BIll smiled. "I'm glad we stay together that long. We've had our issues like any group of teens in close proximity, but we're more a family than a team. A bunch of dysfunctional brothers and sisters."

  Bella smiled, and said "And they make good Aunts and Uncles.  Like the Legacy folks sort of are too."

Bill smiled. "I'm glad you had a good 'extended' family. I'm glad we did such a good job of raising you."

  Bella grinned, and told him, as she poured a bunch of water into a pan "You and Dad-D did a pretty damn good job with me.  Mostly."

BIll had spent the entire night getting to know his daughter until she decided she needed a shower. While she was in there he turned on the television flipping it to the news, as he heard the water turn off the bit about the t.p.ed house came on. "Bella, Could you come out here a second?"

  Bella came out, still toweling off, and not the least bit fazed that all she had on was a towel.  "Yes Dad-B?"

"One of the houses that sent us a letter is 'mysteriously' covered in toilet paper the letter tacked to the door, doo you know anything about this?" He was obviously unhappy

  She nodded, and said "Yeah.  I toilet papered them because it severely pissed me off.  I won't lie about that.  I wanted to put their car in orbit, but I settled for toilet papering."

Bill sat on the couch indicating for Bella to sit next to him. "Bella you can't go around doing things like that. I know it was because you love us, but it was still wrong. People are entitled to their opinion. Did it occur to you this could make tthings MORE difficult? People won't be happy about this"

  Bella sat down beside him, and said "No.  It didn't occur to me.  They make me so ANGRY, Dad.  They can think anything they want, but to write such HORRIBLE things about you and Dad-D . . . . it made me FURIOUS."

Bill wrapped his arms around her. "I know, it seems you inherited your other Dads temper. Its frustrating I know but you can't go pranking people who don't like what we do? Promise me you won't do it again."

Bella said "I promise I will try to hold my temper.  I can't promise that I won't do it again though.  Sound fair?"  She looked solemnly at him, her long black hair in curls and still dripping all over the couch.

Bill sighed. "I'm guessing thats the best I'm going to get? Suppose that'll have to do. I'm gonna go call your grandma see if I can meet her for breakfast." He got up picking up the phone and dialing.

  Bella nodded, and said "I don't want to make you a promise I'm fairly sure will get broken at some point, Dad.  I mean, I WILL try, but I don't guarantee that I won't lose my temper again.  I AM human.  Parahumans and humans are the same in most points, after all, even gengineered ones like me.  And Mom did a pretty damn good job of gengineering me, but that doesn't mean I'm a perfect little Stepford child either."

BIll hung up the phone turning to Bella. "As long as your trying thats what matters, I'm meeting iwth your grandmother at 11:30 if you other Dads not up by then feel free to wake him he'll be a little cranky at first but he should wake up soon enough, if you haven't figured this out yet, dropping water on him won't work"

  Bella grinned, and liquefied, then resolidified.  Her hair was now perfectly dry.  "Tell me something I don't know, Dad.  I'm a little of each of you, after all."

Bill smiles. "That you are, You hafta know he can sleep till the cows come home if you let him. Had to wake him up for dinner a couple times. He has trouble sleeping alone a lot though, now that he's used to having me next to him."

  Bella giggled, and said "Yeah, well, he gets a little insomniacish when you're out and about too.  So he makes up for it with snugglecuddles when you are in.  Or he'll liquefy and wrap around you under your clothes so you can do whatever, and he'll sleep that way."

Bill smiled "Now THAT is just plain adorable. He really sleeps under my clothes? Thats SO cute"

  Bella giggled, and said "It is cute.  Makes it hilarious when you forget he's there and go looking for him too . .. "

Bill laughed. "Oh my GOD that sounds hillarious, at least tell me he wakes up when I start calling his name"

 Bella giggled, and said "Yeah, he does.  Usually says something along the lines of 'Not deaf, love, just sleeping.  What?"

Bill wa laughing for a minute before he recovered enough breath to talk. "Oh my god thats funny. At least he makes up for the sleep he loses while I'm out doing whatever."

  Bella grinned, and said "Not only that, but he gets to make sure you know where he is when he does that too.  If you don't forget!"

Bill smiled checking his watch. "Well I'm off to drop a bomb in your grandmas lap." He grabbed his coat and stuffed a couple of the letters from the kitchen. He gave Bella a hug. "Don't be shy about waking your Dad up. I'll be back in a couple hours at most" Heading downstairs Bill caught the bus

>>To Mall>>

"I don't know the future she came from apparently doesn't exist anymore so she's stranded maybe it was one where we never rescued you?" Bill led his mom up to the apartment Darren and he shared opening the door and walking in with Erica in tow. "Honey I'm home! And I brought someone with me."

  Darren grinned, and called "Why am I not surprised?  Bella's been showing me something, but she swore me to secrecy . . . "   He came padding out of the guest bedroom with a grin, and Bella was behind him.

Bill smiled as he stepped over to Darren wrapping his arms around him and placing a quick kiss on his nose. "Your ALREADY sharing secrets? Man I got some catching up to do, and I spent the whole night with her."

Erica stood in the doorway smiling at Bella. "Hello, you must be Bella, I'm your grandmother." Erica looked like she could barely contain her joy.

  Bella blinked, and smiled shyly, even as she tossed a book back into the other room.  "Umm.  Hi."  She was blushing, and ducked her head a bit.  She'd swiped some of Bill's clothes (she'd done a shower before Darren got up) and they looked a little tight, and short, on her.

Bill watched as the book went flying "You were reading one of MY books, you can show them to him and not me?"

Erica stepped forward "Are you wearin your DAD'S clothes oh this simply won't do we absolutely HAVE to get you some cute outfits of your very own"

  She looked at Bill, and said "If you read it, you can't be sure you aren't changing time.  It's different if Dad-D sees it."  Then she looked at her Grandma, and said "Well, umm, I wasn't planning to get stranded when I made the Jump that got screwed up, so . . I didn't have any clothing, and I didn't want to run around the house naked.  We do have those big balcony windows you know."

  Darren chuckled, and said "I wasn't actually getting to read it, she was telling me about the reviewer's comments of your books in the front."

"Well thats not going to last long, grandma has GOT to take you shopping a figure like yours DEMANDS to be shown off" Erica circled around Bella getying a good look at her

Bill laughed "Thats even WORSE, this is SO not fair." Looking over at his mom Bill frowned "Hey don't show off my Daughters figure too much the fewer boys I have to Dangle from 390 stories up the better"

  Bella giggled, and said "Well, I could sure use some other clothing.  And.  Um.  Bras. And panties.  And stuff."

Erica smiled "And while some stereotypes may disagree your Dads aren't really 'equipped' for that kind of shopping trip, plus they're funds are a bit tight, grandma has NO problem footing the bill"

  Bella nodded, then looked at her Dads.  "Is it okay?  Do you want to come too?"

Bill still holding Darren shrugged. "If you want some 'girl time' with your grandma I won't object the two of you can at least do the clothes shopping with your grandma and your Dads can get you whatever else you may want"

Erica smiled broadly. "Its settled then! What are grandmas for other then spoiling their grandkids ROTTEN?"

  Bella shrugged, and said "Okay, if you're sure you don't want to go shopping too . . . "

Bill waved a hand. "Go ahead, have fun we'll be here when you get back I'll give Hunter a call while your out see when its best for you to go over and meet Diantha"

Erica took Belka by the hand. "Lets get moving then sweetie no sense in putting off a sshopping trip"

  Bella smiled, and gave Bill and Darren huge hugs (yep, she had his superstrength!!) before she let Erica lead her away.

Around the same time that Shadow was facing down Andy and Icepick over at the Gysbourne family estate, a confused Rodger Eskin was not so calmly seated at his desk in the living room. Something was off with his checkbook and he couldn't put his finger on it. He'd noticed the discrepancy - a mere $13.22 - after comparing his receipt from the ATM this afternoon with his checkbook. What had he forgotten to enter, or entered the wrong amount on?

In the background, an old song, No Milk Today by Herman's Hermits, played as a counterpoint to his disturbed mood.

Monday morning... Rodger was up and preparing some breakfast for the family, rather than Brenda today. Nothing fancy, just farina and homemade bran muffins with honey butter. The muffin recipe was microwaveable, and made a huge amount; luckily the dough also kept for up to six weeks in the refrigerator. Although if he sent some over to Meg at the mansion it might be all gone in a day or two, given the way both she and Iris ate, he'd mused to himself while making it.

  He heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" he called out, keeping one eye on the farina on the stove. He didn't want it boiling over; any bits that didn't get cleaned up or dissolved in water before it dried were like glue.

  Bella called "It's me, Bella.  Umm.  Dads wanted some, umm, them time, so I thought I'd go be polite to the neighbors."

"Bella?" he muttered to himself. "Oh dear," He couldn't remember, at the moment, whether Lin had mentioned her in Brenda's hearing, or whether he had. Nothing against Bella, mind you, but explaining her rather extraordinary relationship to Bill to someone was not something he relished the thought of. Maybe he could just tell the boys that she was one of Mr. Masters' relatives, if they asked, and leave it at that.

"Could you hold on a minute or two until I turn the stove off?" he called back to her.

  She called "Sure.  I got all day, so I'm not in a rush."

After a minute and a half, he turned off the heat and laid some aluminum foil over the top of the saucepan. The farina needed a little bit to thicken undisturbed, and he already had bowls set out with pats of butter at the bottom for everybody.

Hurrying to the door, Rodger checked through the peephole to make sure that yes, it was indeed the young woman whose image he'd been shown before opening it.

"Hello, Bella. I'm Rodger Eskin," he introduced himself (assuming that they hadn't already met face to face - I forget if they had during the time I was away). Something in the pit of his stomach was uneasy - his angelic resonance as a Mercurian was troubled, although he still lacked any comprehension of what it was telling him.

  Bella shook his hand, and said "Dads both said you are sort of the  chaperone for the Defenders, so I thought I might, you know, get to know you a little better so I don't scare the living hell out of you the first time you see me zipping around.  I don't sleep, like Dad, and I fly, like Dad, and I sorta can be a little startling at times."

"Yes, I am that," he agreed. He wondered, but didn't say anything, about what his future self might have done that she would have known about. Hopefully by the time she was born he'd gotten the whole secret identity business down.

"Just making breakfast at the moment. Was there anything you wanted to talk about in particular?"

  Bella smiled, and said "Well, not specifically, but I wanted you to know who I am before I scare you accidentally.  I have traits from both Dads."

"Did that include their weaknesses?" he asked, thinking about a certain gelatin dessert and the results that Richard had told him about.

  Bella shrugged, and said "Not sure.  Never tested out some things, because Dads didn't want me doing any hero-work yet.  I'm not that old, after all."

