?Young lady, you are truly remarkable,? Ishmerai marveled at the blue-haired woman sitting across from him at the kitchen island.

Sapphire laughed heartily, but she couldn?t hide the hint of a blush that had come over her face at the compliment. ?I don?t think I?m anything special. I mean.. it?s not like I wasn?t already planning on continuing my schooling in some way, I just hadn?t been sure which way. So when I got back to there from here, I realized what direction I wanted to go in. I still love fighting and cooking and music, but combining my knowledge of modern technology from my dad?s life and the more.. ethereal abilities from mom seemed like just the right thing.? She jingled the twin silver bracelets on her wrists, ?Thus my bracelets were born. I couldn?t get back here without them. All the aberrations seemed to be fixed. But I just.. I couldn?t stay away. I had to figure out how to come back, even if it was just for a visit.?

The warmth of the gesture did not escape the knight. ?I am sure Jewell will be beyond thrilled to see you, although her heart may stop a bit as mine did for a moment when I found you knocking on the door.? Actually, the knight was mildly concerned that his lady?s heart might actually stop period.

Her youthful laughter rang through the room again. The walls soaked up the sound after having missed it for so long. There had not been much laughter in the Little Elfhame house for many months. ?I wish you could have seen your face, Merai!? So easily had Sapphire adopted her mother?s nickname for the knight. ?It was priceless. I did not think knights could be taken by surprise.?

?It does happen on occasion. I promise there shall be no repeat performances.?

?Mmmhmm.? The grin written in trouble told him that the teen planned on devoting some time to trying to surprise him again during her visit. ?So when did you say you expected Jewell back??

Ishmerai checked the clock before returning his gaze to the young lady whose eyes burned with curiosity. ?It really could be any time now. I hope she will not be much later for your sake.?

?Uhuh.? Sapphire affected unconcern as she took a sip of her coffee, asking casually, ?And where did you say she was again??

?I did not say,? the knight smiled.

?Oh come on, Ishmerai!? She set her coffee mug down a bit too harshly at that, requiring her to grab a napkin and mop up the small mess she had made. ?You?ve got to tell me where she is. Is she out with Teetee Issy on patrol or something??

?No.? The knight seemed to be enjoying himself.

?Working on one of her business ventures?? He shook his head. ?All right,? she knew she was on the right path now via process of elimination, as was her intent, ?who?s she sleeping with??

?Sapphire..?

That was enough answer for her, ?Is it my dad? Is she with the Harris of this time? Did he kick that big-breasted lady to the curb?? Her triumphant laughter was a bit premature.

?No!?

?Oh,? a little crestfallen, she sunk back on her stool and thought it over. ?She?s not with that guy Stephen, is she? Mom told me a little about him when I went back home.?

Being badgered by a persistent young woman was not a new experience for the knight. ?No no. She is not with Captain Kidd.? At least he could answer that one quite firmly and to his own relief.

?Argh!? So easily defeated, Sapphire collapsed forward onto the countertop and stared mournfully up at Ishmerai through a mess of blue bangs that cut their way diagonally across her face. ?Come ooonnnn, Merai. You gotta tell me!?

He did his best to keep his composure and kill his smile, ?If she would like to tell you, it is her place to do so.?

?But,? she insisted on pressing the matter as she sat up a little and pushed her hair out of her eyes, ?it would just be so much easier if you told me! Because if I ask her, she?s going to get all embarrassed and weirded out about it.? She could tell by the look on his face that she just needed to push a little bit more: ?And it?s not like I?m not eventually going to find out if I hang around for a few weeks, right??

?Fine.? Just as he could never resist the mother, why bother trying with the daughter? ?She is mostly likely at The Line with Kalamere Ar?Din.?

Sapphire?s posture was suddenly straight as a rod, ?With Uncle Kal?? At Ishmerai?s confirming nod, the teen bit at her cheek and settled back more comfortably on her stool again, thinking over this new information, ?Huh.? This was weird. She hadn?t really noticed any signs or hints of attraction between the two, but that had been almost two years ago now. She was pretty familiar with ?Uncle Kal?s? reputation, and her mother was surely no saint. Ishmerai watched nervously as a positively wicked grin crept onto her lips as she remembered one thing: Jewell had been Kalamere?s squire. ?Well.. he must be quite the fine swords teacher then, huh?? The eyebrow waggle was just icing on the cake.

?Sapphire,? the knight groaned with a roll of his eyes.

She was laughing too hard at her own comment to heed the exasperated look Ishmerai was leveling at her. And they both failed to notice Jewell?s arrival until she was standing in the entrance of the kitchen, eyes wide as she stared at Sapphire like she was some kind of ghost. It wasn?t quite the reunion the teen had planned, but as her laughter tapered off she managed a bright smile for her not-mother, ?Hi!?

Neither of them expected Jewell to faint dead away.

