The day of the Jackal - Part 4

"I've been looking into Dy- into /that man/ yesterday, and I have been successful, somewhat." The Jackal told her as he leaned into his chair and crossed his legs. She nodded and looked down at her coffee cup-

She grabbed her coffee cup and sipped while her hazel eyes stared at him.  She ran her hand through her coily hair and grabbed a fistful of it.  Seeing the man who ruined her life renewed her desire for revenge, and after the good night's sleep she had, Diane was ready to focus on finding that man and killing him. She realized that her agitated sleep might have happened because of suppressed memories. For two years she stopped thinking about that man and what he did to her. For two years, it felt as if she had given up revenge altogether for something better.  

"Shoot!"

"He was always in the background during important meetings of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging. He suddenly stopped appearing in pictures a year ago, and he had never been back there. The leader of the party was not the target because he's still alive and still in power. So, if he wasn't cozying up with that man to kill him, maybe he was hired by him."

"I haven't searched for potential deaths connected to that man. Maybe, if we look into it, the leader of that party hired /that man/ to execute his enemies. I know that some journalists were onto him. Rumours had it that one of them had a smoking gun about that leader, but I haven't followed that lead."

"Would that man take on odd jobs like this? Taking care of a journalist? I thought he was more into bigger missions."

"As long as he can kill, he doesn't care about what type of job it is." -She leaned into her chair and snarled a little.- "I really need to look at odd deaths in South Africa. What bothers me is his presence here. He's usually seen in Africa or South-Asia and rarely in Europe because he knows police might connect the dots more easily and they have more resources."

"MMmhhh..."

The Jackal nodded and ran his hand over his face. He held his chin for a minute, focusing on the last words she had said to him. So /that man/ was a mercenary who enjoyed his job. It wasn't just a means for him to earn money. He was in it for the thrill of killing people. He enjoyed taking lives, and if anything, what he did to Diane was the perfect example of a man who got off of inflicting pain onto others. Toppling governments, crushing rebellions, or killing a single dissident was all the same for him, so how did she know it was his work? How could she tell that a carnage that happened was because of him? He had to know. 

"I have a question, Diane. You said that you could recognize his work from anywhere. How exactly do you do it? What makes you tick when you look at a crime scene that indicates it's his work?"

"What he did to me.... The slashed back with his machete, the two gunshot wounds... It's his signature.  There is always one victim with these wounds... Always.  And when it comes to multiple victims...He needs to make them watch the horrors he's doing to others. You can tell by the way the bodies are placed. He doesn't move them after they're killed. It's always at least one victim who is made to watch and one victim, the one he handpicked, to torture like he did to me."

"He's a sexual sadist... He always signs his crime scenes for all to see. I understand."  -Diane nodded and put both hands on the table. She tapped her fingers against the wooden table and lifted her eye to stare into his blue eyes-  "Diane. I thought about something last night while working on that case. I think you're too traumatized by our target to be able to kill him. You've tried, god knows how many times you've tried to kill him, but every time you do, you freeze on the spot."

"No shit Sherlock!" -She retorted and chewed at her bottom lip- " I'm sorry. I'm lashing out at you like that. It hurts my pride to be unable to kill him. It hurts me deep into my core to be unable to finish that job." She admitted before leaning back into her chair.- "I have to know why you want to help me. It doesn't look like you at all, Jackal."

"Diane..."

"Answer me! Why do you care that much?" -She had to ask, and since this situation forced her to reveal so much about herself, she thought that it was only fair for her to know what truly motivated him.-

"Because I want to."

"It's not enough!" -She hit the table with the palm of her hand-

"Because I like the challenge!" -He replied in a monotonous tone-

"It's not enough!" -She raised her voice and hit the table harder this time-

"Because I want to take him off the streets!" -Bullshit! He didn't believe himself, but he felt cornered-

"It's /not/ enough! Stop giving me bullshit reasons!! Why. Do. You. Care???" -She yelled. both hands hit the table and made a very loud noise that bothered him enough to reply loudly-

