A Match Made In Hell(AU,CC, UC TEEN)COMPLETE-4/26

[TaylayaTirand]

Part 13

Les was actually humming as she cleaned up the living room. She moved the couches and chairs to vacuum and pick up things that had gotten stuck under them. She was even thinking about rearranging the room. Erin wouldn’t mind, even Erin got tired of everything the same all the time. The only thing she did like the same was Larek there.
Les moved the pictures and knickknacks from the cherry wood desk that was against the wall opposite the door before moving the desk to the wall where the doorway to the hall was. She put everything back on it and moved the couch to where it had been. She moved the coffee table to be in front of it and then the armchairs she put side by side on the left side of the couch. After that she moved the TV and various extensions of it to the right side of the couch where it could be plugged in. She then moved everything out of Erin’s glass-front cabinet, being very careful…if she broke something Erin would kill her, even if she could put them back together, and then moved the cabinet to the wall beside the front door. She put everything back in and then stepped back to admire her work. Yes, it looked better.
Erin came in with the laundry and smiled. “Nice.” She said plopping herself down on the couch to fold.
“Whose clothes you got there?” Les asked.
“Everyone’s.” Erin laughed. “I make no distinctions when everything is in the bathroom hamper. And it doesn’t matter since everyone borrows or steals each others’ clothes any way.”
“Well, you’re clothes are always there and clean.” Les shrugged. “So if I need something I just go in and borrow.”
“One of these days I am going to look through your closet and see exactly what you do have in there.”
Les shrugged. “Go ahead. “Half of it is yours anyway.” She looked down at the Les Mis t-shirt she wore. “I think this is yours.”
“Yes, it is.” Erin said. “Yours is a size smaller.”
“Well you like wearing clothes looser than I do.”
“True.” Erin said as she put the clothes into piles. “Are these boxers Michael’s or Zan’s?”
“Zan wears boxers?” Les asked as she sat down and grabbed some of Jacob’s clothes to fold.
Erin rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Yes, he does. I know they can’t be Tony’s because he would never wear boxers with palm trees on them.”
Les laughed. “I am thinking Michael then. Are these Rath’s?”
Erin glanced over at the black bikini underwear she held up. Erin chuckled. “No, those are Ari’s.”
“Why are they having us do their laundry?” Les asked.
“Les, it’s time you learned a fact of life. Every Friday night they bring their laundry over and dump it in the hamper so it will get done.”
Les threw a shirt at Erin laughing. “That’s yours.”
Erin held up the t-shirt. “No, it’s Tony’s, but I’m stealing it.”
The t-shirt was white with a scene from the Fellowship of the Rings on it. Erin stashed the shirt in her pile. “Oooh, can I have this?”
She was holding a t-shirt that went down to her knees. “No!” A very amused voice said from behind them. Larek was there holding Jacob and a dirty diaper.
“Ah, come on, old man, I could use it for a nightshirt!” Les begged. She also liked the fact that it was black. She slipped it on over her clothes and stood up. “See? Look how huge this thing is. Where’d you get it anyway?”
“We get all his clothes at those tall guy stores.” Erin said. “Except the ones he has himself. But they all look good on him.” Erin ran her hand along his thigh when he sat down on the arm of the couch.
Larek smiled at his wife. “We have work to do.” He reminded her and himself as well.
“Party pooper.” Erin said with a mock pout on her pretty face. “Are the others working as they should?”
“Yes, I just looked in on them. Zan is collecting the garbage from all the rooms, Michael is up in the crawl space dusting.” A grin appeared on his handsome face. “What did he do to incur that sort of fury from you?”
Les snorted and couldn’t help herself as she burst out laughing. The motherly blonde grinned. “He broke rule # 8.”
Larek looked at his hand as if he were counting rules. “Ok, either he walked around naked or he didn’t tell you where he was going…”
“He didn’t tell me where he was going.” Erin said.
“Where did he go?” Larek asked curiously. From the way Les was laughing this had to be good.
“The dork went to Mexico.” Les got out.
“Why?” Larek asked confused.
Erin rolled her eyes. “From the story he told me after I had Isabel drive down to pick him up, he forgot birth certificate—”
“He has a birth certificate?” Larek asked.
“Yeah,” Erin briefly explained the American legal system in regards to abandoned and adopted children. “So anyway, he said that he wanted to eat real Mexican food.”
“And you believed him??” Les snorted again.
“Of course I didn’t. I tackled him and held him still while I looked around in his mind. He should know by now what I will do.”
“I didn’t think you’d go this far!” Michael voice carried down from above them.
“You should have!” Erin called back. “Anyways the goober went down there to joyride on his bike. What if something had happened? What if we were attacked??”
“All these what ifs…” grumbled Michael. Zaaaaap! “OWWW! Sis, come on!”
“No, that was me.” Tony said coming into the room. “OK, Erin, the laundry is all by the washer, the bathrooms are clean, the rooms dusted and Zan is almost done collecting the garbage. Oh and Les your patrolling bag kind of spilled.”
Les shrugged. “Just as long as he put everything back in, I’m not that picky.” She started folding some underwear. “Erin, which one of the boys has these??” She was holding up a pair that was knee length, silky, white and made up of some stretchy material.
“Those would be Kharnak’s.” Erin said.
“Really?” Les asked. “What’s he wearing right now then??” She turned wondering where he was.
“That would be a pair of my boxers.” Zan said coming into the room.
“Hmmm, does the old man have some of these?” Les asked.
Erin shook her head laughing. “He does, but usually while he is here he wears ‘Terran-style’.”
Larek nudged his wife playfully. Les folded the underwear and put it in her pile. “His stuff can be in my room.” Les was thinking to herself what it would be like to be married to Kharnak…and waking up beside him every morning…she sighed contentedly in her little daydream. Then Ari popped into her mind…then she began to imagine what it would be like married to him. With Kharnak she would have stability and gentleness, with Ari she would have the excitement and never knowing what would happen next. She sighed again, but this time agitatedly. Each life had its pros and cons and she wanted both lives. Maybe she would grow to want one over the other. It was too soon to tell. Larek had been right though. She did want love in her life and she did want to be with someone. How could she be attracted to two guys that were so different though?
She glanced over at Zan, she wasn’t really attracted to him at all, but he seemed to be the medium of the two men. He was kind and gentle like Kharnak and he was funny and had surprises up his sleeve like Ari. She didn’t think she wanted what was both of them, since she knew what that was.
Zan looked over at her noticing that she was practically staring at him. “Les?” She didn’t hear him she was still comparing and contrasting both Ari and Kharnak and comparing them to Zan. “Les?” She had to admit Zan was very attractive and handsome, but she didn’t know why he wasn’t her type, since obviously Kharnak and Ari were and they all looked a lot alike. She decided it had to be the whole package, not just the looks. “Les!”
“Huh, what?” She asked blinking and noticing for the first time he was looking at her.
“Is there a reason you’re staring at me?” Zan asked. He was bothered by it, but he was curious.
“Oh, I was just thinking about stuff and not paying attention, I could easily have been staring at the old man or the wannabe old man.”
“Liar!” Michael voice came down from the crawl space again.
“Shut up, Michael!” She loved him to death, but she would kill him when he came down.
Erin grinned. “Come on, Lessie, you can tell us what you were thinking about.”
“Don’t call me ‘Lessie’.” Les said pretending to be angry. “If you must know I was thinking about Ari and Kharnak and comparing the two and in doing that I realized that Zan is what you would get if you combined the two. Don’t worry I’m not attracted to you.” She said waving off the look on Zan’s face. “It’s kind of weird I’m not, but I’m not and that’s all there is to it.”
Larek chuckled. “How have the last couple of days gone?”
“I’m more confused than ever.” She admitted. “But when am I not when it comes to the opposite sex?”
“You weren’t confused when it came to Lee.” Tony said. Erin shot Tony a look and Zan hit him upside the head. Les, however, looked down and then got up quietly. Tony sighed. “Les, I…”
Les just put her hand up and walked into the hallway. A moment later they heard her softly shutting the door to her room. “Nice job, Tony.” Zan said.
“It just came out.” The boy said. “I didn’t know it would affect her that much.”
“What was happening?” Larek asked.
Tony sighed. “I think her heart broke again. I thought she was over him…but I can see she isn’t.”
Erin sighed. “Tony, it’s only been about a year and a half since…well…since it happened. Les feels like it’s all her fault.” The girl shook her head. “Maybe I should go talk to her.”
“I think she needs to be alone for a while.” Tony said. “I need to go for a walk. I’ll be back later.”
Erin nodded. “Take my cell phone, it’s on my dresser.”
Tony nodded and he left the room. Zan sat down in one of the chairs. “You know I never knew the whole story of what happened.”
Larek looked at his wife. “Who does know?”
“I do, of course.” Erin said thinking about it. “Tony, does…he was there when it happened. Ava knows…I think Lonnie knows the basics, as well as Isabel. But everyone else just knows that something happened and that Lee died as a result.”
“Can you tell us?” Zan asked.
Erin shook her head. “No, Zan, it’s up to Les to tell you. She asked me not to until she was ready. I even thought that she was ready to talk when she decided to be with Ari and Kharnak. We’ll just leave her be for a while…perhaps she will come out on her own.”

[TaylayaTirand]

Part 14

Erin had dinner ready and Les still hadn't come out of her room. It was hard seeing her like this, mostly because she was almost never like this. Her feelings usually did not get the better of her. The blonde walked down the dark hallway and knocked on the door to the girls' room.
There wasn't any answer until she knocked a second time. "Who is it?" Les knew who it was as she sat in the dark room and stared out her window at the starry New Mexican sky. A single candle was lit and it sat next to her at the window. Soft music played in the background and brunette sighed softly, retaping fingers after going a little too long on the speed bag. She could've had someone heal them but she really didn't want to. She just wanted to let herself hurt for a while.
"It's me." Erin called. She wasn't sure if Les even wanted to talk yet...but she had to try. She hated to see her like this. It reminded of her of when it happened and how bad it had been then. "Can I come in?"
"The door's open..." She said, waving her fingers at the locks on the door, throwing the deadbolts and chain lock back. But she didn't look to see Erin enter. She just went back to inspecting her fingers like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
Erin came and sat down in the dark room after shutting the door behind her. "Tony didn't mean it, Les. He feels really bad about saying anything." Erin swallowed. And she felt bad that she didn't bring it up sooner...it was like an unwritten rule to not say anything about it. "Are you ok?"
"Fine." She said laying back down on her bed. "I'm just kind of tired." She said like that had anything to do with anything.
Erin sighed. "Les, you need to talk about it. You haven't said a word since it happened. That's not healthy." She turned away for a moment. "Les, it's me. It's not Isabel, it's not Lonnie, and it’s not Maria or Liz. It's me. Talk to me, please."
"What if I don't want to talk about it? You know what happened. I don't need to retell it to you." She rolled over on her side so she didn't have to look at her.
"It's not your fault! It's not Tony's fault! It just happened, Les. You couldn't have stopped it and keeping all your feelings inside doesn't help anything! All it does is make it harder for you to trust people and to let them in even though it's the one thing you want more than anything. I know you don't have to retell it, but have you ever spoken it out loud? Have you? After Tony told us what happened you never even spoke his name! Look, I know we didn't get along...but that doesn't mean I didn't care about him and what he was to you..."
"Erin, please don't." Les begged as she started about it again. It just made her so angry, she just... "I said I don't want to talk about it! I don't want to let people in! I don't have to say his name!" She shouted, suddenly sitting up. "It is my fault! It's my fault! I could've stopped it! I could've kept him away and not loved him! But I didn't and he's dead! People get close to me and they die! He died because of me! He's dead because he loved me! I killed him and you can't change that!" She half sobbed. "I killed him!" Suddenly there was a surge in the house and anything electric that had been running suddenly blew, making them both jump! Lights shattered, her stereo practically blew up and so did the computers and the TVs. She gasped, wide-eyed. That...that wasn't her, was it? Then she heard the crackling sounds popping and surging like static, her hands tingled. Dark energy glowed and crackled painfully around her hands. She blinked wide-eyed as a knock started on the bedroom door.
"Is everyone okay?" It was Larek.
Erin looked at Les. "In a manner of speaking." She called back to her husband. "You'd better check on Tony!" She didn't even want to know how he was fairing in all this with that overload. Erin reached forward and took the girls' hands in her own.
"No!" Les jerked her hands suddenly away with a growl and got up and slammed through her bedroom door. God...not again…It had never been this bad, but things like this happened when she kept herself bottled up and eventually the pressure was going to go somewhere. It's what Erin always had said, Larek had even tried to tell her before, but she just ignored them, too stubborn for her own good. She staggered into the hallway, stepping over the glass on the floor, her hands still crackling as she went through the house. She walked into the living room and saw Ava still sitting just as wide-eyed on the couch in front of what was left of the smoking TV set. Larek hadn't stopped and went straight to Tony. And just as Ava was about to say something to the other scared girl, that was when Ari walked through the front door, breathless. He must've have just arrived when things started exploding. She looked at him and her tears started again and the energy started to build up again. She couldn't let him love her...And neither could Kharnak...She would kill them both and them she would be alone again like before... Always alone.
"Les...Calm Down..." He said slowly, putting up a hand towards her in peace, but she just shook her head, not listening. Her fingers spasmed and the air felt like it was charging around them.