Sapphire and Ishmerai were seated at the kitchen island again, hands wrapped around mugs of coffee. The scent of cinnamon filled the air as they waited for the bread Sapphire was baking; she had only been in the house for less than a day, and her horror over the state of the pantry had been comical.

?Wow.? At the moment though, baking was far from thought as Ishmerai filled the teen in on some of what had happened since she had left. ?I wonder..? she paused, rubbing at her temple with the palm of her hand, ?I wonder if it?s the same in my time. I wonder if they?re really gone.?

?It is possible,? Ishmerai confirmed. ?It could explain, in part, why your mother has failed to save them the times she tried.?

Her grip tightened on the mug of coffee. ?That?s just not fair! How could they do that to them? To her? Why??

The knight shook his head, ?Questions we have asked ourselves many times, Sapphire. There is not always an accounting for the evil in this world.?

?It?s just not fair,? the teen mumbled this time, slouching in her chair.

?What?s not fair?? Jewell asked, standing in the doorway of the kitchen and covering a yawn. She looked between them a moment before it dawned on her. ?Oh,? her tone was suddenly empty.

Sapphire didn?t say anything. Instead, she crossed the room and wrapped Jewell up in a tight hug just as the tears started to fall freely down the Faerie?s face.

?Wake up wake up wake up!? Sapphire jumped on the edge of Jewell?s bed, bouncing on her knees.

?Whaaa-- why?? Jewell couldn?t even remember the last time she had been woken up so rudely by an exuberant youngster. She pulled the blanket up over her head. ?Go away.?

?Nope!? Sapphire tore the blanket away, grinning widely. ?No can do. We?ve got someplace to be.? The drowsy Faerie grumbled something far from complimentary under her breath, causing the teen to laugh, ?Maybe later. For now, get up. You have exactly fifty-three minutes to pack and then we?re leaving!? With that, the blue-haired terror bounded off the bed and headed for the door.

Jewell rubbed at her eyes, staring groggily after Sapphire as she sat up. ?Leaving??

Much to Sapphire?s delight and Jewell?s consternation, an hour and five minutes later had them standing in a unfamiliar travel agency, waiting to be portaled to some posh beach resort. ?Could have just asked Kal to get us there,? The Empress grumbled. She was not used to waiting in lines!

?Your boyfriend isn?t invited,? the teen teased the curmudgeonly Jewell.

?Not my boyfriend,? she shot back, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. For a time, she returned to the pleasant thoughts of her last vacation, which just happened to be with the tall, half-elf. The line inched forward, bringing them closer to the portal point. ?Who is paying for all this by the way??

Sapphire laughed, ?You.?

?Unbelievable.?

Several hours and half a dozen frosty drinks at a beach bar later, Jewell didn?t seem to be complaining anymore.

The sun was just going down; the faltering rays just enough to warm their mostly bare skin as they lay on the beach blanket. The small, rippling waves lapped at the sand not too far from their feet, calling to them.

But they ignored that call for now, choosing the company of each other instead.

?So are you really just friends?? Sapphire asked, lying on her side with her head pillowed on her folded arm.

Jewell rolled from her side onto her back, her blue hair fanning out a bit in the sand. ?It?s kind of complicated.?

?Complicated how? Either you?re just friends or you?re not. You?re something more.?

Ahh to see the world so simply! ?Then I guess we are just friends.?

?Hmph.? Sapphire didn?t seem satisfied with this answer for some reason. ?How long have you two been sleeping together??

Jewell groaned dramatically at this line of questioning, ?Ugh! I don?t know. A year??

?What?? the teen sat up quickly with the exclamation. ?How can you sleep with the same person for a year and just be friends??

She covered her face, shaking her head slowly. ?I don?t know.? Her hands slid down so she could peer up at the girl whose body blocked the sinking sun. ?We just are.?

?Uhuh.? Sapphire was clearly not convinced. She threw herself back onto the beach blanket, staring silently at Jewell for some time. ?Is that how he wants things to be??

?Yes.?

She pressed her lips together, smooshing them side to side before asking, ?Is that how you want things to be??

?Yes? No. I don?t know. It?s fine. It works. Why change it?? Jewell turned onto her side, asking the question of the teen honestly.

?I don?t know. Don?t you want something more from him then just wam-bam-thank-you-ma?am??

Jewell laughed. ?It?s not quite that concise and honestly? I don?t think I do. I think I?m okay with it because?? her brow scrunched together as she tried to put it into words. ?It?s like, for the first time? All someone wants is me. He doesn?t want promises of a future together. He doesn?t need the sordid details of the past. He?s not looking for a little wife that will have a nice house for him to come home to with dinner all set up. He?s not asking for kids or a family. No ?until death do us part?. Just me. Just my time and attention whenever it's convenient for however long we?re both enjoying it.? She looked earnestly at Sapphire, ?How can I not be okay with that??

?Hmm.? Sapphire rolled onto her back, thinking that over for a few minutes. ?So what are you going to do when he decides he enjoys someone else?s company more than yours??

