The road to recovery is littered with broken dreams

A.N. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I should be banned from my Blogspot whenever I'm in the mood for angst because I'm pretty certain that were he an actual living person Elliot would come and find me.

And then kill me.

It was like The Hangover From Hell had combined with the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse and produced the worst hangover ever known to man.  That progeny was then released completely upon one single person.  That soul person being him, of course.

Evan's death had hit him hard and he hadn't dealt with it in an acceptable way.  He'd pushed away the most important people in his life, had irrepairably damaged one friendship (although there had always been tension between them both from the very start) and broken the heart of the one person he loved more than anything.  If the death of Evan had caused him to react like that, it would be horrific if Elliot was ever the one to go.  If he ever lost Elliot completely Raleigh knew deep inside that he would never rest unless he could get him back - until he had exhausted all other options.

He wouldn't be able to live without Elliot.

Sinking to the bottom of a bottle and deeper had seemed like the most logical thing to do in Raleigh's despair addled mind.  In the beginning though, it had been less despair and more rage.  He was angry at the world.  He was angry at himself.  He was even angry at the person who had died!  The further into his rage Raleigh went the deeper into despair he fell until everything meshed together to the point where he stopped caring, stopped believing and stopped being himself.  He drove people away.  He drove the one he cared for the most away.  The way in which Elliot had left bubbled more anger to the surface, and being unable to deal with everything properly, Raleigh sank deeper into his own personal self hatred and hell.

He even dragged others down with him.  People who were blind to what had happened before the met the wreak that was Raleigh.

It took everything to pull himself out of the hole he had dug from himself, but hearing the words that Elliot was coming home made the effort worth it.  Being completely sober for the first time in what was probably months, Raleigh stood a broken shell of a man and apologized from the bottom of his heart and vowed never to do such a thing again.

The heartache and emotional turmoil was bad.  Heck, it was still bad - but currently the fact that the world refused to remain stable and his entire body ached and raged at him Raleigh was unsure which feeling was worse.

Slumped on the floor of his bathroom, leaning back against the cool surface of the bathtub, Raleigh reached up a shakey hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.  He let out a groan and sunk down on the floor until the back of his skull rested against the rim of the tub.

"Nice to see you getting what you deserve," came a voice from the doorway.

Raleigh gave another groan as his response and tilted his head ever so slightly in order for him to look at the one standing in the entrance to his den of suffering.  "You could be a little more supportive of your one and only son when he's in distress," he grumbled, sliding his fingers up his face to rub at his temples.  "Where are your motherly instincts?"

The woman in question shrugged nonchalently and stepped fully into the room.  "I left them at home just incase I came to witness my one and only son being an idiot and drinking his life away.  There's enough alcoholism and drama in this family that I don't need you adding to it, Raleigh Lea Segher."  Annelien nudged his leg with her foot and then went to the sink, soaking a cloth in water.  "Your little water friend relayed all the information to me over the phone," she explained, bending down beside her son and draping the wet cloth over Raleigh's head and eyes, batting away his hand.  "Where's Elliot?"

"Class.  He said he wasn't going to go because I spent all night throwing up, but I made him go.  College is important."

"Says the man who was the reason the poor thing went to stay in the Ukraine."

"Don't remind me..."

Shifting her position from her knees to sitting with her legs curled at her side, Annelien reached over and began running her fingers through Raleigh's hair fondly.  "It's good that he's not here.  I don't want him to hear what I've got to tell you..."

He wanted to pull the cloth away and look at his mother directly, but it felt cool and soothing against his skin, and the feel of his mother's fingers in his hair reminded him of all those times when he was a kid and feeling unwell.  Annelien always knew just how to make him feel better, even if she came bearing terrible news.  "What's wrong?"

"I had an arguement with one of your half-brothers the other day.  They plan on following your father's footsteps by going into politics, only they have a few...issues with a few topics that are close to home."

"I thought most of that side of the family had disowned me."  It wasn't a question, it was a statement.  Raleigh was the son of well-known politican and his 'trophy wife' (Annelien had been his secret mistress for a few years prior to them annoucing their relationship and getting married) and the majority of his siblings and the family on his father's side greatly disaproved of not only the relationship, but of the child born into that marriage.  Raleigh's father was old enough to be his grandfather.  One of his half-brother's had kids of his own - who also happened to be frowned upon, which was why Raleigh and Kate got along so well.  They were the 'unwanted' of their family.  For the most part, the majority of Raleigh's half-siblings refused to admit they were even related.  Raleigh on the other hand didn't care.  Despite the age gap, his father had never been an 'absent father', and his mother cared enough two parents.  He also had Annelien's mother.  Ida may have had many flaws, but Raleigh thought the world of his grandmother.

"Well...He seems to think that his running for a local office position could be compromised if any journalists decide to go digging into his personal life.  This 'disowning' thing may have some repercussions, and I've also warned Kate that they may try to contact her.  She's got enough to deal with, what with her twins and all.  But...that's not the problem."

Pulling the cloth away, Raleigh looked up at his mother.  "Stop skirting around it and tell me.  It's something about Eli and I, isn't it?"

Her lips were pulled thin and she looked away from Raleigh and down at the tiled floor they were both sat on.  "He seems to think that your relationship could compromise his standings."

"I'm not going to 'stop' being gay just so they can become a politican."  He let out a heavy sigh and leaned back down, the world having spun several hundred times when he'd sat up to glare at his mother.  She stood up once more to rinse the cloth through.

Returning to his side, she dabbed at his forehead and cheeks.  "It's your age difference that he thinks the prying journalists will focus on.  Him being against your sexuality is one thing, Leelee, but this is him being paranoid that you two met while Elliot was still...underage."  She sighed softly through her nose and folded her hands in her lap.  "He may be in college now, but he was once in high school.  He was sixteen, Leelee, but the journalists can make him any age they think will tarnish reputations."

"I don't care about reputations.  Does my brother not know about my wonderful stint as a local bicycle?"

"Oh, my baby boy...You weren't a bicycle."  She cupped his cheek and turned him to face her once more, stroking his cheek tenderly with his thumb.  "You were confused, angry, hurt.  I told him that you wouldn't care about what your life would do to his career.  I told him that I didn't care what the papers could do to his career."

"He's going to want us to break up, isn't he?"

She didn't say anything, just dropped her hand and looked away.  Once again, a firey rage bubbled up inside Raleigh and he let out a growl, pushing up off his feet, only to find that his head was still swimming and he wobbled on uneasy legs.  Reaching out, he grabbed hold of the edge of the sink to steady himself.

