#in a hotel room about to shower before spending a morning with a potential employer

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

Caramel Skin Under A Vanilla Sky prt 2

Lance plagued his dreams, his name on Keith's lips as he woke momentarily disoriented before realising just why he'd woken. Clumsily stumbling off his thin cot, he yawned widely as he moved to the cockpit deal with the ringing noise emanating from the area. Dropping down heavily into the pilot's seat, he pulled up the call that had been chiming for his attention "Keith?" Using a hand to wipe at his eyes, he had no idea why his mother was interrupting his sleep "Hey, mum. What's going on?" "I hadn't heard from you and was just checking in" "I was sleeping. It's a long flight" "You left 8 vargas ago, I thought you would have checked in once you were close" 8 vargas? It felt like he'd only just closed his eyes "Yeah. Sorry. Everything's ok here..." Dragging the call to one side, he opened up the ship's navigation "... and we're still about a varga out" "Good. As long as you're ok" "I'm fine. You don't need to worry so much" "We have an operative missing from the same coordinates we've sent you to, I think I have a right to worry" Rolling his eyes at his mother, Lance came back to the front of his mind. Tapping on the navigation screen he pulled up Erathus on the screen, the planet only a hop skip and a jump away from the Ghazex quadrant... maybe he could... "Keith?" "I'm here. I'm just looking at the planets surrounding those quadrants. Erathus seems to be the closest with the biggest trading centre" "There were no signs that Guile made it to Erathus" "There were no signs of him making it anywhere" Keith regretted the words the moment they slipped from his mouth "I mean, I'm just thinking here, but it does seem to be the main trade hub for its quadrant" "It's also highly populated with those less than desirable. I doubt he would have landed there, not unless it was a dire emergency" Erathus was that bad? Then what the hell was Lance doing there? It didn't sound like the kind of place he should be "What if they seller moved the meeting place?" Now he was simply manipulating facts to suit his curiosity. Lance obviously didn't wish to see him, so why was he deviating from his original mission and slightly praying that his mother would agree that he should in fact head to Erathus? "He would have notified us" "Not if he wanted to keep a low profile... You said the rebel camps had received no word from him..." "Keith..." "Look. I'm approaching the coordinates. I'll scan for any traces of his signature, but it could potentially be a lead. You mentioned this quadrant had seen a lot of activity, is it possible a new faction has arisen?" "From the intel we have, it is possible. A number of ships have been attacked or simply gone missing..." "Is there a salvage moon near here?" "On Thatus. It's two quadrants over. With Erathus being marketed as a tourist planet, the main source of income comes from the tourists making it there alive and in one piece" It sounded like a fucked up rich playground. The perfect place for less than legal things. So again, why the quiznak was Lance there? "Keith, something is obviously on your mind. What is it?" Biting the inside of his cheek uncharacteristically, he knew there was no escaping his mother's prying "I called Hunk earlier. Lance's family on Earth are worried about him" "You're thinking about Lance?" His mother knew something had transpired between the two of them, but not the details. She seemed to like Lance well enough, but they had barely interacted before she decided to return to the Blades rather than to Earth "Hunk said Lance is on Erathus" "Oh..." "Yeah" "Keith..." "I know. The mission comes first, but he..." "He's your friend" "Yeah. Don't worry, the mission comes first" "I trust you'll get it done. I also trust you'll make use of all the resources available to you" Wait. What? "Mum..." "Erathus is a tough place to make a life. It's not suited to long term living and draws in all kind of transients. If you think he can help, or if he can shed light on what's been happening in the area... We don't currently have any operatives in the area who can provide fresh intel on Erathus, so you'll be going in blind" Kolivan must not have been in the room. He'd damn near have a heart attack if he heard Krolia giving Keith permission to deviate on his original mission plan "I... I don't even know if he'll speak to me. He didn't even tell me he was in space. I thought he was still back on Earth spreading Allura's message" His mother's face softened "I can't tell you what to do. I trust you'll complete your mission, but