?Hmmm..? Jewell drew the sound out, considering. ?Probably kill her.?

They both laughed.

Jewell hummed as she and Sapphire stood in the kitchen, packing up plates into boxes. The sooner she was out of the large house in Little Elfhame the better, and Jewell was glad to have a friend to work with, especially with the lingering effects of the concussion Anubis had given her. With an oomph, she set one full box down on the floor for Ishmerai to move later.

She pushed a bunch of purple hair off her bruised face, the summer heat making the room a bit oppressive. ?Can you get me one of those Badsiders??

?Sure.? Sapphire turned away from the box she was putting together and grabbed one of the two remaining bottles from the six pack they had been working on all day. With a touch of magic, she made it nice and chilly before tossing it to Jewell.

The Empress caught it with ease, smiling at how cold it was. ?Thanks Manda.?

Sapphire froze, another plate to be packed already in her hand, and stared at her.

Jewell panicked. ?Sapphire. Thank you, Sapphire.?

The teen slammed the plate down on the kitchen island, breaking it in two, and stormed out of the room. Jewell just watched her go, jumping a minute later when the front door slammed shut.

When Sapphire didn?t come home by the next evening, Jewell sent Ishmerai out looking for her.

The knight had two guesses of where he might find her. The first one didn?t pan out, but he got lucky with the second. ?Mother of Nature, she is worse than both of them,? he muttered as he gazed over the crowd at her.

?Come on folks! Fight the daughter of ten time Diamond Harris D?Artainian.? Sapphire shouted over the raucous din of the club, turning about slowly in the ring. Her blue hair was pulled back and arms up and open, inviting someone to join her. ?Yeah, that?s right loser,? she taunted the man stumbling out of the ring, hand held up against his bleeding eye, ?I need a real opponent.?

?No one?? She completed another turn before stopping. ?Oh shit ,? she sighed.

?Come on,? Ishmerai stood at the entrance to the sunken fighting pit, nodding over his shoulder towards the door.

Sapphire sighed before moving towards him, following him out of the ring and the club.

?And this is where your room is going to be.. I think.? She had to flip the floorplans around again because they were a little confusing.

?It?s not just a guest room?? Sapphire looked around at the wide open space overflowing with light from the floor to ceiling windows.

?Of course not. The guest room is over there,? Jewell gestured vaguely to a nearby brick archway and the space behind it.

?So.. you set aside a room just for me??

Jewell looked up from the floorplans and stared at Sapphire, suddenly overwhelmed by the reminder that she didn?t get to keep her. Sapphire was not her girl, and she should not be carving out a permanent space for the teen in her life.

Then the girl closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around the woman who would never be her mother but was quickly becoming her best friend. ?It?s perfect! Oh my gosh!? She squeezed the breath out of Jewell before releasing her and gesturing wildly this way and that, ?I want a bed to go there, and an area for me to play my music there, and maybe a desk there, and we better put in some wards and protections and stuff so I can tinker with my technomagic stuff at a workbench here...?

?So the work on the Dockside ?mansion?,? Jewell made air quotes with her fingers, ?should be done by next week.? She had to consult the list in front of her to make sure she got that right. ?They?ve been working around the clock. So we?ll move in there and then the work here shouldn?t take too much time. And Ishmerai will just sleep on the couch.? She grinned at her knight from across the kitchen island.
Sapphire and Merai shared a look between them before the blue haired teen turned to face Jewell. ?That won?t really be necessary?? she started.

?What? Ishmerai, didn?t convince you to sleep on the couch, did he?? she laughed.

?Noooo,? Sapphire stated carefully. ?It?s just? I?m going back home.?

?Oh.? Silence reigned in the kitchen for a time. ?Of course.? Jewell?s smile fell before she could catch it, fingers suddenly fidgety in her lap. ?Of course you?re going back home. How silly of me. I?m sorry. I just got so wrapped up in the plans for the hotel, the mill, the gym, and now the barony.. not to mention all the stuff with the ladies. How silly of me,? she repeated lamely.

Sapphire reached out, placing her hand over Jewell?s to stop the anxious fretting. ?I?ll be coming back. Okay? This isn?t forever. This is just for now.?

?Right. Just for now.? Jewell repeated with a happy smile, unable to banish the sinking feeling in her stomach.

Sapphire spun around in a slow circle, checking out the foyer of the penthouse. She let out a low whistle. ?She?s got some pretty sweet digs here.?

When she came full circle, Jewell was standing at the bottom of the stairs just staring at her. ?What are you doing here??

?That?s a helluva greeting.? The teen smirked. ?I thought I?d come by. Check out the new place.? She acted like all it took was a stroll around the corner to get here and not a leap through space and time. ?Sign up for Madness. You know.?

Jewell just stared.

The girl glanced down, digging the toe of her sneaker into the floor. ?Merai and I also kind of figured that it?s been a year since.. well, you know. And that maybe you wouldn?t want to be--?