"It's for you!" -She blinked. He blinked. He may as well have said he was in love with her, which he didn't do. Not now.- "It makes me sick to think that the man who hurt you can still freely walk the Earth. It makes me sick to see that you're so deeply hurt, and he lives as if it didn't matter! It makes me angry! It makes me vengeful! I cannot find peace as long as he breathes the same air as you.  It makes me sick because it happened to /you/." He took a deep breath, his alabaster skin now red from the pent-up anger that exploded right before her. Diane was speechless....confused even because she couldn't make sense of what he was saying to her. -

It was simple, come to think of it. The Jackal cared about her, and the thought of someone hurting the person he cared about was enough to send him spiraling into an unbridled rage. He wanted to be the one to avenge her, the one to do what she clearly couldn't do herself. He wanted to put /that man/ down like a rabid dog for her. Alex gained nothing from this kill because he offered to help and would never accept her money. Alex had no reputation to build because he already was a big name in the business, and the two of them were already intimate, so it wouldn't be sex. No... He genuinely cared for her, and because he did, he wanted to take away the pain she felt that was embodied by that man.  She felt tears pool in her eyes, and she decided to stand up and close the distance between the two of them. 

"Alexander..." -She whispered his name, her hand slowly cupped his cheeks, and she sat on his lap. He ensnared his arms around her frame and leaned his head against her ample and soft chest- "Thank you." She pressed her plump lips to the top of his head and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.  He cared about her in ways nobody ever did, and the realization that, perhaps, that man was in love with her like she was in love with him hit her like a truck. He was doing this for love. not vanity. not greed... but Love.- "Thank you." She whispered again,  feeling comfortable in his arms. 

Alex enjoyed her body against his and couldn't fight the stir in his loins as she sat on his lap. She could feel him twitch against her, and that elicited a soft moan from her. She wanted his touch and reacted to it without thinking. Her lips peppered his skin with kisses, first his left cheek, then his left ear, then she kissed her way to his forehead while her fingers lost themselves in the luscious reddish-brown locks of his. The Jackal groaned and pulled his head back so he could have a good look at Ghost's face. He wanted more, but he also knew she didn't eat or sleep well, and that took precedence over his own desire. There would always be time for the two of them to have sex, but this morning wasn't the right moment for that. He softened his gaze and sighed deeply to signal that he was going to interrupt the beginning of a hot morning, much to her dismay. Before she could say anything, Diane heard her belly noises. She gently patted Alex's chest and chuckled. 

"No need to tell me anything. I have to eat, shower, and rest today. I'll do my part and research any strange murders here, as well as follow the trail he left in South Africa. I know you have a job in Italy, so don't worry. I'll do my part, and I'll get myself together. You do your job, and when you're back, we'll take it right where we left."

"Is it a promise?" He asked, bemused. She shook her head.-

"No. It's a spoiler. Now go grab your things; I'll handle breakfast." He chuckled and waited for her to get off of him to stand up. - 

She turned around to return to her seat, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him. Diane's hazel eyes grew wide open, and she bit her bottom lip. Alex gently cupped her cheek and stroked it with his thumb. He then pressed his lips to hers in a good, hard kiss. She moaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his waist. The kiss sent a shiver down her spine, and she closed her eyes. 

-----

"What about your wife and Son? Did you find them?" -She asked while running her finger over his chest. Her lips pressed against his nipple- 

"I did." -He closed his eyes and ran his hand through her braids. He held her scalp and started to massage it. "She's no longer my wife, Enora."

"What... happened?" She furrowed her brows. "Did you...?"

"No! No! Not like that. I found Nuria and Carlito and observed them for a month just to know what her new life was like. She had a new man who had welcomed Carlito and loved him like his own son. I saw my wife smile, even laugh. She was happy. My son was taken care of and happy, I didn't feel like... interrupting."

"You? Giving up on Nuria without a fight? I don't believe you. You talked to her, didn't you?" -He clenched his jaw and stroked her cheek with his thumb- 

"I... did. I talked to her. After a while, I couldn't bring myself not to. I needed to hear her say those words."

"Which words?" - She whispered in his ear-

"That she didn't need me anymore. That she had moved on. That she would protect our son and provide him with everything he needed without me. I put their lives in danger with my lies, and I couldn't.... I can't afford to have the life I dreamed of. Not with her. Not with our son."

"Did she tell you?"