I also know how much you miss your old team. If your scans come up with nothing, then... Lance may be able to help. I'll leave it your discretion" "Kolivan's going to be pissed" "Leave him to me" Feeling a smile tug on his lips, it was interrupted by another yawn. Shaking himself in attempt to wake up, he pushed the smile to his lips "I always do" "Be safe" "You too, mum" Signing off the conversation meant having to get ready for action. Showering and dressing left him feeling somewhat human as he pulled his hair back into his usual ponytail. Did he really want to see Lance? That was a no brainier. He missed fighting along side him. The constant attempts to one up each other, and knowing Lance had his back completely. But would Lance even see him. Placing a hand on Kosmo's head, he ruffled his fur affectionately "What am I supposed to do? Maybe I should have brought Axca along after all? But if Lance is working on finding himself again, then should I really be interrupting him out of nowhere?" Kosmo looked at him like he was an idiot. His wolf forced to sit through many a long night of self angsting over how things had played out "Ok. We'll scan the area, check in with the rebels, then hit up Thatus. Then... He didn't want to take my call, but he can't turn me away if I show up... right?" His wolf definitely thought him an idiot. He was acting enough of an idiot for to be justified... "I'm the freakin' Black Paladin of Voltron. It's just Lance. Why am I making such a big deal about this? I'm just checking to make sure he's alright. That's all..." Kosmo huffed, not convinced. Done with his wolf, he turned his attention back to his mission. Guile needed to come before his laughable love life. * Thatus was a complete bust. The junk moon negative for any residual radiation signature left by Guile's ship. None of the rebel camps had any new information for him, nor did several smaller planets he stopped by during his investigation, though they had also been affected by whatever was happening in the sector of space. Calling this through to his mother, he was given the lecture of watching his back on Erathus, and to notify her if anything at all should happen, which she felt likely it would given his status as the Black Paladin and his human appearance. Forced to leave his ship at the docking station, setting foot on Erathus was a trip and a half. It was just like the images of Earth from before the Third World War. The architecture right out of one of the Garrisons boring history books, while the vehicles were even modelled to match the era with a touch of space in the fact that they all hovered. Making his way into the city past the station, Kosmo started pulling against his hold, his wolf clearly excited by all the noise and colour, but none of it was close to what he'd seen in those few snippets of phone call with Lance. Wracking his memory, he could vaguely remember catching what seemed to be the letters "GE", which meant nothing. After spending so long in space, having English brandied everywhere was like a slap in the face. Even time seemed to be measured by Earth standards. Keeping his hand firmly on Kosmo, he pulled up how communicator's browser, trying to think of how to search for what he wanted before realising he was making things far more complicated than he needed. He was looking for a club on Erathus that ended with "GE". The device taking a fraction of moment before loading the results. Swapping to image view, he had more success. The thousands of results dropping down to more manageable number. Only a few ticks later, he was looking at the same "GE" he was sure he'd seen glowing in the background. "The Guilded Cage". Listed as a club, it fitted the bill, and wasn't as far from the station as he'd expected. Bringing up the directions, he steeled himself as he started moving with the ever steady flow of tourists. Reaching the club, Keith had had to avoid more people than he'd like to have. While each store was set up individually, it didn't mean that they didn't have all sorts of employees out the front trying to peddle business, or stopping him for an autograph. Unfortunately wearing his Blade hood would have only served to draw more attention to himself, leaving him to grin and bear it all. Lance would have howled with laughter had he been there to witness Keith's failure with his people skills, and now he'd come this far, his hand shook as he pushed on the golden door handle and entered the club. Being early in the morning, he'd thought trade would have died down as patrons nursed their hangovers from the night before. Instead he was submerged into the thick of the club where the music was deadened by