She stopped, stumbling back when Jewell crashed into her and practically squeezed the life out of her. ?Thank you,? she whispered.

Sapphire slowly wrapped her arms around her as well. ?You?re welcome.?

?So spill it, Merai. What?s actually been happening?? Sapphire looked at the knight expectantly, holding her mixing bowl under one arm and stirring the batter with the other.

Mornings were often their time together. This was especially true when Jewell got lost on her way home with handsome half-elves.

?What do you want to know exactly?? Ishmerai had long ago stopped trying to keep things from the teen, but he wasn?t going to offer up all his lady?s secret willingly and without filter.

?Her magic.. how did she really get it back??

?She sold her name.?

Sapphire groaned. ?Mother of Nature.?

?I know.?

?Is that why she?s all--? She waved the spoon around carefully to somehow indicate Jewell?s mental and emotional state. The knight nodded. ?No wonder. I?d be freaked out too. How stupid!?

?Pretty much.?

?Okay okay.? She?d have to get her head around that one later. ?Muirenn??

?Dead.?

?Right. She said that. How? I mean, mom did it right??

?She did. Do you know the idea behind blood bending??

Sapphire?s eyes widened. ?I didn?t know she could do that.?

He shrugged. ?Neither did I.?

?Wow.?

?It was very impressive. I do not think she has let on how much it took out of her to accomplish such a feat. Her magic has not exactly been.. perfect since she got it back.?

She nodded as she turned slightly away and started pouring the batter into a pan. ?I could tell. It seems off somehow. Flawed? Incomplete? Something.? She shrugged, unable to find the right word. He watched her without offering up any suggestions or further information. ?Okay, um.. what else??

?I believe that is about it. Muirenn put a price on her head, but I hope that will resolve itself with time since there is no longer anyone to pay the reward.?

?Gotcha. Sounds exciting.? She scraped the bowl with a spatula before offering the kitchen utensil to the knight to lick clean. Sapphire worked on the bowl itself, scraping up the remaining batter with her finger. ?How about Kal? What?s going on with that? I mean, besides the fact that they?re still sleeping together.?

The knight shrugged, too busy licking the spoon clean of lemon cake batter to answer right away. ?He let her live with him for a time while I was in Faerie.?

Blue eyebrows shot right up. ?Oh reaaaallllly?? Ishmerai smiled. ?Well then..? The mischievous glee on her face quickly faded, ?Huh. You know, I don?t actually know what to think about that. What does she think about it all? Is she totally in love with him??

?That you will have to ask her yourself.?

?You know I will!?

?So,? Sapphire turned to place some vegetables in the basket Jewell was carrying before perusing the other crates, ?who was this other guy you were making out with recently??

?Whatever do you mean?? she feigned innocence and confusion perfectly as she shifted her grip on the basket. The teen cut a knowing glance over her shoulder before continuing down the narrow row, moving on to the fruit. Jewell followed in her wake, frowning. ?You know, that knight has the biggest mouth ever.?

?Don?t blame Ishmerai. It?s not his fault you?re turning into a super slut.?

?Sapphire! I am not a..? she remembered to lower her voice, ?a super slut.?

The teen laughed. ?Uhuh sure.?

?I?m not!? Sapphire only laughed harder. ?Mother of Nature,? Jewell grumbled. ?I kiss Sinjin Fai once and now I?m a slut??

?Ahh so that was his name? Sinjin?? Silence. ?So how was Mr. Sinjin, hmm? Is he hot? Were you drunk? Is Kal just not enough for you anymore?? Jewell glared at her. ?So, did you let him get to second base??

?SAPPHIRE!?

In the hours after midnight, Ishmerai traced his usual path through the top two floors of The Mill at Little Elfhame. The penthouse was his jurisdiction. His kingdom.

Foyer, living room, library, kitchen. Make sure all the animals have food. Up the stairs. Pass right by Raye?s room. There was no way to know what extra safeguards she had added to her domicile. He moved on to Sapphire?s room and peered through the open door with every intention of urging the teen to stop tinkering and go to sleep.

The room was empty. Sapphire?s work bench was all set in order. Her guitar was leaning against her chair. Frowning, he moved down the hall to the lavish and spacious master bedroom. Opening the door quietly, he looked immediately towards the sitting area. ?Jewell, Sapphire isn?t in her??

His lady was not sitting in her favorite reading chair with a book, determined to lose herself in another world when sleep evaded her. She was not pacing the floor. The mage lights were dim. The curtains were drawn.

Jewell was asleep in her bed, curled up on her side. Her brow was smoothed out in rare, untroubled dreams. She looked small and young. As young perhaps as the girl asleep next to her. Sapphire?s hand rested on Jewell?s arm.

Marta the chicken slept at their feet. A bandage was carefully placed over the area where her pin feather had been removed during the curse ceremony.

The knight closed the door softly behind him. All was well in his world.