"You...You tell him that Eli and I are never going to be apart.  You tell him that since he doesn't care about me I don't care about him.  Disowning works both ways.  He's not my brother."

"Leelee..."  There was silence between them for a few moments, and then Annelien stood up, placing a caring hand on Raleigh's back.  "Elliot means so much to you, doesn't he?"

"If he had left for good I would never have pulled myself out of that hole, Mom.  I was the reason he went away, but I am never - never - being the reason he leaves again.  I couldn't live without him."  He clutched the rim of the sink, pressing his fingers hard against the cool porcelain.  "I may be physically ill recovering from what I did to myself, but it's nothing compared to how I feel inside knowing what I put Eli through.  I promised him I'd help him find that piece inside his heart that was missing."  Lifting his head, he looked at his reflection in the mirror and then at the reflection of his mother standing behind him.

She had strawberry blonde hair, less red than his own.  She stood shorter than he did, and dressed smartly where ever she went - even when visiting him.  She had fought tooth and nail to be with the man she loved, despite what everyone else though, despite their age difference, despite everything.  He could tell by the expression on her face that she understood.

"If I ever lose him, Mom, I'll lose myself."  He sighed and hung his head, closing his eyes tight against the spinning feelings inside his head.  "Despite feeling like my head is filled with cotton, there is no doubt inside me of how much I care for him.  It was more my anger at society than Evan'd actual death that brought me to this point - but no longer having Eli in my life would crush me worse."

"Your heart is too big for your own chest, Leelee...."

He chuckled dryly and allowed his mother to slip her arms under his.  "He should be home soon.  How about you stay for more than ten minutes and meet him?  We've been together long enough it's about time you spent some quality time with your son instead of rushing off after a fifteen minute visit."

She smiled, leading him out of the bathroom.  "I leave when Elliot turns up not because I don't want to meet him, but because I don't want to get in the way of my little boy and his boyfriend spending time together."  Gently she helped him sit down on the sofa, propping up his feet and head with pillows.  "But I suppose I could cook dinner and be a doting mother for a few hours."

A.N. I don't like the ending...but my brain died...

Being a father; being a dad

There was only about a year or so difference in age between Poppy and Aimi - Collin's cousin, whom by unfortunate circumstances was now under his care - and together they made quite the pair.  Aimi was a sassy little madam who could even make the big bullies cry, while Poppy was curious and extremely observant.  Despite being the younger of the two, it was Aimi that always stuck up whenever the older children tried to pick on either of them.

It was actually quite fortunate that the two girls were so close in age.  When Aimi first arrived in France the poor girl didn't know anyone her own age.  The friendly and popular Poppy quickly stepped up to introduce Aimi to all of her friends.  They were in the same class, had the same teachers and now they had the same friends.  Picking them up from school wasn't as much of a worry as it had been, because they both finished at the same time.  There was always someone there for them - whether it be Dion or Collin to take them back to stay at Dion's place until Poppy had to go home, or vice versa with Yumiko taking the pair back to her home until it was time for Aimi to go home.

It was Yumiko's turn to collect the girls, but with the school being closed because of some freak accident with the powers of two students clashing, Dion had decided to accompany her.  As they stood on the playground waiting for the bell to ring and the children to come flooding out, Dion looked around the little school.  A lot of these children would eventually attend the high school.  Some were already enrolled part-time in order for them to learn how to control their powers.  They were still pretty early and there were few parents around.

There was one person in the playground who was still too young to attend school.  His push-chair left empty, the toddler charged around the playground, following the pictures painted onto the ground.  Russell wasn't his son, but Dion still felt all the emotions one felt when it came to caring for a small child.  He remembered how scared he was when Poppy started walking - and then running.  He would panic everytime it seemed like she was about to trip and fall.  The same feelings washed over him when he saw Russell take a particularly dangerous looking tumble.  Just about to push off from his spot and rush over to the little boy, Yumiko reached up and touched his arm.

"He's fine," she said, her own eyes watching the toddler intently.  "Russ is actually quite rugged."

"Takes after his Dad I suppose then?" he asked, looking down at her.  She sat on the little bench, pushing the buggy back and forth lazily with her foot despite it being empty.

She chuckled, shaking her head.  "If Alex fell down like he did I'm pretty sure he'd cry.  Alex is more of a toddler than his actual son.  When Alex was trying to help to teach Russ to walk he fell down more than Russell did."

Sure enough, Russell pushed himself up back onto his feet.  holding out his hands, he stared at them intently for a few moments before looking over at where his mother was.

"Now he's going to cry," she pointed out.

"How do you know?"

"Because that's where he takes after his Dad.  He doesn't like it when his hands are dirty."

Right on cue, the little boy rushed over to his mother, crying and holding out his hands for her.  They were dirty and scuffed from where he'd fallen on them.  There was dirt on the knees of his blue dungarees but he was much more focused on his hands.  "Mommy, dirty," he sniffled.

While Yumiko was busy wiping Russell's hands clean the school bell rang and the students slowly started filing out of the building.  Looking over at the doors where Poppy and Aimi would leave through, he scanned the crowd for the pair.  They came out somewhere near the end as the last few trailed out.  Aimi's head hung low and Poppy walked beside her with an obvious worried expression on her face.

"Oh dear..."

"What's wrong?" Yumiko asked, looking up from her son.  She was finished with wiping his hands and was now wiping away his tears when Dion spoke.  Looking away from her friend she looked at where her own daughter was beside Aimi.  "Ah."

Yumiko may have prevented him from rushing to Russell's aid, but he simply couldn't remain rooted to the spot when he saw Aimi looking like that.  She wasn't even related to him, but from the moment Collin had carried her into his home she became a daughter to him.  Rushing over to the pair of girls, he dropped down to one knee before Aimi when he saw that she had tears in her eyes.  "Aimi, what happened?" he asked, holding out his arms to her.

She didn't answer, instead to rushing towards him.  A prickle of something raced up his spine as she fell into his embrace as he worried how his own daughter would feel to seeing some other girl holding onto her father.  That strange sensation melted away when Poppy spoke up, informing him of the reason why Aimi was burying her face in his shirt.