a shimmering forcefield that allowed the ongoing lightshow above the dance floor to cast its glow over what seemed to be some kind of entrance. With no real idea were to move next, he walked over to what he took to be the reception, manned by a rather annoyed looking alien who sat before a wall of keys. The description only listed the club as a club, yet the keys led him to believe that the place may also double as a hotel. If it was a hotel, it would explain why Lance had opted to stay here rather than finding himself an apartment or such... though, if he was working, shouldn't his employer have provided accomodation? "Can I help you?" Clearing his throat, Keith really hoped he could "I hope so. I'm looking for a friend" Sighing, the alien lowered his dataslate "Does this friend have a name? Or am I supposed to guess" "His name's La..." No. One of the people he was with called him "Leandro", not "Lance" "His name's Leandro" Picking the dataslate back up, the alien lent back in his chair "Leandro isn't taking customers at the moment" Customers?! Why would Lance be taking customers? "I'm not a customer, I'm his friend" "Look, if I let everyone in claiming to be his friend, it'd never end" Anger prickled under Keith's skin, the man clearly implying more than Keith was comfortable with "Just what are you trying to say?" "That he's a popular guy. Real heartbreaker" "I'm his friend from Earth. I just want to talk to him" "In that case give him a call. Until then, why don't do you what every other broken heart does and drink your sorrows" This couldn't be right. Lance wasn't that kind of guy. He was a ridiculous flirt, but faithful to a fault. Biting down an annoyed growl, he looked towards the bar doors. When the alien failed to say anything else, he figured he might as well check the club out in hopes of finding Lance inside, however slim the chance. Kosmo wasn't a fan of the music, and Keith wasn't a fan of the scene. Suspended in cages just above the dance floor, dancers of all races bared almost everything they had. Ordering the first drink off the list, Keith skulked his way over to the corner of the room, spying a staircase that seemed to lead to an upper level. The only problem was the two huge bouncers at the foot of it... and the fact he didn't know if Lance was actually up there. Having come this far, the logical thing to do would be to call Lance, but the thought of being rejected again cut a little too close to home "Can you get me up there?" Looking to the stairs, Keith wasn't quite ready when his wolf decided to teleport right off the bat. The second level of the club was like stepping into another world with its plush red carpeting and black walls. The doors almost hidden along the hall and by the lack of light "Ok... let's see if Pidge's hacking program works here" Moving into the shadows with Kosmo, Keith pulled up the program, letting it run its course as it sought out the clubs security system. He had intended to run the program downstairs while blending in, but Kosmo's enthusiasm at seeing Lance again had ruined the mission before it'd even begun. Softly urging the loading green bar to hurry up, there was a soft ding as it completed and his device was filled with the clubs information. Nothing beat Pidge. Even on the otherside of the universe she was still just as formidable as if she'd been by his side. He totally owed her big time for this. Scrolling through the excess of information, he found a room booked under the letters "Lea" which had to be Lance. Room 727... looking for a number on the closest door, he realised it was bare. His small victory not quite as victorious as he'd hoped, leaving him to rely on Kosmo again "Can you track Lance down? No teleporting you big doof" Kosmo led him to the very end of the hall before sitting in front of another annoyingly plain door. Raising his hand to knock, panic once again struck. They hadn't left things on the greatest of terms. Phone calls were one thing, but it was nothing like speaking face to face... and god his sad pining arse wanted to. Whether responding to his presence outside the door, or a sensor he couldn't see, Lance's door slid open silently. Maybe there was no need for security with the two bouncers looking like they could easily snap a mere human in two without breaking a sweat "Lance?" Cautiously entering the space, he knew he had the right room when he sighted the photo of Allura on the rooms small kitchenette counter. The whole place had a pay as you go kind of vibe, yet still held traces that this wasn't that kind of space for Lance "Lance? Are you here?" Receiving no answer, Keith wasn't sure what to do next. If Lance was working, it