Tony lay curled up on his bedroom floor, his hands and arms around his head. He was groaning and he knew he hadn't felt this bad since...well, never, unless you counted his dying, but he knew it hadn't gotten that bad yet. He was trying desperately to keep the emotions out. He couldn't stand it. All he could feel was Les...her heartbreak...her sorrow and yes, her anger. It was so overpowering he felt like he would blackout soon...and how he would welcome it. To just not feel anything for a while...
Larek charged into the room, having already put up a barrier around his growing worry over the situation and if he had been able to he would've had Leslie's emotions contained, but they were too chaotic. The power the girl bottled up inside was too much to contain in her curtain state and if his brother was going to survive he'd have to do something fast before her emotional state overwhelmed him. It was still getting worse and already Belil was doubled over on the ground. Larek laid his hands over his younger brothers’ head and concentrated on building a strong enough barrier to keep it away from him before it really did kill him. He knew he could do it, but he also knew he was going to be completely drained afterwards. It didn't matter. He had to make small sacrifices if it meant saving his brother.

Erin had come out of Les' room right behind the girl and she saw that instead of Les' powers getting more stable they were actually mounting. This wasn't good and it wouldn't be good for any of them if it got any more out of hand. Erin knew that Tony couldn't take much more of this. She knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but she stepped up and put her hand on the brunette's shoulder a faint white glow surrounding her hand.
Les jumped and the panic just blew everything apart inside. She felt like she was being cornered or attacked even though it was just Erin. "No!" She grabbed for Erin's hand, the black energy crackling around the soft white light and the white started to grow. Les couldn't pull her hands away or push Erin away or anything she irrationally wanted to do at that moment. The dark light started to shrink and the air start to cool down gradually. Les's death grip on Erin started to weaken slowly and she looked up at Erin, her eyes fluttering.
Ari was closing in by this time until eventually Erin had totally sapped the girl of the energy and locked it away before she really hurt anyone. Les dropped right into Ari's waiting arms and she was out just like that. "What the hellz goin' on?" Ari said even though he had a pretty damn good idea.
Ava was still watching wide-eyed. Then suddenly she popped up off the coach. "Tony!" She said, running down to Tony's room where Larek was sitting over his brother, sweat drenched, stroking Belil's hair quietly. Not looking much better off, but it was only temporary. He sighed in relief. Tony was out cold and would be for perhaps the entire night. Well, at least at the moment he probably felt better than he had for a very long time.

Erin sighed and put her hand to her head. Of the four of them she was probably the least affected, but that didn't account for much. "Lee." She said briefly knowing Ari would know what she was talking about. "Ari, get Zan...we're gonna need the both you tonight..." With that she went down heavily on the couch and sat with her head in her hands and cried because of all emotions and everything that was going on.
Ari did as he was told and got Zan as quickly as possibly after putting Les safely in her room. Larek had seen to his brother and made sure he was as comfortable as possible for the night. Ava had volunteered to sleep down there just incase she thought he needed someone because she knew Larek needed to go help Erin right now. He trudged wearily up the stairs and entered the living room, sitting down beside his wife and gently wrapped her in his arms.
"Did I do the right thing?" Erin asked as she practically clung to her husband. It wasn't like Erin to second-guess herself...but at the moment she needed to know. "I didn't want to hurt her...I couldn't think of another way to stop her." She was still crying practically uncontrollably and Larek could barely make out what she was saying. "Oh...this all my fault...I shouldn't have pushed her..."
"Shhh…You did what was right. You did the only thing you could've done. It's not your fault...She was hurting herself." He said calmly, brushing his fingers through her golden hair and letting her cry into him and get it out. "She would've done it to herself even if you'd left her alone."
"I should have known...I should have talked to her long before this...I just thought she would talk to me. I just thought she would confide in me. I thought she might have finally worked through all this by herself." She managed to control her crying. Then she thought of something. "How did you deal with it?"
He just continued to shush her trying to ease her worries, but he paused when she asked the question. "How did I deal with it...?" He repeated, his hand still pulling gently through her hair in thought. No one had asked him that before.
"It's ok if you don't want to tell me." She whispered. "I mean I know it was a difficult time for you and everything..."
"No…Well yes it was but..." Larek said softly. "I guess I never stopped long enough to think about it." He admitted quietly.
Erin nodded and held him close. "I know it was a hard time...I can't even imagine what it was like losing all of us. I know you said that you just held onto the hope that you would see me again. I just can't imagine being without you or without any of the others..." She paused. "Larek, Kharnak said that for a while you seemed to be dying, yourself..." She didn't want to bring it up or the fact that her and Kharnak had been talking about him behind his back...
Larek smiled sadly remembering. Having not ever really considered it until she said it now. "I was..." He said sadly, but he still smiled. "I don't think he would've known it if it hadn't started showing..." He said thoughtfully. "I remember holding up to that hope of seeing you...All of you again. I wanted it so badly, but as time went and things had started to feel...so useless…I kept going, but I stopped looking out for myself." He said. "It scared those who followed me. One day Kharnak forced me to look in the mirror and face reality. I had stopped eating, I looked the same, but I was wasting myself away and my hair had started turning white...I didn't look old...I didn't feel anything, but nonetheless the life was pulling out of me. He got angry with me and asked me how you would have felt if you could've seen me like that..." He smiled sadly. "After that I never did anything so stupid again. I couldn't live without you, but even if I never saw you again I hated the thought that I could hurt you by doing something so wretched to myself. I would rather live alone forever than know I was hurting you by giving up."
The girl sighed and then looked up at him. "I was more sorrowful than angry that you did that. You were always the strength and I just followed your lead...I just can't imagine it, even though I have heard about it so many times. I do think you need to talk to Les when she wakes up...you and Isabel. You both know what she is going through, and frankly I have no idea and hope never to know what she is feeling. I don't think I could survive without you..." She went quiet and just laid her head down on his chest not wanting to think about it, but that was all she could do. Les must have been in more pain than she would ever have let on to anyone to create a power surge of that magnitude. She must have been keeping it in for a lot longer than she let on...

