«We Could Be Legends»

[Rose Quartz]

Alice had leaned against the counter for what seemed like an eternity. Everyone had fallen quiet once River answered the phone. The silence, occasionally broken by Camilla's crying had started to eat at her. She huffed a sigh and collapsed onto the floor finally exhausted, she wrapped her arms around her knees again and stared vacantly off into the distance.

Wolfram forced himself closer to the corner between the wood door and the wall, shivering from...well, he wasn't exactly sure why he was shivering. He folded his arms across his lap, wishing he had a sweatshirt, or even a long sleeve shirt, and not a tattered, blood stained t-shirt. He sighed softly, his eyes flickering shut as he hearing subconsciously reached out.
Playful screeching laughter of kids playing in the rain echoed in his ears. He flinched, his eyes flickering beneath his lids. A girl calling her dog echoed a bit father away, and the dogs excited barking echoed even farther away. And then, the screech of tires and a truck accelerating very quickly. It couldn't have been very far away, because when his eyes flickered open for half a heartbeat he saw Scorch's ears prick up curiously.
Sure, the truck could have been a idiot speeding, but his mind drifted into scarier thoughts. Thoughts that it was two worried parents driving their bruised, battered and wounded daughter to get help.
He shuttered, a subconscious whimper escaped his lips as his thoughts drifted to Bleddyn unconsciously laying in his arms after the right in the part.
He swallowed hard, his eyes snapping open at he heard a soft whimper and then a cold touch to his arm. He looked next to him, and was met by Peterson's face, the beagles brown eyes wide.

Wolfram sighed softly, lifting his arm, drawing his fingers over the dogs brown, black and white fur. "Sorry buddy. Glad someone's worried about me though." He chuckled softly, lifting the small dog into his lap. Peterson let out a soft yip, nuzzling his head against Wolfram's chest.
A small smile crept across Wolfram's face, and he drew his hand over the dogs head. "Good boy. You're such a good dog, you know that?" He said softly, although Peterson only gave him a quick glance. "Of course, you don't know what I'm saying. You're a dog after all. Now I'm just talking to myself. I must really be going insane. Not surprised though, I would have thought I would have gone insane way before this. And there I go again, I really am insane." He muttered softly. "Not that you care." Wolfram mumbled. Peterson let out a soft whimper, looking up at Wolfram, his head cocked to one side. What's the matter? Why do you seem so sad? The dog's eyes seemed to say. "I'm worried about Bleddyn, that's all." He muttered, his face twitched into a frown. "I feel so guilty for punching her. I hate myself even more for hurting her. Everyone would probably taunt me for caring about her when she's shown pretty much nothing but hate towards me, when they actually try to help. But what I say to that? Screw them. There's just something about her...Not that you would know, you're a dog. But she just has something about her, different I guess. Not in a bad way either, I just can't pinpoint what it is..." He sighed, his gaze flittering over to Alice. He swallowed hard, looking away quickly. "How can she just sit there like that?! Her mom just frigging died! She probably doesn't care about her. Whatever. I won't waste my time dwelling on her. I'm going insane, I'm literally talking to myself." His eyes darkened, drifting into his thoughts silently.

'Dyn just listen to me, will you? We need to get out of here now. It's not safe!' Wolfram snarled, grabbing onto her hand. 'Please, Bleddyn!' He begged. 'We have to wait Wolf. She's around here somewhere...we'll wait for her. Attack when she doesn't expect it.' Bleddyn replied simply. He swallowed hard, the metal walls of the dark tunnel seeming to close around him tightly. Then, out of no where a ear splitting bang, and then a screech ripped through. Bleddyn fell at his feet, blood spattering the ground. 'Bleddyn!'

He jerked out of his thoughts, breaking out in a cold sweat. His breathing increased rapidly, hands holding Peterson tightly. His eyes went wide, and he could feel his heart ramming in his chest. Where had that come from? He had never had a thought so vivid and dark it felt like a nightmare. Bleddyn's shriek echoed in his ears, chilling him to the bone.

Alice waited barely able to keep her eyes open, some how Aunt River's absence had seemed to steal the life from the room. She blinked a few times and looked around at the people who were all hovering around in the kitchen. They all seemed uncomfortable. Indigo especially who was standing near the door silently watching. Waiting like everyone else.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Jessi dialed Jenna's number and walked upstairs, holding the phone to her ear. Toby is going to freak out when he finds out I called mom. She thought.
"Hi sweetheart, what's up?" Jenna asked.
"Hey mom, are you busy? I need you home ASAP. It's really important." Jessi said.
"Of course, I just finished with a client, I'll be home in a few minutes." Jenna replied.
"Thanks mom." Jessi said and hung up. She walked back downstairs and into the living room, walking up to Toby who was sitting on the ground playing tug-of-war with Alpha. She almost told him that Jenna was coming, but changed her mind at the last second, and walked back into the kitchen.
Jenna drove home, and pulled up into the driveway. She noticed two unfamiliar cars, and one dark blue pickup truck. That's Toby's car. Did Jessi borrow it? She thought, walking inside. "Jessi? Are you here?" She called. Her house was full of people, mostly her friends kids. She walked into the kitchen. "What's going on?" She asked.
Toby froze, hearing an all too familiar voice. He slowly stood up, his eyes wide, and looked around until he found Jenna, standing in the kitchen. What is she doing here?
It's her house, dummy.
I know but why is she here? She shouldn't be off work now! Unless someone called her. Please, please, no. This can't be happening. I'm hallucinating. I must be hallucinating, she's not actually here.
"Toby! I haven't seen you in years, sweetheart!" Jenna said, walking up to hug him. He flinched backwards, staring at the floor. "It hasn't been years, it's been ten months." He said quietly. She frowned, and took a step back. "You have not learned what a joke is, I see." She said. "Also, you are wrong. Last time I saw you was eight months ago." She stared at Alpha, with a look of displeasure. "He is still around, I see. You look terrible, what happened to you, sweetheart?"
"I'm fine." Toby growled, still avoiding eye contact.
"Really? Last time I recall you saying that was when I was taking you to the hospital." Jenna replied. Toby stomped past her, and up to Jessi. "What did you do?! Why didn't you tell me she was coming?!" Toby whispered, louder than he intended. "I'm sorry, I thought it would be better if you didn't know."
"You thought it would be better? Last time I saw her ended very badly!" Toby yelled at her.
"Ok! I'm sorry, I should've told you. Let's tell her what happened." Jessi replied, walking up to Jenna.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Alice had leaned against the counter for what seemed like an eternity. Everyone had fallen quiet once River answered the phone. The silence, occasionally broken by Camilla's crying had started to eat at her. She huffed a sigh and collapsed onto the floor finally exhausted, she wrapped her arms around her knees again and stared vacantly off into the distance.