"She told me she divorced the man she married and after so long, she realized that she had married a ghost. She loved Charles but hated the Jackal. She loved Charles but realized that she was nothing but a pawn, a cover, or even worse, a lie I told myself. Nuria was harsh but right. I couldn't... make her endure another life with me. She promised she wouldn't say anything because it would compromise their lives, but to her, Charles was dead. I didn't fight her. I couldn't... I couldn't fight her because she was right. I never was Charles Calthrop. I hoped, once, that I could fully embody him one day, but it was a dream out of reach for me."

"So you parted ways.... peacefully?" -Diane curbed a brow, and he nodded-

"I realized that I broke her trust in me, and you don't ever recover from breaking the trust of someone you love.  If they had stayed with me, I know they would have been unhappy. Caring for them would mean that I should make sure they were happy. And they were happy without me. As bad as it hurt me, it was the truth. I set them free, and I disappeared."

"Did you sign those papers?"

"What do you think? I signed them as soon as I got them, and I sent them back to Nuria so she could finalise the divorce. As of today, I am a divorcee." -He bitterly chuckled-

 Ghost leaned her cheek against his chest. He was far more upset at the situation than he let on. Could she blame him? He had genuinely loved Nuria and their son, and losing them hit harder than he expected. Of course, it would hit hard. Deep down, however, she felt reassured to know that he was a single man with no ties that could leave her and break her heart. Selfish? Yes, she was selfish. At this moment in their relationship, Ghost didn't want the Jackal to leave her. She enjoyed his company, far more than she cared to admit. She wanted to spend more time by his side, and she knew that with a family waiting for him, his attention would never fully be on her.  She bit her bottom lip and leaned into his chest a little harder. Why did she feel this relief over this information? She didn't want him to see her face, so she kept it close to his chest. 

"Then you are free to break my heart anyway you please." -She said in a teasing tone.-

"As if I intended to do such a thing. Enora... I am content with the life we're leading right now."

"You can't blame a girl for trying to prepare herself, Charles." -She pressed a kiss to his chest and closed her eyes- "I'll keep you to your word then. to leave Nuria and Carlito alone so they could have a chance at being happy. I'll keep you to your word."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I don't want you to suffer. Going back would hurt you more than anything, and more importantly, it would hurt them more than anything. I'm looking after you, here."

"How generous of you..." He said, giving her a light kiss on top of her head. "I appreciate it."

And he genuinely did. He could tell she was sincere and wanted to protect him from potential heartbreak. Ultimately, she was right about something: his life with Nuria and Carlito was over. He knew best than to hold onto an old dream. Here, in her arms, Alexander Duggan felt comfortable and safe and it was all that mattered for him. 

-TBC-

GoT (regular): A snake getting closer -theo xBäahal-

GoT (regular): A snake getting closer -theo xBäahal-

Theodore Tyrell couldn't stop himself. He needed to see the princess again, especially after the dance number she did at Highgarden a couple of months ago. He managed to track her down this time at Winterfell. Arranging a trip to Winterfell wasn't difficult because he needed to visit the lord of Winterfell. Making sure that he would be there at the same time as the princess was another challenge, but he managed to get it. He found her at the balcony of the ballroom, and upon laying his eyes on her, the heir of the House Tyrell swallowed a lump. The princess was mesmerizing! Her silver hair was cascading down her back and flattered her calves. 

She looked as if she were crowned with silver, which caught his attention. She heard his footsteps and turned on her heels to face and greet him properly. She was wearing a beautiful black cotton dress with a red dragon stitched on her chest and long black gloves to protect her from the biting cold.  Her hair had two long braids that kept her wild silver locks from bothering her face.  He looked at her delicate features and lovely soft and plump lips, and for a brief moment, Theo's knees almost buckled. She was impossibly beautiful, so much so that he believed she was not real.  Bäahal tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing a little bit because she was trying to remember when she saw that man. After all, he felt familiar.

"Greetings, lord Tyrell. I have been informed of your visit and wanted to greet you properly."

"Greetings, your grace." He respectfully bowed to her and gently crossed the distance between them. He grabbed her gloved right hand and pressed his lips to its back before he released it. "I am thrilled to meet you again. I never had the chance to tell you how delightful your dance was. I understand that you don't always perform in public, but it was an honor to watch you dance that night."

"Oh, you enjoyed the dance? I am very glad that you did! It was my way of thanking the host and rekindling my love for dancing. Thank you, my kind lord, for your encouraging words." She gently nodded and put her hands back on the balcony.