Part 15
Zan hurried into the living room after seeing to Tony and found Erin and Larek asleep on the couch in each other’s arms. He smiled a little seeing that and went to Ari, who he knew would be in Les’ room. Zan stopped at the door when he heard voices. “It wuz just so weird, ya know. I walk in and she’s der wid black lightnin’ on her hands. Da way she looked at me…well I couldn’t stand it. She wuz cryin’ and she wuzn’t ‘erself, ya know?”
“Yeah, I know.” Kharnak said. “When she told us about liking both of us I thought it was good for her…that she was finally learning to trust. I didn’t mind so much that it was you. I was just happy that she thought of me at all.”
“I knowz what ya mean.” Ari sighed. “She doesn’t realize what she is…or what she means to us.”
“We just want what’s best for her…Ari, if you’re what’s best for her then…”
“I know.” Ari whispered. “I feel da same way.”
Zan opened the door quietly. “Hey, guys.”
Ari was sitting by the head of Les’ bed stroking the brunette’s hair and Kharnak was sitting at the foot. “Hey, Zan.” Ari said and Kharnak nodded.
“How is she?” Zan swallowed. She looked pale and exhausted.
“She’ll be ok…physically.” Kharnak answered for Ari, because the other young man turned from his ‘twin’. “Mentally is another story. Erin drained her powers from her. There was no way they could just stop them or cut them off. They were too chaotic. Both Erin and Larek took great risks today…”
“Yeah, Ava told me that Larek was drained after helping Tony.” Zan swallowed. “What can we do?”
Ari was still silent he had his eyes closed and he was moving his lips silently. Zan knew that look…Ari only ever got that look around Les. When Les was hurt Ari would do something so out of character that they knew Ari had to feel strongly for the girl. Ari was praying, he had taken Les’ hand in his and was holding it close to his heart. Kharnak stood and silently nodded Zan out of the room. Zan left and Kharnak closed the door behind him. He sighed as he looked at his cousin. “Ari will stay with her tonight in case she needs anything. I think it’s time we knew exactly what is causing this. Until we know we can’t help her.”
Zan nodded. “Did Ari check Erin and Larek?”
Kharnak nodded. “Briefly. He says the best treatment for them is just to rest.” He shook his head. “It was amazing…the power that Les has trapped inside of her. She was always accident-prone with her powers. They are just so awesome in their way and I think at their peak they come in third.”
“THIRD????” Zan practically yelled and then quieted down. “Third? Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Kharnak said as they went into Zan’s room. Zan shut the door behind them. He saw Jacob asleep in his crib. It was good he had slept all through it. Of course there weren’t many electrical appliances in Zan’s room. He patted his son briefly on the back before sitting down on the bed with Kharnak. “Zan, Les’ powers were so formidable that she was known as the Moon Queen of Varan.”
“Ok, what does the Moon signify?” Zan asked a little lost.
“The Moon has always been what the Varani base their calendars, their harvests, even their lovemaking on. The moons of Varan held power and a very much religious significance. They feared the moons and what they brought with them. Valaya was the most feared queen the Varani ever had in their entire history. She was the most feared and the most loved. Even now the Varani make up about half of our forces. When Valaya was killed they rebelled…no that is the right word…they were instilled with a lust for the blood of the one that killed her…”
“Larek’s sister…” Zan whispered.
“Yes, Loreya, she didn’t get far, I can tell you. She was dead before we could arrive. She may have been on the wrong side, but Larek still loved her…”
Zan nodded. “I can understand that…”
“Her treachery could not have been forgiven, she was Valaya’s own bodyguard, her double…” Kharnak sighed. “If Belil hadn’t already been dead that one act would have killed him. She was his betrothed after all…it almost killed me at the time. No one should have been able to kill her, no one…” He paused for a moment. “The only two that possibly could have were Larek and Taylaya. Taylaya was the first to die and Larek…his powers aren’t at their peak without her…” Kharnak paused wondering if he should continue.
“What do you mean?” Zan asked him. “His powers aren’t as good without her…?”
Kharnak sighed. “Zan, it’s probably time that you knew the truth. The prophecy just doesn’t tell us who we are…it tells us that we are only as powerful as we are together…”
“Together, how?” Zan asked him, the curiosity was practically killing him.
“Each one of us has an opposite…with our powers and only together can we wield the full strength of it. You are the Healer, Ava the Destroyer, only together can your powers be their full strength. It is the same with the Disciple and the Dreamer, the Seraphim and the Sage, the Empath and the Deceiver, the Void and the Slayer, and the Enhancer and the Diviner. Only together do we have any hope of defeating Tihandra. I am not saying you and Ava have to be together, Zan, although it would be much easier for your powers to work together if you were. That is why Larek and Erin are so powerful…though they are powerful on their own…it also means that you are attracted to the one that is your opposite with the powers.”
“So that is why Ava and I…”
“Yes.” Kharnak confirmed. “On Antar you were perfect for each other. It is also why Nicholas and Loreya fell in love and were together…causing a lot of trouble in the process.”
“So are Erin and Larek the most powerful or does it just seem that way because they are together?”
“Oh no.” Kharnak said. “Erin and Larek have more power than most of us could ever dream of. You heard what Erin did today…Zan that would have killed me. I could not have taken her powers from her without suffering the affects myself and, quite frankly, I couldn’t have stopped her…”
“Could Ari or I have stopped her?” Zan asked swallowing.
“No.” Kharnak stood and paced the room. “No, Zan, even Larek knew he couldn’t do it. That is why he saw to Tony, to save his life. He could block and relieve Tony’s distress, but he never could have done it for Les. Of course we all would have done it in different ways. Erin was able to complete drain Les’ powers. Les had enough power to kill us all…after the first eruption it was only mounting.”
“What about Ava? Could she have used the ‘Fire’?”
“She could have…but Les would most certainly have been killed, if the power didn’t rebound on Ava…then Ava would most certainly have died from it. Zan, this is very serious.”
“I know. I know.” The king groaned and rubbed his face with his hands. “Les’ powers are out of control and all because of Lee. Erin can’t keep draining her and Larek can’t keep her powers blocked forever, we need her too much for that. We can’t risk her life either. Do you have any ideas?”
Kharnak stopped his pacing and stood there. He slowly nodded. “Yes, I think Les needs to face what happened to her, face herself…only then can she stop bottling up her emotions and feelings…and this had probably be done without her powers. She’s a loose cannon otherwise.”
“Ok, but even without her powers I wouldn’t want to be the one to be there when it happens.” Zan said looking at his cousin.
“Neither would I. I love her, god knows I do, but she has a right hook that could leave me unconscious for a week. I think Erin and Larek had better be the only ones in there with her when it happens. Or maybe just Erin…”
“No.” Zan said. “It has to be all of us. Together we are strongest, you said so yourself. The Royal Eight takes care of it’s own. Whoever is the strongest of the Four will be in there. That is probably me, Ava, Isabel and Rath…”
“No, Michael.” Kharnak argued. “It doesn’t matter if Rath is more powerful, Les loves Michael, he’s like her brother, Rath and her aren’t that close.”
Zan nodded conceding the point. “All right, Michael then…has anyone informed the others of what has happened?”
“No.” Kharnak shook his head. “Ari just called you. We need to brief the others, but at the moment I don’t think it wise to leave anyone alone, especially with the current events.”
“Erin’s father.” Zan sighed. “I almost forgot about that…and about the prophecy, really, both of them.” He sighed again as he stood and went over to Jacob’s bassinet. “The people won’t let him lead with they?”
Kharnak shook his head. “Not now that they know what Tess is.”
“How can we produce an heir then?” Zan thought it a little peculiar to be worried about that as young as he was. He had just turned 18 and he was concerned about having an heir to the throne.
“There is only one way.” Kharnak said. “You and Ava have to—”
Zan groaned. “I am not sure I can do that…”
“I think you need to talk to Liz and Kyle and see how they feel about it.” Kharnak suggested. “But after all this is over with. We have time…”
“We hope.” Zan said finishing Kharnak’s sentence.
“That’s all we have, Zan, that’s all we ever had. From the time you were born…”
“You weren’t around then.” Zan said lightening the mood as he put his hand on his son’s back.
“No, I wasn’t, but I know from what Larek has told me…all we have is hope, Zan. All the people fighting for you to return and reclaim your throne, they do it for you and for the hope they have. So many have given their lives for this cause…if the tide should turn again though…they are the lucky ones. The rest would be given to the Leerghs.”
Zan shuddered involuntarily. “Then it is a good thing that the artifacts are hidden on Earth where no one can get to them.”
Kharnak nodded. “We will never relinquish the sword…”
Zan nodded. “Kharnak, you will lead if the four us can’t, won’t you?”
“I took up the calling once.” The young man said.
“I know, but that was when you thought we would return and carry on the reign. I am asking you now though, cousin. Are you willing to take the throne?”
Kharnak swallowed and turned away thinking about it for a moment, finally he spoke. “Zan, if there is no Antaris left to rule…then yes I will lead our people…”
“And Jacob?”
“Jacob would be raised to be king, you have my word on that.” Kharnak said. “The people would accept it if there were no one else to lead.”
Zan felt better having gotten that over with. “I will talk to Ava when we get this over with…you’re right…we don’t have a choice.”
Why did everything have to come now? It just kept piling up. Erin’s father, the prophecies, Les’ overload, Liz being pregnant, Ava and Kyle being engaged, college starting soon…Zan sighed agitatedly. He needed Erin to take over some of this stuff… she was always there to worry with him, except at the moment since she was dead to the world. He envied her that, at the moment he would love to be… “I’m going to go see Liz…” He paused. No, that wasn’t any good… “On second thought I will invite her over here. Maria should probably know too, she’ll kill us if she finds out and we didn’t tell her when it happened.” He groaned. “Kharnak, would you mind…?”
“It’s ok. Get some rest, I will send Liz back when she gets here and inform everyone else of the situation.”
“Thanks.” Zan said as he lay down on his bed. He knew he probably wouldn’t sleep, but at least he didn’t have to do anything.
Kharnak slipped out quietly and Zan stared at the ceiling. Being an alien certainly was not a good life…and being a king was even worse. But, he didn’t have a choice, so he accepted his role. He owed a lot to who he was…in fact he owed everything to that power he had inside…

Part 16

It wasn’t until the next morning that the first person woke up. Les sat up in her bed trying to remember what had happened. Her first inclination was too look around for Erin, but all she found was Ari kneeling by her bed and asleep with his head in his arms. One of his hands was gripping hers. She wondered what he was doing there…she spied the candle on the windowsill and remembered that after she and Erin had ‘talked’ everything blew up…but everything looked fine. Her stereo was as good as ever and her computer was intact…oh, of course someone would have fixed them. Then what had happened? Oh yeah she had gone out into the living and saw Ari and Ava…Ari had tried to stop her…but it was no good, nothing could have calmed her down. Only Erin and that was because she had probably drained her of all her powers. How bad had it been?
Les untangled herself from Ari and left him sleeping there. The girl went out to the living room and found Larek and Erin on the couch asleep. She leaned against the doorway and just looked at them. They weren’t afraid of killing each other…they were afraid the other would die, certainly, but they weren’t afraid of it being them that did it. She envied them their happiness. She would always be alone. She couldn’t let Ari or Kharnak love her; they would just end up dead just like…she sighed. “Just like Lee.” She whispered. It felt better to say his name aloud. She thought the ache would grow…but instead it felt less. Her heart wasn’t as heavy as it had been. She wondered downstairs and found Tony and Ava curled up together on Tony’s bed. Les smiled looking at them. Then she saw Maria asleep in a chair on the other side of the bed. They were all lucky to have someone to love. She felt bad about what she had done to one of her best friends. She hadn’t even thought about Tony and what he must have gone through. She had been blocking him for so long that it had become second nature…until last night, she thought bitterly. She went forward and put her hand on his hand. It wasn’t his fault…she knew that. A tear slipped down her pale cheek.
Tony’s eyes opened and blinked staring at her standing above him. “Mornin’, Lessie.” He yawned. “How are you feeling?”
“Better.” She whispered not wanting to wake Ava or Maria. “How are you?”
“Better.” He said. “Larek blocked my powers for a little while so I could sleep.”
“I’m sorry.” Les said. “I’m so sorry…it must have almost killed you…”
Tony sat up and put his arms out. Les gratefully went to him and let him wrap her in his arms. It was so familiar and so comforting. “Les, I’m sorry…I really am, I keep thinking about what I could have done…if I could have done anything differently so he might not have died.”
Les started to cry. “I know, I do it enough myself. I can’t help but feel like it’s my fault. Like if I didn’t love him…he wouldn’t have died.”
“No, Les.” Tony whispered holding her tighter. “There’s nothing you could have done. You need to love, don’t you know that by now? Just think about everything that you would have missed out on if you hadn’t? It might just be that it was Lee’s time, Les. He loved you and I am sure he’s happy…you could ask Erin; she’s always helping Liz and Maria talk to Alex. You could talk to him and know he’s all right.”
Les nodded. “What if he blames me?”
“He doesn’t…” Tony said. “Don’t you remember? With his last words he told me to tell you that he loved you. It wasn’t your fault and he would have loved you whether or not you loved him. It just wasn’t meant that you should stay together…”
“So he died because he couldn’t be with me??”
“No, Les, that’s not what I am saying.” Tony comforted her. “I am saying that it was his time to go and you doing this to yourself isn’t healthy. He would tell you the same thing.”
“How do you know?” She asked him.
“I just do.” He sighed. “You’re my best friend, Les, and I hate to see you like this. Now why don’t you go upstairs and ask Erin to help you talk to Lee?”
“Her and Larek are still asleep on the couch…after Larek got you under control Erin drained my powers so I wouldn’t hurt myself or anyone else.”
“You can count on her to do something like that.” Tony commented.
“Yeah.” Les said. “I just wish she didn’t have to.”
“LES!” Ava’s voice cut through the stillness and the small girl threw her arms around her sister. “I was so worried about you.”
“I’m better now.” Les smiled.
Maria had been awakened by Ava’s cry and was smiling now seeing that both Les and Tony were ok. She had been worried about the both of them. She knew how Les felt, she hadn’t been in love with Alex, but he was her best friend, and she still missed him. She had actually gotten his opinion about dating Tony before she said yes. Alex had been all for it and the thought still made her smile.

Erin awoke with the sun shining on her face. Larek stirred beneath her and she lifted herself up a little. Larek’s arms went more firmly around her. “Hello, love.”
Erin smiled. “Hi. Doing better today?”
“Yes.” He said smiling. “Nothing like a good nights’ sleep with the one you love in your arms.”
She kissed him softly. “Definitely one of the best things I can think of. Has your power regenerated yet?”
“Almost.” He whispered kissing her forehead. “And yours?”
“Pretty close.” She admitted. “I’m still worried about Les…I am not sure what to do.”
“Neither do I.” Larek said sighing.
“I do.” They both looked up to see Kharnak come in. He sat down in one of the armchairs. “Zan and I talked last night and we need to have the Royal Eight know the situation and Les needs to be made to face herself. This has to be done now, we need her too much to just keep her powers in check or keep draining her. She has her Slaying duties as well.” Kharnak briefly told them what had been spoken between himself and the king the previous evening. “How are we going to convince Les this needs to be done?”
“You don’t have to.” They turned to see Les leaning against the frame of the front door. “I’ve been listening the entire time. I think it’s best if I go along with it…as you said you need me and I need all of you. It’s long overdue…I should have dealt with it then instead of letting it control me…I still feel like it’s my fault…but Erin I need your help to talk to Lee…and then I may be able, with the help of the Royal Eight, get on with my life.”

