. It was selfish. It wasn't right. And i'm sorry. And I know that for you to impose is to spontaneously combust, but I want you to know...yeah, I can be a bit shifty, but I'm also pretty strong. And I give some damn good advice I should probably follow myself...."

She reached over and placed her hand on top of Oracle's.

"I'm here for you, however you need. I'm telling you what you'd tell me. Don't hold stuff in, take time to process and reach out if you need to.."

 

[Spellbinder]

Aerie

Delilah: "I should have supported you more...I'm sorry about that, looking back."

"Stop stealing my lines, girl. You raised concerns, but you let me follow my heart. Despite having the best of intentions....I...."

[exhaling deeply]

"I should have maybe done the same for you. *I'm* sorry about that...looking back."

<< She explained her situation ad naseum before genuinely inquiring as to how Delilah was feeling. >>

Delilah: "No, I'm not fine but I'm getting by. Where do we go form here? Malice is dead, the world is safer. Maybe safe enough that Alexia can come home..."

<< Morgan winced. >>

Delilah: "But will it ever be safe, for any of us? I'm just tired, so tired. Of all the tragedy, of never having anything good happen anymore. How do we even keep doing this? Keep going on an on until all of us are dead? I just...I just want to quit. Go off somewhere, bury my head in the sand and not think about any of this anymore. Escape."

<< She took a moment to gather her thoughts. >>

"No. No, Delilah. We're never gonna be safe. But we wouldn't have been safe if we were born human either. Granted....we'd be a lot SAFER, but think of all the bad shit...the WORST shit...the stuff you dream about. None of it has to do with our powers...it ALL the wretched COIL of mortality. It's all human...."

<< Morgan sat upright bring her knees to her, locking them with her hands and resting her chin on top of them as she continued to look up at the night sky while gripping Delilah's hand still. Something had told her ever since their fingers interlocked not to let go. This was the best she had felt in months. >>

"All of us have tried to escape this world, and it's never worked. If anything it usually ends up causing UNECESSARY colateral damage that...just isn't worth it. And if it takes all of our deaths to ensure we leave Alexia a better world, even in just the slightest, well I think that is a SMALL sacrifice..."

<< She let out a small laugh. >>

"It's probably the wine talking, but this was my fear....when you had a daughter. We all feel it. That burning desire to just leave it all behind. Like why are we doing it? Why are we even participating in this...Like I said...right now we are here out of obligation...but being here now...even just talking to you without so much TENSION..it's making me realize that the obligation comes from the fact that we are a FAMILY. And now we have this new life...the pressure of that...to know, she will NEVER not be a bargainning chip to be held against you from this day forward.....we sacrificed so much for this life, Delilah, but we CHOSE to. Alexia didn't...."

<< Morgan was trying to be as honest as possible with Delilah. It was the kind of conversation she would have wanted to have if she hadn't been sure that Delilah had lost it. Delilah loved so deeply. She idealized people in a way that almost always got her hurt. Trying to navigate the life they lived while having a daughter....Morgan was scared. It would consume her friend. Morgan saw very clearly what Delilah did not. >>

"Alexia is beautiful..PERFECT in every way. But you couldn't have not realized...that in choosing to become a mother, you would never truly feel safe again. I mean Bishop, Hellfire, The SIx? And we've lost so many people, and some to such little things..maybe I was projecting, but...i'm scared Delilah. I just keep thinking of all these TERRIBLE things...of someone kidnapping her, or using her as bait to hurt you..."

<< Her icy violet eyes met Delilah's beautiful sapphire blue. >>

"I know that all seems so...not human when it comes to thinking of your daughter, but damn. She is SAFE in Limbo, and that brings me GREAT comfort...but Limbo...is not the place for a little girl. Trust me."

<< She guessed now was as good a time of any. >>

"Without access to my magick i've been, somewhat....reluctant to return to Limbo. I was Sorceress Supreme there, and I am not sure that my...current condition won't translate to Limbo. I am worried that if it does....some kind of demon out there somewhere might come SNIFFING for trouble...or cause an uprising...one that I won't have the power to fight. Teleporting is too quick for me to test it...I didn't realize all of this until after I promised to take you to see your daughter..."

