Alexis Donovan (home): The house is quiet, almost eerily so, despite the light on in the livingroom window. A realtor's sign sits dejectedly in the neglected front yard a few feet away from Lex's shiny black pickup with its small and dirty U-Haul trailer.

Lex herself sits in the single remaining chair, the phone close at hand, a tiny, warm, beloved body curled close to her own, small head mirroring the curve of her breast.

Tori makes soft little sounds of contentment as she feeds, drawing an almost heartbroken sigh from her mother's lips. Carefully, Alexis shifts the baby, settling her more comfortably.

Her mother's eyes never leave the child's face; her hands don't leave the small body, even to wipe away her tears...The tears that have to be finished before she even looks at the phone.


Alexis Donovan (Home): She'd sat like this for hours, craddling her daughter in her arms until the baby had awoken. She'd promised her father that she'd do it fast, that she wouldn't linger but here she was...Lingering. Gently, she slips a finger into Tori Dream's mouth, breaking the suction and shifts her to the other side. A shaking hand picks up the cell and speed dials...calling the only person she wants to see, who happens to be the only person she never wants to see again.

Aerin Thomas: *Click* "Hey, you..." The voice on the other end is warm. "How are you?"

Alexis Donovan (Home): Her breath leaves her lungs in a hard, startled rush and she has to swallow hard before she can find her voice. When she does, its thick and tight, the words almost clipped. "Aerin. I need you to come to the house. My house."

Aerin Thomas: "Your ho..." It trails off. "You're home?" He notes the tone, instantly becoming concerned. "Of course. I'll be right over...what's wrong?"

Alexis Donovan (Home): Tori makes a soft sound of discontent and Lex shifts her up onto her shoulder, one hand rubbing and patting her back, holding the tiny body easily. "Everything."

Aerin Thomas: A door shuts in the background, and the sounds of him moving, traveling down the stairs. "I'm on my way. Are you in danger?"

Alexis Donovan (Home): "No," she whispers, swallowing hard. "Why did I have to meet you?"

Aerin Thomas: "...what?" The sounds down the stairs stop. His voice is just...confused. "Alexis...what do you mean?"

Alexis Donovan (Home): "Please just get here. There's someone you need ot meet," she adds with a soft, broken laugh.

Aerin Thomas: A moment's pause, as he swallows. "All right. I'm on my way." *Click*

Alexis Donovan (Home): She drops the phone to the floor and lowers Tori back into her arms, holding her gently, brown eyes turned down to the baby's unfocused blue. "Your daddy's on his way. He's gonna love you so much. He's gonna take care of you the way I can't, sweetheart."

Aerin Thomas: He heads straight to his car, getting in and starting the thing up, heading on over. He does a quick check of his gun on the way... something's up. She may not have been able to talk straight...he'll be ready, whatever it is.

Alexis Donovan (Home): "But I don't want you to think I didn't love you..."Her eyes close and she swallows the sounds that shake her strong shoulders. "Mommy loves you more then life but...Gaia, please don't let her think I didn't love her...I just can't take care of you Tori, I'm not strong enough or good enough. But Aerin is. He pulled me back from the pit...He can keep you safe."

Aerin Thomas: He heads through traffic as quickly as he can, cutting people off, slipping through questionable yellow lights...for once being the New York Asshole Driver himself, though without the yelling. He's silent as he drives, heading over, a look of concentration on his face as he pulls into Staten Island and up to Alexis's home.

Alexis Donovan (Home): The realtor sign sways slightly in the light breeze. The U-Haul looks out of place on the back of her glossy black truck. A single light shines from the livingroom window, calling him home.

Aerin Thomas: He pulls up to the house, blinking a couple times at the U-Haul trailer, then the For Sale sign. Okay, now he's totally lost. Slowly, he turns the key in the ignition, pulling it out and opening the door. He steps out of the car, surveying the home...so many good memories here, some very bad ones, too. With wariness, he moves to the front door, opening it up and stepping in.

Alexis Donovan (Home): Lex doesn't look up; her eyes are glued to the tiny, perfect face of the baby nestled in her arms. Tears track slowly but silently now, down her pale cheeks. "Hey," she murmurs.