Part 17
Erin and Les sat on the blonde’s bed. “Ok, Les, moving into another world is hard enough on those that are born with the gift…”
“Is it like the ‘Dream world’?” The Dream world was what Les called the astral plane where everyone had met before they came to Roswell.
“Yes, very like the Dream world, but more chaotic…even than the Ghost roads. Lee passed those a long time ago and went straight to the other world. We’ll get to Alex first, because he is always open to us coming and he can help us find Lee, ok?”
“Ok.” Les nodded. “Is this dangerous?”
“Not as long as you stay with me and don’t go off on your own.”
“I’ll stay with you.” Les promised.
“Ok.” Erin nodded and took the girls’ hands in her own. “It’s just like we are going to the astral plane, relax and let your spirit roam…”
Les opened her eyes, not her real ones, she couldn’t open those if she tried, but her other eyes she opened and she found herself in a foggy mist not able to see anything. Erin? She called.
I’m here. The soft voice said. Take my hand. The brunette did so unable to do anything else.
Where are we? She asked.
We are at the end of the Ghost roads. Erin explained.
I didn’t know they had an ending. Les said quite surprised.
Of course, Erin laughed. The end of the Ghost roads is the beginning of ‘heaven’.
Heaven? So there really is such a place, Les thought to herself.
Yes, Heaven. That is one name for it. Let’s go. Alex is waiting for us.
Les could barely see Erin until she followed and stepped out into a beautiful white land. Everything looked so pure, so clean…and there in front of them, sitting on a bench, was Alex. He smiled as he stood to greet them. Hi, Erin. He looked a little surprised to see Les there. Les, I’ve never actually had the pleasure.
Les smiled at this. Hey, Alex. We’re here to see someone. Lee Davis?
Alex nodded. Sure, I know Lee. Everyone knows Lee. He’s always working and doing what he can.
Working? Les asked confused. She had thought this was an eternal rest.
Of course, Alex confirmed. There isn’t much time left.
Time until what?
Alex smiled mysteriously. For the time of the Light to appear once more upon the earth.
Les was greatly confused at this, but she let it pass. I really need to talk to Lee and you and Erin can have a nice long chat while I do.
Alex chuckled. That’s good for me I need to talk to her.
Oh? Erin asked. Am I in trouble again?
You? In trouble? Alex laughed. You’re never in trouble, Aliengirl. Actually I have another assignment and need some help with it. I know you aren’t dead or unborn, but you’ll do.
Thanks so much. Erin replied as they walked along a path lined with white stones.
Alex led the two of them to a large building, people dashed this way and that on their own business, but they all greeted the three no matter how busy they were. Alex led them inside and they found many people at work on…computers? Les didn’t know how much more of this she could take. They seemed to be printing out names from books… she glanced at one as they passed by. Sure enough it was a name along with a birth date, marriage date, death date, spouses name and parents names. She had no idea what they were doing, but they seemed to know so it didn’t concern her. Alex led them on through the building and opened one side of a double door for them. They went in and found an even bigger room with people looking in long filing cabinets writing things down and people running through different doors with the messages or whatever. Les glanced over at Erin and saw she was smiling radiantly watching the proceedings. Erin obviously knew what they were doing. Les stopped suddenly as she a young man with longish blonde hair standing next to one of the tables writing on a clipboard. She swallowed and then walked up to him. Lee?
The young man turned and stopped short. He blinked in total surprise. Les, what are you doing here??? You’re not set to come here for a long time yet.
Well thanks for that, but I needed to talk to you.
How did you get clearance? Very few people are allowed here to just visit.
Erin. Les said softly.
Oh, of course. Lee smiled as he looked past her and waved to the blonde. Les looked back and Erin smiling waved back. That was a little unusual, but now that Lee and Erin were ‘on the same side’ it wasn’t too unusual. What did you need to talk to me about?
Les swallowed. Lee…I-I’m sorry.
Sorry, for what? He asked startled and concerned.
I’m sorry for being the reason you were killed…
Oh, Les, no, no… Lee put his arms around her and drew her close to him. You are not the reason I was killed. It was my time. I was needed here, just as your family needs you. You have such a great work ahead of you, Les. I would have held you back if I hadn’t already been called to this great work.
What work is that? Les called.
Lee sighed not knowing how to explain it. Les, the time soon comes that Terra and Antar will both face the Last War…
The Last War?
You have heard the Prophecy of the Princes, I assume?
Not really, Erin mentioned it, but nothing more than that.
Your son will be great, Les, he will be one of those Princes to lead the hosts of the worlds against a great evil…
My son? But who’s the father?
Lee laughed. I can’t tell you that. You have to find that out for yourself. He put his hand on her cheek. I would have loved to be that man…but it wasn’t meant to be. Follow your heart and forgive yourself. Erin and the others will help you do that.
Les nodded. I know. The Royal Eight will help me do what I need to do. I love you, Lee.
I love you, too, Les. You will find a love greater though…
What kind of love?
A love not unlike Erin and Larek’s, something truly meant to be. A match made in heaven…
More like a match made in hell. Les half-joked.
At times it will seem that way, but…well, yes, a match made in hell. He laughed. You have to go now.
Les nodded. I miss you.
I miss you, too. He kissed her suddenly drawing her even closer to him.
Les needed that. She needed to say goodbye, but now she knew it wasn’t forever. He finally pulled back, almost regretfully.
Goodbye, Les.
Goodbye, Lee.

[TaylayaTirand]