Alice waited barely able to keep her eyes open, some how Aunt River's absence had seemed to steal the life from the room. She blinked a few times and looked around at the people who were all hovering around in the kitchen. They all seemed uncomfortable. Indigo especially who was standing near the door silently watching. Waiting like everyone else.

Wolfram's gaze drifted around, somehow once again meeting Alice's. She looked pathetic sitting there like that. But he knew his did to. "All right thanks for the talk." He muttered to Peterson, lifting this dog off his lap. His stood up slowly, visibly shaken. He walked towards Alice, Peterson treading on his heels. Silently, he got over to Alice, crouching down slowly. "I'm so, so sorry to hear about your mom."

 

[RiverStorm]

"Y-yes. Your brothers house actually. I'm looking for his daughters, I met one of them in the park yesterday following an incident, I have reason to believe they may be in danger. Are they with you?" Frankie continued walking while he was on the phone out into the rain, and then ducking into his car.

River paused, biting her lip. "Yes, actually. They're acting strange, so that helps explain some stuff."

 

[Rose Quartz]

Wolfram's gaze drifted around, somehow once again meeting Alice's. She looked pathetic sitting there like that. But he knew his did to. "All right thanks for the talk." He muttered to Peterson, lifting this dog off his lap. His stood up slowly, visibly shaken. He walked towards Alice, Peterson treading on his heels. Silently, he got over to Alice, crouching down slowly. "I'm so, so sorry to hear about your mom."

Alice's hands tightened on her knees, as Wolfram approached her. She stared at him, mortified that he had in fact, stopped and crouched down to talk to her.

She didn't know what to say, she was stuck on the realization that she hadn't said anything as kind or considerate to him. She'd actually said very little to him at all. Alice took a shallow shaky breath with the intention of saying something, but no words came to her.

Her eyes filled with tears as they danced over his face, there was nothing but sincerity in his eyes. She tried again to say something, anything, but she still couldn't find the right words.

Alice held back a sob and threw her arms around Wolfram, awkwardly hugging him while kneeling on the floor. Her hands gripped his shirt tightly shaking, as she cried into his shoulder.

 

[Rose Quartz]

River paused, biting her lip. "Yes, actually. They're acting strange, so that helps explain some stuff."

Freddie sighed in relief, at least they were with family. "I need to talk to them, about what happened." He paused realizing that them acting strangely meant that they knew at least something of what had happened. "They may have seen, uhm, I - I need to talk to them. Could you tell me where you are please?"

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Alice's hands tightened on her knees, as Wolfram approached her. She stared at him, mortified that he had in fact, stopped and crouched down to talk to her.

She didn't know what to say, she was stuck on the realization that she hadn't said anything as kind or considerate to him. She'd actually said very little to him at all. Alice took a shallow shaky breath with the intention of saying something, but no words came to her.

Her eyes filled with tears as they danced over his face, there was nothing but sincerity in his eyes. She tried again to say something, anything, but she still couldn't find the right words.

Alice held back a sob and threw her arms around Wolfram, awkwardly hugging him while kneeling on the floor. Her hands gripped his shirt tightly shaking, as she cried into his shoulder.

Wolfram very noticeably stiffened as she very suddenly hugged him, and just sat silently for a minute, eyes wide. No....I hate physical contact...I should get her off me, or...something....but....
His hand came up to gently rest on her shoulder, awkwardly, but comfortingly. "It'll be a-alright, I-I promise." He murmured softly, his voice stammering awkward, very noticeable he wasn't used to physical contact.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Wolfram very noticeably stiffened as she very suddenly hugged him, and just sat silently for a minute, eyes wide. No....I hate physical contact...I should get her off me, or...something....but....
His hand came up to gently rest on her shoulder, awkwardly, but comfortingly. "It'll be a-alright, I-I promise." He murmured softly, his voice stammering awkward, very noticeable he wasn't used to physical contact.

(heh well that's what he get's for being nice. )

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

(heh well that's what he get's for being nice. )

(XDXD)

 

[cathloveydovey]

Wolfram just lay limp on the ground, clenching his jaw in pain. "You're wrong." He whispered, ever so quietly. "You are more wrong then you ever have before. I never think about myself. I don't think about my well being or my health. I'll starve myself or throw myself in front of someone with a knife. To be honest, I care more about other people, even those I hate, more then myself." He didn't seem afraid, or even affected, merely emotionless. He stood up slowly, and turned to Bleddyn, ready to fend of a attack.

(This is so me tho)

Alice tensed expecting him at first to go after her from behind. He still wanted to fight Bleddyn? She put wolfram out of her mind he wasn't important right now.



Alice's eyes widened her pupils shrinking into tiny specks. Her stomach twisted in a sour knot. When had Bleddyn become such a blood thirsty monster?

Alice took a breath trying to choose what would be the best way to hurt her, Bleddyn didn't care about physical pain.
"I...." She swallowed hard. "I killed my mom this morning." It came out as a whisper but it was loud enough for everyone to hear. "So. Just..... Stop."

Alice shrugged, the realization setting in with what she'd said aloud causing her to start shaking again.







"I~ I killed my mom." She breathed her voice faltering. She blinked stupidly up at River, for some reason the tears had finally stopped.

Wolfram stared at River, his eyes narrowed as if in deep thought. "It makes sense!" He yelped suddenly. "Now I know why Mapleshade wants the key so bad!" He started pacing frantically, adding everything up. "You said the key is a poison. It destroys Inhuman cells, and that's what Mapleshade wants!" He looked up from the ground and looked at River. "She doesn't want to be inhuman. That's why she wants the key. If she gets it, she'll rid of her ears, and tail and claws and cat eyes, or, eye by now. And if I'm adding it up correctly...." He looked around the room for a minute. "Mapleshade will try and do anything to make sure the key kills us. Why, I don't know. But if I'm adding it up correctly, that's the Pure's plain. At least, I think it is."

"Yes," Indigo said. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. The Multitude's goal is the same as that old group of heroes', the goal to help all people. It's just more personal for some than others."

River nodded, relieved that Wolfram hadn't argued with any of her words. "It will kill all centaurs, mer-people, and shapeshifters, and others like them." She threw a glance to where Lachlan and Finlay were calming a crying Camilla, before she turned back to Wolfram. "She's a fool. It'll kill her before it rids her of what she wants gone." She paused. "They way the poison works, it doesn't make it just disappear... It melts it off. It's an acid, anyone who has inhuman features, those features will melt off in a black slush, I've seen it on a smaller scale once before. The inhuman cells will die, depending on what kind of inhuman, may it may take the inhuman with it." She murmured, cocking her head and lashing her tail.

Jessi froze. So many people are going to die. We can't let that happen. "What's the plan? We have a key that leads to a safety deposit box at the bank, but I don't think their open on Sunday."