This time, Jewell woke her up. ?Hey, come on. Time to get up. I need you to pack.?

Sapphire sat up blearily, ?Huh?? Her face was creased by the pile of papers she had fallen asleep upon, slumped over at her desk in the middle of some project or other. ?What?s going on??

?We?re going to the beach. You have ten minutes to pack.?

?Oh.? The teen looked around, still kind of confused. She covered a yawn and then pointed at Jewell?s face. ?I don?t want to be seen in public with you lookin? like that. You?re a hott mess. Gonna scare all the dudes away.?

They spared the extra five minutes to heal Jewell?s bruises before leaving.

?Sapphire, it?s not your job to fix me. I.. I?m not fixable!?

She clenched her fists at her side. ?But I?m a tinkerer. A mechanic! I?m a mage. I can fix anything. And I just can?t stand watching you suffer.?

?I?m not--?

?Don?t lie!? She wiped the backs of her hands furiously across her eyes, angrily brushing away her tears. ?Don?t you dare lie to me! You don?t think I notice? You don?t think we all notice? You don?t sleep. You only eat when you think I?m watching. You?re jumpy and irritable. Your pessimistic as hell. You were fine when we were at the beach, and then we come back here and you just seem to slip away again.?

Jewell sunk under her words right into the nearest chair. ?What do you want me to do about it?? She asked quietly, eager to soothe her and set things right.

?Merai said you were going to a doctor.?

?I was.?

?I think you should go back.?

?Okay.?

?I still can?t believe we?re doing this. You know I can hire a gardener or something, right??

The teen rolled her eyes. ?Will you stop your bitching already and finish digging? I?m getting hungry.?

?Will you stop your bitching already?? Jewell mimicked Sapphire in a high pitched voice, prompting the girl to toss a bit of dirt her way. The Empress gasped, but she didn?t bother to brush it off her shirt-turned-dress. It was already filthy from kneeling on the ground for the last hour. ?Unbelieveable,? she grumbled under her breath as she resumed digging the last hole for the roses they were planting. Blue roses. Blue roses in a circle around the base of the tombstone which forever memorialized the seven souls she had loved and lost to Faerie.

They had never found their bodies, but Jewell comforted herself in thinking that they rested in RhyDin somehow anyway.

?Tahdah!? Sapphire wiped her hands on her jeans. ?Done.?

?Me too.? Jewell used the back of her hand to brush a loose bit of hair off her face. She stood, dirt clinging to her bare knees, and stepped back to survey their work. ?It looks good.?

Sapphire stood at her side, hands on her hips. ?It does look pretty good, doesn?t it?? She looked aside to Jewell, a little unsure. ?Do you think they?d like them??

She wrapped her arm around the teen, resting her head against hers. ?Yeah. I think they would.?

?I just don?t get it, though, Merai.? She folded her arms behind her head as they walked down the street. ?The guy flat out tells her, ?Hey, I have no intention of committing to you in the slightest but please, let?s keep having no-strings-attached sex, okay?? For two years! And she?s just okay with it??

?You feel she should no longer be agreeable to such an arrangement??

?Well.. yeah!? She gazed up at the tall knight, eyes somewhat dazzled by the bright afternoon sun. ?Don?t you think she deserves more?? Sapphire could be a little hard on Jewell at times, but it was really no secret that she really worshiped the younger version of her mother. ?I mean.. she?s kind of a hott catch.?

?My lady deserves whatever makes her happiest. If she is happy, then I accept that.?

?Hmph. I bet you don?t agree with it though.? The knight remained silent on that account. ?Whatever. I think she?s just scared.?

?Perhaps. I think it more likely that she simply cannot handle the thought of involving herself in a serious relationship. Not now. Maybe not ever again.?

?But whyyyyyyyy? My mom seems to manage just fine. If she would just give it a try, maybe--?

?Your mother has had a very good reason to make a relationship work despite whatever natural inclinations she may have felt.?

Her brow wrinkled as she failed to follow the line of logic. Ishmerai waited patiently until he could see the realization dawn on her face. ?Oh.. you think she just made it work because of me??

?I cannot provide a sure answer, but it does seem possible. I am not saying that your mother does not love your father. I have seen how the Jewell of this time feels about Harris. There is love there, but I do not believe even such love returned would induce her into a relationship or keep her involved in one she impulsively entered upon. However, you know she has a very strong sense of responsibility. If she thought it was in your best interest for her to remain in a relationship with your father, she would have done whatever necessary to overcome and bury any feelings that could place that relationship in jeopardy.?

?Huh.?

?You told me yourself that she halted her pursuit of the others when your father made it clear that it would spell the end of their relationship.?

?Yeah..? she fell silent, brow furrowed deeply.

?Remember, Sapphire, that you are not aware of all that she went through in Faerie. Even I am not. I was with her but a short time. She has not yet recovered from all that happened there. It has changed her in a great many ways. You may be right that she is scared, but would you not also agree that she has good reason to be??