"I couldn't get my eyes off of you, your grace. I can't seem to find the right words to describe how beautiful it was. Your grace, I hope you will dance again for us." -He smiled at her- "I have to say.... Since that day, I have wanted to see you again. I didn't think it would be possible, yet here we are."

"You're flattering me, Lord Tyrell. I am but an ambassador for the queen, and because of this, I am always on the road. I would have met you again, eventually."

"But I'd rather have you here where there would be no one to interrupt us." -He let it slip that he wanted more than just pleasantries and superficial connection. It was not as subtle as he wished to be, but he was hopeful the princess would get his drift.-

"......" -She swallowed a lump and pinched her lips together for a moment- "Is there something you want to say to me, Lord Tyrell? I am not sure I understand what you meant by 'interrupt us.' " -She decided to play coy, which made the young man smirk and chuckle. Alright, she would be harder to get, which he had to expect from the princess of the Seven Kingdoms, after all.-

" I simply wish to get to know you better. I hope that the few days spent here would allow us to become familiar with each other." -He wanted to slip his arm around her shoulders and push her against his chest, but he knew better than to act so defiantly.-

Instead, he chose to be a little bit mysterious so she would be interested in him.  Bäahal, unlike Theodore, did not catch his intention. Unfortunately, her experience with men was severely limited to those who didn't try to hide their intentions to her. She knew when a man desired her because they had lust in their eyes and acted in such a way that she couldn't mistake their desire with anything else. She knew when a man wanted to possess her but couldn't see when he was flirting or genuinely in love with her. That explained why she interpreted Jaime's attempt to protect her from loving him as full rejection.  That explained why it took Jaime to spit it out clearly for her to realize that he was in love with her just like she was in love with him. If it wasn't spelled clearly, she couldn't see it. She didn't have the tools to notice when someone wanted a relationship with her. 

"Then, we will take the opportunity of these couple days together to get to know each other better. I am sure you have extraordinary stories to tell. So we would discuss at dinner with our host and maybe during the day if we're both off-duty. It was pleasant seeing you again, but I think I would retire to my quarters until dinner. I wish you well." -And she left-

Theodore was far more complex than others gave him credit for. There was desire for Bäahal, a strong lust that held him in a chokehold from the moment he laid his eyes on her. There was also a genuine affection for the princess, based on what he heard about her -her bravery at the siege, her straight-forwardness, and that child-like innocence that made her appreciate the little things in life- and on what he saw of her -her uncanny beauty that blinded him when he first laid eyes on her, the way she laughed, the way she danced and that warm gaze of hers whenever she looked at chidlren-. He wanted her. Carnally, biblically, and fully. He wanted her!  He heard rumours of her being betrothed to the filthy Kingslayer Jaime Lannister. It baffled him that she would choose to be with that man, regardless of how much hated he was in the Seven Kingdoms. He had to see for himself why someone like her would pick someone like him. He had to see if there was a way to sway her in his favor and to show the princess that there were more deserving men out there. He had to. 

 

Doya: Saving lives

 Oya ran her hand through her curly hair and leaned into her chair.  The current case they were working on together with Dean was far more complex than she first thought it would be.  She stroked her chin and furrowed her brows.  It always was easy when the monsters were not humans. It was easier to fight them and easier to put them down. What was more difficult was when humans were involved in the evil they fought. Oya and Dean always tried to reason with them -unless these bastards willingly killed humans, kids, and babies-. They would always try to convince them to stop whatever incantations and rituals they wanted to achieve. More often than not, Dean and Oya managed to make these humans stop whatever shit they were trying to do but a good chunk of them were hardcore believers in Evil. They were rotten inside, and the only way to protect lives was to treat them like they treated most of the monsters they fought. They had to kill humans. Oya hated it, not because she did the right thing and helped rid the world of scums. 