Wolfram sighed softly, frowning. "We'll have to destroy the key then, no? Then Mapleshade will never get to it." He let out a frustrated snarl. "I wish mom told me about this! Then we wouldn't be in this position!"

River froze, her mind whirling, calculating. "I..." Her voice drifted off as Wolfram began growling, and thankful for the distraction, she turn to him. "Your mother could have never foreseen this. But destroy the key... That'll be hard. We run the risk of setting it off, we would need some crazy technology. Or... It may not be destroyed without a key, when I last saw it, it latched onto one person. Once it finished... Once it finished it dissipated. It may the kind of poison that... Needs set with something to make it dissipate." She winced at her words, before whirling to Jessi. "You have a key? Good. Not open on Sunday? Argh... Pure are terrorists, they won't care if they catch wind of it. Plan? Get the key, figure out what to do from there. Find a way to destroy it, I suppose. And stay out of the Pure's wind no matter what."

Wolfram was silent, his mind whirling wildly in a hundred directions. "How do we stay out of the Pure's way?! They're everywhere, and Mapleshade will be tearing apart my moms apartment in no time looking for a key that isn't there!" He yelped anxiously. He heard a creature whimpering, and he looked down, seeing Peterson nuzzling him. Don't get upset! The dog's eyes seemed to say as they looked up at him. He took a deep breath, sighing softly.

"We don't stay out of their way. We fight them," Indigo said.

Jessi looked around. She was feeling useless, she didn't know what to do. "We need to get rid of the Pure once and for all."

River nearly reached over and set a hand of his shoulder, but decided against it. Better not. "We just will. We lay low, get the key, the Pure are distracted right now."

"Okay, look." River said, turning on her. "I've fought armies before, and I get how to do it. Quiet, Enchanter. We can't go straight head on, that's rash and stupid, a suicide mission. Finding a way to slip their guard, like getting the key and destroying it, is as much a blow as killing ourselves fighting them."

"I agree with River." Wolfram spoke up. "Going head first will get us all killed. Mapleshade and her men are fast and sneaky, they'll wipe us out in a split second. We barely escaped last time." He explained, gesturing half heartedly to his injured arm.

"I know, I know. A head on approach isn't going to help us. I'm glad you finally understand that." Indigo glared at Wolfram. Reverse psychology did work if devised correctly. "But how can we," she pointed to the group around her, "devise a plan that the Multitude hasn't pulled off after working on this for years?"

(I'll reply to this after Christmas.)

(I thought we were paused.)

That makes it all the more intense :3

Thomas isn't censoring that since it's in his favor
:3

Wolfram swallowed hard, staring at the mess that was before him. Guilt and fear forced its way into his chest as he glanced at Bleddyn. Why did I attack her? I wouldn't have caused this. GOD WHY?! Why do I always cause something like this? Why can't I just...walk away and shut up?!
Because it's in your blood.
He froze as another voice worked its way into his head, answering his silent thoughts.
What?
It's in your blood.
What's in my blood?
Arrogance. Violence. Cruelty. Hate. It's all in your blood.
No! I'm nothing like my father! I will not be like him!
It's unescapable, Wolfram! He is half of you. Just like your mother is also half of you. But which half you choose to feed is up to you.
What is that supposed to mean?
It means what I just said. You can choose to feed the violent part of you. The evil. You can remain so cold, so hateful, so broken. Or, you can choose to feed the peaceful part of you. The good. You can become kinder, safer. Yes, broken still, but kinder. Isn't that what your mother would want?
I...I think so....
Wolfram you are two wolves in one. Good and Evil. But you, and only you alone can choose which one takes over. In order for that you have to become vulnerable. More vulnerable then you already are. You can push everyone away, or choose to stay and let yourself become open. It's the only way you can heal.
I'll never heal. You know that.
Yet he got no answer back. His brows furrowed, his face contouring into a frown as the words haunted in the back of his head. You are two wolves in one. Good and Evil. But you, and only you alone can choose which one takes over.
He turned around to look at Bleddyn. Instead of freezing and running away like a coward, he slowly came closer to her, kneeling down in front of her.
"I'm so sorry." He whispered ever so softly.

"We can do it if we work together with the Multitude. With so many people, we can think outside of the box to find a solution that will work. Let's just try to keep the fighting to a minimal, I mean us fighting each other. It won't help." Jessi said, looking at them all.
Toby sighed. Pros of going inside: my dog, Jessi, it's warm.
Cons of going inside: people, Indigo.
Dude, just go inside already, sheesh. He stood up and walked inside. He hovered in the corner close to the others, watching what they were doing. Looks like they're planning an attack on the Pure. Go strait to fighting? That will never work. Send a few more… expendable people to burst through the front door, while the others sneak in. The Pure will be distracted by team #1 that they'll never see team #2. Toby froze when he realized he said that out loud. Oops.

(I want her to. She should ask if it's ok first.)



It didn't matter what Aunt River said Alice knew it was her fault. If she hadn't taken that piece of paper home, if she had been there like she was supposed to be instead of sneaking out before mom had gotten home, if she hadn't given the blue crystal to the mer-woman.
How could she think that that guy had been nice? The guy who had just killed her mom. What was wrong with her? Even worse than that, how could she have forgotten? How could she have allowed herself to forget that she had caused her mom to die? If she hadn't showed up maybe she wouldn't have had to die.





Fight them? How? She sat silently on the floor and just stared up at all the people standing around. How could we possibly do anything?



Firestein. The name seemed familiar.





So, Indigo was one of the good guys. Or she at least wasn't working with the Pure. Alice tried to ask her for to make her forget again, but guilt kept her silent.















Finally finding her voice Alice spoke up. "It's not going to work. The only reason they let me go is because I agreed to get it for them."

Wolfram froze. "You....you idiot!" He snarled. "Do you realize how much more trouble this is going to cause us, Alice?!" He hissed, glancing at her.

Alice shrank back, pushing herself against the cupboard door. Every thing was going wrong and it was all her fault. She swallowed hard noticing the metallic taste of blood, she used the back of her wrist to wipe the blood off her upper lip. "They said they'd kill you guys if I didn't." She whispered not able to look up and meet his gaze.

"Hey, Alice just did what she thought was the best at the time. Alice, just ignore Wolfram." Jessi said, kneeling by Alice.

"Oh yes, just ignore me!" Wolfram snarled. "I'm obviously worthless, and not worth anyone's time and Alice is just so special and she deserves all the attention. It's not like me and Lachlan and Bleddyn actually fought the Pure in the tunnels and got stabbed or anything while she was going on her merry way while we're dying!"

"I wouldn't have said that if you were capable of being nice for once! She lost her mom, you of all people should feel even a little sympathy, considering your mom died yesterday." Jessi said.

A low growl rumbled at the back of Wolfram's throat, his eyes narrowing. "I am capable of being nice, thank you very much!" He snarled back. "You know what? No. I'm down fighting just shut up." He hissed.