"Thomas Stefferson was being mean to her," she said.  "Said that you and Colli had had to take her away from her real parents because they didn't love her anymore.  She told him that her Mommy and Daddy will always love her because she's not a spoilt brat like Thomas Stefferson is.  Then he said that you only pretend to love her because why would you want a girl that nobody wanted when you have a little girl of your own."

Usually Aimi could stand up to the bullies.  Nothing could phase her because she always had a sassy comeback for anything anyone tried to say about her - but when it came to her parents Dion knew that was where the chink in her armor lay.

"A-a-and th-then I got r-r-really angry a-a-a-and he pu-pu-pushed me and I f-f-fell on the robot Poppy a-an-and I were m-making," Aimi said, muffled by Dion's shirt and her own tears.  She could barely breath and talk properly she was crying so hard.

Making soft shushing noises, Dion stroked his hand down Aimi's back.  "Everything will be all right.  I love you and I love Poppy - I even love Russell.  Just because you're not my real daughter doesn't mean you're not my little girl too."

With his head bowed and eyes closed as he held Aimi close, he didn't notice Poppy moving in closer until she wrapped her own arms around them both as best she could.  This was why he knew that Poppy would never feel jealous when she saw Dion being affectionate towards Aimi - because Poppy was bright and smart and like the sunshine that was her mother, Poppy understood and accepted.  Poppy loved not only with her own heart, but with her mother's too.

"My Daddy may not be your real Daddy, Aimi, but he loves you like a real Daddy should," she said, resting her head against Dion's shoulder.

Somewhere in the distance came the sound of wheels and a little figure tried to get in on the group hug.  "Hughugs!" the toddler announced, looking up cheerfully at Aimi when she pulled away from Dion's embrace enough to see who was invading their little moment.  His expression fell when he spotted the tears in the older girl's eyes and his lower lip wobbled.  "Crying?"

Wiping her eyes, Aimi shook her head forcefully.  "I'm crying because there are stupid people in the world, but I know that there are people who make me happy.  I don't need to cry anymore."

Russell just looked at her confused and then turned to Dion.  "Copter!" he announced, reaching up his hands.  "Do copter like Daddy!"

"...Copter...?" Dion asked, looking down at the little boy.

"Alex picks him up and holds him in the air and claims he's making 'helicopter' noises," Aimi explained, obviously recalling from experience when she'd stayed over at Yumiko's.  Her hands were on her hips and it appeared that at least for now she was back to feeling like her old self again.  "Do you not know anything, Dion?"

Really, really

Most seventeen year olds would find themselves put off by just how intelligent a one Beowulf Henrick Bennet was.  Most seventeen year olds would consider themselves idiots compared to the fourteen year olds intelligence.

But not Barney.

She liked the fact that he was smarter than she was.

His natural intelligence made him easy to talk to.  She never worried that she would say something and he would find it stupid.  He was smart, but he wasn't "In Your Face" smart.  When she first took the advanced class never had she expected to find a little fourteen year old sat in the seat next to her designated seat.  The intitial awkwardness she had felt though quickly melted away when she striked up a conversation with Henrick.  The friendship developed quickly and smoothly.

Late afternoon (heading into the evening) Barney was sat in the library opposite him, making notes from one of the many books they had piled up on the table.  They had paired up for a class project (although there were few actually in their class.  Henrick mentioned that a certain student by the name of Felix Almassy was enrolled in the class, but the male had never actually bothered to show up for any of the lessons, claiming that he didn't need to learn latin because it was "a dead and pointless language".  What Henrick hadn't told Barney, however, was that Felix then proceeded to demonstrate the fact that his symbiont made him a polyglot by speaking in at least three dead languages - one of which was latin.) and were now busy working away in the library, but Barney found herself unable to fully concentrate.

With a sigh, she dropped her pen and then her head, letting out a frustrated groan as she buried her head in the dip between the pages.

"What's wrong?" Henrick asked, looking up and over the stacks of books laid out between them both.

Lifting her head, Barney focused her blue eyes over at her young friend.  Searching his face, she tried to form the right way to ask what was bothering her.  Henrick was only fourteen.  He didn't need to be bothered with tedious teenage problems.  But then again, he had mentioned he was seeing someone.  He had never expanded on that and Barney had never asked for more than what he shared.  When they weren't together, Barney had noted that Henrick was very close to that one particular student that rarely ever went to any classes - let alone the extra, after-school advanced latin classes.

She licked her lips before speaking.  "Have you ever liked someone but didn't know if they liked you back?"

"Oh yes, very much so." Henrick barely even paused to think about his response.

"Was this the person you're seeing?"

Henrick nodded.  "I liked them, even admitted to liking them, and they still didn't give away that they liked me back.  Just grinned lazilly and playfully nudged my shoulder."  Lifting the book he had before him, he hid his face from her, obviously hiding the blush that was creeping up over his face.  "I can't believe I'm telling you this, it's so embarassing."

She chuckled, shaking her head.  "It's okay, I know how you get all flustered when you talk about your partner - it's one of the reasons I don't pry."  She tucked a few loose strands of strawberry blonde behind her ear and resumed the conversation.  "So how did you offically get together?  Who asked who out?"

Still hidden behind his book, Henrick mumbled something that Barney couldn't quite catch.  Parting her hands and parting the books like an ancient religious figure parted a large body of water before reaching over and pulling down the book Henrick was hiding behind away from his face.  "N-Neither of us did," he muttered.

"So how did you know?"

"W-Well....We kind of just...kissed and then...uhm...kissed some more..." Henrick was turning a beet red and to offer him some comfort she released her hold on his book and he instantly pulled it back up to his face.

"Well, who initiated the kiss?"  Seeing how Henrick just blushed even more, Barney knew it wasn't him.  Grinning and gasping, she shook her head.  "Henrick, you let them kiss you?"

"It was my first kiss and...and I didn't really know what to do and he...." With a heavy groan, Henrick dropped the book onto the table and then - copying Barney's earlier action - dropped his head onto the pages.  "He just leaned over and kissed me and I really wanted it and kissed him back and it just kept going," he told her, voice slightly muffled by the book.

Propping her chin on her linked fingers, Barney leaned forwards on her elbows, looking over at her friend.  "You two haven't confirmed it at all, have you?"

"No," Henrick groaned, pulling his hands up over his head.  "We're just...Something in the middle."

"But it's pretty obvious now that they like you, even if neither of you have labelled your relationship you still both know that you're into each other."  She sat back in her chair, dropping her hands to her lap.  "And that's my problem.  I really like someone but I don't know if they like me back.  We do that whole 'playful flirting' thing in class, but I don't know if it's just on my part or his too.  We don't really hang out outside of classes either - except for that one time I found him naked in the girl's dorm stairwell..."