Aerin Thomas: He freezes where he is, seeing his daughter, resting there. The surprised joy he sees at this is washed out by the concern he has for Alexis. "Hey." He shuts the door, managing a smile, and comes over, dropping to a low crouch in front of them, looking at Tori first, amazedly, then Alexis.

Alexis Donovan (Home): "She came early. I was with Alexi and he wouldn't let me call." She rocks softly, back and forth in the rigid chair, her arms tightening around the baby.

The house echoes oddly devoid as it is of furniture. All that remains is the chair Alexis sits in and the pile of baby stuff in the corner of the livingroom.


Aerin Thomas: A slight nod, and he smiles, regretful as he is that he couldn't be there. "It's okay, Alexis." He looks to Tori, smiling. "Hi, you. You're beautiful, you know that?"

Alexis Donovan (Home): Tori makes a face and jerkily waves her tiny little hands at the new blur in front of her face.

Alexis Donovan (Home): 7,7,3,3,8,

Alexis Donovan (Home): Lex swallows a sound and slowly relaxes her arms, offering the baby to Aerin.

Aerin Thomas: He reaches out and, very carefully, takes the baby into his arms. He pulls her gently to him, cradling her carefully, beaming down. "Goddess, Alexis. It's..." He trails off, sighing deeply. "Wow."

Alexis Donovan (Home): She pushes back the chair and surges up to her feet, arms wrapping tightly beneath the full curves of her breasts, shivering softly. "If I give her to Liam they give me back my wolf..."

Aerin Thomas: He blinks at that, looking up to her, stunned. "They--" He stops himself, lips pressing tightly together. After a moment... "And...does Liam want her back?"

Alexis Donovan (Home): "It doesn't matter. She's yours." Lex pauses, drawing a shaking breath. "You should take her home to your mate."

Aerin Thomas: He relaxes at the first sentance, starting to look back down...then, eyes snap back up to Alexis. "She's ours, Alexis. You're her mother." Something in his gaze is wary, eyes searching her face.

Aerin Thomas -> Alexis Donovan (Home): ((Per+Emp, WP))

Aerin Thomas: 3,5,5,8,10,5,9,

Aerin Thomas: 8,

Alexis Donovan (Home): Lex stares down at the two of them, something in her gaze broken and lost. "But I'm not your mate, no matter how bad I want to be. If I was, you'd have been in Chicago not here with her." She sighs and blinks, lifting a hand to scrub at her cheek.

Alexis Donovan (Home) -> Aerin Thomas: ((Broken...sad, tired, scared...hopeless))

Aerin Thomas: "Alexis..." He trails off, pausing a moment, to collect himself. "I had...obligations here. I had to...Xu...the house, I..." He stares at her, heart falling deep into the pit of his stomach. "I couldn't...I'm sorry."

Alexis Donovan (Home): "To Ita," she murmurs tiredly. "I know." She moves away, towards the pile of baby things and picks up a sleek, black wolf toy, holding it against her and rubbing her cheek and chin over its head. "Tell her that this is what I looked like in my wolf form. Tell her I was good."

Aerin Thomas: "Alexis, please..." He's changed in the past few months...become whole again. He can take charge in so many situations...but not this. Not with her, or with Ita. He knows this. So he pleads. "You don't have to do this. You...we can find another way..." Not that he has the slightest clue what that is. He even figured it might come to this, but he didn't dream it would be like this.

Alexis Donovan (Home): "We both know, deep down where we don't have to admit it, that there's something wrong with me. And I know that one day, I'll lose it and I'll kill her and you'll hate me for it and Tori will hate me for it." She swallows and glances up at him. "Do you know how much I love you?"

Aerin Thomas: He shuts his eyes, biting down hard on his lip between the canines on the left side...hard enough to draw blood. A small nod, and his voice comes out in a shuddering breath. "I know you do, Alexis. I know."

Alexis Donovan (Home): "And you love me but not enough and i'm so tired, Aerin." She sits down, her back to the wall and the toy clutched in her arms. "I can't do it anymore...And its not just you. Its Laidan and Liam and Josh and Discard and Xu and Karlos and Ita...I've hurt everyone I love and I can't fix it and I don't don't want to do that to her."