She spun about, walking backwards into the park so she could face him. ?Yeah. I guess you?re probably right.?

?Do not worry so. She has a long life ahead of her still. When and if she is ready, she will find what it is that she wants.?

She sighed longsufferingly. ?I still get to throw the first punch when he breaks her heart though, right??

The knight smiled as he handed her the guitar case he had been carrying, ?Of course. I will be the one holding him still for you. Now where do you want to play today??

?Okay,? Sapphire fiddled one more moment with the orb, making sure it was positioned on the patio floor perfectly, ?I think that should do it.? Clapping her hands in excitement, she dashed back over to the outdoor couch and flopped down against Ishmerai. Jewell was leaning against him on the other side.

?Which one are we watching again??

?She only told you three times this afternoon, Mira. It is a documentary about the history of Middle Earth.?

?Oh right.? She grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it in her mouth. ?Something bout dwarves, right??

?Hobbits.? Sapphire corrected. ?And their fight against the dark lord--?

?Shh!? Ishmerai silenced them both as the orb flickered to life, magically projecting the featured film into the air in front of them. Both women settled down, properly chastised by the knight they proceeded to use as their person pillow.

?I strongly suggest you let her in.?

?Sir, that just isn?t possible,? the young man in scrubs explained to the knight before turning to Jewell. ?Ma?am, the doctor is examining her right now. If you aren?t a blood relative then I can?t--?

His words were cut short and his clipboard clattered to the ground. Jewell wrapped her little hand around his throat and slammed him back against the wall with a strength belied by her petite frame. The overhead lights flickered, the electricity disrupted by the raw energy pouring off the faerie.?I am her mother and you are letting me in that room.?

Ishmerai sighed.

The nurse made some kind of gesture that Jewell took to mean she was free to go. She released him immediately and turned to Ishmerai. ?Stay here.? Then she entered the dimly lit hospital room.

Ishmerai entered the room silently. Jewell saw the triangle of light cut across the floor and disappear again with the whisper of the door shutting. She looked up, eyes red rimmed, haunted, furious. Her sorrow and grief had already given way to unsatiated rage.

He held his hands out in a gesture of pacification until the flicker of energy died out of her hand as quickly as it had been summoned. He did not trust his lady in her savage anger. She was wild. Unpredictable. Powerful.

?I found him. He is downstairs. Room 307. There are guards on the door.?

He frowned as she stood and leaned over, kissing Sapphire on the forehead before moving to brush past him. ?Where are you going??

?I am going to have a chat with him.?

?They will not let you in, Mira.?

?I will not be asking.?

?Your magic is too unpredictable. You are too emotional to--?

?They hurt Sapphire,? she countered steadily.

It was a miracle the teen had survived, the doctors repeated numerous times. Whatever magic she had attempted probably saved her life. She had killed one person and seriously injured another. An eyewitness reported that two others had gotten away.

For now.

Four grown men to take out one teenager. They hadn?t touched her wallet. They hadn?t touched her at all aside from hurting her. They broke her skin and her bones. They cut off her beautiful hair. It was lying scattered across the small side street. Strands of blue glimmering in the lamp light.

Jewell was going to make them pay for each and every bruise. Every hurt. Every single strand of hair they had touched.

Ishmerai sighed deeply, wearier than he had been in a very long time. ?I know. I know they did. I want to make them hurt as well, but you cannot just force your way in there. It is possible that he is not even in a condition to answer your questions.?

There was a dangerous glint of glamour in her eyes. ?You?re underestimating my abilities, Merai. I will get in and I will get my answers.?

?And then what? What will you do? What if they are from the Syndicate? From Faerie? What if they were sent here by your Uncle??

They kept their voices low in a whispered, heated argument built upon all the strain of the last few days. ?I don?t care. Whoever they are, they?ll be lucky to survive the week. You,? she levelled a threatening gaze at him, ?will stay here with her.? She pointed back to the hospital bed. ?She is your sole responsibility now.?

?You cannot do this alone.?

?I?m not going to. I?m going to get a name and I?m going to get Raye. Then we?re going hunting.?

Pain. It flooded her senses. It burned so bright. It brought with it consciousness, and the consciousness brought a sudden swell of fear that eclipsed the pain.

She was being hunted. There were men after her. They had hurt her already. She gasped. She needed to open her eyes. She needed to get up and fight back! But her body felt heavy and her arms wouldn?t work. There was a weight on her chest. They were holding her down. She tried to push them away.

?Whoah whoah whoah honey.? There was a hand, cool and familiar, touching her forehead and her arm gently. Along with the touch was a soothing glamour that stilled her anxious attempts to move. ?I got you. Don?t worry. You?re safe.?

She tried to focus her eyes on the woman hovering over her. The bright fluorescent light behind her obscured her features; the dark circles under her eyes and the broken and bruised skin along the side of her face were smoothed away. The light haloed her like an angel.