She hated it because it reminded her that humans could sometimes be worse than monsters. Humans knew better than to hurt others, and yet, some of them chose to do it. In this case, she honestly believed that the humans in there were evil. They were in a cult and wanted to sacrifice human lives to summon a lord of Hell to Earth. She knew they wouldn't be reasoned with, and the only way to deal with them would be to kill them. She dropped her head against her arms and sighed deeply.  She hated to take lives, but it sure looked like she would have no other choice but to do it if she wanted to save lives.  The hunter looked at her husband and bit at her bottom lip. Her hazel eyes stared at Dean, who knew what was troubling her. He had watched Oya in these circumstances. He knew that she was emotionally torn between her duties and her desire to protect human lives. He sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. This case would be dealt with like all the other cases they worked on. What mattered was that they saved lives, and if they had to take down some humans while doing so, then they were prepared for it.  Oya made a little bit of noise and leaned into his touch, feeling comforted by his presence. They would focus on saving lives. She would focus on saving lives. 

COPG: Life and Death of Ishtar: he was ready to put an end to it.

COPG:  Life and Death of Ishtar: he was ready to put an end to it. 

Ishtar didn't wait for Ayasha to be ready and instantly teleported to the location she gave him.  He needed to see for himself the truth of her words. As soon as he arrived, he noticed how unusual the place looked. How come this place was such a wreck in the middle of tall buildings? It was completely taken over by flowers, vines, and other vegetation that made it look like a wild garden.  The naked eye could be fooled and would think that it was a genuine natural event, but he knew better. He could see the essence of his sister all over the place. He could literally see it on the floor mixed with the cum of that disgusting beast that was the Sin. He could see her godly essence at every corner of the former room, at the feet of every plant that grew from the blood of humans. He could see her influence and her essence lingering in this garden as well as the thoughts and emotions of the mortals who died within those walls.  They had sex there.  He could smell her. He could feel it in his bones, what had transpired in this room. It was as if the scene was playing in his very eyes. -courtesy of his beloved sister's essence-. 

He felt the jaws of jealousy seize his heart and squeeze it hard as he looked over the whole scenerie. He could see his sister, laid on the floor, legs open for all to see. He could see it now, the cock of the Sin sliding in and out of his beloved sister. He could hear her screams, the choked moans as she would beg for more. He could feel how depraved that event was despite being unable to see what had exactly unfolded. All he could feel were the desires from the mortals slain here. He could feel their desperation for the goddess, their lust mixed with anger and bloodlust. He could feel them lose their minds and kill each other in the name of Elpis. It wasn't just her mere presence there that caused such a ruckus. No. She actively influenced them to give everything to her as tributes. They worshipped her, plain and simple, and she turned their lives upside down. If anything, life booming in this secluded place, turning the building into pieces, was a testament of her power.  Elpis had nothing to do with the meek goddess they convinced her to be. She was reclaiming her power, and that was easy to see. 

Ayasha finally arrived, her blonde vessel dropped in nothing but a white and gold toga. She noticed the scenery and quickly came to the same conclusion as Ishtar. It was Elpis' doing. This place reeked of her essence, and the display of power was obscene but willful. Her dear sister wanted them to find it and to know that she was able to roam the Earth without being noticed by Ayasha's spies. It also was a way for her to showcase her power and influence on mortals. She had tapped into the destructive side of Life, as those trees that grew from the pools of blood and entrails on the floor testified. She had made such a bold and flamboyant move that Ayasha understood the gravity of the situation. Elpis was in control. For the first time in a long time, she was the one calling the shot, and worse than anything, she had vanished from their eyes and could strike at any moment. Ayasha swallowed a lump. 

"Brother-mine. If anything, this is Elpis' declaration of war."

"Do you think I don't see it? She's taunting us with her display of power!" -He roared. His voice boomed in this makeshift garden. Ayasha swallowed a lump and bit her bottom lip-

"Ishtar... She is more powerful now than she's ever been. She grew trees and vines and flowers from inside a building. She tore this place into a million pieces and turned it into a garden. You can see it, can't you? Her influence? Humans worshipped her to the point of killing each other and themselves in doing so. They gave her everything, from their essence to their lives, and she took every last bit of it.  I think we do not need more evidence than the ones we already have. She is coming for us and we should be ready for it. She knows her way around the Prima Donna so..."

"Ayasha, I can feel fear squeeze your throat." -She dropped her head, blonde locks fell on her chest-

"I am afraid, brother-mine. I can admit it. I am afraid she would come and snuff us out of existence like she did the Sumerian Pantheon. I do want to live. So please... Please... I need to know that we're going to win this war." -Ishtar's face softened as he heard his sister's pleas. She must have been genuinely desperate for her to admit how scared she was. He realized that at this moment, he was the only one who could bring her some sort of comfort-

"I promise you that." 