"Quite understandable, but... if you did, you might be danger from any tricks or traps targeting one of your fathers. Gelatin desserts, for example." He'd overlooked the fact that no one in the Defenders had spoken to him about the incident with Darren, the dessert spell, and becoming the Mayor's urine. He knew about it as the culprit who caused the incident.

  Bella nodded, and said "Yeah.  Although I have some traits different from Dads.  I think Mom contributed some."

"Mom?" He blinked, getting the weird idea that Meg was somehow Bella's third parent. If she was, could she see how weird his bio-field was compared to other people? Oh dear. Two paras with that ability would be even more of a problem for this whole game business. And he wasn't at all certain what the demons had come up with as a way to compensate for Meg's ability, beyond having him keep an eye on her with the rest of the New Age Defenders.

  Bella shrugged, and said "That's what I've always called Megaira.  She's the closest thing to a Mom I've ever had.  She created me for Dads."

He gulped, paling visibly. He'd been afraid of that. "Bella... if you inherited Meg's gift for seeing bio-fields, or know anything about my unusual one from your own time, could you please, please keep it to yourself? I already have enough problems with... certain authorities... from her being able to see what I am," he begged of her, keeping his voice low in hopes that no one in his family had come within hearing distance behind him.

  Bella gently touched his lips, a shushing motion, and said "I can't tell you.  I will tell you this much: don't worry, they'd be scared of me irregardless if they knew what else I can do.  But if you see two of me?  Listen close.  I am totally immune to temporal paradox.  Everyone else isn't."

"Oh, that doesn't worry me," he assured her. The idea of her being immune to a facet of her own power made perfect sense. The consequences of someone from the future blabbing to the Defenders, or Mr. Gysbourne, or someone who told the media, that scared him. Especially someone who, given her heritage, likely would have heard stories from her parents about android activities, at the very least, if not seen his evil wizardry (albeit in more experienced hands) firsthand. "If nothing else, you could explain that away as an ability to duplicate yourself, if someone asks about it, rather than as time travel."

  Bella shrugged, and said "Last time I saw Mom, when I'm from, she said things may not all be active yet.  I may develop more powers as I get older."

"She certainly did," Rodger answered dryly. He recalled all too well Meg's stories about her healing powers jumping dramatically not so long ago.

"Who's at the door?" Brenda's voice came from the hallway before he could begin another sentence.

"It's Bella, dear," he called back.

"Bella? Bill's daughter Bella?" Brenda hurried into the living room to get a look. Her hair was damp from the shower, and she was carrying John in both arms, freshly dressed for the day.

  Bella waved, smiling at Brenda, and said "Hello!  I don't bite, and Mom taught me how to cook, so I'm not the kitchen nightmare that Dads are."

"Hello Bella. I'm Brenda, Rodger's wife, and this is our younger son John," she introduced the two of them with a smile as she joined her husband at the door. Unseen by either parent, John's eyes flickered an amazing shade of sapphire blue for a heartbeat, gazing at Bella. "Won't you come in?"

  Bella smiled back, and said "As long as I'm not causing any problems, sure.  If I am, just toss me out the window or down the drain, and all is good."  She gave John a wink, turning, for just a second, translucent as water.

"Oh, no problem at all," Rodger assured her, stepping aside so she could enter unimpeded without need for powers. More muffins could easily be baked, and a little less hot cereal in each bowl could allow for a guest's serving, certainly.
And if she did cause problems, well, he did have all her parent's phone numbers. As well as Lin's.

John gave Bella an uncertain look that suddenly broke into a radiant, gleeful smile, all kid trying to charm the adult.

  Bella giggled, and said "Did I mention I make a wonderful lifeguard?  I'm guaranteed to never drown, and I can make it so nobody else will either.  Like Dad can."

"Well, nobody here's going swimming, not this time of year," Brenda responded matter-of-factly.

Rodger shut the apartment door behind Bella once she was in, if she had come in, and locked it again with all three locks (including a chain). He hurried back into the little kitchen to check on the farina and get out another bowl for Bella.

"So how have you been settling in?" Brenda asked Bella while she fetched John's chair and got him settled in his seat.

  Bella giggled, and said "Well, I go swimming all year round, but then, I'm a bit odd."  Her expression sobered, and she said quietly "It's hard.  None of the kids my age exist yet.  All my aunts and uncles are about my age.  Even my Dads are!!  And I'm almost as lost on how to handle my dads being my age, as they are on how to handle me EXISTING."

Rodger put out milk and sugar on the table, ladling steaming hot farina into each bowl and putting them around it. Fresh muffins came out of the microwave onto a plate in the middle (with a saucer of homemade honey butter next to them), and he spooned more dough into paper cups in the baking tray to cook more of the tasty treats.

"Harold! Breakfast is served," he called out to their elder son. A muffled reply came down the hall from the boys' bedroom, but what Harold had said was anyone's guess.

Brenda looked thoughtful, listening closely to what Bella had to say. "How many aunts and uncles do you have?" she inquired.

  Bella shrugged, and said "All the New Age Defenders are my aunts and uncles.  My Dads' families sorta don't care for me, since I'm 'unnatural at best and a potential monster at worst', according to Grandfather Masters."

"All of them? Rodger, how many NADs are there so far?" Brenda asked.

"Urm?" her husband asked. "Let's see..." he mentally counted the members that he knew of. "Nine or ten, not all of them official," he answered after a moment.

Brenda nodded. "And that's just in the first month. How many more there might be before Bella's birth is anyone's guess." She paused. "You have a large family," she confided to the girl with a grin. Then she gave her husband a piercing look.
"Honey, wasn't there some kind of problem at the registration office? Someone's parents getting all upset over their kid being a Para? Was that Bill?"

"No, that was Ozzy. Bill's father seemed rather proud of his boy becoming a superhero. It was his sexuality that he didn't approve of, later." he answered.

  Bella nodded, and said "Yeah, well, he approves even less of me.  Since, you know, I'm literally the child of two males I'm an 'unnatural abomination' and someone 'should have aborted me before I was born'.  To quote him in a kinder moment."

"That's horrible," Rodger protested when his mouth was clear. "There are biological hurdles that Meg would have had to overcome to have you, but considering that the male body starts out female as an embryo and changes into the male form later on... " his voice trailed off, noticing the look Brenda was giving him.

"No biology lessons at the table, Rodger," she reminded him gently. "I'd rather not lose my appetite."

"Sorry dear," he apologized, the picture of a milquetoast husband.

"Rodger... do you have any spells to make someone walk in another's shoes? Giving him a taste of Bill's viewpoint might help with the dysfunctional family dynamics." Brenda suggested a little while later.

He blanched. "I really don't know. I might. Or I might end up doing something horrible to him without meaning to." Talking about his magic with his wife was still hard for him, although not as bad as it had been before the fight with Ozzy at the mall.

  Bella shrugged, and said "Dads don't know how she did it.  This Megaira doesn't know yet either.  And she never told me, nor do I remember.  And it's a far enough jump . . .that I never wanted to risk it.  My precise birth is a mystery."

"Well, known or not, it's no excuse for your grandfather to behave like that," Brenda stated firmly. About this time, Harold shuffled in for breakfast, pausing for a second as he took in that there was a stranger at the table.

  Bella shrugged, and said "No offense, Brenda, but I don't always think adults make a whole heck of a lot of sense."

John gurgled something around a mouthful of muffin - he was doing pretty well eating it on his own once it was in his hand - spraying crumbs all over himself in the process. Both parents promptly checked to reassure themselves that he wasn't choking or anything.

"Well, as an adult, I would have to agree with you there. Politicians often make no sense whatsoever," Rodger agreed with Bella as he dealt with crumbs that had gotten too far away from John and too close to other people's food.

 Bella nodded, and said "No doubts about it.  There are some adults that make NO sense.  I personally think Grandfather Masters is one of them."  She gave Brenda a smile, and said "Just part of growing up Para."

"For our generation, Para abilities were the stuff of movies and comic books," Brenda answered. "I can hardly imagine all the social changes that we'll be seeing before Harold and John are grown. But than, our grandparents wouldn't have recognized our modern life, if they'd seen it when they were teenagers. Things change, but not everyone changes with the times."

Her husband nodded, a sad, rueful look on his face. How things had changed, how things had changed.

  Bella nodded, and said "Yeah.  And I'm from the second generation of Parahumans.  Worse, I don't need to sleep.  I don't need to breathe.  And I can throw cars arouund if I need to, which means I have to be REALLY careful, always always always, because it's the way I am."

"At least you grew up with people familiar with powers, and having a good idea of what you're able to do, Bella. That's a sizable advantage that only a few of the current Paras had - your mother included. It's very different for someone who grew up and suddenly got powers out of the blue, such as both of your fathers did. Speaking of which, does Bill's inner 'voice' speak to you as well?" Rodger said, changing the subject slightly as a sudden thought occurred to him.

  Bella shrugged, and admitted "Hasn't yet, but then, Dad can change back and forth from Bill to Excelsior, and back.  There is no 'powerless Bella'.  I AM.  And it freaked people out ANYWAY the first time I went flying.  Literally."

"Your daddy's Excelsior? The superman guy?" Harold asked Bella, wide-eyed and impressed.

"Yes, he is. Keep it to yourself, though," Brenda warned her eldest. It was something secret, like Rodger's magic, not something he could blab about on the playground with his friends.

  Bella nodded, and said "Yeah, that's still not well known yet.  What REALLY makes me mad is the hate mail.  Who CARES that I have two Dads, when those two Dads are willing to DIE to keep every other person on this planet free and safe?  But no, all SOME idiots care about, is who shares whose bed!!"

Harold screwed up his face and asked in a confused tone, "How can you have two Dads? Did your Mom get divorced?" The whole idea of homosexual couples flew right over his head. John gurgled something at his brother, remembering to swallow first this time.

  Bella said "That's how I was made.  And yes, I know I was literally created, in a test tube or something."

He listened attentively. "And folks are sending you nasty letters just because you were born different? That's crazy," Harold paused, little boy thoughts going through his mind. "Maybe it's a supervillain! Your daddy going to beat them up?" Who else would try to bully superheroes, he'd reasoned.

His little brother's eyes flickered blue again, just for a fraction of a second.

  Bella shook her head, and said sadly "No, unfortunatley not, Harold.  They're ordinary people who can't seem to stand the idea of two people who love deeply, that aren't a man and a woman.  So I have two Dads."

He puzzled over this while finishing off his farina - or was it having farina with his sugar? "I don't get it," he finally announced. "Love's supposed to be something good. Why would someone hate someone else for being in love, Dad? Mom?"

Both of them made a valiant attempt to explain bigotry and people abusing the Bible in terms that a boy his age could handle.

  Bella said "Personally, I think some people just can't let someone else be happy if it isn't being happy the exact same way they are."

"Well, that's a good point," Brenda agreed. "Like the religious sects who are so convinced that theirs is the only correct version of the faith, turning other believers despite what they have in common. It could be the same sort of psychological herd behavior, yes."