Part 18

Michael sat on the couch with his head in his hands. He was so not ready for this. His own sister just comes in and tells him that the Royal Eight have to hold a Council. A Council! He had dark images from his past life going through his mind at this...they had not been something that ever held anything but pain or well darkness...not the evil kind... but in his memory there was nothing happy about these things. He couldn't believe it had escalated as far as it had. A hand on his shoulder startled him.
Isabel gently ran her hand over his shoulder. "Hey...You okay?" She asked, gliding down to take a seat beside him. The concern was very clear in her lovely brown eyes, for Michael and for...everything else going on.
Michael let his hands fall and he looked over at his girlfriend. "Yeah, I guess. Just when Erin comes in and tells me it’s 'Council Time’, well I feel like vampires should be pouring out of the woodwork. Those things were just always so...well, frankly terrifying. I remember one time when Ava had been hurt really badly in the war and we had to bring her back. I don't like to think about it..."
Isabel smiled sadly at him. "Try not to." She said softly as she brushed some hair out of his eyes. "It'll work out just fine." She said hopefully.
Michael nodded. "It weighs upon an already troubled mind." He quoted from somewhere...probably Lord of the Rings, but at the moment he couldn't remember. He leaned his chin onto his hands, painfully aware of his elbows digging into his thighs, at the moment he didn't care though. "Izzy? Remember when we were children and I tried to tell you about a girl in my dreams? That was there for me and protected me? And you got all mad and didn't want me to talk about it?"
Izzy looked thoughtful and nodded a little. "Yeah I do...It wasn't very long after we were reunited and you started staying over at our house sometimes..." She recalled with a tiny smile. "You use to sneak into my room and we'd look up at the stars and talk until we got too tired...It was the only time I demanded you get out of my room...I don't know why I got so mad." She said rolling her eyes. The silly things she did when she was younger. If it wasn't all about her she didn't want to know. Knowing Michael had admired someone more then her had made her so angry at the time. Now it all made sense why...but she wouldn't tell him that.
Michael smiled a little. "Izzy, I was so happy to find out about Erin, I know you didn't like her at first, and it was strange that I took to her so quickly, quickly for me that is. I love Erin and she loves us...you don't think she'll allow anything to happy to Les do you?"
Isabel looked sympathetically at Michael and ran her hand through his hair again. "She won't as long as she can help it." She told him. "And Les is strong...We just have to remind her of that."
He nodded sighing and noticed the clock striking 5. Erin and Larek would be back soon and they would all be going to the pod chamber. Michael sighed. "Iz... remember when Tess left and you said your place was here?" Isabel stared at him and nodded very slowly at him. How could she forget? Michael looked very uncomfortable, but he continued. "Are you going to stay here? I mean is this your home? Do you want to stay on Earth and not be who you were before?"
“I don’t know…” She said slowly.
Michael nodded at her answer. "Izzy...you know that my place will always be beside Erin, right? I can't leave her...no matter what."
"I know it, Michael." She said softer. She had always known it, because she had gotten mad and hadn't wanted to talk about Michael's dream protector. "I know."
He put his arm around her and drew her close. "I love you, Iz...but...if I had to make a choice...I'm sorry."
Isabel leaned closely into him and laid her cheek against his chest, her eyes filling with tears. She didn't make a sound; she just stayed like that discreetly sniffling. "I love you too, Michael. I always did."
He hugged her tighter. "Even on Antar? Erin said you did, she always defended you...I'm sorry, I don't want to bring up the past...I was just wondering..."
"I always did." She repeated, looking up at him through tears that threatened to fall.
"Don't cry." He whispered knowing her too well. "You shouldn't be the one that's hurt..." He sighed. "You've always been the one for me, Vilandra..." The last words he spoke in Antarin gently and quietly.
The sentiments only made a tiny sob escape her at his heartfelt statement. "I never deserved you." She whispered as she turned in towards him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
He pulled her closer. "No, it was I that never deserved you...I was just a poor commoner...you were the Princess. There were so many against our marriage as it was...You just married below your class and now you're stuck with me." He attempted to lighten the mood.
Isabel laughed through her sob and hugged him tighter. "There's no one I'd rather be stuck with." She turned and kissed his cheek.
Michael laughed and pulled her into him kissing her just as the front door opened...
Erin came into the front door and was a little surprised to find Isabel and Michael kissing on the couch. She was so surprised that she stopped and Larek ran right into her throwing her off balance and sending her falling to the floor. Isabel gasped into Michael's mouth and turned in Michael's arms to see what caused the noise. Larek looked both confused and sorry as he knelt to give his wife a hand up off the floor. "You have to warn me when you're going to do that, you realize." He said lightly and sweetly to her.
"How am I going to warn you, you big galoof??" She smiled as she stood up. She hit him lightly on the shoulder. A brief thought entered her mind as she looked at him, but she swiftly put it aside, no time for that now. She looked at him to see if he had caught it. She tried to keep her thoughts from him...but it didn't always work.
He caught the look, but not whatever had caused it and so he just simply looked innocently confused by her. Isabel's instincts were to immediately separate from Michael while this was going on because it was rare for her to let many people see her affectionate in this way, but she looked at Michael and decided there was nothing to be ashamed of. She stayed contentedly in his arms as she watched the loving couple across from them.
Erin turned and saw the two on the couch again smiling. "Ah, how cute!" She said keeping everything else from her mind. "Why aren't you that cute?" She mock-accused Larek, since everyone in that apartment and half of Roswell knew just how much he was. Michael laughed and drew Isabel closer to him; hey, it was just his sister and brother-in-law.
Larek's eyebrows shot up innocently. "I'm too old to be cute. Thank You." He answered, smiling at the two on the couch before he kissed the top of Erin's head as he walked by her, on his way to the kitchen. Isabel smiled softly.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Erin asked as she hurried after him and jumped on his back. Michael was laughing so hard he was practically falling over Isabel now.
Larek eyes widened as his wife hit him with considerable force as she leapt onto his back. He hadn't been expecting it and he staggered before he could support himself and come back from it. "Nowhere without you apparently." He said dryly as if he really minded.
Isabel laughed softly. "Aww...How cute." She said in a sugary-sweet version of Erin's earlier statement.
"That's right." Erin said. "You're not going anywhere without me. Too much time apart as it is." She grinned and hopped down only to get in front of him and hop up into his arms that way.
Michael was still laughing, but looked over at Isabel. "Those two are cute, aren't they?"
"They are." She agreed with a wide smile. Larek had been prepared for Erin that time and caught her letting her sit in his hands as he held her up. He kissed her gently.
Michael watched as Erin became a little aggressive leaning forward in her husband's arms and kissing him intently. Michael shook his head and turned back to Isabel. "Ok, those two may be busy for awhile."
Isabel rolled her eyes playfully. "That's a given." She said kissing his cheek before she stood up and took his hand. "Come on...Let's leave them alone."
Erin called from her perch. "That's ok." She was a little reluctant to let Larek go, but...it was getting late. "We have to leave anyway." She turned back to Larek. "Can we pick this back up later, love?"
"I'll think about it." Larek said mock-seriously, his face completely straight. He glanced up at the other two. "We really should be on our way...Where are the others?"
Michael looked around. "Oh, Les is in her room, she said to get her when we're ready to go, Zan, Ava, Liz and Kyle are back in his room...they said they had something to talk about concerning the monarchy or whatever." Erin's eyes went wide at that and she shared a glance with her husband. They knew exactly what that meant. Michael was a little uncertain about that look, but kept going. "Ari, Lonnie and Rath are downstairs with Tony and Maria...did I miss anyone?" He began to count on his fingers.
Erin, who was still in her Larek's arms, looked at her husband, "Do you think Ava and Zan will really...uh...you know?"
Larek shook his head. "I honestly don't know." He said thoughtfully. "Where's Kharnak?" He suddenly asked Michael. Obviously he wasn't needed for this, but it didn't hurt to keep tabs on everyone.
Michael, who had been trying to figure out who he had missed, smiled. "Oh, yeah, K, he's in your room reading Erin's diary—"
"WHAT???" Erin yelled. "He'd better not be!"
Larek helpfully grabbed Erin's waist before she leapt out of his arms to go attack the offender. "He's kidding." He said as Isabel laughed.
Erin ran into their room and pretty soon they heard a shriek...but not from Erin. Kharnak ran out a moment later being hit repeatedly over the head with the said diary by said very furious female. "What do you think you're doing???" She yelled at him as he attempted to hide behind Larek. "Don't think I won't hit him to get to you!"
Larek glanced over his shoulder at the cowering alien as he also tried to keep his wife from tearing either of them to shreds in search of justice. "Get out of the way, Larek this is just getting good." Said Kyle who was watching from the hallway now, Liz just coming out after him looking surprised by what she was seeing.
Erin managed to get passed her husband (how he'd never know) and tackled the *poor* alien. In a moment he was practically begging for her life...actually he was enjoying himself, but no one need know that at the moment. Erin just hit him until she caught this train of thought. "HEY!" She yelled. "That's no good! He likes it!" She looked around for something that would punish him. "Kyle, kiss him!"
"Whoa..." Kyle held his hands up in the air. "This isn't my fight." Liz laughed softly, her hand on her stomach as she watched delightedly. Larek just continued into the kitchen and left his wife to deal with Kharnak.
Erin sighed. "Well, gotta do something!" She looked around. "Oh, what's the use, everyone reads my diary anyway. I guess I shouldn't have put in all those details about what I was planning for Larek's and my anniversary..." she looked around to see if this made any impression on the tall man.
"What details? I don't remember reading any." He replied coolly, a smile unseen as he opened the fridge.
Erin stood there with her arms folded over her chest. "Really?" She asked.
Michael snorted. "Larek's in trouble..."
"No, not really." He replied. "I'm the only one who's unconcerned what personal thoughts you express in the pages of your diary." He said turning with a smile.
"Oh, really?" Erin asked with her arms still crossed. "Is that because you read my mind whenever you get the chance? Or you just don't want to know what I think of you in glowing in details—"
Michael groaned. "Erin, glowing details should not include anything about your...personal life..."
Erin raised an eyebrow at her brother. "Quiet, Michael, if you don't want to know stuff like that, don't read."
Larek sighed softly. "No, that isn't why, it’s because I can read you simply by studying your behavior. For example..." He said coming around the kitchen island to stand in front of her in the next room. "Right now you're flighty and emotionally unstable because you're trying very hard to keep your mind busy because you're thinking of something you don't want me to know. Which if you had stopped and taken a slow breath you would remember I respect you more than that and would never intentionally go searching for that information unless I had a very good reason." He said simply, both concerned and amused at one time.
Erin looked at him...she wondered if he actually knew...no, he was probably talking about their anniversary...well, the other thing she only had a suspicion of anyway. But then again he might know...no, he couldn't know, he wasn't that observant. Then again...Erin realized that everyone was looking at her. "So, almost time to go? Where are Zan, Ava and Kharnak?"
Larek glanced at the place where Kharnak was still lying on the floor where she had left him after her attack. He decided not to get into it and let her get away with her change of subject. He picked Kharnak up off the ground and headed for the front door. "Someone should get them." He said in reference to Zan and Ava. "Les as well, we can't do this without her."
Erin followed her husband her mind on something else, making sure to keep it from everyone. Better them not knowing...and she needed to talk to Zan and Ava.
Michael sighed and went to knock on Les' door. There was no response from inside. It was eerily quiet. "Les??" He called trying the door to see if it was open. The door was surprisingly unlocked, but still no answer. As he opened the door he saw the brunette fast asleep on her bed, something clutched in her hands. It looked like a photograph. Michael walked over and sat beside the sleeping girl. He gently took the photograph from her hands and found it was of her and a good-looking blonde man he had never seen before. He figured it was Lee. He put it down on the table at her bedside. He shook her gently. "Les?"
"Mmmm…" She curled up tighter not wanting to wake up from a much happier place.
Michael shook her harder. "Lessie, wake up!" He said. "It's time to go!"
Her eyes slowly opened, a scowl on her face as she realized where she was. She looked up at Michael. "What time is it?" She asked. She wanted to go back to sleep.
"It's after five." He whispered. "Erin and Larek are out in the car. You missed some excitement,” he said trying to lighten her moods and his own. "Kharnak got caught with Erin's diary in his hands."
Les smiled tiredly. "He always was a silly rabbit." She mumbled and sat up groggily, a look of insecurity crossing her face as she went back to the part about people waiting for her...They were really going to do this, weren't they?
"Come on." He said taking her hand. "Let's get this over with." Michael seemed pretty unwilling to do this, maybe just as insecure as she was.
She nodded and let him pull her up and lead her out of the room. He was ready to let go of her hand as they came into the main room where some of the others were waiting, but instead of letting go she held on tighter to his hand. "Don't let go..." She whispered only for him to hear.
"I won't." he whispered and patted her hand comfortingly. "It won't be...that bad." He gulped, but trying to be strong for her.
Ava and Zan sat on the couch looking very uncomfortable and Erin had come back in, but no one else was there...they hadn't seen them. Erin was talking. "So, you guys made your decision then?"
Ava looked at Zan for encouragement before she looked back at Erin. She nodded, her pink, purple, and golden curls bouncing along with her. "Yeah."
Les looked uncertainly at Michael, her curiosity overriding her fear for a second. Erin nodded to them and patted Ava's hand. "And have you decided to go ahead with it?"
Ava bit her lip a little and nodded 'yes' in answer. Zan put his arm awkwardly around the small girl. "It's ok." He whispered. "Kyle and Liz understand and we don't have much of a choice."
Erin nodded and put her hands over theirs. "It's ok, I can help you guys out and we can make it so you don't have to do anything more than once, ok?"
"Ok." Ava said softly, awkwardly, but Zan and Erin made her feel more at ease with the decision. Les frowned slightly at this, not following what was happening very well, but she wasn't about to interrupt it.
"Don't worry, Av." Erin said. "Soon, you'll be all cute and round and absolutely adorable." She said encouragingly.
Michael, who was pretty dense all the same, realized what they were talking about and his jaw dropped practically to the floor. "Oh, fu—."
Ava kind of smiled at the idea, but was startled out of those warm thoughts as she heard Michael and turned towards him. She blinked uncertainly at Michael and Les standing just inside the room. Les had gotten it by now too and didn't look any less surprised before she closed Michael's mouth for him by reaching over and tapping his chin kiddingly.
Erin gave Michael a look, but she wasn't angry. "Michael, that was uncalled for. Well, you two know what's going on. No one else does though and until we have anything to announce we'd like to keep it quiet. Larek and Kharnak know as well as Liz and Kyle, but no one else is going to. Ok?"
Michael nodded, not able to say anything. "Yeah, okay." Les said, not too fazed since she had her mind on other things. "Do I congratulate you guys…or something?" She asked looking between Ava and Zan.
Ava shrugged helplessly. Zan grew red. "It's just to conceive an heir...we haven't done anything yet..." He cleared his throat.
Erin grinned. "Let's wait until we have something to congratulate." She said easing the tensions.
Michael nodded and Tony came in. "Larek says you have two seconds to get in the car or Erin has to make good on her promise from last week, whatever that is."
"Fine wit' me." Ava said, happy for the focus to go elsewhere. She looked at Zan before she got up and headed for the door.
Les' frown deepened. Michael looked at Les and patted her hand again as they left. "So what do you think that promise is that Erin and Larek have?" he said trying to get her to smile.