Henrick looked up, eyes wide.  "You...found him naked?"

Barney nodded.  "I'm not going to gossip about it, but basically he was drunk, there was a puddle involved.  I rescued him and left him in my room while I went to class.  I may have gotten in trouble for harbouring a boy in my room but I wasn't going to get in trouble for missing my classes; no matter how much I like him."  She smiled sweetly and leaned in again, lowering her voice as she leaned over the table.  "He's really nice naked too."

Henrick gasped at her.  "You peeked!?"

She grinned back.  "Of course I peeked.  What kind of person wouldn't sneak a look at what their crush looks like under their clothes?  Just because I'm saving myself for marriage doesn't mean I can't look.  It's only like seeing a piece of jewelry you really like but can't afford without saving up.  You look and admire, but until you're able to buy it then you can't touch it."

"I admire your integrity, I really do."

"Thanks." She smiled.  "But it doesn't help when I don't know whether or not he likes me back.  Do you think I should tell him that I like him?"

Henrick sat up and looked over at her, taking a few moments to obviously think about his reply.  "If just being around Felix has taught me anything it's that sometimes you have to stop thinking and just do without worrying too much over what could happen.  Sometimes you've just got to stop looking at things in an intellectual way and experience life first hand."

"You know, you've never actually said it was Felix you were seeing until now," she pointed out, including pointing her finger at him.  "I figures it was him though, you can see that he really likes you.  Even if you two haven't labelled your relationship, from what I can see you're obviously a couple."  Just as she was about to continue, the phone in her pocket buzzed.  Pulling it out, she looked at the screen and smiled.  "And once again he goes and confuses me."

"What's he said?"

"That he really likes me," she replied, still smiling as she sent her reply back to him.  "I think he's drunk again.  Last time he sent me a text like this I helped him back to his room and built him a pillow fort to keep him safe on his bed incase he did anything drunkenly stupid like falling.  He said I'm really good at building pillow forts."

"Maybe he does like you?"

"We're just friends.  I'm just some geek with telekinetic powers.  I'm just the girl who helps him with his homework and sits with him in class.  He'd never liked someone like me as more than just a friend.  Boys like him don't like smart girls."

It was Henrick's turn to reach over the table, placing his hand over her free hand.  "Tell him you like him."

"I did," and her phone buzzed again.  "And yeah, he doesn't get it."  She held up the phone to show the reply she had recieved as she sighed.  "I guess you're right though - I should stop thinking about it and just go for it.  Do you think I should kiss him?"

He nodded his reply and Barney made up her mind.  When she next saw him outside of class (and sober) she was going to let her crush know that she liked him.  Hopefully a peck on the cheek would be enough to let him know that she liked him.  Sitting back in the chair, her homework forgotten, she stared down at the inital text message.

He really, really liked her.

Did that really, really mean what she hoped it meant?

Curses

"I just want to know all your secrets so that I don't end up swamped by the sudden appearance of something from your past.  I don't want to find things out about you because you need to tell me, or I have to watch some horrific ordeal.  I just want you to tell me, Aleksey."

The words echoed in his mind as he sat on the roof of the school, staring out into the distance.  It was getting late and dusk was settling.  By now all the good students were heading back to their dorm rooms, or heading to their local homes.  From up where he sat their lives seemed much simplier compared to his own.  Their lives didn't have all the dark secrets and horrors lurking in their pasts.  For Aleksey, everyone else's life seemed much safer.

He thought himself safe here.  No one put the most important people he trusted even knew he was in France, and yet his father had still found him.  Found him and dragged someone very important into the cruel, harsh world Aleksey had been so intent to flee from.  He thought it had all ended when he had dealt with his father.  Aleksey thought that his past was now going to leave him alone.

Instead, it had found him once again.

With a sigh, Aleksey pressed his chin against his knees and closed his eyes, remembering just how the girl had walked in like she owned the entire school.  She had walked right up to where Aleksey had been sat and slapped him.  Her grey eyes were cold and hard as she glared at him while he cupped his cheek.  If it weren't for the two big guys in suits standing behind her, there would have been more of a comotion in the corridor.  Next to him had stood a very shocked Jae.  His expression became one of confusion when the girl had started yelling at Aleksey in Russian.  she had then turned and stormed off, the two heavies following her.

Instead of telling the one person who mattered, and explaining what had just happened, Aleksey just mumbled something and stalked off, hands stuffed into his pockets and head down.  He should have said there and then, but instead he did one of the things he thought he was good at; running away.

But, as with his previous attempts to run away, he couldn't hide forever.  Jae found him and told him that he just wanted to know.  Whatever Aleksey wanted to hide - all his terrible secrets - he could share them with Jae, and they guy would deal.  Like Felix had told him after the 'incident', they needed to trust one another.  If Aleksey kept everything bottled up, how were they going to survive as a couple?

Scuffing the toes of his sneakers on the roof tiles, Aleksey pouted, frowning in deep thought.  His attenotion inside his own head, he didn't hear the door opening and someone entering his personal little world.  It was only when the intruder sat down next to him, pulling the blanket tighter around their shoulders.

"Its a little cold out," the male said.  "Felix said you'd be up here."

Aleksey hadn't noticed the cool twilight air.  It was a few days after the full moon, and he had noticed just how drained Jae had been.  Obviously piling more worries ontop of him was not a good thing.  But there he was, worrying the other male.

"Her name is Natasha Markovic.  Markovic family is rival to Vasilyev family, and to end fighting they arrange marriage between children," he explained, still looking out over the school grounds.  "Natasha was sold to my family as wife for me."

"Your father forced you into a marriage?"

"Was only twelve, and in Russia you can get anything with right money amount."

"So you're-"

"Married.  Jah.  But not in love with Natasha."  He curled his arms tighter around his legs and pulled himself into a tight ball.  "Both fathers wanted to breed ability, to create more like I am."

"So what you're telling me is that not only are you married but you have a baby with her."  It was less of a question and more of a statement.

Just hearing it made Aleksey's skin crawl.  With a groan of defeat, Aleksey dropped his forehead onto his knees.  "I run away from this.  I try to make new life, but old life keeps coming back."

"Do you have anything else you should tell me?"