An angel with very blue hair.

?Mama?? she croaked out. Her voice sounded strange, alien. Her tongue weighed a hundred pounds. It was thick and sluggish in her mouth. She whimpered as sharp pain radiated from her ribs and left leg.

?It?s okay. I?m here. Ishmerai?s on the door. No one is going to hurt you.?

She tried to lick her lips, to say something, to issue some urgent warning, but the words slipped right from her brain and her mouth refused to work anyway. ?Here.? A plastic straw hit against her swollen lower lip. ?Small sips, okay?? She did as suggested, letting the sugary soda pop flood her mouth.

The door opened and two female voices conferred with one another. It was too hard to focus on what they were saying through the pounding in her head, but she felt the cool relief of medicine trickle into her veins only moments later. It numbed the pain and the anxiety hammering away in her chest. Her eyes fluttered closed against her will, and sweet unconsciousness beckoned again. ?What if they come back?? she murmured to her guardian angel, unsure of who they even were. She just knew it was important.

Jewell?s fingers curled around her hand. ?Don?t you worry about that, honey. They?re gone. They can?t hurt you ever again.?

She believed her.

?Please just go home and rest.? Sapphire begged, covering her bruised face with her hand. Jewell?s pacing was making her dizzy. The adrenaline, lack of sleep, and coffee made it almost impossible for her to sit still for any length of time apparently. ?You?re driving me crazy.?

?Absolutely not. You need both of us here.?

Ishmerai wisely stayed out of the conversation.

?I don?t need two babysitters. All I do is sleep half the time. Besides, you?re hurt too.?

?It?s just a scratch.? She self-consciously touched the side of her face and winced. It looked like she had been dragged across asphalt.

?When?s the last time you slept??

?This morning.?

?For longer than an hour.?

She shrugged. ?I had coffee.?

?J, you need to sleep. Ishmerai can stay. You should go home and rest.

Jewell seemed to think about it for a moment before shaking her head. ?No. No no. I need to stay here.?

?Mama.? She knew she had her full attention when she called her that.

Jewell paused in her pacing and looked at the teen. It was painful to do so. Some of the bruises were turning yellow already, but her cheek was so dark it was almost black. Her hair was shorn short and uneven in places. There were bandages everywhere. Her leg was in a cast.

It broke her heart.

It made her want to kill someone.

?You said you took care of everything, right??

?I did.?

?Then I know I?ll be fine.?

?Mother of Nature, how many times do I have to sign my name?? she grumbled before scribbling Jewell Ravenlock and flipping the page on the clipboard to find the next spot marked with an ?x?.

?Can?t we leave already? I just want to go home.?

?We could leave if there wasn?t so much paperwork.? She flipped to the next page with extra verve.

?Unnngh. Can?t you fill it out any faster??

?No.?

?But--?

Ishmerai grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and pushed the teen out of the room before the conversation evolved into a full-fledged fight. ?We will be downstairs waiting for you.?

They watched the storm roll in over the city from the rooftop deck. The cool breeze off the ocean was a respite from the sweltering, humid heat that had plagued the city all day. Sapphire had taken up residency on the couch and devoured boxes of icy cups in between long naps just to keep from melting. Mr. Fitzy was guarding her at the moment while the two adults retreated outside for some air.

?It is the right decision, Mira.?

?I don?t need you to tell me it?s the right decision, Ishmerai. I?m the one who made it.?

?Yet you are still reluctant.?

She shook her head slowly. ?Not reluctant. I just know I?m going to miss her, and I know she?s going to argue the point when I tell her. But I?m not reluctant. How could I be?? She turned to the side, her cheek pressed against the chaise lounge cushion, to look at him. ?How could I be reluctant knowing that she?s still in danger??

?Are you sure that she is??

?You know she is.? Jewell turned back to scowl at the darkening sky instead of the knight. ?Whoever hired those thugs is still out there. Until I find them and finish them, she can?t be here.?

They waited until Ishmerai couldn?t hear them. ?I just don?t understand how you could let this happen! When she?s with you, she?s your responsibility. I trusted you to take care of her!?

?I didn?t just let this happen!?

?Oh you didn?t? Then why is my daughter sitting upstairs with her leg in a cast and her face looking like the Diamond used it as a punching bag??

Jewell took a deep breath in through her nose. Sapphire?s mother deserved to vent her anger. Jewell owed her that much at least. Besides, this was better than she had expected. She had expected a punch in the face. Fortunately, Blue One was out playing golf, and her alternate self seemed to have more self-control than that. Life over the last few years had clearly been kind to this Jewell. She was soft and a little curvaceous. Her eyes and smile were warm. The majority of her trials were long gone and she had clearly moved on. She was whole.

?Sapphire is an adult. I can?t protect her every moment of every day. I do try though. Ishmerai is with her more often than not. It?s just hard. I can?t smother her.?