Part 19
Larek, Erin and Zan stood in the pod chamber where the granolith had been housed. It was dark in there and almost no light came from the globes set up in the walls. Erin sighed. She knew Les was in the antechamber and probably scared out of her wits about what was going to happen. "Ok." She finally sighed. "Larek, Zan, which one of us should officiate?"
Larek didn't mind doing it, but he thought it would be more appropriate if Erin or Zan proceeded. So he remained quiet. Zan shrugged. "Go ahead. I am sure you remember it better than I do."
Erin nodded. "Ok." She said and stretched out her shoulders and back. "This is gonna be a blast from the past. I haven't done this since Ava was hurt...but you never forget...even if you want to. OK, Zan, you can get the others." She waited until he was out of the room before she jumped on Larek again kissing him. She drew back. "Sorry, I needed some encouragement."
"It's okay." He said with a small smile. "I'm here for you." He promised.
"Good..." She said. "Uh, honey...I need to tell you something—" Just then Zan came back in followed by everyone. "I'll tell you later." She kissed his cheek and took her place at the other end of the room. Larek nodded and watched her go as everyone filed in and took a place. Erin cleared her throat. "Rath, bring in Valaya and set her in the center of the circle..."
Michael nodded and took Les' hand. "Come on." He whispered.
Erin's voice rang out and Michael let go of her to take his place. "Valaya Ezalan, according to our laws you are here to face judgment of your fellow royalty and of yourself. Are all present?"
"Arizan." Zan called out.
“Ava.” Ava called next.
“Vilandra.”
“Rath.”
“Larek.”
“Taylaya.”
“Belil.”
“Valaya.” Les whispered a little uncertainly.
When everyone had called out that they were there, Erin spoke again. “We are here because of this queen who has willfully kept her powers and her emotions within, though she knows the dangers of this. Valaya, are you ready to face your trials?”
Les looked warily around. Did it really matter if she said yes or no? She finally looked straight at Erin, a tiny spark of defiance in her eyes. "Yes."
Erin nodded to her encouragingly. "Then Valaya come forth and face your trial...Belil, come forward also."
Tony nodded and went and took Les' hand drawing her to Erin. "It's ok." He whispered. "Everything will be ok."
Her eyes darted to him momentarily, but she didn't say anything she just looked back at Erin trying to prepare herself for whatever would happen next. Erin put her hands up to both Les' temple and Tony's. "Everyone, form a circle around us and don't let anything in. The others are in the antechamber and will stop anything from coming in, but you are the last line if something does..." She didn't know if the power that would be coming from them would attract Tihandra (or anyone else) or not, but they had better be safe than sorry. She closed her eyes and Tony held tightly onto Les' hand. In a moment they were swept away to another time and place…
Erin and Tony found themselves standing in their old house and Les and Lee were sitting on the couch talking and laughing. Erin listened, though she kind of felt she shouldn't, but this was interesting. They seemed to be talking about the future.
"So what do you think about taking a trip after school ends?" Les asked looking over at him.
Lee grinned. "You have to graduate first...And I think they actually require the students to attend for that to work these days."
Les rolled her eyes. "Seriously...Trip...Like Vegas...or the City or somethin'. We could so do it."
"Why on earth would you want to go to Vegas?" Lee asked and Les just blushed. She only did that around him mostly.
"Well... " She suddenly smacked him in the arm. "Don't ask questions. Vegas, baby. Yay or Nay?" She narrowed her eyes.
He sighed. "Why not?"
Erin raised an eyebrow. Ok, Les had not told her any of this, but even she knew what the girl was alluding to. She was even more surprised when Les practically jumped on the boy, things heating up pretty quickly until the phone rang.
Les had her hands buried up under his shirt and his were busy pulling up hers. They stopped mid-liplock and she growled reaching for the phone. "What?" She asked still straddling the young man. His face grew concerned as hers did while she listened to whoever was on the other end of the line. "Look, Olivia, don't do anything stupid, okay? I'll be there as fast as I can. Just stay out of sight and if they see you run!" She hung up and leapt off of Lee and went for the closet.
"What is it?" He asked, sitting up.
"Raid on the apartment. They've got Neil, but they haven't found her yet." She said throwing weapons into a bag while putting on her boots and grabbing her jacket.
"I'll go with you." He said.
"You shouldn't." She said picking it up ready to walk out the door.
He grabbed her arm. "You're going to charge in there alone?
She scowled at him. "Fine. Tag Along." She wouldn't admit she wanted him there when at the same time she didn't want him to get hurt.
Erin and Tony were once again whisked away into the darkness and found themselves in the house still, but this time they found themselves in Les' bedroom and Erin immediately slapped her hand over Tony's eyes...and he didn't make any objections. Les and Lee were on Les’ bed, but Lee was half naked and Les was getting to be that way. Erin was wondering just how much Les had told her was true…ok, maybe she was a virgin…but she was coming awfully close to stepping over the line…until there was a knock on her door.
The bra that had been almost unhooked by his hands was quickly abandoned while the brunette rushed to throw her shirt back on before shoving Lee's in his face as she scrambled out of the bed and smoothed her hair. He made himself decent. She stormed across the room and opened the door a crack to see who it was.
Erin stood there with her hands on her hip and she looked pissed. The Erin in the room had a hard time not laughing, so that's what they had been up too. Tony elbowed her in the ribs and the Erin at the door looked ready to spit nails. "Leslie Princeton, do you have any idea what time it is???"
Les narrowed her eyes and slammed the door shut. "I can read the clock, MOM, thanks." She said from inside the room. Lee gave her a look. She didn't need to be so rude to Erin.
There was a hammering on the door. "LESLIE! In case you forgot! Ava and crew are supposed to be here tonight!"
"So? I'll come out later. What's the big deal?" She asked, folding her arms as she leaned against the closed door. Lee got up from the bed and started towards her with that look on his face. She arched an eyebrow at him.
"What are you doing in there anyway?" There was a pause. "Les is Lee in there with you??" From her tone it implied she wouldn't be happy if he was.
"God, no! Okay?" Les shouted back, again with the look from blondie. Her face scrunched up like she wanted to shriek at both of them. "So what if he is? This is MY room okay? Go away!"
The Erin in the room was practically doubled over with laughter. Now that she could see both sides, well this was pretty funny. She knew Les was reliving this...and Tony was rolling his eyes above her. "Les!" The Erin outside yelled. "I thought we had an agreement!"
"I don't remember any agreement. Sorry." She called back as Lee began putting his boots back on casually, tying them slowly one at a time.
"Oh, man, now I'm sorry I interrupted her." Erin said to Tony.
Tony rolled his eyes again. "Why's that?"
"Because, well..." Erin grew quiet. "It probably would have meant that Les wouldn't have gone out patrolling that night and you and Lee wouldn't have gone off either..." Erin sighed as she saw Les and Lee get into a fight. She felt bad for that too.
"No, no, no!" Les said, holding up a finger at him as he finished tying his boots and stood up to grab his jacket. "No! Where are you going?" She asked wide-eyed.
He sighed at her. "She doesn't want me here and you have plans tonight."
She scowled at him. "Hey! This is my house too and you don't have to go anywhere unless I say so."
He rolled his eyes at her and looked at the closed door. "Another time. Just come over to my place tomorrow."
She practically growled. "I don't want to come to your place tomorrow, I want you to stay here!"
"Les you're having company and she's angry. Ok? You're not the only one that lives here. If I'd known you'd made some kind of...agreement I wouldn't have done this to begin with."
Her mouth hung open. "What? You're kissing me right?"
He sighed as he walked past her. "I wish I was." It's not like he'd exactly enjoyed the interruption himself. He turned the doorknob.
"Lee stop!" Les shouted as he opened the door and looked down at Erin. He didn't say anything he just silently made his way out. While Les stood there shocked that he'd do this over something so stupid. Since when did he care what Erin thought? She glared at the blonde. "THANKS."
Both Erin's sighed and the one on the other side of the door rolled her eyes. "Well, Les, this isn't exactly my fault." She turned then and left the brunette alone.
Tony and Erin watched as the mad girl grabbed her stuff and was preparing to leave through the window. Tony nodded. "Lee and I left right about now too..."
Les shoved the window open and tossed the heavy leather bag filled with weapons out the window first and let it slide down the slanted roof and fall to the yard below before she climbed out and slammed the window behind her. Her dark hair pulled hastily back in a ponytail as she stood and leapt from the roof and landed nimbly on the balls of her feet. She glared back at the house before she hefted the bag and took off at a dead run in the direction of the cemetery eager to kill something to get out her aggression.
Erin and Tony once again felt the pull and the darkness around them. They found themselves on a dark street and Tony and Lee were leaning against the wall talking. "Erin doesn't really hate you, man." Tony was saying. "She's just worried about Les is all."
Lee glanced at Tony. "I guess I know that. Erin doesn't seem to hate too many people. I just wish I wasn't the reason they fought all the time. I worry about Les too...I don't want her at odds with her family."
Tony nodded. "Did Les ever tell you about how we became a family?" He asked taking a draw on his cigarette. The other Tony glanced at Erin, but the girl just shrugged it off. She didn't care that Tony was smoking; she was more interested in the conversation.
Lee shook his had slowly. "No…She never did." He said with a spark of curiosity in his voice.
Tony sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, it started when Erin's dad killed her mom and then tried to kill her...she put him in the hospital and that's where she met Les and me. I had been hurt really bad and Les took me there. She felt responsible. Erin was pretty badly beaten up herself. Anyway...it was at the hospital that we found out who we were. Our powers are stronger when we are together. And well, everything came out. Les didn't want to let Erin in. She had a hard enough time when we became friends...that took years..." He laughed a little. "But, Erin...she was always very loving and caring towards us. In Les' mind I think she saw her as sort of a surrogate mom and older sister all rolled into one. After that we all moved in together. Erin watches out for us and, as much as Les would like to tell me I must have been dropped on my head for telling you this, I think she's grateful Erin is there and cares about whether she comes home or not. It's not an easy life...did you know Erin and my brother, Larek are married?"
He was listening very closely. This information obviously affecting him and putting a lot of pieces together that hadn't fit before. "No. I didn't know she had anyone in her life." He said kind of surprised. "She seems so...independent."
Tony laughed and dropped his cigarette on the concrete stomping it out. "Technically they aren't together. Erin, when she was Taylaya married Larek for like forever. I don't understand it too well, but that's what happened. It's as if they are soul mates. They haven't been together yet, and that's why you see her a little wistful sometimes. What do you think that she was gay or something?"
Lee smiled a mile wide and laughed. "Hardly. It explains a lot though." He said thoughtfully.
Tony shook his head chuckling. "What about you and Les? Erin looked like she had walked in on something a while ago." Tony raised an eyebrow. "Come on, man, you've never kept anything from me before, have you and Les done the deed?"
Lee smiled, suppressing a laugh. "I wish..." He said. "I might've been able to give you a different answer if she hadn't walked in on...'something'..." He said slowly smiling to himself. "It kind of kills the mood though when someone starts knocking." He glanced up at the dark sky. "Oh well...I guess it just wasn't time for it."
Tony sighed. "I know what you mean. Gracie and I were forever trying to find a quiet spot." Tony laughed remembering the girl. She had only broken up with him about 6 months before. He was that broken hearted though. "Erin can sure put a damper on your love life without meaning to. Although unconsciously I always wonder since Larek can't get here yet. I hear them talking at night though and, whew, sometimes I wonder how they can be apart." Tony smirked. "It's a little pathetic and sweet at the same time." He shook his head.
Lee nodded, consumed by his own thoughts until a low inhuman growl grabbed his attention. He looked up and saw figures in the darkness and glowing eyes. Vampires... "Shit." He muttered, reaching his hands inside the sleeves of his jacket to load the spring-loaded holsters he secretly wore. It usually surprised them when a flying chunk of wood buried itself in their undead hearts.
Tony swallowed and backed away. He wasn't much good in these situations. But he did put up a force field and tried desperately to call out in his mind. A noise behind him caused him to whirl around. (The Erin and other Tony did too and were surprised to see that they were surrounded. Even Tony a little, he had forgotten a lot of the details.) "Damn it." Tony said under his breath. "Lee..."
"Stay calm...." Lee said slowly he said staring as the vamps started closing in around them. "You're making them hungry..." He whispered as they growled, some with fangs dripping with saliva. They were practically back-to-back now and Lee put a couple stakes and a bottle of holy water into one of Tony's hands. There was no way he could fight anything off and clear a path if the other boy was unarmed.
Lee stared at the one he'd been locking eyes with as the ones on the sides starting closing in as much as the force field allowed. He threw out his arms at his sides and flicked his palms out, a stake flying from each sleeve, shooting through the barrier to successfully kill to vampires. To say the least that didn't make the crowd too happy and his element of surprise was gone, but two less equals a greater chance of survival.
Tony was rubbing his hands together. He had never been good at this stuff...not counting his other life. He took a deep breath and kept the force field up with his mind and then he shot his hands out, silver light coming from them and the beams hit the targets, in a moment about ten lay 'dead' at their feet. He swallowed, how many more could there possible be? A lot more he decided. "Lee...I hope you have a better plan that this..."
Lee swallowed. He surveyed the surrounding and the mass of demons closing in on them. He pulled something else out of his coat and leveled it at another fanghead. "Get ready to work." He said. Knowing the second he pulled the trigger the force field would be gone. The bullets were special, wooden, hollow tipped filled with garlic shavings and holy water. As long as he kept his aim steady he could waste 12 more with that alone before he would have to resort to hand-to-hand and then it would require a miracle. He hit a button on the pager in his pocket. It would send a 911 to Les and the watcher. He took a deep breath and squeezed off the first round with a loud bang. One vamp down. Too many more to go and as soon as that barrier fell they were on top of them.
Tony tried his hardest, but he just wasn't a fighter. Les kept telling him that...always leave the fighter to her. At one point he lost sight of Lee in the horde of bloodsuckers around them. Where was Les when you needed her? Just then he saw beams of light being shot from each end of the alley. What the—?
Erin and the other Tony watched in amazement as two figures appeared blasting the vampires apart. Tony was about spent with fighting and they couldn't see Lee in all the confusion. Erin knew he wasn't dead yet...he was still alive when Tony...All around them dust was falling as the vampires were blown to smithereens and just as quickly the two figures left. Tony coughed and heaved himself off the ground looking around. "Lee? LEE!"
Through the dust clouds there was one lone figure that stumbled and dropped to his knees. Lee's one hand went to his jugular as the other dropped the empty gun with a clatter on the ground. Red arterial blood poured out between his fingers. All he could do was kneel dazed, feeling the cold creeping in around him, sinking into his skin. Loud footsteps pounded off the pavement from one of the alleyways. "Lee! Tony!" It was Les. She sounded breathless, she had gotten the 911 on her pager and had started running clear across town, backtracking and following her instincts just to find them. She knew she would find them where she felt the vampires, but the closer she got the fewer she felt and that gave her a false hope as she ran into the moonlight and just as fast took it away as the smell of blood slapped her in the face. So much blood...She saw him on his knees. "No...." She whispered. She didn't believe what she saw even as she ran towards him.
From the other end of the alley Erin appeared totally breathless. She stopped short as she saw them. She hurried forward and watched helplessly as Tony knelt by the young man. "Oh my god..." She whispered.
Tony swallowed and tried to stop the blood that was just gushing from Lee's throat. He looked at Erin. "Weren't you just here?" He asked confused.
Erin was just as confused. "No…I just ran all the way from the house." She knelt down next to him and put her hand over his trying to heal the young man. "Les...I need your help..."
Les dropped her things, the sound of her own name pulling her out of her shock. She dropped down beside them and put Lee’s head in her lap very carefully and slapped her hand over the other two trying to lend her energy to them. He started shivering. His eyes were half-closed and his skin was getting paler and paler. "Oh God..." She whispered. "Don't go to sleep. You can't go to sleep." She ordered.
Tony started crying. "This can't be happening." He said. "This can't be happening—" He suddenly stopped when he realized that Lee had choked something out and was looking at Les intently.
She leaned over him. "I'm here." She whispered. She was afraid if she talked to loud it would hurt him or something. "I'm right here, you're going to be okay. We're going to fix you." She promised him, her face defiant.
Lee's eyes fluttered and he forced himself to keep from drifting off as he looked up at her. "Les..."
She stared helplessly at him. "No. Don't talk." She told him.
"Les..." He sounded like he was choking on something wet and thick. "I love you."
"I love you too." She whispered, smiling.
He choked again, trying to smile. His teeth splattered in blood. "It's not your..." He coughed again and tried to get it out knowing she had to hear him say it, but all he could to was hack and choke on the blood that was flooding his throat. It came bubbling out of his mouth. Les was just staring at him waiting for him to finish, but he never did. When the hacking and shaking stopped he went limp and cold his eyes half-closed. And she just stared not knowing what was going on. In denial of what had just happened.
Tony was sobbing by now. "We were surrounded." He choked out. "There must have been 50 or more of them...He took out two and then I managed to use my powers and took out about ten, I guess. After that he took out some type of gun and he said to 'get ready to work'." Tony took a breath. "I lost sight of him after the force field dropped. And then I saw two people at either end of the alley...they were alien! And they saved us...but it was too late. It was too late..."
He tapered off...and with him the darkness took them.
"Les?" Erin called. "Les? Where are you?" She heard nothing.