could be vargas before he returned... "Lance, its Keith..." With a whoosh, a door opened to the left of him, Keith nearly jumping out of his skin as Lance walked out what appeared to be a bathroom and promptly froze mid ruffle of his wet hair "Keith?!" Almost shrieking his name, it was nice to know he wasn't the only one shocked "Hey, man" "Wha... how... wha... How did you get here?" Spluttering, Lance was just as handsome as he remembered him... then it hit him... his friends marks were absent from his face. The marks that Keith hadn't been able to look at intially now gone, leaving behind Lance's beautiful face "I was in the area and thought I'd drop by" "But... what... why? How did you even know where to find me?" This wasn't quite the reunion he'd planned in his head, even though he hadn't actually planned out what he'd say or do. Lance seemed annoyed by his presence "I called you the other night, and happened to see this place in the background" Facepalming, Lance groaned "That's right. Look, I'm sorry I hung up on you. You called in the middle of work. I'm actually on my way to my job..." Was Lance politely trying to throw him out? After all he'd gone through to find him "I actually need your help. I'm looking for someone, and thought you might know them. I mean, you have been here for the last 5 phoebs" His tone held far too much accusation to be comfortable. Lance looking pretty damned uncomfortable as he draped his towel over his shoulders "Keith..." "A Blade member has gone missing. He was supposed to meet with an arms dealer so we could trace the source, but he failed to check in" "Man, I'd really like to help you, but work..." Was Lance hurt? The light in his eyes seemed to have dimmed "Can you just take a quick look?" Closing his eyes, the Cuban took a deep breath before exhaling as he opened them "Keith, I'm sorry you came all this way, but I really need to get to work. Why don't you send me the files and I'll take a look for you" "Or you could look now" Walking further into the space, Lance walked right past him and over to what seemed to be a walk in robe, the wall sliding away with another soft hiss "I can't" "Lance" "Keith" "Drop the bullshit. What are you doing here? Here in space? And why didn't you tell me you were here? Your family's been calling Veronica nonstop. Hunk says not to worry, then I find you in a what? A strip club? Where you're not taking clients? What's going on? This isn't like you" Turning on him, Lance glared "Isn't like me? What do you even know?" "I know..." "What?! We haven't spoken in months. Phoebs! Now you show up asking for a favour. No. I have to get to work" "Lance" "Don't even bother Keith. I'm sorry your friend is missing, and I hope you find him. But you need to leave" Where was all this coming from? The Lance he knew would talk it out before leaping to anger. Snatching a jacket out his walk in robe, Lance went about getting ready in front of him "Lance, I came here because I missed my friend" "Right. Sure you did" "You didn't even tell me you'd left Earth! I would have..." "You would have what? Dropped everything to come visit me?" "I thought you were with your family on Earth. You made it pretty clear you intended to stay there" Giving a dry laugh, Lance picked his communicator up and moved towards the door "Lance..." "Earth... Earth isn't home anymore. It's not the same planet we left. When we left, no one knew about all the races out there. And now... it's changed too much. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy all those people are safe, but Earth isn't the same. Besides. The Holt's have already started training the next generation of Paladins. They're even working on their own versions of the Lions. Coran and Romelle are happy on Altea. Hunk is always travelling across the universe with Shay. Shiro's retired to find his happy ever with Curtis. You're running Daibazol with your mum, and Kolivan... All I had left was Earth, but it's not home anymore. I don't recognise the streets. The beaches. The people. Nothing can ever be like it was before. In the castle, all I had were my dreams of going home... and now I have nothing. So thanks for stopping by, but you need to go" Grabbing him by the sleeve, Lance forced him over to the door, opening it than pushing him forcibly into the hall. Whether by accident or not, his friend's communicator slipped from Lance's hand as he withdrew his grip "I haven't seen your friend. Go home Keith. I know what I'm doing" Kosmo teleported out just as the door was closing, the pair of them left standing in the hall shocked at what had transpired. This wasn't the Lance he knew... but did he even really know him anymore?