Aerin Thomas: He shakes his head, forlorn gaze on the floor. "No, Alexis...Goddes, that's SO not fu..." He manages to stop himself. He's holding a child...their child...in his arms. "It's not true. Yes, you've hurt a lot of people. But..." He shakes his head. "There has to be a way. You can't...you can't just go."

Alexis Donovan (Home): "Thou shalt not suffer they people to tend thy sickness..."

Aerin Thomas: "Bullshit." Okay, he slipped. He looks up at her, eyes glistening as tear ducts start to leak. "If that's the case, I should've been killed months ago. The hell with that." He rises finally, looking down at her, gaze intent, even if clouded. "You...are not...a lost cause." The words come out whispered, shaking with conviction.

Alexis Donovan (Home): "I have nothing left to live for, Aerin. Everything I have is right here in this room and none of it belongs to me."

Aerin Thomas: His body stiffens, and color drains out of his face. "Goddess, Alexis. Please don't tell me you're thinking of..." He can't complete the thought.

Alexis Donovan (Home): She looks away, pressing her face into the toy's damp fur. "Take your daughter and go home to your mate."

Aerin Thomas: "You can't...please, no..." He stares at her, hopelessly, for a long moment before swallowing, a hard look coming to his face. "Don't you dare do it." The last bit is angry, though the tears starting to fall. "Don't you Goddess-damned dare, Alexis."

Alexis Donovan (Home): "Do you love me," she asks, looking up at him, her brown eyes full of pain.

Aerin Thomas: He stares at her. "Why do you even have to ask that? What have I ever done to make you think otherwise?"

Alexis Donovan (Home): "Then help me do the right thing,"she whispers, voice pleading, her eyes on his face, fresh tears falling. "You have a gun...Just leave it. Kiss me and take our daughter and go home to the woman you can't leave and let the one you can go."

Aerin Thomas: He stares at her, eyes wide, shock registering. He's simply, utterly...stunned. His mouth opens, but nothing comes out.

Alexis Donovan (Home): "I can't do it anymore. Not any of it."

Aerin Thomas: He shakes his head. No. It's just... Eyes squeeze shut, and he takes a step away. He can't be a part of this. "Stop it." It's said through gritted teeth. "Just...stop."

Aerin Thomas: ((takes a step backwards, away))

Alexis Donovan (Home): Tori whimpers and fusses, woken by the wierd sound from her mother as Lex begins to sob. There's a pause in sound from the baby and then, suddenly, a wail. Too much tension for her to handle!

Lex chokes back instantly and lifts her head, eyes wide as Tori begins to cry. "No...No, baby, don't cry...Please," she begs, fighting to stay where she is and not rush to the baby.


Aerin Thomas: He looks down to Tori and purses his lips, comforting the infant. "Shhh...honey, shhh. It's okay. Iiiit's okay, Tori..." He rocks her slightly, soothing her.

Alexis Donovan (Home): "Gaia, please," she begs, though what she's begging for even she's not sure of. Her eyes lock on Aerin and the baby and a tiny, terrified smile curls her lips. "You're, both of you, my life..."

Alexis Donovan (home): ((*staple*))

Aerin Thomas: ((Activating Persuasion))

Aerin Thomas: 9,1,1,6,1,2,5,

Aerin Thomas: ((Or not))

Aerin Thomas: He looks up at her, eyes filled with sorrow, even as he smiles for their daughter's sake, soothing Tori with slow, gentle motion of his arms. "Alexis...if..." He sighs, brokenly. "If you have to go, then...please, go. I can't understand, I really can't. But I...can't accept you killing yourself. You have a life ahead of you...you're not a lost cause, you never will be. If you have to cut ties, I guess...I guess I'll deal with that. And our daughter will grow to know of you in love, and honor. She'll know her mother...who fought so hard to live, who sacrificed her own soul, and to become well, because she loved her daughter so much, she wanted her to live. Don't make me lie to her, and say her mother gave up in the end." ((Charisma+Expression))

Aerin Thomas: ((WP))

Aerin Thomas: 3,10,2,9,2,3,

Aerin Thomas: ((Don't make me lie to her, about whether her mother gave up in the end.))