  Bella nodded, and said "Obviously, I don't think that ALL men should be just like my Dads.  But I do think all people should respect the choices that others make, as long as nobody is hurt, and they're happy."

"What about... what about those who are happy from being hurt, Bella?" Rodger asked. Brenda patted his arm gently, sensing the turmoil that lay under his calm demeanor. Omelas, a name that crossed his thoughts. A reminder to himself that in order for him to stay alive, androids had to suffer. He could not walk away from Omelas any more than the tortured child of that story could have.

 Bella asked, gently "If it makes them happy, does it really HURT them?  I'm not an expert, but I would think as long as they want what they get, it is okay."

"Have you ever read The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, Bella?" Rodger asked, expressions of pain and sadness washing across his face. "Something like that's happening, here in Weston. It's consenting adults rather than the child abuse of the story, but does that make it any better?"

 Bella shook her head, and said "No, I'm not familiar with that particular piece of literature.  But there's something else, Rodger.  I'll tell you, but not right now.  Bear in mind, Time is fluid.  The timeline I exist from doesn't exist anymore, Rodger.  The people I knew, all the people I loved, as I knew them, are gone.  They're not dead, they're utterly gone.  I don't even have graves I can visit, because those people, the ones I knew, loved, lived with, everyone who made up my world, don't even exist anymore.  I can't go home, because 'home' doesn't exist either.  SOMETHING back in THIS time changed things.  And my world ceased to exist.  So, bear with me if I occasionally seem like I want to avoid serious philosophy occasionally."  Her eyes were dark with the pain of knowing that her parents, as she'd KNOWN them all her life, had utterly ceased to exist.  Everyone she'd EVER known, as she had known them, EVERYTHING, had ceased to exist.

Sympathy welled up in all of the Eskins' hearts, a flood, an outpouring of empathy that made both Rodger's and John's eyes shift to their blue angelic states. And Rodger's, but not his son's, wings and halo shimmered intangibly, present but not materialized as he reached out a hand to rest it gently on Bella's in a wordless expression of support.

  She touched their hands, and said softly "The only reason I am still extant, is because I'm totally immune to temporal paradox, and because I AM a time-jumper.  By nature.  I always have been.  It's how I escaped.  Survived.  And it hurts."  A single tear escaped, trailing down her cheek, and she scrubbed at it as she added "Sometimes it sucks to be damn near indestructible."

"Does the past change without someone or something moving through time, Bella?" Rodger asked softly, "You might not be the only person from the future around. And that could mean that your immunity to paradox brought you back to the final moments before they altered the past and unmade your world. Can you track another time traveler?" He held her hand lightly, gently, comfortingly, meeting her tear-filled gaze with a calm, supportive strength.

  She shook her head, and said softly "I don't know.  I've never tried it.  I've never done more than a six month jump, at the MOST, before this.  Normally I keep it to less than half an hour.  This SCARES me.  TERRIFIES me utterly!!"

Brenda put a nice, warm, raisin-studded muffin in Bella's hands. "I know you're scared, but you need to get your mind off it..." "Rodger, dispel whatever you're doing with those wings and that ridiculous halo," she told her husband in an aside before continuing to be motherly to Bella, "... Remember that you have friends here, people trying to help. Us, your grandmother Lin, your parents. Have you had a chance to get any clothes for yourself yet, or have you just been wearing your Dad's hand-me-downs?"

  Bella admitted "I've been swiping stuff from both Dads, and supplementing with my backpack that's got everything I had on me when I jumped.  I haven't been shopping, Dads aren't rich, and I don't think I should put the money I brought with me into circulation.  Too much risk."

"It would almost certainly be mistaken for counterfeit. Wrong years, signed by unknown secretaries of future treasuries, unclassified serial numbers, any number of things might go wrong there," Rodger agreed while craning his head over his shoulder trying to get a good look at his red-feathered angel wings. Like when they'd shown up in the light of the Hellgate during Andy's rescue, he had no clue why they were there or why an 'evil wizard' would have something of the sort. Much less how to control their mysterious appearances and disappearances.

"I think we can afford to get Bella enough to get through a work week between washing laundry, don't you, Brenda?"

  Brenda said firmly "If we can't, Megaira can.  And I am sure she would be happy to help out.  She's a sweet girl too.  So let's all go shopping.  You get John ready to go."

"All right; it's a plan." he answered, and pushed his chair back to get to his feet. Rodger took a few moments to drawn the last of his glass, then got to work getting John cleaned up and free of crumbs, spills, etc. so he'd be presentable while they were out.

  Bella blushed, and said softly "Thank you.  I haven't wanted to pester Dads about it, because they're still dealing with their families not taking it well."

"It's been one shock after another, with not nearly enough time between them to recover from, lately," Rodger commented in response to Bella's words while wiping John's face with a damp paper towel.

  Bella nodded, and said "Yeah.  And I'm one of them.  So.  Umm.  If you need a hand with John . . . I can pick him up and carry him, chair and all, no problems."

"I think we can manage, barring any unusual circumstances, thank you."

Rodger's angelic attributes faded from sight.

  Bella half smiled, and said "Trust me, I can manage.  I weightlift with cars when I do it.  Gym teachers despair of me, because I don't do the weightlifting the way they want me to.  Their barbells don't have enough to them."

"We're parents," Brenda said with a smile as if that explained it all. She was finishing up putting perishables away and clearing dirty dishes to the sink.

  Bella half smiled, and said "Well, at least you know who to call if you get your car stuck, no matter what!"

Brenda laughed at that. "That's true! Although..." She held her tongue rather than state the obvious about Meg being able to do that too.

"Ready to go, Harold?"

"Yup!" their elder son chirped, holding his winter jacket in one arm. He didn't know if it was cold enough to need it yet, but he was ready.


"Which mall are we going to? I'll need to stop for gas if we're going to Derrton, or on the way back if it's the Weston mall." Rodger added.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:52, Thu 21 July 2011.

  Bella grinned, and said "You're driving, you choose.  I'll follow aloft."

"Weston," Brenda said, and that was that given her tone of voice.

Herding Harold ahead and pushing John's chair, they headed down to the parking lot and off to the mall to get Bella some clothes. And perhaps give Brenda a chance to give a certain street preacher/bum a piece of her mind.


-----> Weston Mall

  Megaira had been doing her massages, and had begun taking some advanced courses at the college, covering the EM spectra, and gravity.  Studying physics and aerodynamics too, as well as the relationships between matter and energy.

  Candy had been spending lots of time with Jeff, and she'd settled into a steady job working with Megaira.  The two of them had collaborated on a project that made use of Google Earth and were providing immediate, emergency transports to locations.  They had elected to carefully set it up with some careful planning and some legal advice from Oswald Sr.

Timeskip

Jeff had been spending a lot of time with Candy. He had also been getting ready for the penultimate occassion that every young man seemed to dread: Graduation. His family had made such a fuss, and he was grateful that this ordeal was almost over.

Almost.

Post timeskip

Bill Darren and Bella spent most of their time together though the stressses of raising a girl a year younger than him was starting to weigh on Bill. Currently he was in the apartment as Excelsior floating upside-down around the living room.

  Bella poked her head out, looking at her Dad floating upside down, and asked "You okay, Dad-E?  You usually only do that when you're stressing over something."  She stepped inside, wearing a short skirt and a low tank top, and a pair of little strappy dress shoes that left a long expanse of bare leg.  She looked at least 19, and very attractive, to a straight man.

"Just dealing with some writers block I want to get my first nov-" He stopped as he spun in place seeing what Bella was wearing. "Bella? What are you wearing? YOur not honestly planning on going out like that are you?" He flipped himself right side up and crossed both arms.

  Bella nodded, and said "Yeah, I was going to go to a school dance, the spring fling.  Don't I look nice for it?"  She looked 19 and very sexy.

"A school dance. Your going to a school Dance Dressed like that? Don't they have dress codes at those things? ANd how were you getting in don't you need to be a student or have a permission slip to go?"

  Bella nodded, and said "Yes.  I got invited.  I log in as an 'online student' on a daily basis, so I qualify.  And yes dressed like this.  You think I'm going in a bag?"

"Well I was expecting a little less skin you might as well have a neon sign that says 'take advantage of me'. Where did you get those clothes anyway? Did your grandma buy you those?"

  Bella folded her arms, and said "Yes she did.  And she said it looked like a lovely outfit to wear to a dance, as a matter of fact.  AND she said I need to get out and socialize with some people close to my age, Dad-E.  That's why Mom-Megs got me hooked up with the online schooling.  Aside from not wanting to have to explain how I can get to school."

"You know the kind of guys that go to dances looking for the kind of girls dressed like you are? They usually have one thing on their minds." Shifting back to BIll he sighed placing one hand on his daughters shoulder "Bella I know you need to socialize and meet friends I know how hard it is for you but couldn't you do it in a sfer environment, in a less risque outfit."

  Bella said quietly "Well, Grandma's been giving me fashion advice.  She told me it would make a lovely outfit to go in.  And I would think a school dance would be safe enough, it's at school.  Besides, Dad-D didn't say no when I asked him for some advice on make-up.  But he turned a funny shade of reddish-wet and umm, flattened?"

Bill sighed clearly outnumbered from the start. "Are you going alone or are you meeting someone? How are you getting there? What time will you be home?"

  Bella said "Grandma will be here in ten minutes to take me there.  She thinks I do way too much lurking in the house, and not enough being a 'girl'.  So she asked me if I wanted to do a school dance, or some ballet lessons.  I voted for the school dance, since I'm a little old for ballet."

"Okay, be extra careful watch for any wandering hands, and come home after okay? I know what goes on in those after parties."

  Bella held up a hand, and said "I promise, anyone gets too fresh, and I'll break their fingers.  I want to dance, I don't want pawed."  She came up, and hugged him, adding "I love you, Dad-E.  Don't you go forgetting it."

"I love you too Bella, have fun." BIll said returning the hug.

  Bella grinned, and kissed his cheek.  "Thank you, Dad-E."  They both heard the BEEP from outside, and she said "Grandma's here!"

"Hurry before she gets tired of waiting for you. GO on."

  Bella laughed, gave him another kiss, and then blurred, gone.  She had his superspeed . . . something she didn't always point out, but once in a while he got reminded, she didn't transform like he did, she just WAS.

The motorcycle pulled in front of the Derring condos so she didn't have to walk far. "Looks like this is the end of the line. Call me?"

  Bella smiled, and stepped off the bike as she said "I will.  Even if I have to talk Aunt Megs into getting me a cell.  She won't mind."  She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and said "I;ll call you tomorrow.  Somehow."

He smiled and revved his bike twice before driving off into the night.