[legoddess]

I wrote a short thing. Hope you like it.

The Executioner

Several years ago she escaped. The walls were as cold as the souls of the men who worked there. She had been taken and placed in a program when she was sixteen after her parents had been killed. With the news of her father being poisoned, her and her mother hit the road. At a gas station she went to use the bathroom and came back to blood smeared on the passenger window and her mother's body beside pump number four. Her father was a high class businessman and her mother had been a lawyer. That was a life she didn't know much of anymore and rarely looked back after being clocked in the head with what felt like a brick.

All she could do was survive and pretend that everyday she wasn't dying a little more on the inside until one day she was told to take the life of a child. She begged them to spare his life, that she would do whatever else was asked of her. Though she didn’t want to be touched in what they would say was their “Divine right” to her , or lest she be beaten. They were unflinching when they explained the way in which she was to kill him or be killed herself as the program wasn’t for the weak. Giving her the only choice she'd ever received while in their custody, the man with the scar over his brow reminded her how he would punish her in front of the child then make her watch as he handled the boy who couldn't be more than nine.

Never would  she forgive herself. She was weak then because she hadn’t broken when they bloodied her lip and bruised her face, but broke when they turned their malice towards the little boy. Emotions made her weak and that was the core practice in most of her training lessons. “I am so sorry” she had said as she caressed the boys face and the look in his eyes of confusion said he didn’t understand her. Red faced from holding in the violent sobs that threatened to escape her, she killed the boy with frightened blue eyes but couldn’t torture him.There was a knife on the floor that  one of the seven men in the room had tossed at her as she’d been instructed to peel his flesh starting from the top. The blade went cleanly into the child's abdomen as she pulled him into an embrace and cried silently on his narrow shoulder, humming the song her mother would hum to her. She remembered those nights that her head lay on her mother's bosom when she was scared to lose her parents, who often told her she would never lose them.

Spending years in torture was how she became The Company’s best assassin before she ran for her life after the superior's had been killed in cold blood. Lexa was only sixteen when her life fell apart. Remembering nights in the small cage that she had been shoved into when the blindfold had been removed to see men with no faces and the scars masks their cheekbones. She was handcuffed and taken into a dingy room that smelled of body odor and gin. When she wasn't constricted to her cramped quarters, she was to begin combat training. In reality  her lessons was her getting mutilated every other day for three months until her training had sunk in which lead her to slam one of her superior's to the blue tarped floor. Sleeping was nearly impossible with the stench of urine, blood and savagery. After her first year was completed and they hadn’t manage to break her spirit the way they promised they would, they gave her a larger cage that she would call home for the next two years. This prison, though larger had more than one occupant, usually two girls. Some nights when the other girl would be awaken to stress tests, she’d roll over and and cover her ears so that she wouldn’t hear her screaming in the dark being dragged out. Lexa couldn't let them see her cry, they would think that they won and she wanted to get out of this hell. Alive.

Never looking  back, assuming everyone was already dead, she left the abusive relationship that were her old forced employers but stayed in the same field of work which was how she met Aidan. They've been working together for little over two years. Neither of them wanted a partner and preferred to work solo but they made the strongest team with a collective list of a hundred or more jobs between the two of them. They met while on separate missions that had been arranged for them to meet. They’d almost killed each other as they weren’t in on the blind date that their individual and respected companies had seen to be a potentially beneficial union of skills.

Peering out through the rather large window in the Grand hotel suite, the rain fell as steadily as it had  all day. It was past rainy season in New Orleans and when the sun finally breaks through the clouds, the bayou will be horribly humid and spread it way to the French Quarter. The room was on the twelfth floor and the view was spectacular of the city below. Odd little touristy shops for Mama Laveau’s Magic Shop on one corner and Rousseau's Kitchen, which had the best jambalaya in town as the locals claimed. This city was made stronger by Hurricane Katrina  and the heart of the city still beats after much had been wiped out like other parishes outside of the main tourist attraction like Slidel and Chalmett.

Lexa couldn't find it in her to feel anything at all still as a side effect of shutting off her humanity when she was only old enough to have just received her first car from her parents. She should be happier to return to the city she grew up in with the food that warmed her soul so many years ago. From the moment she stepped foot off the jet she wouldn't allow herself to feel the anger, the shame, the vulnerability from who she had been to who she was now. To feel the consequences of her actions the last seven years would cripple her. The lonely nights where her fingers would bleed when she tried to dig her way out of her cage, or the mornings she would wake up in a cold sweat thinking she had never escaped. She knew she would never escape it entirely, it would always be a part of her and for that she felt repulsed as her vision focused away from the streetlights the same amber ass the color of her eyes. Scanning her reflection , the dark circles forming under her eyes made her look tired and her red tendrils  lacked luster. Standing at the window that stretched from wall to wall, the people below were just as lively as they had been all day and she could practically hear the laughter that felt like it was ever presently mocking her. .