Part 20
Les stood in a beautiful room filled with baby things. There was a crib in one corner and a changing table…and in the other corner was a rocker and a man was sitting in the rocker rocking a little boy. Les stared transfixed at the sight. The little head turned towards her and she gasped a little. The little boy had her eyes and they were staring straight at her. She also saw her mouth and her hair…such huge eyes he had and so beautiful. He was just so beautiful. She tore her eyes away from him for a moment to see the father…but his face was in shadow. All she could tell was that he had dark hair. She didn’t really mind. “Mama…” Her eyes darted back to the little angel and he looked right at her and smiled a little toothless smile, his brown curls bouncing adorably on his head. Les smiled and stepped forward.

"Les?" Erin was calling in the darkness. Tony was right beside her but she couldn't feel the brunette anywhere. She wasn't sure how they could have been separated. "Les!"
Suddenly they felt her presence again. "Here..." She called out softly.
"Oh, good, I thought we lost you..." Erin whispered. She hugged the girl. "We should go—" Suddenly a light appeared above them. They turned and saw Lee there smiling.
He laughed. "Now can you let go, beautiful?" He asked. "Now that I've showed you a glimpse of your future?"
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, but she smiled and almost laughed. "Yeah...I can let go now." She said softly. Her heart warm with the memory of the little boy in his Daddy's arms and how beautiful he was...How he looked like her...She had never felt so much love for somebody she just met. It scared and excited her all at the same time.
Lee smiled. "Good. Remember that little boy, Les. You're going to need to remember him before long. I love you, I always have, but you're meant for someone else." He sighed. "And you are going to make him very happy. Happier than he has ever been in his life." He winked at her and then disappeared. They found themselves lying on the floor of the pod chamber and looked like they weren't the only ones that had to do some fighting...







Part 21

It was very late and most everyone had gone to sleep after such a tiring day, but Erin was still up and at the kitchen table wide-awake and using Larek's little palm pilot thing. She wasn't surprised when she heard the footsteps coming into the kitchen behind her.
The girl walked to the end of the table and watched Erin for a minute before she walked down to the nearest chair to her and pulled it out and sat beside her. Ava's purple, pink and blond ringlets were pulled up in a ponytail and she was wearing PJs and looking very tired, but very awake at the same time. "Whatcha doin'?" She whispered quietly.
Erin smiled at the girl. "Just checking out where everyone is and making sure no one else is coming towards Earth. What are you doing awake, sweetie?"
"Couldn't sleep too good." She said. She looked so different at night. No make up or piercings or anything. Just Ava. "I's kinda hungry too, but I haven't decided what ta eat yet or nothin'." She said looking at the little palm pilot like device under her long lashes.
Erin laughed. "There's leftover chicken in there and some pizza..." She suggested. Erin looked at the girl thoughtfully. "Ava, are you frightened?"
"Frightened?" Ava repeated on her way to the fridge. Chicken and Pizza, yum, it was even better cold and doused in Tabasco.
"About you and Zan...having a baby." Erin clarified. "You seemed so unsure about it earlier." She didn't know why, but it was strange if you thought about it.
Ava came back with the pizza box and the chicken and a bottle of Tabasco as she sat down again. Ava looked at Erin and shrugged a little. "I dunno...It's like me and Ari were never like...together or nothin' and Zan's real different, but he's got Liz and a kid and another already on the way...And Kyle and me...We're pretty serious and stuff..." She opened the pizza box. "So I's kinda scared ya know cuz we're all tight, but we ain't like so tight wez about to go switch partners or nothin'. It felt like cheating and just like weird cuz it's Zan and me and Zan get along, but it's like...We never really defined what kinda friendship/relationship wez had. So now it's like...Okay he should have an heir to keep things all kosher or whatev. And I'm down with that, it's just really new and I dunno how it's gonna go down cuz I always kinda thought...since after I met Kyle I'd maybe have a baby with him first..." She said, sprinkling Tabasco on a pizza slice. "...Like eventually."
Erin nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry about all this...none of us thought it would have to be this way...but you and Zan were in love at one point...I know he's pretty weirded out by it too. Kyle and Liz seemed to take it well though, they were laughing afterward. Did they take it well?"
Ava nodded as she took a bite of pizza. "Yeah...They were both really cool ‘bout it. Liz loves Zan so much and everything she didn't even seem to care at all. Cuz it ain't like I'm gonna steal him from her..." She coughed thinking of Tess. "Kyle was kinda quiet at first, but then he just started makin’ jokes about how he's not going to da store if I get any weird cravings for food." She said making a little face about that, but smiled a little. "You'd think they'd be the ones with the problems but I guess not. So I dunno... s'long as Kyle doesn't hate me for doing it then I think it'll be kinda cool after...the baby part I mean, but all the stuff before it…" She said awkwardly.
Erin giggled. "Well if you two would rather I can revert you back to your Antar state..." She paused, wondering if that would be a good thing or not. She shrugged. "Then you wouldn't even be realizing anything is wrong."
"I dunno if that'll make it...better." She said. "I think I'll just wait and see." She smiled a little.
Erin nodded. "Since we're both awake did you want me to check to see when is the best time?" Erin asked her.
She shrugged a little. "Okay." She said with a mouthful of pizza.
"Ok, I'll be right back." She said and left the device on the table. She went into her room and noticed Larek was still asleep. He was probably exhausted after the night he had. She sighed and opened her drawer taking out a small instrument and closed the drawer accidentally banging it shut. She turned to see if she had woken Larek up.
He moved in bed and for a second she thought he had woken up. "Tay..." He murmured sleepily into the pillows.
Erin breathed a sigh of relief and went over kissing him lightly on the forehead. He quieted down and she slipped back out and into the kitchen. "I thought we were going to have company for a moment." She laughed lightly.
Ava smiled. "You mean that guy actually sleeps?" She kidded, giggling.
Erin grinned. "Yeah, sometimes, we aren't always shaking the walls down or worrying over something." She sat down and took Ava's hand. "This won't hurt a bit...or maybe as much as a small pin prick, k?"
"K." Ava said, watching as Erin took her small hand to check.
Erin rubbed a small spot on the back of the small hand with alcohol and then took the little instrument, she wondered if Ava was going to ask why she had it, but decided that the girl was too keyed up to want to know. There was a fast little pinprick and then it was over. Erin put a bright purple Band-Aid on Ava's hand and looked at the screen.
Ava smiled at the Band-Aid and rubbed it. That didn't hurt very much at all. She looked curiously at Erin and scooched her chair closer to see. The screen glowed green in the partial light of the kitchen. Erin stifled a giggle. "Oh, you're gonna hate me."
Ava looked concerned. "I could never hate ya...." She said sweetly. "I don't think..." She added worriedly. "What's it say?" She asked nudging Erin's shoulder.
"Well, it says that the best time would be tonight or tomorrow...so that means, you either try now or wait till next month." Erin couldn't stifle a grin.
Ava's violet eyes got bigger. "Oh...Do I gotta do it tonight?" She asked in a small voice.
Erin put a hand to the girls' shoulder. "No, you can tomorrow night if that's easier...and I don't think Zan would be up for it...though in his groggy state I would say it might help."
Ava smiled nervously. "Tomorrow night."
"Do you want me to tell Zan?" Erin asked kindly, though how she was going to stop from laughing...
"You should tell him." Ava said nodding quickly.
"K, go to bed." The older girl said smiling. "I am sure Les misses her bedmate."
"K." Ava smiled and got up, hugging Erin quickly. "Thanks, E." She said before heading off to bed again.
Erin shook her head and giggled when the perky girl was out of sight. She went into her room and put everything away. No need for Larek to see this thing. She wasn't sure it worked well for her anyway. She got into bed and checked to make sure Larek was asleep...oh, she couldn't resist. "Larek..." She shook him awake.
"Hmm?" He mumbled, his eyes slowly opening in the dark. "Hey, love." He wrapped his arms around her and smiled sleepily.
"Wake up." She said. "I just tested Ava to see when the best time was for them to...uh...copulate and you'll never guess when it is!"
"When?" He asked, trying to wake up enough to follow her words. He propped his head up on one hand.
"Tonight or tomorrow." She giggled and then laughed harder. "She chose not to wake Zan up at the moment."
He looked a little surprised, but slightly amused himself. "Was that for his sake or for hers?" He wondered.
She couldn't stop laughing. "I suggested that she should. In his state he never would remember. And that could be best all around."
He smiled softly. "It very well could be." He agreed lightly.
Erin nodded. "I just love inventions like this..." She paused hoping that he wasn't awake enough to catch on. "Ava elected that I be the one to tell the dear young king. This could get interesting."
Luckily enough for her he wasn’t. He was awake, but chances were if she asked him about this conversation in the morning he wouldn't remember and possibly thought he dreamt the whole thing. "Undoubtedly it will. What do you plan to say to him?" He asked.
Erin laughed again. "I plan to say something like, 'Hey, Zan guess what? Tonight's the night you get to relive your time on Antar.’ Oh and by the way I might be pregnant." She said all of this really fast. "Well, I'm tired." She cuddled up to him and yawning closed her eyes. "Night."
"Mhmm…Night..." He said cuddling up with her in his arms. He sighed contently closing his eyes. Suddenly they flew back open uncertainly. "Wait...Did you just say you're pregnant?" He asked suddenly over the top of her head. He was still sleepy eyed, but it got his attention.
Erin looked up innocently. "No, I did not just say that. I said might be..." She grinned.
Larek groaned. “Tay…”
“Well, it’s kind of hard to tell.” She said. “I missed my last period, so I don’t know.”
“When was that?” He asked trying to remember after all the time he’d been there if she had even had one.
“Uh…it was the week after you got here.” She said thinking about it.
“A week…” He groaned again. “That was almost a month ago!”
“I know.” Erin said. “I didn’t know how to tell you…I was going to tell you earlier, but it didn’t seem the right time…”
Larek nodded. “I know.” He drew her closely to him. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.” I’m getting too old for this, he thought. Not the father part, but the part about his wife springing things on him like this. “And it might not have been a good time to tell me in the middle of the night…when I was fast asleep.”
Erin shrugged. “I wasn’t sure how to tell you…” She said quietly. “Remember in the van at the Caverns and I said that you never know when we could start our own family?”
“Yes.” He said just as quietly.
“You didn’t seem too thrilled with the idea.” She said not looking at him.
“Oh, Tay…” He pulled her to him tightly. “It wasn’t that.” He promised. “I admit I was nervous about it and excited at the same time. I’m afraid for you…your powers become so erratic when you’re pregnant. I’m just worried about you.”
“We don’t know if I am yet.” Erin said sighing. “Do…” She swallowed. “Do you want me to be pregnant?”
“I’m not going to say I am thrilled.” He said slowly. “I worry about you too much for that, but I will be happy for a dear little one of our own…”
“Do you miss the children?” She asked.
“Always.” He said. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I know.” Erin snuggled into him again. “I just get so worried about you when you’re not here…”
“I know, I get worried about you when I’m not with you…” His arms wrapped around her tightly and she pressed herself tightly against him breathing in his scent. He pulled his hand through her hair and listened as she drifted off to sleep. He was more worried than he would ever admit to his wife, though she probably knew. Taylaya’s powers didn’t just become erratic when she was pregnant they were unreliable at best. It had always plagued his mind how they had been able to kill her on Antar. And it had until he found out that she had been pregnant with their third child and then it all made sense. He let his hand glide down her side until it was over her stomach. If she was a month along…he closed his eyes and concentrated…ah…a tiny life had begun in her womb. He smiled to himself. By earth terms the life would be about 3 months. She would be pregnant just about 4 months. That was the Terran aspect coming in…so that would mean late October, early November and she would have the baby she so much desired.
Erin murmured in her sleep and snuggled deeper into him, by doing so his hand was pushed more firmly on her stomach. Larek gasped involuntarily and the image of a beautiful woman formed in his mind. He knew it was his daughter…