"I did not...I have not...with Natasha.  It was done in laboratory.  I have not even seen child.  I run away before was born."  His whole body shuddered when he tried to remember what his father had tried to make him do not so long ago.  When he had failed and the poor girl had ran crying from her room, her father had been exceptionally angry.  In the end, Yuri had paid for the entire thing, from implanting Natasha to providing for all her pre-natal care.  "I have too many dark secrets, Jae, I have done many of terrible things.  Vasilyev name is curse I must bear."

A.N. Will finish..eventually...maybe...perhaps...

Cyberfueled

A.N. Ulitmate AU Josie and Jojo.  Been reading too much cyberpunk stuff lately xP

She looked up from her desk as her partner dropped the device directly ontop of her work.  Unamused by his grin, she shook her head at him before picking up the chunk of wires, microchips and LEDs.  "Why don't you just take it to the tech guys?" she asked, turning the object in her hands.  "What use have I got with this piece of junk, Raleigh?"

"That, my darling, Josephine, is just a taster of what is to come," the male replied.  "It's one of his."

She stared down at the device once more, pieces of information clicking into place in her mind.  She and her partner were hunting down a notorious pirate who just happened to enter into their jurisdiction and they would both be damned if they let the guy escape in order for someone else to capture him.  No, this was her case and she was going to catch the culprit.  It didn't matter about the personal issues, or her own involvement with the criminal.  She was going to be the one to put him away.

"Do we know where he is yet?" she asked, placing the electonic device down gingerly.  She knew what it could be now and didn't want to take any chances.  The pirate didn't leave anything lying around by accident.

"Not yet, but we have the Teks working on it.  We've got agents in all the places he used to frequent and all the new places that have sprung up.  If he goes anywhere that involves his line of work we'll find him."

It was but a slight hope that he would do just that, but it was better than no hope at all, she assumed.  Hopefully the easiest way to coax him out of hiding was dangle the most tastiest bait where he wouldn't think the cops would be.

"Fine then," she said, pushing back her chair and standing up.  "Might as well go home and wait for that call.  Haven't you been saying you wanted to go on a date with that Medic you've been crushing on for weeks now?"

Raleigh grinned once more, reaching up to ruffle his hand through his hair.  "Are you sure?"

She nodded, patting his arm.  "You've been working so hard on this case that you deserve a little reward.  I can give you a ride to the hospital if you want."

"No, I'm good.  Thanks, Josie, you're the best partner a guy could ask for."

She smiled and watched him leave, wondering just when she had last let the guy have some personal time.  To stave off her own feelings of romantic loss she had inadvertently kept Raleigh from pursuing his own romantic interests.  Something stung inside her whenever they were at the hospital, watching her partner and the Medic practically making goo-goo eyes at one another while the guy patched up the pair of them up after a particularly dangerous gun fight.

It was exactly those feelings that drew her to the old club she had once attended in her teens.  It all felt so different now while still remaining the same.  Lost Boys hung out at the end of the alleyway, exchanging bits of tech between themselves.  Their eyes illuminated with red, blues and vibrant greens of electronics wired in their skulls.  The group watched her intently as she approached the entrance to the club, guarded by two seven foot shapes that were mangled frames of human.

They were twins sisters.  They were lovers.  One of them had once been male.  One of them had once been female.  They were twin brothers.  One had made themself female for the love of the other.  One had made themself male for the love of the other.  No one knew, it was all just rumors to try and fathom the androgynous figures of grey-skin and intricate tattoos of white-blue cables wired into their skin where veins and arteries had once been.  She knew the duo.  They complied with police rules, despite their obvious abuse of surgery.  If something went down in their part of town they were the law.  No one started a fight when they worked the doors.  No one wanted to get into a fight them.

She felt naked without her badge, but she saw the recognition in the twin's almond shaped black eyes.  They looked at one another before the one on the left bent down to her level.  "He's not here," it said.  "Not been here for a good few years.  Not been here since you last came asking."

"I'm just revisiting my old roots," she said sweetly.  "I'm not looking for him."

"Always looking for him, you are," it replied, blinking those tilted eyes.  "You won't stop looking, we know it.  You joined The Law to look for him, but he done you a favour by doing what he did.  You know that though."

She nodded.  "I know."

It stood up straight and nodded once more to it's companion.  They both pushed the doors open to allow her entrance into the club.  The doors were soundproofed, and the moment they opened the pumping and pulsating beats rushed out to meet her as she stepped over the threshold.  The corridor that lead into the main space was covered in years of graffiti, added upon and renewed with each passing ownership of the club.  She had once known an owner of The Fruity Wolf, but now whomever owned the place kept such a low-key that not even her contacts with the police force had flagged up the guy's name.

Into the main room and the lights danced around, bouncing off the bodies dancing, drinking, making-out while the smoke machine pummed out a low cloud, obscuring the floor.  The scents had changed.  The air felt cleaner, it didn't burn her throat and lungs with acrid smoke and stale alcohol.  Someone had obviously renovated the dancefloor and bar area.  She ignored the upper floor, knowing that were she to glance up she would see his shape amongst the bodies moving around near the edges of the balcony over looking the dancefloor.  She headed for the bar.  It was highly unlikely any of the staff from years ago would still be working.

Sitting down on the barstool she waited for the bartender to notice her and finally gave in to her urges to scan the crowds.  She felt old and out of place within the youth that swayed and ground against one another.  Groups sat at the tables, their conversations lost in the music while their gestures were over-exaggerated in order for them to get their intentions across.  With her attention elsewhere, she didn't notice the male slinking up behind her.

"Hey there, pretty lady," slurred the voice near to her.

Spinning around she faced the stranger, turning the inside of her wrist to face him, revealing her defence mechanism to the guy.  Police issue wirings, and the outline of the stingers of her tazer implant poked through the holes cut into her flesh.  She watched as his eyes flickered to the device and he chuckled nervously, holding up his hands in defence.

"Only wanted to buy you a drink," he replied hurriedly.  "Didn't mean to spook ya."  He bowed to her and turned on his heel, quickly fleeing into the crowds.

"Shouldn't flash something like that about in here, lass," said the man next to her.  He was stood leaning on his elbows, one hand lifting the glass to his lips.  "Some people can get quite jumpy."

About to snap back at the guy, her words died in her mouth as she looked at him.  How had she not noticed him standing there before?  Had there been someone between them that obscured him from her?