Rubbing her eyes, she stepped away from the window and turned her back on the city of magic to focus on  her hotel room to disconnect from her thoughts that should be worked out with a licensed therapist. The decor was elegant and the man whom was her partner on assignments had gone to his room in the double suite to shower, giving her the time to remember why she had come to New Orleans in the first place, her mission. Aidan was the name of her comrade and occasional playtoy but they knew little of each other's past lives. Lexa had told him that she was a mercenary in a past life but never went into the specifics and had mastered the use of multiple weapons such as daggers, guns and bo staffs, arrows, katanas and what have you. Also being train with various  fighting styles that range from western boxing and wrestling to, Ju-Jitsu and Kalaripayattu which her and Aidan have in common but bonded over her art of seduction in the name of getting the job done or pleasure. Her partner told her only that he was awfully good at what he does for a reason and listed his qualifications that included knowing ten languages fluently, his shared love of weaponry but preferring guns more than she did. His past life was a mystery, the way they both wanted.

Having not come back to the city in some time, she missed the music and the smell of the cuisine, that  alone would add five pounds to her thighs from the butter, garlic and rosemary that fragranced the restaurants. Enjoying the  jazz with memories of her mother and her sitting in a white Cadillac in their driveway encumbered the genre. They'd spend saturday mornings leaning the car that was appropriately named ‘Miss Money” as the car was high maintenance with it's white wall tires and the scent of polished leather.. The state of Louisiana was as warm as the whiskey that was severed in the bar  they went to the night before. There had been live music and people dancing like there was no tomorrow. Women in red dresses as bright as autumn leaves in New Hampshire, and sweat collecting on the bodies of partners who couldn't resist the urge to feel alive with the pairing of Jambalaya and the band of horns and strings.The bar and restaurants central air had gone out and for it to be the start of August, repairs will be needed as soon as possible before patrons start to seek more comfortable eating or perhaps the ambience will persuade the locals and tourists to stay.

The ice cube in the bourbon Aidan ordered was quickly melting but I hadn't had the heart to steal his attention from the small stage over in the corner of the room. Looking so enthralled with the trill of the trumpeter and the saxophones echo, Lexa found herself wanting to be able to get lost  in something so deeply as he was in this moment within the backbeat of the drum kit. Sitting back she admire his face for the first time in detail since the day they had met.He had dark hair and an angular jaw, with eyes the color of steel. Laughter came easy for him and he rarely seemed to think of anything outside of the here and now. Dressed in dark grey slacks that she had always found suited him the nicest, and a blue shirt that she gave to him for his birthday. Everything about him exuded a quiet confident and his leisure in a crowded room was no exempt.

“Can I help you with something?” he cleared his throat, taking his eyes away from the performers and swirling his drink.

A small grin swept across her face, “You wouldn’t happen to have a twin, would you? Someone that looks like you but isnt you?” She would rather not admit that even she fell prey to his good looks and lazy smiles but they both understood nothing more would come from their flirtations other than a tangle of sheets at best.  It wasn't wise to let emotions ruin something some primally satisfying as a no strings attached.

With a look of amusement, he bit his lip as if he were restraining his tongue from getting him into trouble. “Dance with me.”  There hadn't been a question in his tone before he swigged the bourbon, stood and offered his hand.

Last night had been one of those rare exceptions in which she allowed herself to mix business and pleasure. Growing bored with staring out at the world, she needed to shower. Stepping into the warm water, it glided down her torso and over her shoulders,  easing aching muscles and alleviated some of the tension in her neck disparaging a headache. Humming while she finished her ablutions, wrapping herself in the robe provided she settled in the living room area assuming her partner went to bed for the night so now was a good of time as any to watch the footage she had found after some time of digging  into her past life.