<< The revelation had acted as a starting point for her spiral into despair. She had been neutered in the Battle at Hellfire by the likes of Kelly Shaw, and now she couldn't even do ANYTHING useful in the wake of it. She felt useless. She felt like Cameron and Haleigh had finally gotten what they had been after for so long. It wasn't Delilah's fault, but the night that she realized she had no more to offer Delilah, Morgan took to the bottle. She turned her head, and tucked a few strands of hair behind Delilah's ears, or attempted to, she couldn't be sure if Delilah was mad or not. >>

"Look, one thing I want to make clear in all of this...is that I love you. You have always been one of my best friends, and I hope to always be in your life. I don't know how or if THE SIX will continue, but I hope that WE will...and I also don't ever want to lose another person without them knowing who I really am..what I've done..."

 

[Black Widow]

Minerva’s Aerie — The Garden

He was all over her, not just physically, but mentally as well. She could feel him pushing into her psyche. It was like a warmth washing over her, and she felt safe. He pinned her arms above her head and she let him, with a certain smirk. He was kissing her neck, nibbling her ear lobe, and she was quite enjoying it. For once, there was no strategizing going on in the back of her mind. She was thinking of nothing but how good he felt. He let go of her wrists, pulling back a bit to look down at her. Her hands traveled slowly up his muscular arms. He caught her gaze as she looked up at him, and told her he loved her. She grinned widely at him.

“God is a bit superfluous, My Queen will be sufficient.”

She joked, and then he started using his powers on her a different way. He was pushing her rapidly towards the precipice. She moaned as she laid back on the stone table, moving her hips to meet his more urgently. Her legs wrapped around his waist to pull him as close as possible. Waves of pleasure crashed over her, and she shuddered uncontrollably as she cried out, her hands seizing his. He relaxed on top of her. She could feel his pulse within her, and his heart pounding against her breast.

She kissed the side of his face, and then scratched his scalp gently with his fingernails while he laid there on her chest, catching his breath. She sensed him making some connection with her mentally, like a portal opening in her mind. She wasn’t sure what to do with that yet, but he was much more welcome in her psyche than Malice so she made no effort to resist him. He pulled himself up and then kissed her. Her hands framed his face and she kept him there for a few moments. When she let him go he admitted he hadn’t meant for it to be a quickie but observed that she had apparently enjoyed herself thoroughly.

“Mmhmm, yes.”

She agreed with a satisfied smirk. It had been better than her previous sexual liaison, for sure. Alek had been good, but there was something about being with Cameron that was better. She sat up, kissing him again. For so many years she’d avoided even thinking about kissing him, and now it was like she couldn’t kiss him enough. He started collecting their carelessly flung articles of clothing and tossing hers back at her. Once she was dressed again she ran her fingers through her hair, undoing and then re-braiding her hair. It was back to thinking again, back to tactics and logistics. As much as she might have enjoyed it, they couldn’t just hide out here in Minerva’s garden and fuck for the rest of their lives.

“I know you just got back and there’s a lot to process right now, so don’t feel like you have to answer me right away.”

She began, as she looped her arm into his and they started back in the direction of the wake together.

“After we burned Hellfire to the ground, Helena and your mother made themselves scarce. In the resulting power vacuum, Ava and I seized control to preempt any return to power the old regime might consider. It’s been several months now, ostensibly we’ve been accepted as the new Queens. Still, I could really benefit from a King to watch my back and help me lead the organization in a more desirable direction.”

She explained, glancing sideways to check his expression.

“There’s no one I’d rather have than you.”

 

[Oracle]

Aerie - The Mansion

Vivica needed to get some things off her chest - a lot of things had happened in the past few months, and Zizi was glad they were able to speak, even if the location made her feel a bit like a fish in an aquarium. The first priority needed to be whatever was happening with Vivica's powers. She really wished she could run better diagnostics in a controlled environment, but that would mean asking the Six for the use of their Danger Room.

Vivica: "We're never gonna have a handle on their trust. It's impossible. I'd rather deal with whatever is happening to me internally. In fact I'd let Ashley take a torch to me before I ask Cameron for his Danger Room."

Zizi smiled.