"Then be nice." Jessi replied. She turned to look back at Alice.

Merry way? Anger filled her and she glared at Wolfram, pushing herself to her feet. She curled her fingers under the edge of the counter to hold herself back. "No one knew you were missing until this morning. We did what we could." She growled through clenched teeth.

He pretends I didn't do the exact same thing, thought Indigo. "Ok, so people only fight, or ugh, strategize if we think we can win. And we have more inhumans and power than they have common men. So, tell me, do you think we can win, or will we just cry about our troubles?"

"Idiot!" Wolfram hissed. "We cannot win in a battle against them! They have guns, swords, knifves and more people then we do! It's a loosing battle to fight them. It's suicide!"

"We do. It's not just us. The Multitude may not allow weapons in the base, for obvious reasons, but many of its members own weapons. And I already said we don't attack them your way." Indigo hissed. "We have to be discreet. Smarter than the smarties and um... better than the besties. But would you really rather they kill everyone else?"

Bleddyn wasn't seeing anyone- to her, she wasn't even existing in this plane. A dark mass approached her from within the heart of the numbing mists and spoke in foreign, threatening tones. She shied away, stumbling toward where she remembered the door to be.
When she came to it, she frantically grabbed at the handle until the door yielded and she was freed. She pitched down the ornate stone stairs, simply getting back up and surging forward every time she fell.
Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away.

And so she ran. Her feet followed a path only visible to her mind's eye. She was finding that everything she knew now seemed to locked away through transparent glass, still usable but not accessible. Though a part of her knew where she was going, she didn't really know at all.
When she came to her yard, she finally let herself fall. She crumpled into a shivering heap and shrank away into the turtleneck, her only cloak her from the world.

She was unaware of how much time had elapsed before strong arms unfurled her.
Connor pulled his daughter into his lap, his own arms shaky with fear at having seen her motionless at the edge of their lawn. He propped her head against his shoulder, cradling her like the breakable doll she'd become in the past- the fragile, terribly mortal little girl that he'd hoped would stay exclusive to his nightmares.
He swallowed hard when her eyes locked onto his; they were so horrifically devoid of recognition that they might've been mere holes in her head without a function. "Dyn. Dyn. What's wrong? Why are you out here?"
Ash came up alongside her husband and squatted beside her daughter. Her narrowed eyes probed her daughter's, but unlike her husband, she didn't flinch at the hollows that greeted her. Her hand came forward to gently trace the spreading purple that marred Bleddyn's chin, but she said nothing.

Bleddyn stared up at them both blankly, mouth soundlessly gaping and closing again like a fish deprived of its breath. She turned her face away into her father's chest, away from her mother's prying fingers. Her whole body shook soundlessly, as if Connor's hands were made of a substance so jarringly cold that one couldn't resist submitting to it.
She couldn't expose anyone else to the reality that was turning her own veins to ice and ripping tears in her lungs.

She couldn't possibly be the one to do this to her mother.

Ash stood up and exchanged a long glance with Connor. He slowly got to his feet, lifting his tortured daughter up with him into an involuntary bridal carry.
By silent agreement, they walked to his truck with urgency. Connor carefully climbed into the passenger's seat and handed his wife the keys. He pulled Bleddyn's legs in and arranged her on his lap, then shut the door. Seatbelts were completely insignificant to both adults.
Ash plunged the key in and turned over the ignition. After the electric blue Ram had roared to life, her fingers searched for her phone in the pockets of her sweater. When she found it, her hands were a blur of motion until a dialtone began playing.

She didn't give her hapless quarry the courtesy of a preparatory greeting.
“River, I think we need to talk, and not conveniently over the phone,” Ash growled in a dark monotone that had Connor shivering. Her foot threateningly danced over the gas pedal despite the fact that the truck was still facing the garage. “Where are you?”

** time jumps to acknowledge Bleddyn suddenly leaving**

Alice saw Bleddyn stagger up and away from Wolfram, she wanted to go after her, but she was what had caused it, she couldn't. She'd just hurt her more.

Wolfram stood up, staring at the wildly swinging door. He winced as it slammed against the the wall, a loud bang crushing the silence. He quickly moved to the doorframe, eyes searching around for any trade of the fleeing teenager.
Nothing. It shocked him how fast she must have run in order to get away so quickly. He swallowed hard, flinching back as a gust of wind blew against his face, sending strands of raven black hair across his forehead. He stepped onto the flat slab of stone outside the door, a hand holding the doorknob. "Bleddyn!" He called, uselessly though as another gust of violent wind whipped threw, yanking the door from his grasp, yet again sending slamming against the wall. Deciding that following a blind path to find her was not the best idea, he stepped back inside.
"River she's gone. Not a trace of which path she took."

"If what you guys said about this stuff is true, that it will kill all, or at least most inhumans, I mean, there are a lot of inhumans...." Alice fell silent again, did she really have any right to be making suggestions? Every thing she had done up to this point had been the cause of all this. Starting with her sneaking Dyn out of the diner and then following Wolfram. If she'd just stayed out of it all, like her mom had told her to time and again, none of this would have happened. She glanced over at Camilla who still had Lachlan and Finlay with her. They were trying to sooth her but it didn't seem to be doing much. Alice didn't know why she couldn't cry anymore. She'd been sad enough earlier, now she just felt like her insides were an empty void, she wasn't happy or sad, just neutral and tired.

"Exactly. And I'm sure there is a lot more willing to fight back. We have more on our side. So are we just gonna let them kill everyone we know or not?" Indigo agreed.

"Are you saying we ignore the thing in the bank and go murder all the people who want to use it? Wouldn't that just make more people think that inhumans are bad? And then we'd have to kill them..." Alice sighed loudly, why was she sticking up for the people who were ready and willing to kill her? She wanted to sit back down on the floor and sleep.

"It's just," Indigo dug her shoe into the carpet. "I'm attracted to you guys because you are the sons and daughters of heroes. Just imagine what you could do. You could carry a legacy, I mean, we could be legends when you think about it. My other reason..." I want to destroy everything my mother ever worked to build.

"You're attracted to us? Really? You make it sound like being the kids of those guys is a good thing. It's not." Toby said, his face blank. Even though there wasn't any emotion in his face, he looked dead inside.

"Well, if that's what you think, I guess I have no reason to be here," Indigo whispered.

"What's that supposed to mean? All I said was that being kids of whatever their group was called isn't a good thing, at least for me." Toby said.

Alice squinted at her, heroes? Legends? She thought back to what her mom had said about what happened so long ago. She hadn't thought of herself as a hero, if anything she seemed to regret what she had done. So much so she never even told her kids what had really happened.

"You mean, legendary murderers? Killing bad guys doesn't make us good guys. It makes us slightly less bad guys than the ones who started it. But I guess we can't really do nothing."