He pulled her into a tight hug because he thought that she needed to be held in his powerful arms. Deep down, however, He was extremely angry. Jealousy had eaten him alive, and all he wanted was to find the Sin and kill him for good. He couldn't bare the thought of that abomination fucking his sister. He couldn't bare the thought of her debasing herself with Pride in front of an audience. He had to put an end to it and he was willing to rush things over. 

Klasma: jealousy

Lucius finally found the Hybrid and his witch. He decided to watch them from afar as he wasn't ready for a direct confrontation just yet. It irritated him to watch her smile as if she had no care in the world. She was smiling and laughing with that abomination. She held his hand and gave him a warm smile, far warmer than she ever gave the werewolf. He noticed her arousal in the way she was giving small pants and sighs. He noticed the way her cheeks turned darker as she blushed, and he noticed the way her chest heaved up and down at a fast pace.  It made him feel a pang in his heart as jealousy was taking over. It should have been him. She should have felt this way for him, not for Klaus Mikaelson! Who did he think he was? Just because he was an Original and the first Hybrid didn't give him the right to look down on others. Lucius had been a general; he had marked his times. What had Klaus done if not ruin the world for the rest of them? Klaus was nothing but blood, sweat, and tears. He was nothing but a fraud, and the sight of him was killing him. Lucius' blue eyes wandered from her face to her cleavage, and he noticed how elegant yet tantalizing she looked. 

His eyes couldn't tear off of her curves or the soft skin of her neck. He wanted to bite it. He wanted to mark her and make sure that Klaus knew she was Lucius's and no one else's. It was irritating him to watch as she was practically begging Klaus to fuck her that night. Her eyes were almost glowing. She kept biting her bottom lip and touching her neck as if she wanted to invite him to bite her and taste her blood.  Her natural scent was being overtaken by the scent of her arousal, and it was taking his whole attention not to give into his own arousal. The werewolf was on edge. His breathing was labored. He was holding onto his beer, and his right leg was bouncing against the table. He wanted to turn and pounce on her. He would have if Klaus was not here. He would have pushed her against a wall and would have tried to have his way with her. Why didn't he do it when she was still in his care?  Perhaps he cared too much about her comfort to indulge his own desires, or perhaps he hoped she would give in to him without him making efforts to get it. Either way, he didn't do anything, and now she had left him and belonged to another. Insulting! 

He couldn't bear the sight before him. He couldn't bear watching Klaus touching /his/ witch. He couldn't bear the sight of her nearly in heat without being the one to quench her thirst. He couldn't! He wanted to be the one to push everything on that table off of it so he could bend her over the table and slide his cock inside her tight little cunt. He wanted to growl in her ear, obscenities that would come to him naturally. How many times did he accidentally hear her jerk off in her room? How many times did he hear her wet fingers slip in and out of her wet cunt at night? He wanted to be the one touching her. He needed to be the one to make her moan and squirm. He knew she tasted good, but he wanted to taste it himself. He was plagued with daydreams and fantasies of the witch bouncing on his thick cock, scratched by his claws, bruised because he wouldn't go easy on her, her mind completely wrecked because of the pleasure he would give her. He wanted to see her in her full glory. He needed to, but the reality of things painted a different picture. He lost her because he wanted to use her as a weapon and made it clear to her rather than being subtle about it. He lost her because he didn't treat her correctly. 

He lost her, but he needed to make things right. 

He needed to take her back, and it would start by getting rid of Klaus Mikaelson. 

Now, the only thing missing was a plan to make it happen. 

TB: It's a cruel world, Sara -Sage x Sara-

"What's your goal, Sara?" -Sage's voice pierced the silence nicely settled in the laundromat.- 

It startled Sara, who gasped and turned around to face the person talking to her. It was a familiar face, despite never having met in person. Sara was certain she had already seen her somewhere, maybe on TV. As her mind tried to figure out the identity of the person talking to her, her eyes never left her.  The woman before her was wearing a long grey T-shirt and a pair of khaki cargo pants. She seemed innocuous, but something sinister was pervading the air. Sara knew by then that people were always more than they looked. She addressed her by name and stood there alone, confident as if she knew something she shouldn't. As if she had figured Sara out. Being careful, the singer decided to play dumb at first. 