"Maybe don't mention that to Ashley - she might get ideas."

Zizi tilted her head and looked inquisitively at Viv - she was literally saving her grief over Nicolas for a rainy day.

"You are allowed to feel sad, Viv - Nicolas was your ally, your friend. You have just as much right as anyone here."

Vivica: "Half the reason i ran to Miami was to escape them. We saved their asses at Hellfire. We crippled the black court. And they send Isis on a mission to shame us into helping. Please!"

Zizi watched Vivica throw down the remainder of her drink, but said nothing about it. Instead, she looked her in the eyes.

"I'm glad Isis came to us. It took a lot for her to do it, I'm sure. She's not used to asking for help. Makes me feel like...maybe we got through to her on some level."

Vivica: "But you're right, girl. We need allies. We need like minded people. Even if those people have said no before. Alexis, Alycia, Sharon..I still don't think all hope is lost...and I only have that kind of hope, when I'm hanging around you."

The corners of Zizi's mouth turned upwards into a small smile.

"There's always hope, Viv. Sometimes people just take time. But they get there, in the end."

Vivica: "If there's one thing I'm good at...it's compartmentalizing. I can't come back here and immediately stand still. Any kind of work, no matter how menial, please...throw it my way. I promise I won't neglect myself. Zach and Ashley deserve to stay in their bubble, but we have work to do. Or more specifically, I'll find work to do..."

"Oh there's plenty to do...but FIRST we have to check you out and make sure you're okay. IF you did experience a second mutation, it's likely due to stress. That's not good, Viv. I'm not going to put you in ANOTHER stressful situation without fulling knowing what's happening."

She was worried that Vivica would pile things on herself and eventually break down. She needed to take better care of herself, and Zizi was going to make sure she did. But there was a lot to be done back in New York, a lot of ways they could help. Ways the Six had long forgotten about.

Vivica: "We should probably start by checking in on Rose. The kind of psychic battle those two just went through? No way she hasn't been affected..."

"I do trust Karen Victoria and Rae to take good care of her, but we should absolutely see her, especially now that Karen has her hands full."

Vivica: "On an unrelated note, if I thought you would actually tell me you were disappointed in or mad at me, I might say that I'm sorry for leaving you in the lurch so soon after Gabe, and I'm sorry for not being at the funeral. It was selfish. It wasn't right. And i'm sorry. And I know that for you to impose is to spontaneously combust, but I want you to know...yeah, I can be a bit shifty, but I'm also pretty strong. And I give some damn good advice I should probably follow myself...I'm here for you, however you need. I'm telling you what you'd tell me. Don't hold stuff in, take time to process and reach out if you need to.."

Vivica put her hand on top of her own, and Oracle turned her hand over so she could give it a squeeze.

"I'm okay, Viv. Really. I just need time."

She smiled warmly. She was lucky to have friends who cared so much about her. She wasn't ready to talk about Gabe, but she knew she could when she was ready.

 

[MorningStar]

Aerie - Outside

Delilah apologized to Morgan for not supporting her more, for her choices regarding Nicolas.

Morgan: "I should have maybe done the same for you. *I'm* sorry about that...looking back."

Delilah nodded. It was good to hear, and Delilah believed Morgan was being genuine. But she'd done a 180 on her before... Morgan asked how Delilah was feeling, and she responded that she was tired, that she wanted to escape from all of this continuous tragedy and uncertainty.

Morgan: "No. No, Delilah. We're never gonna be safe. But we wouldn't have been safe if we were born human either. Granted....we'd be a lot SAFER, but think of all the bad shit...the WORST shit...the stuff you dream about. None of it has to do with our powers...it ALL the wretched COIL of mortality. It's all human...."

Delilah looked up at the night sky. To be human...

Morgan: "All of us have tried to escape this world, and it's never worked. If anything it usually ends up causing UNNECESSARY collateral damage that...just isn't worth it. And if it takes all of our deaths to ensure we leave Alexia a better world, even in just the slightest, well I think that is a SMALL sacrifice..."

Delilah bristled a bit. As if everything Delilah had done in the past months wasn't for Alexia. She spoke softly.

"I would sacrifice anything for her."