Her companion?s anger had apparently hit its crescendo and was already ebbing. She looked away. ?I know. It is hard. She doesn?t even realize how hard.? She crossed her arms over her abdomen, practically hugging herself. The gesture was very familiar. It put her at ease to know that this Jewell was vulnerable too. ?Every time she leaves the house? I?m scared. I?m scared--?

?That you?re going to lose her just like you lost them.?

?Yeah.?

The acknowledgement of their similar struggle broke the remaining tension between them. It made her realize that maybe this other woman wasn?t so different from her. Maybe she was just better at hiding it.

Ms. D'Artainian sunk onto one of the couches in the homey living room. Jewell moved about restlessly, gravitating towards the mantle. She fiddled with one of the picture frames, picking it up to examine it. It was from some family vacation to an amusement park when Sapphire was just a little girl. She moved on. There were science fair trophies and little handprints cast in plaster. There was a triumphantly grinning Harris holding up his winnings from some Diamond Quest or other. Jewell was at his side, grinning and giving him bunny ears.

They looked happy.

?She told me you got the people who did this to her.?

Jewell shrugged as she carefully set down a frame holding the very first picture of Sapphire after she was born. Her head was covered in light blue fuzz. She was cradled in her mother?s arms.

It made her heart ache.

?First thing I did after making sure she was okay was track them down.? She turned to face the girl?s mother. ?Then I gave them to Tara to play with.?

Her lips twitched, ?And the person who sent them??

?They?re still out there.?

?I see. Any leads??

She sighed, leaving the family photos behind and perching on the edge of the couch across from her alternate self. ?No. The girls--? she paused, remembering that this Jewell did not run a small empire, ?some of the people I employ have been searching since it happened. They haven?t turned up anything. I thought perhaps it was someone from Faerie,? she could see the way the other woman?s knuckles turned white as her hands curled into fists in her lap, ?but that doesn?t feel right. It must be someone else.?

?She?s told me a little of what you do in your city. You?ve made enemies, Jewell.?

?I have.?

?But you have your magic back now.?

She nodded slowly, ?I do.?

?And you have your knight.?

Jewell couldn?t miss the tone of wistful longing attached to that statement. ?Yes. I do have Ishmerai.?

Her doppelganger shrugged. ?Then you should be fine.?

She frowned. ?I thought you might be a little more helpful than that. Don?t you have any ideas of who could have done this??

The other Jewell shook her head. ?Sorry, Empress. I really can?t fathom who it could be. I know the Temple of Bhaal is still active in your time, but this isn?t their style.?

?No. It?s definitely not them.?

?Then I really haven?t a clue. My last great challenge, aside from raising a teenager, came from Faerie. That?s been over for a long time. I?ve been very careful since then. I had to be careful. For her. I don?t make enemies. I don?t crusade for causes or defend the city from the evils that may be. We live in a nice house. She?s gone to the best schools. I do work for charities and play at being a housewife. I don?t pick fights. I get my kicks in at the duels when I feel like punching something. That?s it. Our lives have taken very different paths.?

Everything inside The Empress rejected this version of life. It seemed too boring. So sterile! There was nothing appealing about any of it except? It was Jewell?s turn to look wistful as she glanced to the stairs, thinking about the blue haired girl. ?Yours seems a lot brighter than mine.?

?Don?t rule it out of your future just yet.?

She laughed, shaking her head ruefully as she turned back to the other faerie. ?No no. There are no children in my near future or ever honestly.?

The elder Empress pressed her lips together a moment and wisely remained silent on the subject, choosing a safer topic. ?So Sapphire tells me you?re sleeping with Kalamere??

A blush raced across her cheeks. ?We?re just friends??

Unexpectedly, her companion leaned forward. ?Don?t be coy with me! I gotta know, how is he in bed? Because that man is hot!?

?Well--?

As they walked away from the house, Jewell pressed closer against Ishmerai, prompting him to sling his arm around her shoulders. The sun was shining, bees were buzzing around the blue hydrangeas in the front yard, and her heart felt heavy inside her.

Saying goodbye to Sapphire was never easy, and this time, she was the one that was walking away. It made a difference. It felt like she was abandoning the girl. Which was silly because Sapphire was safe and happy, surrounded by people who loved her. Her mother was already doting on her and catering to her every need. Her father would be home soon to spoil his little princess rotten. Her friends would be by soon with get well cards and flowers.

The teen would be fine, but Jewell wasn?t so sure about herself.

It wasn?t just leaving Sapphire behind that was weighing her down. Seeing the life her alternate self had--the happy home with family pictures hanging on the walls; the look of joy on her face when she hugged her daughter; the air of contentment, peace, and overall well-being that seemed to spill out of the woman?s very pores--nagged at a little part of her that she thought was dead. It made her notice all the things she didn?t have at home. It made her question everything she was doing, everything she wanted, and every decision she had made.

It left her feeling emptier than ever.

?Mother of Nature, Merai. I need a--?

?Hey Jewell!?