  Bella waved, then headed up the stairs.  She said to herself "Okay.  Time to pay the piper.  Here we go."  And she opened the door to the apartment Bill and Darren shared, closing it gently behind her and fully expecting a couple of annoyed to downright mad Dads.

Both Fathers were sitting on the couch waiting for her. "Do you have any idea what time it is Bella?"

  Bella said "I've got a guess, but I don't have a watch.  Yes, I know I'm late.  I met someone.  And got thrown out of the dance.  Well, they didn't specifically throw ME out, but the principal said that paras aren't ALLOWED to use their powers, ANY of them, on school grounds, so I left.  After all, I STOP using one, and I go poof and am gone to oblivion.  So not doing any more school dances."  She sat down in the chair, facing them, and waited to see what else Dad-E would say.

He crossed his arms. "You..met someone. ANd where did you and this someone go after you got kicked out? The Dabce ended over three hours ago."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:23, Tue 17 Apr 2012.

  Bella said, as she looked her Dad in the eye "We took a ride on his Harley.  We went to a party.  Some guy tried to be a jerk, and they had a bit of a scuffle, and then Aaron and I left.  We went to the Cliffs, and we sat and talked.  And I do mean talked, Dad.  I think he's the first friend I've made in this timeperiod."

"A party? Whose party? Didn't I specifically tell you to come home after the dance? A scuffle? Harley? Bella this boy sounds like bad news. Weren't we talking earlier about making friends in safe environments? what happened to that?"

  Bella asked quietly "School is safe, Dad.  That's where I met Aaron.  And Grandma was driving me, but she didn't stop us when we went out into the school parking lot to leave.  Aaron and I also had to call Aunt Megs, cause there was someone else who ended up at that party.  She's timelost too.  I told her I can't . . .get her back when she's from.  It's too far.  It's nice to have met someone here who is FROM this time, and isn't afraid of me because I'm a para, Dad.  That's been. . . .really hard to handle."  She had sat forward, her arms crossed across her chest, and her expression was dark, and rather sad.  She added "I can actually really talk to Aaron.  I can tell him things without worrying I said the wrong thing, and will screw up the future from it."

"You started in a safe environment then he took you to a very unsafe one. I'm failing to see your point here. I will talk to your grandmother, later, she tried covering for you. Bella your telling me this boy took you to a drinking party, started a fight at said party, then proceed to take you out to the cliffs? How should I be I reacting to this?"

  Bella shook her head, and said "No, Aaron didn's start the fight.   But he finished it.  As for how I expect you to take it, I fully expected to end up grounded.  But I want to make a note here.  I stood up for my principles.  I won't go to any more school functions at the school, because I don't have a doctor's excuse to use my abilities.  And because Aaron used his, which I should mention, he said it was the ability to breakdance awesomely, which he did do, HE got thrown out of the dance.  And I went too, because if a para isn't allowed to use ANY power on school grounds, then I can't be there unless it's on hero business.  Besides, I wanted to talk more to Aaron."  She looked at him, her gray eyes darker than usual, and said softly "There are some things, I just can't talk to you about.  Because it can cause problems.  For you.  For me.  Possibly even destroy my existence here, if I do.  But Aaron was willing to listen, and he could understand.  It's really hard not to be able to tell you everything, like I used to, Dad.  But if I tell you the wrong stuff, whatever happens that Aunt Megs creates me may not happen, and I don't know what's the wrong stuff and whats the right stuff, so I can't TELL you a lot.  But I'm not used to being a 'freak'.  Or to having people be scared of me, and think I'm going to like, eat their babies or something because I was born with abilities I had no decision about.  I will say that you guys had THAT fixed by the time I was old enough to notice it."

Bill put a hand to his forehead. 'You couldn't have found someone that wasn't taking you to crazy parties and fighting people to talk to? I understand your lonely Bella but, I don't think we can just let this slide." He looked at Darren. "What do you think love?"

  Darren was frowning.  He said slowly "It's complicated, love.  She's got a point.  She needs someone other than just us and Megs to talk to.  But you have a point too.  She went where she wasn't supposed to.  Now, I think a timelost para was mentioned?  So maybe it was good she was there.  Did you drink any, Bella?  Did you do anything to cause the fighting?"  He paused, and sighed, then said "Gotta remember, love, we're not that much older.  We don't like following anyone else's rules, and we have the teenage need to rebel.  Bella's not that much younger.  Which is what makes this incredibly hard.  Because I can see both sides.  She admitted, she fully expects us to ground her, and she accepts that.  Which is very adult and responsible of her.  But at the same time, she DOES need a friend or two other than us.  So.  Grounding is expected, and appropriate.  But we can't tell her who she can make friends with, Bill.  It would be like your parents and how they acted in response to you and I being, well, together.  It doesn't work, and usually backfires and makes something ordinary get a lot further than it otherwise might have."

He sighed. "Alright alright. I can't forbid you from seeing him but no more of this party stuff. I don't wnat to here about him gettin you in trouble. SHould we ground her? Whats an appropriate time period? You were honest with us and owned up to it so not too long I'd think."

  Darren nodded, and said "Because she owned up to it, and didn't even try to lie, I think three days.  If she'd tried to hide it, I'd have said a week.  Now, that means no going out to the mall and stuff, no shopping or any of that.  Even with Grandma.  But you can go over to Aunt Meg's, because she's as much a parent for you as we are.  Always has been, I don't see her stopping it now.  And she cooks better than I do.  You may make phone calls, but not long ones, and no long distance.  No visitors in, unless they're from the school or something like that.  Although the rest of the team can visit.  Or Diantha.  SHE won't get you into any trouble."  He looked at Bill, and asked "Sound fair to you?"

BIll nodded. "That sounds perfectly acceptable. What about you Bella?"

  Bella nodded, and said "I can abide by that.  And I will.  But please, gods, Dad-E, don't tell me I have to let you cook dinner, okay?"

BIll laughed. "Thats one punishment I won't submit you to thats for sure."

  Bella giggled and nodded, then gave them both cheek-kisses, and said "That all said, I'm going to go work on my schoolwork on the computer."

"Okay, goodnight sweetie." He stands up holding out both hands towards Darren. "ready for bed love?"

  Darren grinned, and took Bill's hands, stepping into his arms and giving him a hot kiss.  "I'm always ready to join you in the bed, love.  Let's head there now, while Bella's being a good girl."

"Yes lets" Bill said with a smile leading Darren to the bedroom.

*~~ Tactful Fade To Black ~~*

Bill was sitting at his laptop with a word document open. Just staring at the screen. "I swear my life turns into a comic book and NOW I can't think of anything to write about?"

  Bella paused to give Dad-E a hug, and said "You looked like you needed that."

  Megaira landed them on her balcony, and opened the door to let Vaan into her apartment.  She said "Home sweet home here.  Welcome in."

Bill leaned back in his chair. "Thanks Bella I appreciate that. I'm trying to get my first novel at least submitted to publishers by the time Megs advance on the rent runs out."

Vaan walked inside. Even from her brief glimpse of the city, she couldn't help but marvel at how bright it was. No signs of oppression, people just going through their days, absorbed in the bliss of it all.

When they landed, Vaan walked in, somewhat apprehensive. Her survival instincts most likely wouldn't go away for a while. She looked around, unsure of what to think.

Bill stood and turned around so he could hug his daughter properly. "I'm gonna go talk to your aunt Megs about something I'll be back in a bit." And with that he detached the hug and headed downstairs knocking on the door before letting himself in. "Meg? You home?"

  Megaira had strolled into the kitchen, and was fixing some casserole in the microwave.  She called "In the kitchen.  Fixing some food.  Have a seat at the table, Vaan, you can have a seat too, and I'll bring everyone plates.  Want to warn Darren and Bella I'm sending them plates too, Bill?"

Bill smiled as he entered the apartment moving towards the table. "Hey Meggers whose your friend?" He held out his hand to the new person. "Bill Masters."

  Meg smiled as she sat a plate in front of Vaan, and said "Heya.  Bill, this is Vaan Tanaka.  Vaan, this is Bill Masters, he's my good friend.  Here's some turkey vegetable casserole, I'll send a plate for Bella and Darren too."

Vaan had barely reached the seat when Bill walked in. Still standing, she took a long, hard look at Bill, her standard blue eyes now fluctuating multiple colors as she realized who this was. Every muscle in her body became more pronounced, to the point where it looked as if several of her bones should have snapped in half from the stress on her tendons.

I'm in the past. I'm in the past. I'm in the past, she told herself mentally, even to the point of wordlessly whispering it out loud. Slowly, she relaxed, even though she looked as if she were about ready to try to murder the man.

Bill looked at the newcomer staring daggers at him. "Ummmm. Are you okay? Do I have something on my face?"

   Meg looked at Vaan, then to Bill, and said "Vaan is timelost, and apparently some of the future timelines are not as positive as we could wish.  But they are still potential futures, to us.  Got to love timetravel!"

"Oh like Bella. I'm sure this is tough for you. Is the future your from really that bad?"

"Yes," Was all Vaan said for a moment, though she no longer looked like she wanted to murder Bill. "And you caused it." She offered no more by way of explanation, instead taking a seat. She took a bite out of the food put in front of her, making an effort not to act like she was starving...which more or less, she was.

Bill stood there stunned. He caused it? Caused what?. "Ummm what?" Words escaped him, he was to shocked that he was going to bring about some horrible future.

  Bella flipped through the music she'd bought while out shopping with her grandmother in the last couple weeks.  She knew Erica thought she was strange for getting the complete soundtracks to a number of ballets, but she loved the music.  She picked Swan Lake, and then grabbed the boom box Erica had gotten her.  Making sure it had batteries, she then slid her window open, and floated through it, CD and boombox in hand.  Then she took off, heading for the lake.  She needed to lose herself for a little bit.

--------->> Weston City Park

"Long story..." Vaan said, between bites of the casserole. Needless to say, the food didn't last long. "Besides, if you go down that road, I'll just kill you. Possible future averted." She stated with a simple finality, as if completely sure she could do just that. She looked up at Bill, her eyes turning a deep honey-golden color. If her eyes were any indication of her mood, she probably took pleasure at the thought.

  Megaira asked quietly "Want some more?  And don't be sure that would be easily managed.  What you do in this time can change what will happen, but if you do the wrong things, it may insure that the future you don't want WILL take place.  Bella and I have had several long discussions on temporal displacement and the issues that time paradox can incur."

"Go down what road? DO I do something? Like accidnetaly set off a bomb that destroys the world or something? DO I go bad? You can't jsut hint at it like that."

"Yes, please," Vaan said, giving Meg her plate, "Let's just say you take over the world and become a super-powered Hitler. Simpler that way." Casually pressing a few buttons on her bracer, a projection of a slightly older, more menacing Exelsior revolved right next to Vaan.

"I'll spare you the audio recording. Pretty much me and Diantha trading our favorite insults against you."