"I'm sorry, have we met before? I don't remember you." She plastered a fake smile on her lips and decided to treat her like a fan of Unnamed Girl who had found where the megastar lived-

"We've never met; that's why.  I think I haven't been clear enough before, so let me rephrase my question. What's your goal with Homelander, Unnamed Girl?"

Sara froze. How did she know her secret identity? Who was this woman? Her eyes grew wide, and she took a couple of steps back, hitting the washing machine with her back. The woman who was wearing dreadlocks had a pair of sunglasses on and seemed so nonchalant about everything that crossed the distance between the two of them, making Sara feel cornered. She could have left right now, but if she exposed her powers, it would confirm to the woman that she was Unnamed Girl, and that was something Sara didn't want. 

"I am not Unnamed G--"

"Stop playing with me. I know that she's your alter ego, Sara. I also know that you're dating Homelander. Did you really think that it would go unnoticed by me? I get it; you started seeing each other before I was recruited. I get it. you wanted your relationship to be secret so you wouldn't have to deal with Ashley and her schemes or the press and their bullshit. I get it. But now? I need to know exactly what that relationship you have is about."

Sara panicked. She couldn't help but frantically start to tuck her hair behind her ears.  She didn't know how to get herself out of that situation because she felt exposed. Even if that woman was bluffing, Sara's reaction betrayed the truth. She couldn't keep her hands off of her hair and couldn't pretend that this woman before her was talking nonsense. What did she want? Sara was starting to wonder if she wanted money or maybe power over her. Should she kill her? The laundromat was empty right now, but it only was a matter of time before someone came back in. It was too risky to try anything and she couldn't fucking focus on her powers to use them correctly. Instead, she was frozen on the spot and unable to tear her eyes off of the woman. Where did she see her again? Her face was way too familiar for her to ignore.  Sara's eyes went from left to right and she looked up to her face. Sage! She was Sister Sage! She was the most intelligent person in the whole world, and lying to her was fruitless. 

"I remember where I saw your face. You're Sister Sage!"

"Sage! Just..... Sage." She dryly said.

"Sage! I knew it!" She ran her hand through her hair and chewed at her bottom lip.- "Why are you here?"

"I am the one who asked you a question first! " she pointed out and crossed her arms above her chest. "So be a good girl, Sara, and answer me!" 

"Why do you care?"-Sara defiantly asked, her black eyes slowly turning purple. Sage didn't budge. She expected Sara to try and show some bite, so it made her grin-

"I like to know things, especially about Homelander. I'd also want to know your end goal with him."

"My end goal?" -Sara scoffed and lifted a brow.- "My end goal? Not only do you come here, uninvited, but you start to spout my secret identity out loud because you fucking want to show off that you have a big brain? And you dare accuse me of having an end goal with the man I'm dating?? Sis, I'm sorry but I'm not giving you a pass because you're his right-hand man or whatever bullshit you're doing over there!" She straightened up, furious by the implication that she was not genuine with Homelander. She was, and she refused to be treated like a thief or a gold digger. Sage curbed a brow and then started to laugh-

"Am I supposed to be scared right now?" -Sara wasn't terrifying, at least not with the current display of emotions. If anything, it indicated that she had some spunk and an ego sufficiently big for her to react the way she did. Good! Sage could work with that.-

"Bitch, cut the crap! You think that I'm not a threat, that I'm a coward who would rather leave than fight, and in most cases, you'd be right! I don't like to get involved in bullshit and even less to put my life in danger. But here's where you're wrong about me! I don't play when it comes to kids, to Ryan, and to Homelander!" Her eyes flashed a bright purple light, and she pointed to the washing machines that started to shake. She was ready to use her powers against Sage if that could put that threat down. Sage didn't flinch, but she made mental notes about the whole situation-" You want to know what's the deal with Homelander and me? He's the man I love. He's the man I want to live with until one of us or both of us die. He's the man I will protect at /any/ cost! So let me make myself perfectly clear! You're not going to threaten me and get away with it! You're not going to threaten him with my life, and you're certainly not going to use me for whatever petty gain of yours!" 