Part 22

Erin sprang into Larek’s arms happily the next morning after he told her what he had seen. He couldn’t help but smile; Erin’s face had just lighted completely up with the news. She was ecstatic and immediately started to write down everything she would need. Pretty soon she would start to show so she needed more clothes, the one drawback to being part alien. She made sure to include Ava in all of this too…if Ava did conceive tonight then she would also be delivering about the same time as Erin would.
Larek just stretched himself out on the bed and watched her prancing around the room, wearing nothing but one of his t-shirts and prattle things off in her excited voice. He had the same little adoring look on his face as he usually did when he watched her. Erin only stopped when there was a knock on the door. “Come in!” Erin called. Larek didn’t mind as he was wearing a pair of sweats.
Zan came in and set Jacob down on the bed. “No! Want Taya! Want Taya!” The little boy practically screamed.
Zan sighed and gave him to Erin. “He’s been like that since he woke up.” Erin didn’t mind, she sat down on the end of the bed and cuddled with the little boy, which seemed to be what he wanted. “So, I ran into Ava in the hallway, she went bright red and said you needed to talk to me.” He raised an eyebrow.
Erin nodded. “I checked last night to see when Ava would most likely to conceive.”
“And?” He asked leaning against the wall.
“Well last night it said that either then to tonight would be best.” Erin looked at him questioningly.
“So basically anytime.” He said sighing. “Better call Liz and tell her. I’d like to get this over with, but I won’t force her.”
Erin smiled. “I suggested she go and see you last night when you were less likely to remember.”
Zan grinned and laughed. “That would be very sneaky of you, Consort.”
“And you would have been very grateful, your highness.” Erin joked.
“Is there anything we should know about alien pregnancies?” Zan asked. “Anything different? I mean Tess wasn’t exactly here during it…so…”
Erin shared a look with Larek and turned back to Zan. “Well, the biggest thing is that morning sickness can happen early or late in the pregnancy, either is normal. I for one usually had it somewhere in the middle. We were all different, Ava usually in the beginning and Vilandra at the end.”
“What about Valaya?” Zan asked.
Erin laughed. “Les is just as much of virgin in this life as she was in the other. Though in this one she’s probably still mad at me for that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the one time that her and Lee were going to was the night he died and he left because of me or close enough to that.” She paused. “Well, back to alien pregnancies, food cravings can be pretty strong when they happen and when we have them you’d better have whatever it is we want.”
Zan looked at her curiously. “Is there a reason why?”
“Yes.” Erin said grinning wickedly. “Because if you don’t have it we’ll resort to other ways to lessen a craving.”
Zan raised an eyebrow. “And what would that be?”
“Sex.” Larek said. “I would suggest the food.”
Erin smacked his legs since they were closest thing for her to reach. “I never heard you complaining before.”
“I was a lot younger then.” He said as he flipped open his little ‘palm pilot’. “And Zan beware of saying, doing or breathing anything wrong around her.”
“Isn’t it the same with a human pregnant woman?” Zan asked.
“Yes.” Erin said. “Except times by a bijillion.”
“No such number.” Zan said.
“That’s the point.” Larek said. “Never, and I mean never, contradict or say anything that might be taken the wrong way. Don’t worry, you won’t have to worry about it until she is in the second half of pregnancy, before that they are relatively normal.”
“I have never been as bad as you say.” Erin said smacking him again.
“No,” Larek said. “You’re the exception. When she’s pregnant she is very complacent.”
“Really?” Zan asked. “Complacent? Erin?”
Erin threw a pillow at him. “I am usually content with everything.”
“What about cleaning?” Zan asked eagerly catching the pillow.
“Oh she likes things clean, but wars are over.” Erin stood up and headed towards the bathroom as Larek talked. “She’s much more mellow.”
“Really? Erin, why can’t you be pregnant now?” Zan asked.
“Who says I’m not?” Erin asked as she disappeared into the bathroom with Jacob to change his diaper.
Zan’s head whipped to Larek. “Is she—?”
Larek nodded. “Yeah, she’s about a month along with a little girl.”
“Drat.” Zan said.
“What was that?” Erin called poking her head back in. “What’s ‘drat’ about it?”
“Because that means Michael won the pool.” Zan said.
“What pool?” Larek asked confused.
“Oh, he means something like they all chipped in cash and bet about something and I am thinking it’s when I became pregnant.” Erin said coming back out with a clean Jacob.
“Yeah…” Zan said slowly. “Every time Larek gets here we bet on if you’ll get pregnant.”
“That’s because you figured it was a sure thing?” Erin asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Of course,” Zan said. “You two mate they bunnies, it was only a matter of time. Anyway Michael guessed sometimes within the first two weeks of July.”
“That would be right.” Erin said. “Larek was here on the third and I missed that period which was the second week. When did you do the pool?”
“The second wee—MICHAEL!” Zan yelled and exited the room.
“Michael cheated didn’t he?” Larek asked.
Erin giggled. “I’d say yes.”

Part 23
Les was humming as she hopped up on the counter next to where Erin was humming herself and getting ready for dinner. Les was grinning. “So why didn’t you tell me?”
Erin laughed. “Oh, Les, come on. Why didn’t you tell me about you and Lee?”
Les giggled. “I thought you knew and that’s why you were breaking us apart.”
“No.” Erin said pretending to be mad, but grinned again, she couldn’t pretend for very long. “If you had told me how serious it was getting and that you wanted to marry him I would have given you my blessing and say go right ahead. But you didn’t and I just thought it was a passing fling. After all you didn’t confide in me.”
“I know, I know.” Les said. “So when is the little alien gonna appear?”
“Oh, sometime around the end of October or early November.” Erin giggled and put her hand to her stomach. “Pretty soon I am going to be all nice and round…well, I never did get really big during it, but I will be cute and round just the same.”
“What’s it like?” Les asked.
“It’s…” Erin thought for a moment. “It’s a wonderful feeling having something grow inside of you that you know what conceived in the most truest expression of love.”
“Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl, yet?”
“A girl.” Erin’s smile, if anything, got bigger. “Larek found out last night when I told him. He was surprised.”
“Of course.” Les laughed. “So Ava said tonight’s the night.”
“Yes.” Erin said. “And that’s why we’re having movie night early. Ava said she would rather we were here just in case.”
Les nodded. “What could go wrong?”
“You’d be surprised.” Erin said cutting a tomato up into the bowl. “So are you thinking about doing anything with Ari or Kharnak?”
“Nope.” Les said chipperly. “At least not for a while. I’d prefer to only be dating one of them and then for a while…I’d have to be thinking about marriage before I would agree.”
“Very commendable.” Erin said.
“Yeah.” Les said. “And the fact I would have to tell you, well, that isn’t the best thing to do anyways.”
Erin laughed. “I’m not that bad.”
“Nah, I can tell you anything, but I would like to know something.”
“What’s that?” Erin turned to the brunette while she grated the cheddar into the salad.
“You’ve only been with Larek, right?” Erin nodded. “How did you know? I mean you were only like 5 when you met him.”
Erin grinned. “Les…with Larek and I it was just something we knew right from the beginning and no matter how much he fought against it, well, it was me.”
Les laughed. “You see Lee said something that I don’t quite understand.”
“What did he say?”
“Well he said a few things that I want you to clarify for me.” Les started and took a deep breath. “Number one would be about who I am going to fall in love with and marry. He said that I would find a love like yours and Larek’s, a match made in heaven.”
Erin nodded; there was no benign smile on her face now. She was totally serious. “Les, some of us, not all of us, were meant to be with someone, someone specific. That phrase is not spoken of lightly up there.”
“A match made in heaven?” Les asked a little uncertainly.
Erin nodded. “It means that it was meant to be and you have a soul mate.”
“So Kharnak or Ari…?”
“I don’t know.” The blonde admitted. “All I know is that Lee wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t real.”
Les nodded. “Erin, can you tell me about the Prophecy of the Twelve Princes?”
Erin looked a little startled and she almost cut herself. The woman put down the knife and motioned with her head for Les to sit at the table. She quickly hopped off the counter and did so. Erin sat down next to her sighing. “Les, this is going to be hard for you to understand…what do you know already?”
Les thought back to what Lee had told her and what Erin had said. “I know that it is about our sons. That all of would have a son and they would ‘lead the hosts of the worlds’ in the final battle…against a great evil.”
Erin nodded slowly. “Yes, Les that’s exactly it. The Great and Last battle will come to our worlds. To Terra, to Antar, to Qurgonsia, to Leergha…”
“But what is the last war and why are our sons so important?” Les asked.
Erin turned from her and then in a slow voice she said, “Twelve and twelve and twelve again…years and years into delve…Princes of power and of might shall rise…to destroy the great evil is their prize…a king to be raised…a prophet to be praised…let no man drive asunder…the union of fire and thunder…love will come and heal this land… but destruction is at hand…Royal Eight and alliances three shall the babes be born…the power yet to be torn…”
“What does it mean?” Les asked hungry for the knowledge.
“Gabriel spoke those words, he was the greatest prophet our people would ever know…” Erin said quietly.
“Something happened to him didn’t it?” Les asked a sudden chill in her heart.
“Yes.” Erin said. “The prophet Gabriel gave his life…and not only that…he gave his very heart to the evil that we fight…to save a people that would have had him dead…”
“Why?” Les asked. “Why would he do that??”
Erin sighed as the tears streamed down her face. “For us, Les. For us! He saw that we would come, he saw through the very fabric of time and saw we would arise to fight the evil. All of his prophecies concerned us…and our time, except one and that was to the others that would come from this world to that one…he looked to our day and saw hope. That was why he did it, Les. Hope. That is all we have.”
Les nodded understanding for the first time. “But, Erin, I still don’t understand about…the war…what’s going to happen? Are our sons going to die?”
“I don’t know.” Erin said. “I just don’t know. All I know is that the Final War is upon us and our sons will lead the hosts of men into battle…at the moment though only one is born…”
They turned their heads and saw Jacob playing on his blanket in the living room while Ava, lying on her stomach, played with him. “Does she know?”
Erin shook her head. “She knows she has to have a son…No one knows the prophecy, Les, except Larek and Kharnak and now you…I don’t even want to worry Zan with it yet. Don’t worry…we have time…we have time…”

Erin was right when she said they had time…but how much none of them knew. That night however the second son was conceived, the future King would come into the world…Jacob, slept peacefully that night, unaware just how his life would change in the course of a few years…unaware he was a Prince and unaware that his destiny was already planned out…yet, they still had hope.

[TaylayaTirand]

OK, I know that seemed a little sudden...but I realized the real point of the fic was for 'Les' to get over 'Lee' and allow someone else in her life. So you need to keep reading to find out who 'Les' ends up with. The next story is entitled 'The Many Lives of Rath Teris' and it is about Michael and Rath and also Lonnie and Isabel and how maybe they don't belong together like they thought...and maybe love isn't enough...so keep an eye out the first part should be up soon. We will also see more of Erin's father and also since Erin and Ava are pregnant lots more of that and lots more of everything. I hope you liked it and continue to read.