"I-take over the world? But I-. Meg I'll be upstairs I think I've lost my appetite." He gets up and turns to leave the apartment.

  Meg frowned, and sent three plates floating after him as she called "Bill!  You make sure you eat!!  And Darren and Bella too!"  She apologized to Katy as she gave her another plate, more full than the last.  "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have told him you were timelost, but he's Bella's Dad, so he should understand."

Vaan gave Meg a sideways glance. "I should apologize, too. I... Well, I've tried to kill excelsior at least three times before. I've got some unneeded hate, now." Vaan said, before digging in, savoring the flavor before she could flash back to those moments of hate-filled vulnerability.

  Meg nodded her understanding, then said "In about an hour and forty five minutes or so, you and I have somewhere to be.  You can meet Lady Psyche.  At her place."

Bill burst into the apartment Darren Bella and him shared tears streaming down his cheeks. He went into the kitchen and stood there sobbing. "No...that...that can't be." He movedover to the table and placed his hands on it. "THAT CAN"T BE!" He shouted as he reverted to Excelsior and easily flipped the table sending it upside down with a thump.

  Darren came in, and put one hand on Ex's shoulder.  "Hey, calm down.  What's going on here, love?  You're crying . . ."  He slowly wrapped his arms around Bill, not wanting his love to feel caged, but wanting him to feel comforted and wanted.

Shifting Back to Bill he spun in his lovers embrace burying his head in his shoulders as he sobbed for a minute. "Darren, theres....theres someone downstaris...from teh future...she..she said I...I take over the world. H-how could I do that? God she compared me to Hitler."

A small smile formed on Vaan's face as she finished off the rest of her meal. Standing up, she walked over to her backpack, carefully making sure everything was still there, and secured. "Finally," she whispered to herself, then raised her voice, "Um....Meg? I know I'm pestering you with this, but what do you think of Lady Psyche? I've never met her before, and in my future she disappeared when I was very young, and all I've got to go on is what Mastermind said, but he never said much about her, and I just know....God, I'm blubbering like a fool."

  Darren hugged him tightly, and said "I don't know.  Maybe you can't, now?  You know Bella won't tell us much, because she's worried she might screw things up in the future that is her past.  Maybe this person is trying not to tell us something, or trying to tell us so things are different?"

Bill shook his head. "She looked like she wanted to attack me then and there. Said she'd kill me if I went down that road....Maybe that would be better. I don't want to become that kind of Person Darren. Not ever." He told him his head still buried in his chest.

  Darren hugged him tightly, and then tipped Bill's face up, kissing him.  "I can't imagine you being that way, love.  You're nothing like Hitler!  You don't hate anyone, really.  And you love me.  Hitler couldn't stand homosexuals."  He was slowly moving them toward the door, intending to take Bill to the bed and cuddle him, giving him comfort any way he would take it.

"Didn't some people think Hitler was gay himself?" Bill asked though he didn't fight being led to the bedroom.

   Darren shook his head, and said "Some people posit that idea, but he had a mistress.  Eva Braun.  She died with him in the bunker they bombed.  Or escaped, nobody is quite sure."  He stretched Bill out on the bed, then slid right alongside him, holding him close, and gently drawing little patterns over Bill's chest.

Bill kissed Darren gently. "Lets just go to sleep. I want to forget about this for a while."

  Darren moved Bill so that his head was pillowed on his chest, stroking Bill's hair as he whispered "Then sleep, and listen to the heart that loves you beating."

Bill smiled, slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

---->> From the park.

  Bella was carefully doing her exercises.  Wishing she had a barre here, but not wanting to tell her Dads about that.  Yet.

For a time Bill enjoyed the blackness of sleep and then, he began to dream. Bill found himself in a large elaborate throne room in some kind of grand palace. There were banners everywhere red with Black Xs on them. He looked around confused. "What is this place?" He asked aloud. "It is your destiny." Bill spun only to find himself, older with a cruel smile on his face. "No I won't become you, never." The older Bill just smiled. "But its already begun, why just look at your hands." And he looked down and saw his hands were dripping with blood. "NOOOOOO!!" He screamed as he jerked awake covered in a cold sweat.

  Darren had been dozing, and when Bill jerked awake, he said "Right here, love.  'M not going anywhere.  Stuck to you like glue . . . "  Snuggling closer, then he cracked one eye open, and asked "Want a full body wrap?"

In reply to Edge (msg #187):

  Megaira said "I don't really know her well.  I do know she doesn't like that I and the other New Age Defenders are a super team.  She thinks we're too young.  Even though some of us have to do it.  But there's a long story."  She gave Vaan a gentle pat on the shoulder.

Bill started breathing heavily for a few moments until he calmed down. "I- I'm fine. Just a dream. Nothing but a dream."

  The door swung open, and in the light, for a moment, the woman standing there wasn't recognizable.  Clad in a skintight leotard, and a black tutu and black silk ballet shoes that matched, her hair in an exquisitely done french roll, she didn't look like anyone they knew for a moment.  Then she spoke.  "You okay?  I heard you cry out, Dad. . . ."  Bella.

"Its okay Bella, go back to bed I just had a-" He stopped noticing her outfit. "Ummm, what are you wearing?"

  She glanced down, and said "Just my leotard and all.  I was in my room . . . .doing my exercises.  It's no biggie, Dad-E.  If you're sure you're okay?"

"Umm okay. I just had a little scare tonight is all. Surprised you didn't notice when I flipped the table."

  She said "I missed that.  Needed a little time to myself.  No, I didn't go cause any trouble.  There's not enough room here .  . .. and I didn't want to break anything by accident.  So I was at the park.  On the lake, specifically."

Bill sighed when she mentioned she'd broken grounding. "ANd what were you doing at the lake?"

  Bella sighed, and said "Dancing.  Alone.  There's not enough room inside.  And it's dark, so I didn't think anyone would freak out.  It's not like I had raucous music playing.  Unless people don't like Tchaikovsky."

Bill sighed. "Well as long as you were alone and not causing trouble I suppose thats fine."

  She nodded, and said "Don't worry, I won't cause trouble.  I don't dance in public any more."  She turned to go back to her room, slipping one ballet slipper off as she moved.

He smiled at her though it looked a bit forced. "Good night." Before collapsing back into bed.

  She nodded, and said "Night, Dad.  I'll keep quiet, so you can sleep."  She slid the other slipper off before padding to her room.

  He stroked Bill's hair, and said "I didn't even know Bella could dance.  Much less how to get into a full dance leotard, tutu, and ballet shoes."  He frowned, laying down with Bill, and about ten minutes later, he said "She 'doesn't dance in public anymore'?!?  She danced in public???"

"neither did I." He sat there and cuddled with Darren until he had his revealation. "I dunno, she hasn't mentioned it, maybe its not something she likes to talk about? SHe said there were things she couldn't tell us."

  Darren shook his head, and said "Bill, my love, I think we need to ask her about that.  She was dressed in a full dance costume.  You don't get those unless you know how to dance.  So why doesn't she even mention it to us."  He hugged Bill, and then flowed around him, having shifted to water to give him a full-body hug.

He nods. "I agree. It seems like its important to her." He smiled as his lover covered him. "Did I mention I love it when you do that?"

  Darren's current was a soothing massage, and he answered "I love doing this too.  Lets me hold you close, and you can still do anything you want, like write or anything else.  Want to ask Bella about it in the morning?  Or tonight?  I do know she's worse than you are about NOT sleeping."

"Lets wait till morning. I- I just want to be held for a while."

  Darren hugged him, and whispered back "I'll hold you all night long, and then some."

"I wouldn't have it any other way love. I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't know what I'd do without y-." Suddenly he stopped thinking. "Maybe thats what happens...Something happens to you and I just...snap?"

  Darren hugged him again, and said softly "Yeah, I could see that doing something to you.  So we make sure we always have Meggers nearby,  since she's the medical miracle, you know?"

Vaan smiled, checking the time in anticipation. "Well, I've got a lifetime to get to know her, then," she said, almost impatiently. She sighed. "...Meg? Would you talk to...Him. Bill, whatever his name is? I get the feeling what I said won't sit well with him." But if he does stray from his current path, I will kill him, she thought, but did not voice.

  Meg nodded, and said "That's Bill.  Who is Excelsior.  And yes, I will tell him you didn't mean to upset him.  He's a very sweet, kind person, really."

"I know. I just wish..." He sighed. "Love. Promise me something, promise me you won't let me become that person, Don't let me turn evil. No- no matter what you have to do."

  Darren hugged him tightly, and said softly "I promise, I will never let you become a person I cannot love.  I'll do SOMETHING to get you back to yourself, even if I have to tie you to the bed and keep you my prisoner."

Bill returned the hug. "Good. THough you might have to be careful with tying me to the bed.... I might like that."

  Darren laughed, and teased "Hrmm.  Shall I tie you up and put the rod to you?"

"Maybe..." Vaan said, checking the time once more. Almost time. She was nervous, but at the same time, exhilarated. For the first time, she was going to meet her mother.

  Meg offered Vaan her hand, and said "Ready to go meet Lady Psyche then?"  She would fly them there, and wait to see what happened.

"Yes..." Vaan breathed, taking a firm hold of Meg's arm.

In reply to Fluid (msg #226):

"Oh I'll take your rod anytime." He said with a coy smile.

  Meg headed them to the address Dragon Fist had given her earlier.

------>> Kary's Apartment

  *~~ Fade to Black ~~*

  ---------->> From mage Battle

  Andy appeared, with Ozzy, in Meg's living room.  He swiveled his head this way and that, then made a face.  "Meg's not here.  You want to worm-net her?"

Ozzy nodded, before sending a few mind-messages. While he wanted to get back to Clarissa ASAP, he didn't want her to see that his foot had been roasted pretty badly. His shoe was gone, and his pants leg was partially burned off.

After a few minutes of mind-messaging with Bill, Ozzy started struggling.

"Lemme down. I wanna talk this out face-to-face."

As Ozzy messaged he was coming up Bill hopped out of bed and began getting dressed hurriedly.

In reply to Ozzy Gysbourne (msg #235):

"All right all right' Andy said gently putting Ozzy down. "Just be careful okay. I'll send Meg over there when she gets here."

Ozzy nodded, "Yeah, yeah. I got it. No further mangling of the foot. Thanks."

He made a crutch with his magic, and hobbled over to Bill and Darren's apartment, keeping his weight off of his burned foot the entire time. He knocked on the door, wondering how long it would take Bill to finish getting dressed.

Bill opened the door dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. "Hey ozzy." He looked like he'd been better. As Bill leads Ozzy inside he would notice the kitchen table upside down having crushed two of the chairs under its weight.

Ozzy followed, definitely having seen better days himself.

"Hey, Bill, long time no see. Definitely looks like you're really broken up about this. The furniture's a bit of crushing evidence. So, you're afraid of going evil. Well... hmm... what're some steps you can take to prevent yourself from doing that in the here and now?" he prompted, hoping to get Bill thinking rationally.