"Your parents, they..." Indigo decided not to say more. They killed too. (Where is a good River/Misty when I need her?)

River didn't move as Bleddyn ran.
Couldn't? Wouldn't?
Who knew. Wolfram's voice sounded shallow and meaningless to her. It was starting to dawn on her. That this wasn't a joke, Tayn was... Dead. One of her best friends was just...
Gone.
As ringing reached her ears, she didn't do anything for a moment, considering letting it go unanswered, along with any hurtful questions. What if it's Zen? Or Thomas? Or Ash? She swallowed, finally pulling out her phone, peering down at it with tear filled eyes. Ash. "Actually, there is." She uttered to Wolfram, stumbling into the living room.
As soon as she answered and put the device to her head, an angry Ash barked through. "Ash..." Her voice croaked, hardly loud enough to hear. "I... No. Bleddyn went to you, right? Stay with her in your house. I'm sorry. I'm not telling you where I am though. If you have one ounce of smartness in that brain, listen to me. No."

Wolfram slammed the door shut, leaning against it. He let out a long sigh, his head hitting the glass window of the door painfully. He winced, clenching his jaw. I find her, just to loose her again.
This is my fault.
I caused this, because I decided to punch her it all led to this.
They're right, I am dangerous.
He slid down the door, sitting on the cold, hard floor.
I've got to stay away from her. It just leads to her getting injured more and more.
I don't want that for her.

Bleddyn shifted away from River's voice as it drifted from the phone's speaker and she uttered a choking whimper into her father's shirt. Connor ran his hand over her hair soothingly, halting when his fingers caught on a abnormal ridge. He moved strands of veiling blonde aside until he'd revealed a fresh cut that ran half the length of her skull. Biting down on his lip, he elbowed his wife to note his discovery.
"Listen." With River's audible distress violently compelling her suspicion, Ash's voice became noticeably firmer. Her brow lowered hard over her eyes and her tightening grip on the steering wheel had her knuckles turning stark white. She didn't even shift her resolute glare to her husband when he beckoned her. "I want to know why my daughter can't talk to me. I also want to know a lot of other things. Tell me where you are right now."

“As much as I want to be proud of my mom’s actions, I-I have mixed feelings. I mean, she saved a lot of people, they all did, but also, do you see any Inhumans at the top of their classes in school, no matter how smart they are? All I see are them being-“ she took a deep breath and rubbed the back of her hand in a nervous gesture-“bullied.” She finished, her voice shaking a little.
She glanced up at the sound of her teacher’s voice calling her name. She was 14, in her second week of high school. “Come here.” Her teachers voice had a strange tint of glee to it. Brisa stood and headed to the front of the class, turning to face it, her shy self quaking. “Now. Answer this question.” She pointed to the board behind her. Brisa studied it for a while, painfully aware of the silence behind her. Not wanting to seem stupid even though she hadn’t ever seen a problem like that and had never been good at math anyway, she took a marker and attempted to finish it, got lost halfway through, and ended up turning back to the teacher with tears brimming in her eyes, the classes’ quiet laughter burning her like open flame. “Just kidding!” Her teacher’s smile was mocking and cruel. “We haven’t learned that yet. We’ll learn that next year.” The last part was quiet and filled with venom. “You may return to your seat, Strange.” But not quiet enough to not be heard by the kids in the front row. Her tears fell as she returned to her seat, doing her best to hide them. So she became Strange. No one bothered to learn her real name, and those who had soon forgot it. And this happened again and again until the memories stacked up into one never ending one. It had happened last Friday too.
She was shocked out of her memory when the door slammed behind Bleddyn.

Toby turned to look at Brisa. "Exactly! Because of my parents-and of course many, many other reasons-I became best friends with the trash can and toilet. Man that was random." He said.

Wolfram buried his head in his hands, clenching his hair in one hand, barely hearing any of the conversation after Bleddyn left. He let out a agitated growl, looking up sharply. His gaze drifted over to Brisa, his eyes narrowing as he studied her distraught face. "You ok?" He asked quietly.

"No! You listen, Ash, you'll make things worse." River snarled, mentally wincing as Camilla's cries slid through the phone also. "You need to just comfort your daughter, and let her explain. I... Have other problems right now." She growled, letting her gaze wander to the kitchen, where the numerous teenagers were freaking out. "I don't have answers, I need answers. And you coming here will make it harder to find out." She suddenly yanked the phone from her face, hitting the end call button.

She nodded quickly, the pain in her eyes fading a bit as she took a deep, trembling breath. “Same.” She responded quietly to Toby, attempting a smile.

Wolfram frowned, not believing her entirely. But he didn't push her, just sighed softly.

Toby smiled back at her and wander into the living room, looking for Alpha.
Jessi pulled out her phone. She was going to call Jenna and tell her what happened. "I'm going to call mom, maybe she can help us." She said.

*5pm*

Frankie sat at his desk filling out paperwork, trying to connect everything that had happened over the last few days. Some how a bunch of teenagers had been dragged into something that was bigger than he imagined it could be.

The kids that had been taken from River Loson's house, were friends of Sherri, they must have been the same kids that had been at the park the day before, where he had first met her. He sighed, River was a she-wolf and could have been the one he spotted leaving the tunnel. He clicked up the info he had available to him on the computer, River had been arrested before under suspicion of murder. The charges had been dropped with no explanation put in the file but both her and her family had been fully described along with photos of them. A list of associated inhumans were named in her file, all people she had been associated in the so called "heroes" group. He clicked away to look at a few others, again Names, descriptions, inhuman abilities, and pictures of both the person and their children.

He frowned at the screen, why was there so much information on people who had been quiet for 20 or so years? And their children, they seemed to be their most recent school photos, why would the police need to know what their children looked like? He took a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks slowly breathing it out before chewing at his lip. So far he hadn't seen anyone he recognized from the day before.

River's brother, he clicked on Thomas about ready to give up on any of it this actually connecting. Another picture popped up he looked normal enough. Nothing of note in his file really. He had two daughters, Camilla, and... He recognized the other, Alice, as the girl who had been hiding in the corner of the little shop at the park. No known powers. That was strange normally a child of an inhuman would have powers as well. Maybe she was good at hiding it or it was possible her mother was a normal human. He clicked on the name of their mother Tayn another name that had been on River's description. She was inhuman too.

His radio, fizzed to life and read out the same address as what he was reading on his screen, a home invasion. He wasn't supposed to be on the road his shift was almost over. But two people who know each other, who were related to each other, having their homes broken into back to back, that wasn't just a coincidence. Frankie jumped up and grabbed his jacket off the back of his seat.

Frankie left Rudy behind, he was most likely in the break room sipping a coffee as slowly as he could to avoid the paperwork. He'd probably have to come back later and actually finish what ever was left.