The video was black until she started it and at the worst angle with the angle of it being from a corner of the room, likely a security camera.. It was of herself and a man that had called himself her superior. Sitting in a small cement room, the grey floor was stained by a numerous of stains and the scent of sweat and  mildew growing burned her nostrils. It was roughly four am in the video. Never a morning person and after these rude wake up calls, who could be? The girl in the video who she couldn’t fathom to be her as she looked back on that experience, wore a stained outfit and tangled auburn hair that mats to her forehead with blood and sweat. Partially deaf in one ear from a blow to the side of the face. The man stood in front of this girl, mocking her, degrading her by telling her she was no better than the last girl before him that he broke. Watching him take a step closer before lurching forward in vain as her back was  thrown against the wall. All anger the girl charged again at his taunting words of what he could do with her at his side, or what he’d do if she didn't corporate. Bruised and with the whites of her eyes looking as if the two dots of her pupils were swimming in pools of blood. They fought more with both sustaining gruesome injuries before she took him to the ground. The man was seconds from dying at her own hands before two men came in through the only way in or out and pulled her off of him. Taking one down with a kick to the back of their legs, just behind the knee and was about to snap his neck before a needle was plunged into her neck.

Lexas eyes narrowed to slits as she watched her body, deprived of nutrients,sleep and sunlight,  being dragged out of the room and the transmission ending. There were so many things she wanted to say to this girl from the video, this girl that she didn't recognize as herself. That this wasn't the end for you as she thought to how abrupt that darkness had felt and wondering if that was to be the last time her eyes were ever open again.  Older now, she wished to scream at the frail looking monster to sit up straight and not have her head bowed in submission like the other's he was so proud to call his. Tears threatened to pierce through her facade and she had to bury her face in her hands as not to meet her own gaze in the screen that had gone black again. This trip was not only for business but also it was personal for her. The man with a port wine stain  across half of his face was here. He was supposed to have died with the fall of The Company but it just gives her the anticipation of feeling his life eb from his body by her hands the way it should have all those nights again.

A cough meant to bring attention to oneself, brought her from her rage and shae that she had once felt so meek and fragile. Had the noise woke him or had he still been awake?

“Who was that?” She turned her head with the utterance to see him leaning  against the wall in perfect view of the laptop that sat on the coffee table. Taking a shaky breath in to recover from feeling like the same hopeless girl she had been while shoved in cages and below the floorboards.

“Me.”  Was all she could respond.

Walking over to the couch he sat with her in the silence that followed. She didn't cry nor did he attempt to break the deafening absence of words. Instead she lowered her head to his lap and closed her eyes.

Unsurprisingly she had warped nightmares about her past and the girls she’d tried not to befriend who shared the same cell as her and along the way as it was too hard on her attempt to let someone in when they would be allowed out of their boxed in living quarters, but would never return. Startled awake by her phone, no longer the helpless child that was stolen and turned into a killer against her will, she knew that the person on the other end of the receiver would tell her where The Executioner, as he called himself, would be. Raising from the couch and taking the phone to the window to look out once more she answered the phone, though the only sound was that of music and not a location. She knew the song well, it was a dirge that had always made her miss a life that she’s never gotten the chance to live. The song her mother would hum to her when thundered scared her as a infant, when she came home crying that she had fallen off her bike as a child and the song Lexa wished she could hear her mother hum to her now as a adult. Confused she watched Adian walk towards her with a curious expression but also something about his eyes were colder now. For the first time she saw them as the cold cement floor she had used as a mattress for years.

“I can't let you live Lex, blood is thicker than water.” Was the last thing she heard before a familiar darkness eroded her vision. Aidan had left out much of his past which never concerned her but he had specifically left out that he was the son of the man that beat her senseless and made her think she was less than human, Taking the phone that now dropped from his partner and lovers hand, he holds it to his ear for his father to hear him. He had been envious of the way his father bragged about his favorite pet that ultimately would be his partner and how she was the one who got away but not this time.

“We’re coming home.” The man with eyes as cold as the steel bars that kept her company at night hung up and waited further instructions. “Lexa, your life doesn't belong to you. Dad missed you.” the man says to her unconscious body.