"I don't know Ozzy. I already had Darren promise me not to let me become that person though he mangled the words a bit. This is an internal battle, one of wills, and I don't know if I'm strong enough to win it. After....After Darren got evaporated for the first time, I flew into a rage I beat the everloving crap out of Paragon in two seconds when I could barely lay a hit on him a few minutes before. I completely let loose with the power of the earth, for the first an only time I felt the power coursing through my veins as I beat the pulp out of him... And I loved it. If DF hadn't been there, I was going to throw him into the sun."

Ozzy nodded solemnly, "I can kinda relate, man. I dunno if you've been listening to the mind worm net much, but Clarissa got attacked today. LeCarde put a spell on her to make her act like she was high for a bit. When I called Grandpa in to help, and he got too close, she flipped out and nearly strangled him. Grandpa got out, and as soon as he did, she collapsed, and went unconscious for a minute. I... I honestly thought I'd lost her. Thank goodness she was okay. So as soon as I got Clarissa to a safe place, I called Andy and went to where LeCarde was taunting me to, right into a trap. A trap I knew was there, even. I honestly didn't care, I wanted him gone. He 'ported us both to a coliseum in Hell, and we dueled. Well, we dueled until I could distract LeCarde for long enough to give Andy an opening to take him down, permanently. I just... I wanted to make sure he couldn't threaten her again, you know?"

He then smirked and said, "Anyway, point is, that doesn't make you a bad person. That makes you someone who loved someone very deeply, and when that someone got hurt, you wanted to make the person who hurt your love pay. That's natural. There's even provisions for stuff like that in the law, and we both know how screwed up the law is."

"The difference being that I could probably commit a genocide in an afternoon, by myself. I'm the guardian of earth Ozzy I wield more power than any other parahuman on the planet. I'm just not experienced enough to wield it as of yet but someday I will I'm only going to get more and more powerful. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

"And a truly good soul is incorruptible. The fact that you were chosen to be the Guardian means you do have a good soul. You're still human, and you have your darkness, yes. But that's not who you are. Even Dragon Fist, the Champion of Light, still has his darker impulses I'm sure. After all, he's still just human, just like you and me," replied Ozzy, smiling.

"Who knows? Maybe he even has some good advice for you. Lucas-sensei's a very wise man, after all."

Bill stays quiet a moment mulling over Ozzy's words. "Maybe...I just.. Its wierd I think I'm more shook up over this than I am about that death vision. One thing to see yourself die quite another to hear you could go bad. You should have seen the way this girl was looking at me Ozzy, Like I killed her dog or something. She called me a super powered Hitler... You told me once that you'd do 'whatever it takes' to stop me from hurting others, if your still willing to do that, I think that counts."

"And I still am. I'll do whatever it takes to protect the people. But just because in one of the infinite possible futures you go bad doesn't mean I'm going to stop you now. If you you starts going bad, then I'll stop you, hopefully without hurting you. You've got so much potential for good, man, and I don't want to see you squander that just because you're worried about the potential for evil. To live in fear is not to live at all, Bill. I got a real good lesson in Free Will today, actually. Nothing can *make* you go evil, Bill. It's gotta be your choice. So just don't choose it. If something ticks you off to where you start seriously wanting to hurt people? Talk it out, hug it out, whatever. And if you're too scared to tell Darren because of what you think he might think, then tell me. I got your back, bro, and I don't judge based on 'mights'. I 'might' have made a deal with the Devil and become the new LeCarde today, if you wanna talk genocide potential," he replied. He then smiled and offered Bill a brohug, summarizing, "Long story short, I got your back, bro. I'm not gonna let that happen, one way or another."

  Meg knocked sharply on the door of Bill's condo.

Bill accepts the bro-hug. "Thanks man. I appreciate it." When the door was knocked upon Bill let go so he could go answer it. "Hey meg, Ozzy's in there."

  Meg stepped inside, and gave both of them a smile before she took Ozzy's hand, and let her power flow.  "You both know I can locate you by your personal EM signatures.  There you go, Ozzy."

Ozzy sighed with relief and wiggled his bare, non burned toes with glee.

"Good to have my little piggies de-baconfied. Thanks, Megs, much appreciated. I've been through Hell today. No, really. I told you guys about the Obsidian Coliseum, right?"

  Meg arched her eyebrows, and said "Do tell me all about it, Ozzy."

Ozzy nodded, "Sure. Well, LeCarde showed his ugly astral mug today. Specifically, he attacked Clarissa. He made her trip out, and then he made her attack Grandpa. Then she went unconscious for a bit, and let me tell you, that scared the shit out of me. When she woke up, her Dad flipped out and said she wasn't allowed to see me anymore, so she ran away, and I followed her to make sure she'd be okay. He kept taunting me in my head, so I called Andy, who took us to where he and Vic are staying. She's still there now, waiting for me to come back. Anyway, LeCarde had sent me a location, a sort of invitation to come fight him. Andy 'ported us over, and the plan was for me to distract LeCarde to give Andy an opening to take him down."

He got into a sort of combat pose as he continued, becoming a bit more animated as he talked, "So I broke down the door of the house he was hiding in, and as soon as he sees me, he 'ports the both of us to Hell. We were in what was basically this totally metal replica of the Roman Coliseum, but it was made entirely out of obsidian. The only observer was a shadowy dude with glowing eyes in the emperor's seat, and Andy 'ported into the bleachers about halfway through. So, LeCarde and I dueled to the death, and I won via Andy finishing him off, at which point LeCarde's benefactor claimed LeCarde's soul. LeCarde's benefactor then offered me the approval of my father, as well as Clarissa's father, in exchange for my soul. I said no, of course. Then Andy and I were ported back to the house, and then Andy ported us both here."

Bill listened to Ozzy's animated story at Ozzy's mention of what the demon offered him Bill looked down. "You...said no, to that?"

Ozzy nodded, "Yeah. I mean, it would be nice, but it's not worth Eternity in Hell for forced approval from them. Besides, it's like I said about Free Will. I doubt that he could've actually come through on that promise. While a demon isn't allowed to force you into a Faustian bargain, they are allowed to lie to you about what they can and cannot do. Kinda like those spam emails about 'male enhancement' pills for cheap."

  Meg shook her head, and said "Deals with Demons generally ARE bad ideas . . . "

Bill nodded. "They do call him the prince of lies for a reason."

"Yeah. Thus why I said no. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, he's interested enough in me to let me walk away, because he wants to tempt me further. Having lots of potential as a mage has its downsides, it seems," he said with a roll of his eyes. Clearly the thought of a demon taking that sort of interest in him was not his idea of a good thing.

"Still, right now, I gotta worry about Clarissa. She did kinda run away from home for me, and I dunno what to do now. I'm *not* letting her live on the streets, that's for damn sure. I think... honestly, I'm thinking about seeing if Old Man Sutra's got anything available. I'm sorry, but I'm *not* moving back in here, out of respect for you guys. My Dad and Mom live upstairs, after all, and I'm pretty sure you guys don't want us getting in another shouting match nearby. Not to mention near Michaela."

  Meg half smiled, and said "I have a possible solution.  But it may take a couple days.  Clarissa can stay with me if you like, and when I get this explored, we will see what I can do?"

Ozzy nodded, "Man, Megs, you're pulling my ass out of all kinds of trouble, eh? Thanks. I'll definitely talk it over with her. After all, it's ultimately her decision, but it's great to have options."

  Megaira smiled, and said "Well, I have some assets at my disposal.  I may as well make good use of them."  She gave Ozzy a grin.

Ozzy nodded and said, "Appreciated. Of course, I'm not exactly flipping burgers at Mickey D's myself. Masks, Inc. pays, and pays good. So don't get too worried about me. Besides, I don't want to get you in trouble. I dunno about the laws here, but I do know that because Clarissa's not 18 yet, you might be able to get in trouble for, essentially, kidnapping. Me? I'm not 18 either, plus the 'crime of passion' factor, so I figure I'd just get a slap on the wrist at the worst. You? Not so much, on either count. I dunno for sure, though."

  Meg smiled, and said "What I'm thinking of won't be a problem, Ozzy.  I just have to do some legwork on it first."  She pulled out her cellular phone and began to dial a number, half smiling.

Ozzy nodded, and pulled out his own phone, saying, "'Scuze me. I better get on the phone myself. Gotta inform someone that LeCarde's dead, for good this time."

With that, Ozzy started to dial.

  Megaira spoke on the phone for several long minutes, very softly, and then flipped her cellular phone shut.  She smiled at Bill, and said "I may solve a number of situations with one swell foop."

Ozzy hung up the phone after talking for a few minutes, grinning, "Sweet! Speaking of getting paid, LeCarde had a bounty on his head. Remind me to thank Andy and offer him half later. Also, lined up another job. Apparently Masks, Inc. is doing a security detail for Hunter's wedding, and Rocket wanted me to be part of it."

He then brought up his bank account with his phone, wondering how much the bounty had been for.

Bill smiled at  Meg. "Are you going to tell us what your planning? OR are you just gonna keep being vague?"

There is now an additional 25,000 in his bank account.

  Meg smiled, and said "I'm going to buy a house.  And I put my Mom on it.  She'll find me a good one, put in some magical safeguards, and make certain it's big enough.  She'll give me a call when it's found, and I'll have the funds disbursed to pay for it.  I . . .ah . . .have enough to afford about any house I want, really.  But I thought I'd get a 'New Age Defenders' house.  Just, to anyone who asks publicly, it will be my house."

Ozzy whistled impressedly, saying, "Wow."

He then turned to Meg and said, "Awesome. So, basically we'll have a place to crash if need be?"

  Meg nodded, and said "Basically, yes.  It's not like I have anything I need to hide from the rest of you, and I welcome all my friends into my home."

"How much room are we talking here? ANd are we talking guests or permanent residence? I'm gonna miss having you right down the hall."

  Meg smiled, and said "As much room as I need, and in all truth, I figured any of you who want, can move right in on a permanent basis."

Jack and Penny arm in arm appeared in the apartment along with Oswald, and anyone else that ended up coming along. "Hey everybody. How'd it go Ozzy?"

Ozzy grinned at Jack, "Considering I've literally been to Hell and back today? Pretty damn good. LeCarde's gone, and on top of that, he had a gorram *huge* bounty on his head, apparently. Like, there are people who live on less than this in a year kind of bounty."

He then nodded down to his oddly bare foot and burned pant leg and said, "Almost got my foot burned off in the process, though. Lucky for me, Megs here is crazy good at healing. She can fix anything short of dead."

  Meg said dryly "I'm CPR certified too, so if you're JUST dead, I might be able to fix that too."  Then poked Ozzy in the ribs with one long nailed hand.