-----

*5:30pm*

Frankie stepped under the yellow police tape, flashing his badge to the nearest officer that was in charge of keeping people out. The heavy rain clouds blocked out what was left of the sunlight, making it unusually dark even for this time of year. The house flickered blue and red in the light from the emergency vehicles.

He stepped inside expecting it to be a disaster, it was stranger than that. Through the entry was an eerily tidy kitchen. A black cell phone sitting on the island counter top being the only thing that looked out of place. To his left was the doorway to the living room, where shattered dishes had been piled up. Had the intruders swept before they left? Why would they do that? He walked over and peered into the living room, books had been ripped from their shelves and were strewn across the floor, a lamp leaned haphazardly against a wall it's bulb shattered. The couch cushions were tossed across the room too. It looked like someone had been looking for something. He stepped back his feet crunching on the broken glass. He could hear voices upstairs, he slowly walked to the back of the kitchen where the stairs were glancing into the other rooms off to the right a dining area that had been converted into an office, was also torn apart.

Bits of broken glass were stuck in the carpet of the stairs, someone had walked through the broken dishes before going up the steps. He went up careful not to touch anything. There was an open area around the top of the stairs, with four doors, likely going leading to bedrooms. He walked to the furthest door where there were two officers talking.

"Hey." He said as he approached, letting them know he was there. They both stopped talking to look at him.

"Hey." The darker skinned officer answered. His brow twitching down as he studied Frankie's face. "Were you called in?"

"Uh, no." Frankie said awkwardly. "I'm working on a related case. What happened here?"

The two men exchanged glances before moving away from the door the same man gesturing for him to go inside. Frankie stepped forward and peered around the door frame. His heart sank as his eyes fell to the woman laying on the floor in a pool of her own blood.

"Maybe you know who she is? We need to notify family before word starts getting around."

"Y-yeah. I do. That's Tayn Fleur. What's with the dishes? Did you guys do that?" He asked.

"No, everything is how we found it. You said you were working a related case?"

"Her sister in laws house was broken into yesterday, and some kids were kidnapped. No one died though. One of the parents said the kidnappers were part of a group called the Pure. Ever heard of them?" Frankie asked finally turning away from the doorway.

"Nope." The older officer sighed, "There's more." He said pointing up the hallway to another door. Frankie frowned worriedly at the other officer who to this point hadn't said a word to him. Then nervously up the hallway to the partially open door that glowed from the light behind it.

He walked over and pushed the door open with an elbow, it looked like a normal teenagers bedroom aside from a few things that stood out. The clothes strewn across the floor were normal. The body laying on top was not. He took a choppy breath in. Both parents. What had these kids gotten their hands on?

"You recognize him too?"

"Yeah, it's her husband. Thomas Fleur. It's his sisters house that was broken into yesterday. River, uh, Loson. Has anyone notified next of kin yet?" Frankie responded trying to remain detached.

"Not yet."

Frankie nodded stepping away from the room. "Looks like he put up a fight. Do you know if their kids were home when it happened?"

The officer shook his head, "Don't know, they aren't here now." Frankie nodded.

"So we could be dealing with a kidnapping. I'll try to track down his sister and see if she knows where they are." He said, and headed down the stairs. He pulled his phone from his pocket and looked up the contact info for River.

*ring ring*

Wolfram gave a animalistic like snarl, cradling his head in his hands. A raging migraine gripped his head with sharp talons, his skull seeming to pound rapidly.
He growled softly, his raging thoughs not helping his migraine at all.
Where did Bleddyn go?
Is she safe?
How bad did I hurt her?
Why did mom never tell me about the key?
Where is Mapleshade?
Is she dead? Or ransacking my moms apartment?
How come it all went downhill from Friday night?
Where's Lily? I hope she's safe....I can't forgive her for what she did but I can still care about her......right?

River gave a quiet snarl, before going deathly silent as she saw who was calling.
The police.
Crud, no. Please don't get involved in this. She slowly raised the phone to her ear after answering begrudgingly. "Hello, this is River Katrina Fleur." She said shakily, taking a breath to calm herself.

"Hello, this is Deputy Fredrick Chapman," He said walking down the stairs and through the kitchen, he was both relieved and anxious that she had answered the phone. "Last night, your home was broken in to correct?" He paused waiting to make sure he was talking to the right person.

River paused, her gut twisting. "Yes, that is correct." She said stiffly, forcing calm into her voice. Please don't ask questions, please don't ask questions.

"I see, uh," He paused not sure exactly what to say. "I need to talk to you in person, as soon as possible. Are you at home now? Or are you staying with a friend?"

River silenced a groan. "I'm over currently watching some friends' teenagers." She said, pausing. "Has something other than my house being broke into happened?" He's got to be trying to contact me to tell me about Tayn's death. But why me? Shouldn't Thomas then Ash be contacted? Maybe that was why Ash was-- No. I know when Ash is just ticked at me, and when she lost someone dear.

"Y-yes. Your brothers house actually. I'm looking for his daughters, I met one of them in the park yesterday following an incident, I have reason to believe they may be in danger. Are they with you?" Frankie continued walking while he was on the phone out into the rain, and then ducking into his car.

Ash sucked in a breath, trying to keep herself composed after she was hung up on. "River, even after how long you've known me, you still think you can get away. Amusing."
She twisted sharply in her seat to pin a searching gaze onto her daughter. "Bleddyn, are we going to get anything out of you?"

Bleddyn remained still, her air intake becoming ragged from the influence of panic.

"That's what I thought. Change of plans, Connor, you're driving," Ash declared with an air of finality and flung her door open.

"Ash, wait, she's--" Connor's plea went unheard when the driver's door was slammed expectantly. He heaved an uneven sigh and looked down at his trembling daughter for a long moment. His voice was little more than a whisper when he spoke in the momentary lull that Ash had left. "Whatever's happened, it can't be good, can it, Dyn?"

The passenger door opened and Ash's face was suddenly right beside Bleddyn's. With firm fingers, Ash forced obscuring hair away from the troubled blue irises. “Bleddyn, if I don't get a protest, I'm going to assume you can sit in the back seat just fine?"

Bleddyn flinched back and kept staring ahead torpidly, the two hollow moons on her face giving nothing more away than the one in the sky.

"Alright, there you go. She'll be just fine in the back."

Connor knew better than to bother arguing with his wife when she was like this. He swung his legs out of the truck and slid down onto the pavement, letting Ash slip by to hop into the seat he’d just abandoned.
He propped Bleddyn on his knee while he messed with the back door of the truck and carefully hoisted her up. Her own hands shot out for the sides of the door and she brought herself the rest of the way up, surprising him. She settled herself onto the seat without a word. The frown on his face only deepening with every passing minute, Connor turned away and jogged around the truck.
He jumped into the driver’s seat, but his hand faltered before turning the key for a second time. He couldn’t keep his mind off of how out of it Bleddyn seemed.