His hair was still styled in that familiar mohawk.  Drilled into his very skull and curving around his ear were various pieces of cybertech.  The hand holding the glass and the entire arm attached to it was pure cybernetics.  She knew how far the metal ran beneath his ragged paint covered white t-shirt.  Over the right shoulder and down his spine.  He was a cyborg through and through.

And the pirate she was searching for.

"The Riverbank and The Lord said you weren't here," she told him.

The corner of his mouth curled into a grin.  "I wasn't when you came in."

"There are officers posted in here," she added.

"Were.  Not anymore.  The Lost Boys took care of them."

"Since when did you ally yourself with Lost Boys?"

"Since I got my hands on some of the good stuff.  Its pretty easy to get hold of anything Apple these days."  He turned and leaned his weight on the cybernetic arm.  His left eye had been completely replaced with an mechorganic optical device.  He could see the internal wiring of any mechanical device put before him.

"The eye is new."

"Joey, you're such a flirt."

She felt herself bristle at the nickname.  It was the nickname he had given her.  No one else ever used it.  As the sounds passed his lips she could feel so many memories flooding through her.  Her teenage years; the two of them partying until all hours of the morning in this very club.  The friends they made; the enemies they made.

The man he killed.

Forcing all the feelings that bubbled up back down and ignoring the emotions that stirred at the mere sight of the male, she focused her stare on him, remembering her original intentions.  It was her that was going to put him behind bars.  She was going to be the one to stop the pirate.

Even repeating the personal mantra in her head, she still succumbed to his advances like she had done all those years ago.  Her back crashed against the hard mattress in the motel room as he pushed her down onto the bed and crawled over her, leaving barely any time before claiming her lips with his own.

Passionate.  Heated.  All the things she had repressed swelled within her and fought back with avengence as they embraced one another.  By the time they had finished she was exhausted, laying on her back with the sheets tangled around her feet, too hot to allow their bodies to touch.

She shivered as metal fingers walked up her abdomen.  "Why'd you join The Law, Joey?"

"You killed someone, Joseph."

"I've killed lots of people since.  It's part of the job description.  You knew that, back when I first started to get into the trading business.  Everything is corrupt now.  Why do you take your job so seriously?"

"Because if I don't then there are few people out there who will.  Justice can survive."

He propped himself up on his elbow, green eyes looking down at her.  Despite the implant, he had kept the iris matching the natural colour of his organic eye.  "You honestly want justice for me saving you?  He walked in that day intent on shooting you between the eyes, Joey!  I was not going to let him do such a thing to you!"  He growled and rolled over, moving to sit on the edge of the bed.  "A father shouldn't hate his own daughter to the point of wanting her dead."  Sighing, he slid his hands over the shaved portions of his head, propping elbows on his knees.  "A father should love his baby girl until the day he dies."

She sat up, pulling the blanket up around herself while his words pulled at her heart strings.  Tentatively she reached out and touched his shoulder, feeling his flesh beneath her fingers.  "You went to see her, didn't you?" she asked nervously.

"Is she truly happy there, Joey?  Is she really okay with not knowing who her own parents are?"

"She's three, Joseph.  She might when she's older, but right now it's better that she doesn't.  It'd be impossible for her to grow up in a normal loving family when her mother works for The Law and her father is a pirate and a cyborg.  One or both of us is going to end up dead.  I'd prefer it if she didn't have to live through that loss than her always wondering who her parents really are."  She sighed softly and turned around, moving to learn her back against his, feeling the difference where the metal and skin brushed against her own body.  "I can't believe those years ago we ended up in a situation like this and I just let you walk away."

"At least you found a way to tell me about Tallulah," he said, and she felt the rumble of his words within her.  "I wish we could have had that family though.  Do you think things would be different if I hadn't killed him that day?"

She paused to think about his question for a few minutes, letting the silence wash over them both while her ears strained to listen to the approaching sirens.  "Yes," she said finally once the flashing lights danced over the motel room wall.  "If you hadn't killed him, I'd be dead."

The truth behind Truth or Dare

River wasn't quite certain how it happened but he found himself straddling Raleigh on Lake's apartment floor, his eyes nervously wandering over the other male's face while his body shivered in trepidation over what he had been drunkenly dared to do.

It was Noelle's birthday.  They were not only celebrating the fact she was another year older, but the return of Dimitri back into Lake's life.  She was essentially Lake's friend, but she had quickly become friends with everyone else in his life.  She was the oldest in the group (and the only one that was sober) and looked down on them all with a motherly quality that she would eventually dote upon her own child that was growing inside her.

There had been video games, talking, laughter, dancing and drinking.  By now most of Noelle's own collection of friends had left, leaving mainly the friend's she had made through Lake although Zak and Bridget had to go home to relieve the babysitter of the task of taking care of a little Asher.  All that were left were Raleigh, Elliot, Lake's older brother River, Dimitri (obviously) and River's best friend Dominic.  It was pretty clear that River and Dominic were an item, but it had never offically been confirmed.  Lake had said that it was his brother's pride that was keeping them from announcing their relationship in public.

Somehow they had ended up playing various drunken games.  Despite the groans and protests at the suggestion, they all ended up playing truth or dare.  There'd been Lake licking strawberry sauce off Noelle's baby bump, various truths been told and eventually River had accepted a challenge from his brother.

"Kiss Rawrie."

Raleigh had nearly choked on his own drink and stared over at where Lake sat snuggled up against Dimitri on the floor.  Most of them had settled on cushions and beanbags on the floor instead of sitting on the sofa and various seats pulled into the room.

"Lake, you can't be serious..." Raleigh protested.  "I don't think Elliot would approve."  He glanced to where Elliot was sat next to Noelle.  The moment he had announced to her he wanted to become a pedeatrician Noelle had scooped him up to 'aid' her with her pregnancy.  "You don't have to, River, your brother is being an idiot."

"No I'm not.  It's truth or dare and therefore the rules state that you either go through with the dare or suffer a forefit."  He followed Raleigh's gaze.  "Right, Ellie?  To make up for it you can kiss anyone."

"I'm not sure..." Elliot muttered, looking down.

But he had given in, and River was pushed from his spot over to where Raleigh sat leaning against the sofa, his long legs stretched out before him.  Placing his own legs either side of Raleigh's, he placed his hands on the red haired man's shoulders and stared into his eyes, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"You're acting like you've never kissed a guy before, River," Raleigh whispered, just loud enough for only River to hear him over the soft sound of the CD still playing in the background.  "All of us here know about you and Dominic."