Alexis Donovan (home): "I don' wanna go I just don't know what to do anymore. Sharing you hurts...not having you hurts worse and walking away from..."She pauses to try and pull herself together. "F-from Tori...I-"

Aerin Thomas: He takes a deep breath, and does the hardest thing he's ever had to do in his life. He steps forward, moving to her, and leans in, kissing her. Deeply, tenderly, and passionately. Filled with all the love and pain he has for her. Everything they've ever shared, in one gesture, their child held gently between them.

Alexis Donovan (home): She whimpers into the kiss, one hand moving to untie his hair, the other, dropping to cup the back of Tori's head. She lets him feel, just how much she needs him and loves him and then she steps back and takes their daughter into her arms, moving to settle in the chair with her. Eyes on the baby she settles her to a breast, lifting her tank top and praying that she's hungry, needing to feel that soft, sweet mouth on her one last time.

Aerin Thomas: He stands there, watching her, watching them, giving her all the time that she needs. After a moment, he moves to take the baby stuff out to the car. He's going to need it.

Alexis Donovan (home): "I love you, my little dream," she whispers, rocking as the baby nurses, her eyes lifting to watch Aerin, drinking him in. "What am i gonna do without your daddy, Tori? Without you?" She sighs and licks the salt of her tears away from her upper lip. "A-aerin," she asks, when all the stuff is gone.

Aerin Thomas: "Yeah, Alexis?" The words come softly as he watches her, arms hanging at his side, forcing himself to stay calm despite the tracks of tears running down his face.

Alexis Donovan (home): "C'mere," she murmurs, holding out a hand to him. "Please...Touch me." She exhales softly and sniffles. "You are my mate and I am gonna miss you so much. You saved my life. Couple times now and I won't forget that."

Aerin Thomas: He nods, moving over, and takes her hand in his opposite hand, fingers curling around her thumb. He moves to her side in the chair, allowing him to hug her, hold her close, without hurting the baby. "You saved me too, Alexis. Don't you ever...EVER...forget that."

Alexis Donovan (home): She rests her head against his, curling into his side before switching Tori to her other breast. "I'm gonna miss you. I never stopped missing you. Um...In one of the boxes there are pictures of of me when I was pregnant. My mom took them...And there's a couple pictures of Tori and I at the hostpital...When she's old enough, will you show her? And when I get wherever I'm going I'll call you...Send me pictures, please," she begs, lips beginning to tremble as she fights off more tears. "And um...In the fridge, there's bottles. Enough for maybe two more days. Breast milk, just...you feed her, kay?"

Aerin Thomas: "I will, love." He nods a little, leaning up to kiss her forehead. "I promise."

Alexis Donovan (home): "I love you. Never thought I could love until I met you." Lex lifts Tori to her shoulder again and slowly rubs her back, patting gently. "Don't forget me, eh?"

Aerin Thomas: "Couldn't if I tried...and Goddess knows, I never will." He smiles to her, through tears, and crushes her cheek with his hand.

Aerin Thomas: brushes

Alexis Donovan (home): She nods and kisses his lips softly then gently lays their daughter in his arms. Lex bends and brushes a kiss to the baby's forehead then stands, grabbing her HP emblazoned mail bag and cell. "If you need me," she says, holding up the phone. "You better frelling call."

Aerin Thomas: "I will." He nods. "And you do the same." A momentary pause, and he smiles to her, love in his eyes. "You helped break my curse, Alexis."

Alexis Donovan (home): "Good." She stands there, staring at the pair of them for a very long moment, tears spilling slowly down her cheeks, a soft smile touching her lips and eyes. Then, without another word she turns, and strides purposefully from the house, the mail bag slapping against her thigh.

Aerin Thomas: He watches her leave, letting her head off, leave completely, before he looks down to Tori, smiling gently to her before he wipes his eyes. "C'mon, little girl. Let's go home." He cradles her gently as he takes her out of the house, locking the door behind him and heading to the car.

Aerin Thomas: ((Fade to black))