He’d seen this before…long ago…he couldn’t deny it…nor forget it…but, oh, how he wanted to…

"What's with the sweater?" he teased, trying in vain to impossibly lighten the dark mood. He peered over his shoulder into the back seat, wishing just about any reaction onto his daughter's frighteningly empty face. "You look even more beautiful than usual."

For the first time, Bleddyn moved to meet his worried gaze squarely. Her face flushed to an even paler shade while she was facing him and her lips twitched silently for some seconds, as if she were fumbling to catch and announce words that were draining soundlessly.

“Please...don't go,” she finally managed in a hoarse whimper, sounding more like a petrified child who’d come face-to-face with her greatest fear rather than the hardened tomboy she was.

Her daughter’s unnaturally desperate plea then awoke true fear in Ash for the first time that day. She threw her palm down onto the control for her window, pitching the last of her stability into a command at Connor. “Just drive.”
The old icy claws of dread were tearing at her innards when she leaned out the window to employ the gift that’d destroyed her own childhood. With a regretful groan, she closed her eyes, subsequently closing herself out from her current world, and let her ears reach for the uncertain beyond.
It was a bit before her head filtered out the irksome interference of her surroundings, but all too soon, she was tuned into choppy conversations clear across town through the courtesy of the wind.


"I've had enough….”

“…..Mom, can I go?…..”

“….here, Sasha, here girl….”

“…just another mile- come on, it’ll be fun…”

“…I’m at the park. Can’t it wait?…”


Ash flinched when an explosion of anxious commotion emerged from the heart of the town’s commonplace utterances and she reeled back into the truck, eyes still sealed shut. She sensed that the other occupants of their truck were concerned by her abrupt unease, but she forced herself back out and receptive to the streaming sound waves.
Lungs tight with apprehension, she commanded her attention in the general direction she’d recalled the disturbance to have come from.
The voices that the winds highlighted at her request were all too familiar, yet she didn’t have a wish to distinguish just any one.

Perhaps she didn’t want to.

It was nearly impossible to keep herself at the sheltering fringes of it all. There was so much riotous noise and it all wanted to barge through her mind’s cautious borders. Despite the emotional charge behind the chaos, none of it was particularly loud, vaguely clueing Ash in on how much distance was between her and it all.

And there was that unmistakable feminine rasp breaking through it all...

"...What? Has someone else's house been broken into?...."


There was almost no doubt that her hapless search had prevailed. But if she’d truly found River and the hazardous mess that she was trying so hard to keep undiscovered, there was indeed reason for anxiety.
It was hard for Ash to set aside what she'd heard and focus on calculating the location.

Where….where….the edge of town….it’s not…anywhere I’m usually...but it’s familiar…it’s all weak…windows not really open…too immaculate…I know…I know this...

Struck by the place she’d gathered, Ash turned back into the truck’s interior. Her face was stricken enough to be a mirror to her daughter’s. “Davis' house. Go.”

Connor slammed his foot onto the gas pedal, sending the truck speeding down the street with a recklessness fed by his calm wife's jarring urgency.

Wolfram forced himself closer to the corner between the wood door and the wall, shivering from...well, he wasn't exactly sure why he was shivering. He folded his arms across his lap, wishing he had a sweatshirt, or even a long sleeve shirt, and not a tattered, blood stained t-shirt. He sighed softly, his eyes flickering shut as he hearing subconsciously reached out.
Playful screeching laughter of kids playing in the rain echoed in his ears. He flinched, his eyes flickering beneath his lids. A girl calling her dog echoed a bit father away, and the dogs excited barking echoed even farther away. And then, the screech of tires and a truck accelerating very quickly. It couldn't have been very far away, because when his eyes flickered open for half a heartbeat he saw Scorch's ears prick up curiously.
Sure, the truck could have been a idiot speeding, but his mind drifted into scarier thoughts. Thoughts that it was two worried parents driving their bruised, battered and wounded daughter to get help.
He shuttered, a subconscious whimper escaped his lips as his thoughts drifted to Bleddyn unconsciously laying in his arms after the right in the part.
He swallowed hard, his eyes snapping open at he heard a soft whimper and then a cold touch to his arm. He looked next to him, and was met by Peterson's face, the beagles brown eyes wide.

Wolfram sighed softly, lifting his arm, drawing his fingers over the dogs brown, black and white fur. "Sorry buddy. Glad someone's worried about me though." He chuckled softly, lifting the small dog into his lap. Peterson let out a soft yip, nuzzling his head against Wolfram's chest.
A small smile crept across Wolfram's face, and he drew his hand over the dogs head. "Good boy. You're such a good dog, you know that?" He said softly, although Peterson only gave him a quick glance. "Of course, you don't know what I'm saying. You're a dog after all. Now I'm just talking to myself. I must really be going insane. Not surprised though, I would have thought I would have gone insane way before this. And there I go again, I really am insane." He muttered softly. "Not that you care." Wolfram mumbled. Peterson let out a soft whimper, looking up at Wolfram, his head cocked to one side. What's the matter? Why do you seem so sad? The dog's eyes seemed to say. "I'm worried about Bleddyn, that's all." He muttered, his face twitched into a frown. "I feel so guilty for punching her. I hate myself even more for hurting her. Everyone would probably taunt me for caring about her when she's shown pretty much nothing but hate towards me, when they actually try to help. But what I say to that? Screw them. There's just something about her...Not that you would know, you're a dog. But she just has something about her, different I guess. Not in a bad way either, I just can't pinpoint what it is..." He sighed, his gaze flittering over to Alice. He swallowed hard, looking away quickly. "How can she just sit there like that?! Her mom just frigging died! She probably doesn't care about her. Whatever. I won't waste my time dwelling on her. I'm going insane, I'm literally talking to myself." His eyes darkened, drifting into his thoughts silently.

'Dyn just listen to me, will you? We need to get out of here now. It's not safe!' Wolfram snarled, grabbing onto her hand. 'Please, Bleddyn!' He begged. 'We have to wait Wolf. She's around here somewhere...we'll wait for her. Attack when she doesn't expect it.' Bleddyn replied simply. He swallowed hard, the metal walls of the dark tunnel seeming to close around him tightly. Then, out of no where a ear splitting bang, and then a screech ripped through. Bleddyn fell at his feet, blood spattering the ground. 'Bleddyn!'

He jerked out of his thoughts, breaking out in a cold sweat. His breathing increased rapidly, hands holding Peterson tightly. His eyes went wide, and he could feel his heart ramming in his chest. Where had that come from? He had never had a thought so vivid and dark it felt like a nightmare. Bleddyn's shriek echoed in his ears, chilling him to the bone.