That included the Six. If she had to take Alexia to an island somewhere, if Delilah had to live in Limbo with her, so that she would be safe, she would do it.

Morgan: "It's probably the wine talking, but this was my fear....when you had a daughter. We all feel it. That burning desire to just leave it all behind. Like why are we doing it? Why are we even participating in this...Like I said...right now we are here out of obligation...but being here now...even just talking to you without so much TENSION..it's making me realize that the obligation comes from the fact that we are a FAMILY. And now we have this new life...the pressure of that...to know, she will NEVER not be a bargaining chip to be held against you from this day forward.....we sacrificed so much for this life, Delilah, but we CHOSE to. Alexia didn't...."

Delilah nodded.

That was the reason for everything. The reason Malice had to die. It sent a message. NO ONE threatened her child and got away with it. NO ONE was unreachable. The Six would come for anyone who tried. Even if they weren't really a team anymore, even if some of them could hardly stand to be in the same room with each other - the Six dealt retribution swiftly and without mercy.

"I won't have her live in fear. I won't."

Morgan: "Alexia is beautiful..PERFECT in every way. But you couldn't have not realized...that in choosing to become a mother, you would never truly feel safe again. I mean Bishop, Hellfire, The Six? And we've lost so many people, and some to such little things..maybe I was projecting, but...I'm scared Delilah. I just keep thinking of all these TERRIBLE things...of someone kidnapping her, or using her as bait to hurt you..."

Delilah sat up so she was level with Morgan and turned her head to look at her.

"Do you think I don't think about those things? That's ALL I think about. Do you think I'm not terrified? Do you think if I wasn't afraid of what someone like Malice would do to her that I wouldn't have clawed my way into Limbo if I had to to get her back?"

Delilah looked directly into Morgan's eyes, wiping tears away that had leaked from her own.

Morgan: "I know that all seems so...not human when it comes to thinking of your daughter, but damn. She is SAFE in Limbo, and that brings me GREAT comfort...but Limbo...is not the place for a little girl. Trust me."

Delilah shook her head.

"I don't want her there. I never did. It wasn't my choice - ALISON took that choice from me. We destroyed Hellfire so she didn't have to stay there anymore, so that wasn't the only place that was safe."

Morgan: "Without access to my magick I've been, somewhat....reluctant to return to Limbo. I was Sorceress Supreme there, and I am not sure that my...current condition won't translate to Limbo. I am worried that if it does....some kind of demon out there somewhere might come SNIFFING for trouble...or cause an uprising...one that I won't have the power to fight. Teleporting is too quick for me to test it...I didn't realize all of this until after I promised to take you to see your daughter..."

The tension in Delilah's body relaxed somewhat at this revelation.

"You should have said something."

This was the problem. This right here. When they kept things from her instead of just telling her the truth.

Morgan pushed a few strands of hair that had been blowing in the sea winds behind her ear. It was such a familiar gesture, and yet it had been so long since Morgan had done it.

Morgan: "Look, one thing I want to make clear in all of this...is that I love you. You have always been one of my best friends, and I hope to always be in your life. I don't know how or if THE SIX will continue, but I hope that WE will...and I also don't ever want to lose another person without them knowing who I really am...what I've done..."

Delilah sighed out.

"Oh, Morgan..."

She looked upwards again. To a perfect sky that made it seem as if no wrong could be happening in the entire world. But, of course, Delilah knew that was not true.

"You are my oldest friend. And I love you too. But you hurt me. And that hurt doesn't go away overnight. I wish it could."

She laid back down on the grass.

"I will do everything in my power to make this world a place that Alexia can live in. So she can be safe, and happy. So she won't have to grow up without a mother like I did. I'm not stupid, if that's what you think, I know the risks well. As for Nicolas..."

She turned her head and looked at Morgan.

"Ask yourself this: did you want to unburden yourself to him for his sake, or your own? Do you really think he wanted to die knowing you'd cheated on him? Do you really think that's the last thing he wanted you to say to him?"

She shook her head.

"You loved him. He knew that. He would be the last person who would want your to torture yourself over this. In some ways, he was a better person than any of us."

She squeezed the hand that still held her own.

"He would have forgiven you in an instant."