River frowned at him.  "Shut up."  And with that he leaned in, pressing his lips hard against Raleigh's.  The alcohol pulsed through his system and a strange sensation swelled inside his stomach.  Years ago he had wanted this, his mind reminded him.  Back in high school he thought the only way he'd ever get so close to this man was by starting a fight with him, when all he really wanted to do was run his fingers through his hair; that long, curly red hair that felt so soft beneath his fingers.

All without realising it, he had pushed his fingers into Raleigh's hair and leaned up and deeper into the kiss.  Arms wrapped around him and hands fell flat against his back.  Somewhere in the background noises he could hear the others, but right now his brain was addled with alcohol and memories of feelings he had repressed for so long that he thought they were completely forgotten.

"Riv..." Raleigh breathed.  "Stop...River..." he mumbled against River's lips.

"Woah.  Is it wrong that those two look really hot right now?" Lake asked.

Finally, he pulled himself away, breathing heavilly and slumping down again, dropping his hands and his head.  "I..."

There was silence for a few moments and then Raleigh burst out laughing, dragging his fingers through his hair.  "See, it's not so bad kissing in front of other people, is it River?  You should do it more often - especially if you kiss like that." He looked over to where Dominic was sat looking somewhat uncomfortable.  "Only do it to the person you want to do it to now."  He gave River a light push and encouraged him off his lap and sent him on his way, lifting his bottle of beer back to his lips once River had returned to his previous spot.

"Well, that was interesting," Lake said, clapping his hands together.  "Okay, who's next?"

The night continued with very little moments like that occuring between them, and eventually Noelle stood up and told them it was all about time that they went home.  Lake complained, but it was pretty obvious that he was tired with how he yawned and cuddled up to Dimitri's side.

- - -

Instead of getting a taxi home, Raleigh and Elliot had been given an inflateable mattress in the lounge (once everyone had gone) to sleep on.  When the sounds of the owners of the apartment moving around in preparation for bed had died down, Raleigh rolled over and leaned up on his side, brushing his fingers over Elliot's hair.

"That kiss with River...It bothered you didn't it?"

"Hmmm...?  No, of course not," Elliot replied, pulling the blanket tighter up around his shoulders and keeping his back to Raleigh.  "It was just some stupid dare."

With a chuckle, Raleigh leaned over and placed a kiss to Elliot's temple.  "Don't be jealous, Eli, River's not my type and I'm not his anymore."

"That wasn't the impression I got from where I was sitting."

"Call it unresolved tension that will always be unresolved.  I love you, Eli, and I'm not about to go running off with anyone else - especially not River.  Not to mention he pulled the ultimate turn-off."

Elliot rolled over and looked up at Raleigh in the dark.  "What did he do?"

Raleigh grinned.  "He said someone else's name."

- - -

The taxi ride back to Dominic's place felt awkward and there was none of their silly drunken conversations.  When they got inside, Dominic left him in the lounge, heading off on his own and leaving River to sway drunkenly in confusion.  It took him a few moments to realise just what he'd done.  Stumbling into Dom's bedroom, he supported himself on the door frame and looked over to where Dom was getting changed.

"We should go out somewhere tomorrow," River suggested.

"Hm."

"A nice dinner or something.  Just you and me, no bars, no college girls.  Just us.  Out there.  In the real world.  Where people can see."

"You're drunk, River.  Just get into bed."

Clumsily River made his way to the bed and fell onto the mattress behind Dominic.  Rising onto his knees, he came up behind him and wrapped his arms around him.  "We've been hiding this relationship indoors for years, Dom.  I've been hiding this relationship indoors.  It's about time we went on a real date.  It's about time I made out with you against the bar like I want to do everytime we're out drinking."

"You were kissing Raleigh like he was air you needed to live, River.  I always knew that you'd eventually find one more reason to leave me."

With a sigh, River slumped against Dom's back, pressing his forehead to the other man's spine.  "I don't want to leave you for Raleigh.  Raleigh is that high school crush that turns out to have been better in your imagination.  I realised that I didn't want to be kissing him - I wanted to be kissing you.  That's why he said what he did; that I should kiss the one person I want to kiss like that.  I only ever want to kiss you."  He placed a small kiss to the nape of Dominic's neck.  "I love you."

"Dominic chuckled dryly, reaching up and placing a hand over River's.  "You only say that when you're drunk."

"That's because when I'm drunk my mind and body do and say what I'm really feeling inside.  I'm at my most honest when I'm drunk - you should know that.  Not to mention I pulled the worst thing to do ever when kissing someone."

"You bit him?"

"Worse.  I said your name."

Storytelling

He couldn't remember a time when he felt so happy.  His relationship with Jae was continuing to flourish, his family no longer wanted anything to do with him after they found out about Yuri's death.  He was finally able to relax and feel free.  Deep inside he knew he would never be able to feel completely at ease - especially with the things he had done, but at least now he no longer had to worry about running from his father's reach.

One thing that still gnawed at him though, was what his father had done.  He had kidnapped Jae with the intention of putting him to use in something called 'Werewolf fights' or something, and he spoke of wanting to also kidnap a boy named Vincent.  After asking Felix if he knew the boy, Aleksey found the fellow sixth year and asked him about it.  He was curious about the horrors he had saved Jae from.

"You want to know about what!?" Vincent glared at him.

"My father...He wanted to use Jae.  I want to know about the things he would have Jae do," Aleksey replied, glancing up and down the hall to see if anyone was prying into their conversation.  "You two are werewolf, I worry about what would have happened to him."

"You should just be thankful that it never happened."

"He wanted you too.  Said vampire was involved."

"There's always a vampire involved..." sighed Vincent, shaking his head.  "Usually the same bastard too."  Running a hand through his hair his posture slumped and he gave in.  "Fine, meet me after school outside.  Bring Jae with you.  If you're so interested in nightmares I might as well tell you, and let Jae know how lucky he is to have you..." And with that the male stalked off, leaving Aleksey alone in the hall.

Once classes had ended, Aleksey headed outside, his fingers clutching tight to Jae's hand.  They found Vincent on one of the benches, a cigarette dangling lazilly from his mouth.  Once he saw them approaching he sat up properly, curling one leg beneath himself and dangled the other over the edge.  "Make yourselves comfortable, its going to be a long tale," the male said, stubbing out the cigarette on the bench.

"What's this about?" Jae asked nervously.