Ozzy smirked and recoiled playfully, "Ow! Right in my tender lightning-blasted ribs! Oh woe is me, for I am slain!"

He then proceeded to make a show out of falling to the floor, doing his best to look like he was dead. His performance, however, would've been easily bested by a Looney Tunes character.

It was at this point that Oswald spoke up, sighing as he interjected, "You really must learn to behave with some dignity, Oswald."

To which Ozzy replied, "Sorry, Grandpa, can't hear you. I'm dead."

  Darren commented (they hadn't actually SEEN him yet) "Someone's got to be the class clown, Oswald.  Ozzy's good at it!!"

"Exactly! You should be mourning my passing, for with me, dies the heart and soul of the team. Well, okay, the comedy relief. But still! Who else is gonna banish the emoness and drama with random acts of absurdity?" added Ozzy from his place on the floor.

Bill couldn't help but laugh at Ozzy's antics.  "Every group needs a goofball, superpowered or not."

Oswald just sighed and muttered something about how he'd respected his elders when he was Ozzy's age.

  Andy padded in, and grinned as he poured a gallon bucket of water onto Ozzy "We will WASH AWAY the sorrows here!!"  Then he grinned at Oswald and said "He's good to have on hand for that, Oswald."

Ozzy laughed for a minute, standing up sopping wet as he said, "Hah! Good one, bro. Oh... uhm... hold up, lemme clean this up. Wouldn't want Bill and Darren's floor to get ruined and stuff."

He then started to cast one of his cleaning spells and, with some help from Oswald, they had the floor as good as new again in just a couple of minutes, like the water had never been poured.

"Oh, Andy, that reminds me," he said once the floor was done, "LeCarde had a bounty on his head. I figure you earned half, since it was you who actually took him down. Where do you want me to send it?"

  Darren flowed down, and the water on the floor all suddenly flowed over and into him, leaving the floor perfectly dry, and a 'water Darren' still standing there smiling.

  Andy shrugged, and said "I don't know.  I don't have a bank account or anything, so the best I can do is take it in cash and have Vic figure out something to do with it.  Can't get hold of my birth certificates or anything for the bank either."

Ozzy smiled, "Its about twelve grand, dunno if you really want that in cash. We can ask Vic when we port back. Which, sad to say, we might want to do soon. Dont wanna keep our ladies worrying for too long."

  Andy rumbled a laugh, and said "Ready when you are then."

Ozzy nodded, "Im ready. Later, guys. Penny, Jack, Im happy for you both. Im glad you finally saw the light."

  Andy chuckled, and said "Okay Ozzy."  He laid his hand on Ozzy's shoulder,and teleported.

-------------->> Sutra's Apartments

Oswald looked like he'd been about to say something, but then Andy and Ozzy teleported away. Oswald just sighed and said, "They'll be all right for now. I hope."

  Meg said "Yeah.  Watch out for my Mom talking real estate in the area."

"You moving Meg?" Jack asked. "Oh and did you hear the good news? ALso how much of the team was scheming to get us together?"

  Meg nodded, and said "Yeah, going to get a house so we can all have SOME place good to crash."

"Pretty much everybody. The whole project was my idea though."

  Meg said affectionately "I think I gave the idea to Bill though.  See, I can tell when two people are attracted.  Hazard of having senses with inhuman sensitivity.  I can scent pheromone changes when one person looks at another that they desire, and, well, I could tell you and Penny both wanted each other.  Could hear the changes in your pulse rates, the rise in your blood pressures."

"Oh. Well that explains a lot. Ozzy said we were just really obvious."

  Meg chuckled, and said "Bear in mind, the sheer level of input I have to ignore on a daily basis might drive some people insane.  I had to be home schooled so I could learn to distinguish what should and shouldn't be obvious to everyone else."

"You were also ridiculously obvious to the rest of us." Bill said with a chuckle.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:15, Sun 29 Apr 2012.

  Darren chuckled, and poked Bill in the ribs as he said "Hey, you.  We were about as bad, so don't pick on him."

"Okay point taken. Though in our defense no-one else picked up on it. We had to figure it out on our own."

  Meg said "I didn't catch the two of you in the same room before you two got together.  Or I would have known."

Bill smiled at Meg. "You still found out before anyone else. Hell you knew before he did."

  Meg shrugged, and said "It's a pheromonal thing.  You don't emit the pheromones that include attraction when you look at women, now matter HOW sexy.  But you DO like watching men.  I could tell by the pheromonal markers."

Bill wrapped an arm around Darren. "There's one man in particular that I love to watch. So you knew the whole time then? Before I told you?"

  Meg admitted "I had a pretty good idea, anyway.  But I have information sources, as we all know, beyond human senses!"

"That is true. SO how come you never said anything? At least in private? Might have helped me come to terms with it, or I might have just denied it."

  Meg smiled, and said gently "Just because I know it, doesn't mean I need to tell everyone I know it.  Some people don't cotton to having some nosy busybody telling them all abut their private business."

"I suppose that makes sense, I probably would've been more nervous if I knew you already knew."

  Meg smiled, and said "I know many, many things I don't tell everyone else.  Most of it is stuff you'd never know, if I didn't say so.  Some of it is stuff you'll figure out for yourself.  If I had told you that you were gay, you'd have dug your heels in, and maybe missed the love of your life.  By letting you figure it out at your own pace, it was not a horror and a shock 'forced' upon you by someone else's words."

"And that, would have been absolutely terrible, you are wise beyond your years Meggers." He smiled as he wrapped an arm around Darrens waist leaning in for a quick kiss.

  Darren grinned, and kissed him back, hugging him tightly as he did.  Happy to see Bill smiling again.

  Meg laughed, and said "Bill, my friend, those whom you choose to bring into your heart are blessings.  You deserve to enjoy your happiness as much as anyone else.  There is no reason to think anything born from love is wrong."

"Unfortunately not everyone agrees with you. You just need to check our mailbox for evidence."

  Meg snorted, and said "That's because there is an unfortunate majority of human beings with an excessively low IQ.  And they breed like flies."

"Yeah well, Bella toiletpapering peoples houses didn't help much either."

  Meg said gently "Remember, Bill, she's 15.  She's going to have temper fits.  Given what she CAN do, toilet papering their house is nothing.  She COULD have done a heck of a lot worse."

"Don't get me wrong I'm glad she didn't put their car into orbit like she wanted to. But regardless of what could have been done retaliation was not the best decision."

  Meg nodded, and said "I know.  But she IS fifteen.  She's allowed a couple screwups.  You get some too still."

"I know I know its just hard fathering a girl a year younger than you. I don't want anything to go wrong, but I don't want to go overtight like my father either."

  Meg smiled, and said softly "All you have to do, Bill, is remember to make sure she knows you love her.  She's got something she hurts over, and when I hear the ballet music at night, and I can scent the salt of tears.  So make sure you're very loving, because she's got something she isn't telling me, yet."

"And she has a full ballet leotard. She hasn't mentioned it to either of us either...Has she mentioned this boy she's found to you? The one she's been calling every day?"

  Meg asked, very gently "Did you know she knows the WHOLE CHOREOGRAPHY to Swan Lake and the Nutcracker?"

Bill sighed, why could he never get a straight answer when it came to this girl? "no I did not, I knew she had a leotard, and she went dancing and she used to dance in public, thats as much as she's let slip"

  Meg nodded, and said "I know she knows ballet.  And she asked me why it is that she got stuck with a very buxom figure."

"Well I have no idea. I'm not curvy. Why is that an issue?"

  Meg chuckled, and explained "Some careers do NOT do well with lots of curves."

"So ballet is one of them? That might explain it, she wanted to do ballet proffesionally, but couldn't cuz she was so curvaceous?"

  Meg nodded, and said "Correct.  Ballerinas are generally ALMOST as flat as boys.  Not to mention they're short.  They get over five foot six, they don't get the leading roles at all.  Bella is six four, Bill.  She's got two strikes.  She might have gotten by if she was just tall, but she's tall and buxom.  She's gorgeous enough to be a model, but SHE wants, I believe, to be a ballerina."

As the talk turned to Bill and Darren's timelost child Jack remained quiet an arm around Penny's waist. "Uhh Meg? You think I could talk to you about something? In private?"

  Meg tilted her head, and said "Sure.  Bill, Darren, if you'll pardon?"  She gestured Jack and Penny toward her suite.

'Actually its something I'd rather discuss the two of us." He said as he turned to Penny. "I'll be right back." Before kissing her gently on the forehead before following Meg downstairs. As they entered the house he frowned taking a moment to compose his words. "So, I-well, I want to get Penny a ring. An engagement ring. I know she'd be happy with any old thing, but to me it, it has to be special. It has to be worthy of what we share. Unfortunately I'm in a bit of a predicament when it comes to finding employment. So I was thinking since you have your own business and you seem to be the best financially off, if you had any, odd jobs, or anything that I could maybe do?"

  Meg smiled, and said "Yes.  I can give you a job, Jack.  And it will be a bit of work, but you're more than able to handle it.  Mom's working on a project for me.  And she's got it about done.  Want to be my gardener?  I'll have a big yard, and I want someone I actually TRUST doing the exterior yardwork.  Just mowing and trimming the bushes, but I've got the funds to pay you well.  Now, I'll ask you something.  Do you want it to be a custom, special ring?  Because you know I can do metalwork.  And I can get you very rare metals from meteorites."

"I could do that. Seems simple enough....That would be absolutely amazing. Something as unique as she is."

  Meg smiled, and asked softly "Just find out her ring size for me, and tell me via wormnet.  Then I'll take a little trip, and bring you back a ring that will never be matched.  In the meantime, I'll have Mom show you the house."

"I'll see how subtly I can find out. I'd rather this be a surprise. Thanks Meg, words cannot express how much I appreciate this. Penny, is very special, even though she doesn't always realize it."

  Meg smiled, and said "More than welcome, Jack.  Now you go give her a kiss, and tell her I'm going to take her shopping as a present for finally figuring out you two are a couple.  We're going to get her some party stuff, and a little regular jewelry.  We can find out her ring size that way, and then you two can enjoy a nice night out, okay?"

He smiled at her. "That I can do. Thanks again Meg." Holding the door for Meg if she was following he headed back upstairs to Bill and Darren's place. Opening the door he stepped over to Penny  wrapping both arms around her as he kissed her gently on the lips. "Meg wants to take you shopping. After you and I are going to enjoy a nice evening together. Sound good?"

  Penny nodded, and ran her hands up his chest to frame his face, drawing him down for a kiss.  "Okay.  I love you.  Don't let the guys drag you too far off, okay?"  She kissed him mentally too, reminding him that she was never going to be totally away from him again.

"I love you too. Don't worry, nothing can keep me away from you for long. You have fun okay?"

 Penny nodded, and placed her hand on Meg's, giving Jack a timid smile.  He knew she was worried about being out of reach, and still tried to reassure her.