Alice had leaned against the counter for what seemed like an eternity. Everyone had fallen quiet once River answered the phone. The silence, occasionally broken by Camilla's crying had started to eat at her. She huffed a sigh and collapsed onto the floor finally exhausted, she wrapped her arms around her knees again and stared vacantly off into the distance.



Alice waited barely able to keep her eyes open, some how Aunt River's absence had seemed to steal the life from the room. She blinked a few times and looked around at the people who were all hovering around in the kitchen. They all seemed uncomfortable. Indigo especially who was standing near the door silently watching. Waiting like everyone else.

Jessi dialed Jenna's number and walked upstairs, holding the phone to her ear. Toby is going to freak out when he finds out I called mom. She thought.
"Hi sweetheart, what's up?" Jenna asked.
"Hey mom, are you busy? I need you home ASAP. It's really important." Jessi said.
"Of course, I just finished with a client, I'll be home in a few minutes." Jenna replied.
"Thanks mom." Jessi said and hung up. She walked back downstairs and into the living room, walking up to Toby who was sitting on the ground playing tug-of-war with Alpha. She almost told him that Jenna was coming, but changed her mind at the last second, and walked back into the kitchen.
Jenna drove home, and pulled up into the driveway. She noticed two unfamiliar cars, and one dark blue pickup truck. That's Toby's car. Did Jessi borrow it? She thought, walking inside. "Jessi? Are you here?" She called. Her house was full of people, mostly her friends kids. She walked into the kitchen. "What's going on?" She asked.
Toby froze, hearing an all too familiar voice. He slowly stood up, his eyes wide, and looked around until he found Jenna, standing in the kitchen. What is she doing here?
It's her house, dummy.
I know but why is she here? She shouldn't be off work now! Unless someone called her. Please, please, no. This can't be happening. I'm hallucinating. I must be hallucinating, she's not actually here.
"Toby! I haven't seen you in years, sweetheart!" Jenna said, walking up to hug him. He flinched backwards, staring at the floor. "It hasn't been years, it's been ten months." He said quietly. She frowned, and took a step back. "You have not learned what a joke is, I see." She said. "Also, you are wrong. Last time I saw you was eight months ago." She stared at Alpha, with a look of displeasure. "He is still around, I see. You look terrible, what happened to you, sweetheart?"
"I'm fine." Toby growled, still avoiding eye contact.
"Really? Last time I recall you saying that was when I was taking you to the hospital." Jenna replied. Toby stomped past her, and up to Jessi. "What did you do?! Why didn't you tell me she was coming?!" Toby whispered, louder than he intended. "I'm sorry, I thought it would be better if you didn't know."
"You thought it would be better? Last time I saw her ended very badly!" Toby yelled at her.
"Ok! I'm sorry, I should've told you. Let's tell her what happened." Jessi replied, walking up to Jenna.

Wolfram's gaze drifted around, somehow once again meeting Alice's. She looked pathetic sitting there like that. But he knew his did to. "All right thanks for the talk." He muttered to Peterson, lifting this dog off his lap. His stood up slowly, visibly shaken. He walked towards Alice, Peterson treading on his heels. Silently, he got over to Alice, crouching down slowly. "I'm so, so sorry to hear about your mom."

River paused, biting her lip. "Yes, actually. They're acting strange, so that helps explain some stuff."

Alice's hands tightened on her knees, as Wolfram approached her. She stared at him, mortified that he had in fact, stopped and crouched down to talk to her.

She didn't know what to say, she was stuck on the realization that she hadn't said anything as kind or considerate to him. She'd actually said very little to him at all. Alice took a shallow shaky breath with the intention of saying something, but no words came to her.

Her eyes filled with tears as they danced over his face, there was nothing but sincerity in his eyes. She tried again to say something, anything, but she still couldn't find the right words.

Alice held back a sob and threw her arms around Wolfram, awkwardly hugging him while kneeling on the floor. Her hands gripped his shirt tightly shaking, as she cried into his shoulder.

Freddie sighed in relief, at least they were with family. "I need to talk to them, about what happened." He paused realizing that them acting strangely meant that they knew at least something of what had happened. "They may have seen, uhm, I - I need to talk to them. Could you tell me where you are please?"

Wolfram very noticeably stiffened as she very suddenly hugged him, and just sat silently for a minute, eyes wide. No....I hate physical contact...I should get her off me, or...something....but....
His hand came up to gently rest on her shoulder, awkwardly, but comfortingly. "It'll be a-alright, I-I promise." He murmured softly, his voice stammering awkward, very noticeable he wasn't used to physical contact.

Zion couldnt handle the bickering anymore, he stomped into the kitchen grabbed a few slices of pizza and stomped back out, grabbing the back of his sisters shirt as he went.
"We are going to stand outside and enjoy the peace and quiet ok?" He said calmly, but his shaking hands were giving him away, that he was still broken in the mind from what he did to Mapleshade.

Misty was plopped down on the couch with her arms spread across the back as Zion walked in through the living room. She opened one drowsy eye and peered at her son, she examined him for a bit and came to the conclusion that her son was trying to get away from the aggressive bickering that was infuriating her. She shifted in place and opened her other eye, "Zion, Honey where are you taking your sister... and the pizza?" She asked drowsily.

Zion looked at this mother then at his sister, a look of confusion in her eyes. "I- uh. I wanted some quiet. From all that," he said while motioning towards the kitchen with his pizza filled hand. He then sighed, let go of his sister and plopped down onto the floor, cramming the pizza in his mouth. He closed his eyes and tried to block out the noise by playing a song in his head. F A L L O U T by Crywolf began to slowly play in his head, gradually blocking out the noise until he could head nothing else except the song.

I staggered back as Zion let go of my shirt and looked at him for a moment, huffing in annoyance then I looked back at mom. She looked exhausted from how dark the bags under her eyes looked. I felt a pang of sorrow from the pitiful way she looked at me, I had put her through so much just because I got shot with a dart. I shouldnt have walked away from the restaurant, poor Zion had to pay the price and help clean up MY mess instead of me. So I felt guilty for that as well. Instead of standing there and feeling pity for my family I walked over to mom and hugged her as tightly as I could. "I'm sorry," I whispered. Then I walked over to Zion and did the same.

Misty was surprised by the sudden hug but she graciously wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her close. She was a little sad when Delilah tore herself from Misty to do the same to Zion. But she was glad that she did it. Suddenly Misty heard a commotion go on and everything went silent. She swiveled her ears over and listened in on how Alice said that she killed her mother. Misty's stomach dropped but she listened a little more and heard the others asking what they should do for a plan to defeat the Pure. Thats when Misty snapped into action, she leaped up off the couch and ran into the kitchen, she slammed her palm down on the middle of the table and looked at the others. "I know EXACTLY how we're going to infiltrate the Pure and get them right at the core," she announced.

She lifted her hand and slowly pointed to herself. "We are going to use me as bait."