Vincent chuckled dryly.  "I'm guessing he didn't tell you?" He glanced to Aleksey who just shook his head and climbed onto the bench, sitting on the back of the seat and pulling Jea towards him, protecting him between his legs.  "Don't worry, I'm not going to try and rip your throat out or anything, Jae.  I've come to terms that you didn't have the same experience as I did when you were turned and that I shouldn't resent you for it.  But you need to know about what I went through, because for as long as there's no cure for what we have there will be those out there who would use us for their own needs."

"Like my father..." Aleksey added, reaching down and stroking Jae's shoulder.  "He talked but I never was involved in what he planned."

"Vampires are cruel creatures.  They'll think more about themselves than anyone else.  The younger they are the wilder they are - but it's not them you should worry about.  Its the older ones.  The cold, cunning and malicious ones that have had centuries to build their perfect idealisitc worlds," Vincent began, staring up at the sky as it began to burn orange with the sunset.  "The 'dog fights' have been going on for as long as werewolves and vampires have existed - as far as I know anyway.  I don't know who came up with it, but as vampires are bound to do, they take over and twist anything into a brutal and horrible thing - all for sport.  The angrier the human the stronger the werewolf.  The more you believe yourself to be a monster the more powerful that monster gets."

"A monster is killer, not cage figher," Aleksey said.

However, Vincent did not see it that way and barked out a laugh.  "You know they say you can only kill a werewolf with a silver bullet?  Biggest load of bull ever.  You can slow one down, but you can't kill it.  You know what can kill werewolves?  Other werewolves.  You make them fight for long enough and they can rip each other to shreds.  I don't remember all of the fights I was in, but I'm pretty sure that some of my opponents ended up dead.  It was kill or be killed in some cases - especially those on Lunacyrum."

"What's that?" Jae asked cautiously.

"Its like a drug.  I don't know if you've tried, but most human drugs don't work on us.  I can drink my father under the table and still not feel a thing.  I've tried other things too, but there is nothing out there quite like Lunacyrum.  You take it and you feel amazing, but the side affects don't affect you.  They affect it."

"You mean werewolf form?"

"Stronger, more aggressive and you have absolutely no control whatsoever.  You feel no pain during the transformation, but your mind is blocked out completely.  Its as wild as it is the firt time you ever changed.  One dose is enough for one month, but if there's a werewolf pumped full of the stuff every single day then they're close to insane.  Imagine how a cornered wild animal acts, only ten times more aggressive and hostile and you're no where near as close as a frequent user.  Good job even the vampires worked out that the stuff was dangerous and banned it from most matches.  Wolf knows more about it than me."

Jae frowned at the unknown name "Wolf?"

"He's this dork that actually likes the fact he's a werewolf.  He comes around here from time to time to 'check up on me' because he likes to think that since we share them same 'ancestor' he's my big brother.  If you ever meet him just punch him in the jaw and tell him it was from me."  Vincent grinned slyly and then leaned back, pulling out another cigarette.  As he lit it, Aleksey reached down and took it from him, slipping it between his own lips, forcing Vincent to light up another.  "Smoking's a bad habit."

"I will live," Aleksey retorted.  "Back to story.  You say werewolf fight on stereoids?"

"Its kind of like that, only....yeah...I guess you could call it a stereoid."  He fixed his gaze on Jae.  "If anyone ever offers you some you tell them no.  From what I can gather you're not as dangerous as you could be.  One dose of that stuff and you could probably tear down a few buildings."  He pointed at Jae, the lit cigarette held between his index and middle finger.  "That's why I didn't like you at first.  It's a territory thing - you have the potential to be a rival and somewhere inside me I didn't want you claiming top spot.  I was also worried that you'd pick up on Marshall's scent and try to steal him from me."

Jae shook his head.  "Oh no, I'd never do something like that!  I could never hurt someone like that, stealing their special someone, it's unforgivable."

"Well, you don't steal my special someone and I won't steal yours."  His gaze flickered upwards at where Aleksey sat.  "But these fights, what Aleksey's father wanted to put you in...If there was a vampire pulling the strings it was more than likely Kieran - he knows we're here and he knows that this places attracts werewolves like us.  He'll keep watching and waiting for another like me to come along.  A younger one he can manipulate like he did me.  Break them before they start keeping their memories.  I'm pretty sure he thinks one of us will accidentally turn a person here.  Any of the gifted kids turned into a werewolf could be a dangerous combination."

"Werewolf with powers?  Teleport like Henrick?"

"Yeah.  Just think of what kind of fighter a teleporting werewolf could be - or one that could control fire.  ITs why we've got to be careful."

"Can you just not find a way to get this vampire to leave you alone?" Jae asked, curling his arms around Aleksey's leg and leaning against him while listening intently to what Vincent had to say.

"Short of killing him - no, and I don't want to be the one to attempt such a thing.  Kieran's old; really old.  He won't go down without a fight - or taking everything with him.  No, I'd rather be strong enough to fight him if he ever comes than prevent him from coming at all."

Aleksey seemed to be thinking, his chin in hand hand and gaze staring out at nothing.  Vincent noticed it and shot him a look.  "Don't.  Whatever you're thinking, don't.  You might have survived whatever your father had planned, but you won't survive what Kieran can and will do.  Just focus on staying safe and protecting what you care about than rushing off to fight."  He slowly stood up, stretching out his arms.  "And besides, we've got Grandmother."

"Who?"

"Oldest werewolf still alive.  She's practically a myth.  I found her when I was looking for the guy who turned me so I could punch his face in.  There's loads of little werewolf packs all around the world, but to Grandmother they're all just one big pack.  If it wasn't for the fact that if she went anywhere near the fights they'd have her she'd protect every one of us, Jae.  I'll introduce you to her someday."

"Is she just called Grandmother?"

Vincent shrugged, turning his back on the pair.  "Some know her as Elra, others know her as The Big Bad Wolf.  Some people say that the story of Little Red Riding Hood is her.  Just her.  The girl, the wolf and the grandmother are all just one person."

"Thank you, Vincent, for telling me all this."

"You're a werewolf, Jae.  I wish I had had someone tell me these things.  Maybe if I had I wouldn't be so angry all the time, and don't forget to thank Aleksey.  He's the one who wanted me to tell you." He glanced over his shoulder at the pair.  "I sometimes wonder what the world thinks when they looked at Marshall and I.  After looking at you two I guess I can say I know now."  He gave them a devilish smirk and then turned, leaving them alone while night fell around them.