----->> Off shopping with Meg

  Clarissa held tight to him as he flew, and she pressed delicate kisses along his jaw. She pointed to the balconies as she whispered {{I hope she's not mad.}}

Ozzy smiled and thought, {{Yeah. That one's ou... theirs. Let's drop in on them. And I know they'll love you, Clarissa. If they don't, then eh. It's not like I'm not the black sheep, anyway.}}

He landed on the balcony as softly as he could, but before he could knock, he heard a squeal and a familiar voice.

"MOOOOM! There's a catgirl and a big green monster that kinda looks like Ozzy on the balcony!"

"That's nice, dear. Go say hi to your imaginary monster for me, would you?"

Michaela harrumphed before marching out to the balcony and saying, "Mom says I have to come say hi. Why do you look like my brother? Are you gonna eat me? Did you eat HIM?"

Ozzy chuckled and said, "I AM your brother, squirt. I'm a little... different, now."

  Clarissa laughed, and said "Hello Michaela.  Ir's really us, Ozzy and Clarissa.  May we come in, please?"  Her tail flicked around, swishing back and forth, the soft, silky white plume expressive and gorgeously fluffy.

Michaela looked at them wide-eyed, but she recognized their voices. Well, Clarissa's voice, at any rate, and ran back inside to get her mother. Ozzy grinned as Gina got drug out towards the balcony by his little sister, who gasped when she saw the young couple.

<pink>"My stars! Ozzy! That... that IS you. I was surprised when I heard voices, but... what HAPPENED to you? Oh, Ozzy, my baby!"</pink she said as she ran out and hugged him fiercely.

Ozzy chuckled and put a massive hand over his mother's back, saying, "Mutated in the line of duty, mom. Trying to stop some bad guys from selling some bad stuff in Weston. Got a dose of it accidentally, though."

Michaela said, "How come you got all ugly, Ozzy, but Clarissa's all pretty now?"

  Clarissa scrunched her face at Michaela, and said "Hey, be nice to Ozzy.  He got mutated saving my mom from that fate.  We don't know a lot about the crap that does this, but the same stuff that made Ozzy green and nine plus feet tall, made me go all furry with feather-wings.  And a tail.  And sorry, not shaking hands, the stuff always seems to propagate itself.  My claws have it, sorry."  She held up her hand, which let them see the currently extended claws that she'd been hanging onto her purse with.

Ozzy chuckled and said, She's fine. Besides, she's just a little kid. An honest question is all right."

Michaela smiled and said, "Yeah!"

Gina giggled a bit before asking, "So, ah, what brings you two out here? You usually let us do the visiting, because of Ozzy's father."

Ozzy just grinned and hugged Clarissa as he said, "Well, we wanted to give you your Mother's Day present. And then there is happy news, Mom..."

At which point Gina interrupted and said, "Oh dear God, you got her pregnant!"

Ozzy chuckled and continued, "Not just yet, Mom. We're waiting before we have kids. Now, if you'd let me finish... Clarissa and I are going to get married. We wanted to let you know."

Gina grabbed her chest and gasped, "MARRIED!?! Butbutbut... you shouldn't rush into this, son! Marriage is for life!"

Ozzy smiled and said, "I know, Mom. But I love her. I'm sure she's the one. I don't want anyone else, and I never will. We aren't 'rushing into this', Mom. We've been dating for months! And it's not like I can't support her on my own!"

  Clarissa nodded, and said softly "We love each other, Mrs. Gysbourne.  Ozzy was so scared I'd freak out when he got mutated, but I wasn't freaked.  I was just glad he was okay.  Being nine foot plus and green just means there's more OF him to love.  Besides, he's sorta stuck with me, when I got mutated, I seem to have, umm, mindlinked us?  I can't talk to anyone ELSE in their heads, but I can Ozzy."  She flicked her tail lightly along Michaela's arm, letting her feel the silky soft plume of tail.  Knowing Ozzy would feel that she wasn't growling at Michaela, just . . . he was HER Ozzy, and she'd defend him against ANYONE calling him 'ugly'.  SHE thought he was hella-sexy!!

Michaela looked to be on the verge of tears, "But but but... you're not gonna take him away forever, are you? You'll let me come visit, right? What am I gonna do if I need a brother?"

Ozzy chuckled and said, "She's not gonna take me away from YOU, squirt. You can visit us... just make sure Mom calls first, okay? So we know you're coming, and can get ready."

Gina smiled and said, "You don't have to worry about that. Just... be careful, okay? I can tell you two love each other. You're special, that's for certain. Ozzy was never really interested in girls before you. Just... don't break my little boy's heart, please? I know he's not so little any more, but... well, you'll know one day. Your first, especially, will always be 'your baby', no matter how big they get."

  Clarissa crouched down, and said gently "Michaela, I will NEVER take Ozzy away from you.  He is your brother, and that will NEVER change.  But what I am going to do, is love him, and give him a shoulder to lean on when other people are mean and cruel because they don't see Ozzy, they just see big and green and they get scared.  He's still Ozzy.  And I love him.  I will ALWAYS love him.  And I want him to be happy, and smile.  I will EXPECT you to come visit, and we will visit when we can be sure your Daddy isn't going to have a fit, because he'll not like me now either.  But I promise, Michaela, you will NEVER lose Ozzy as a brother.  Think of it more as gaining a big sister."

Ozzy smiled and nodded, and Michaela burst into a big grin and threw her arms around Clarissa's neck, saying, "Yay! I have a sister! And a brother!"

Ozzy just chuckled and said, "D'aww. C'mere, everybody. Group hug!"

He then enveloped the three ladies in his life in his arms and his wings, smiling softly as he lifted them ALL off their feet.

Gina chuckled and said, "My, my! You've certainly become strong, haven't you, Ozzy? I'll have to call you next time we need some furniture moved. Your father is getting older, after all."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:37, Tue 26 June 2012.

  Clarissa giggled, purring as she got double-hugged.  Her long, silky tail wrapped around his waist, and she told Gina shyly and happily "I even get to call Grandpa Grandpa.  He gave us his blessing too."  She was clearly happy, and her fur, Gina and Michaela found, was soft as silk.  Ozzy already knew that.

Gina smiled, "He's only right to welcome you into the family, dear. It's clear to all of us that you make Ozzy happier than he's ever been. I suppose you should start calling me Mom as well, then."

Ozzy grinned and said, "I'm glad you're so welcoming to Clarissa. And don't worry, Mom. We'll be careful, like you said."

Gina just sighed and said, "I know. I suppose I'm just worrying because I'm your mother. We tend to do that, you know."

Michaela giggled and said, "You're warm, Ozzy! Do you sleep with your wings as blankets?"

  Clarissa smiled, and said softly "Thanks, Mom.  Now, if you get a 'big green monster and a catgirl' on the balcony again, you know it's us.  I can fly too, although I'm not very good at it yet.  I'm GOING to be making Ozzy a new wardrobe, since, well, retail sales just don't make things quite 'Big and Tall' enough to suit Ozzy now!  And he's still growing!"  She whispered that last, knowing he could hear her anyway, and teasing him just a touch.

Gina gasped, "Oh my! You're still growing? I wonder how big you'll get... I hope you'll still be able to live inside! Ohh, I'd hate to think my poor baby was living out in the rain."

Ozzy smiled, "As long as I have Clarissa, I'll be all right. And I'm pretty sure I can have a house built to fit me, if need be. Clarissa can fly, she'd be able to reach if I wasn't around to help her. I'd just want ceilings high enough to stand up under, and maybe a big chair for me, and a nice, big bed that I don't hang off of."

  Clarissa giggled, and said "You'll ALWAYS have me, Ozzy.  After all, SOMEONE's got to tailor clothes for you, right?  Heck, *I* need specially tailored stuff now.  I have wings and a TAIL."

Ozzy set everyone down, then said, "Oh, before I forget, here's your gift, Mom. I didn't want to get you a duplicate of a kitchen gadget, so I got you a gift card. I know you love this store, Mom."

He then gave his mother the gift card, who accepted it and said, "I see your wife-to-be's already giving you sound advice, Ozzy dear. Making me return something I already have would have been a bit of a blunder. But it's the thought that counts, either way."

Michaela just grinned and started singing, "Ozzy and Clarissa, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Heehee!"

  Clarissa giggled, and said "Well, I DO have an advantage with thinking of gifts for you, Mom.  I'm not a great shake in the kitchen, like Ozzy, but I can sew very well, given time and good measurements.  Which, Ozzy, I'm going to borrow your Mom and Michaela to help me get some measurements, okay?"

Ozzy nodded and said, "Yeah, I'll just sit out here and not break anything. Sound good?"

Gina chuckled as she lead Clarisa into the apartment, "I do a bit of sewing myself, Clarissa. I may not make many clothes, but I've fixed more of Ozzy's pants than I can count. Shirts, too. That boy almost seemed to ENJOY falling down and hurting himself when he was learning tricks on those skates of his."

Michaela giggled and said, "Yeah! Mom always said she was surprised he never lost any teeth!"

  Clarissa giggled, and said "We're going to try kilts.  But I have to special tailor them for the tail.  Okay, I need a whole slew of measurements, for MY clothes.  Would you two both be willing to help?  Mom, you know how to do inseams and bustlines, and waistlines, and all that fun stuff, so if you measure, and Michaela can write them down, please?  I'm also going to need wing thickness, and height, and I can't SEE my back to do that.  And how far the base of MY tail is from my waist.  Because, you know, the mutations Ozzy and I have, they're permanent."

Gina smiled and said, "It'll be interesting, to be certain, as you DO need some fairly non-standard measurements taken. But we'll get you taken care of, don't you worry. Will we need to get Ozzy's done, too? There's an awful lot of him to measure, you may need a few extra hands."

Michaela went and got a pad and pencil to write down her measurements, and let them know when she was ready to start writing. Meanwhile, Gina got out her measuring tape, smiling as she said, "You know, these numbers would be handy for making you a lovely wedding dress, too."

  She grinned, and said "I think I can get Ozzy's.  He's, ahh, got more sensitive sense of touch?  And, well.  I'm trying to save him the blushes, Mom.  I AM his lady love, and, well, some of them WILL be rather personal."  She slid out of her clothes, knowing Gina would see the soft, silken coat of ALL OVER fur, and whispered to Ozzy {{Okay, love, let the paint shirt go away for the moment, I need to get measured.  I'll take YOUR measures when we get home.}}

Ozzy nodded, and the paint shirt slithered off of her chest and back to Ozzy.

Gina chuckled and said, "Very well, then. I suppose if you're going to be his wife, you do need to... get to 'know' him. Now, dear, where should we start?"

Michaela giggled, "But, Mommy, I'm pretty sure Clarissa knows Ozzy already. They're getting *married*, after all. Would Ozzy marry a stranger?"