Sara's anger was palpable. The washing machine at the extreme right of her started to crumble into itself, crushed by the supe's telekinesis. Sage realized that she had struck a nerve rather than intimidated Sara, which made her reconsider her approach to the young woman. She put her hands up, in a clear sign of surrender, and shook her head. No. She didn't want to threaten Sara when she came there. She wanted to see how the woman would react under pressure, and she also wanted to know how serious this relationship with Homelander was. Sara answered both her questions with her reaction, and in a bid to calm the supe down, Sage tried to appear harmless to her. She was bothered a little bit because, despite her beauty, Sara was far from being an airhead. She clocked her act rather quickly, and that could prove to be bothersome in the future. Could it be that her time at the orphanage helped Sara see past the smoke? Her reflection would have to be paused to calm Sara first. 

" Calm down. I didn't want to offend you. It's just that Homelander has been really secretive regarding his relationship with you. He has not said a thing to the seven and has not said a thing to me. I figured it out by myself, and I wanted to know exactly what was going on between you two. I'm not Ashley, I don't care about PR, and I don't want to get in the way of your relationship. But you have to be prepared, Sara. Our enemies aren't a walk in the park. Butcher and the Boys, if they learn about your existence, they are going to use you as a pawn. They'll turn you into a bargaining chip for Homelander."

"Do you think I don't know that? Even without Homelander, I already had my fair share of enemies. Some I even dated. I'm not so blind or naive to think that the most powerful man in the world doesn't have enemies who would want him dead. I know, Sage. I know about the boys, and I know that I have a target on my back because I love Homelander. I even started training more seriously just in case."

"Impressive.... But that's not enough. It's a cruel world, Sara, and if you aren't careful, you'll be swallowed whole." -She sounded almost sympathetic, but Sara felt nauseous upon hearing the woman talk. Nothing she said was genuine. Nothing she said was meant with actual care for her. She did perceive some condescension and that pissed her off-

"Oh! Here you go, lecturing me about the evil of the world as if I didn't know that already. Do you think I was born with a silver spoon in my fucking mouth? Do you think I don't know how cruel that world is already? Quit with he fake concern! I know you don't care! You come here and judge me because what?  Girl, I was given Compound V at 3 years old! I survived that shit! My powers manifested at 5! I relentlessly trained because my parents wanted me to become their cash cow. Did you think they loved me? Mom was too enamoured with money and dad with fame to give a shit about me. My family? They are a bunch of hypocritical religious nuts. They abused me and refused to take me in when my folks were killed by Vaught. I won't even give you the joy to know what happened to me from the moment I stepped into that orphanage up until today! But I have seen up close and personal how cruel this world can be, and I refuse to let it stop me from being happy!  So cut the fucking crap and tell me exactly why you're here."

The washing machine she crushed crumbled again, leaving nothing but a flat blob of metal on the floor. The electric surge made the lights flicker, and the other machines kept shaking. Sara wasn't joking anymore, and Sage realized that if she lost complete control of the situation, perhaps Sara would actually hurt her. So she took a deep breath and kept her hands up. 

"Touché! You're far clever than I gave you credit for, and I apologize for underestimating you. You're right. I wanted something when I came here. At first, I wanted you to stop seeing Homelander because I thought you were a liability to him. but after meeting you, I changed my mind and wanted to see if you were ready to face the ugliness lurking in the dark."

"And what do you think, Sage?" -Sara emphasized her name as if to tell her that she wasn't scared of her. Sage grinned and put her hands on her waist-

"I think you have some spunk. You are determined to protect Homealnder, and it was what I wanted to see. I do have to warn you though, Butcher has lost his freaking mind and if he gets his hands on you, you're as good as dead."

"I will give him hell then." -Sara's response was almost immediate. She then narrowed her gaze and pinched her lips together- "I am not convinced that you've been really truthful with me. It's fair; nobody ever bares their soul to anyone. I wouldn't blame you for wanting to protect yourself. However, Sage, if I see that you're using Homelander and you would not hesitate to throw him under the bus, I will make sure that you won't be able to use that brain of yours for the rest of your life. So be careful, sis.... Thread carefully." -Sara grabbed her bag of clean laundry and walked past Sister Sage.- "And one more thing. If there is a leak about my true identity, I would know it is you, and I will come for you. So you better keep your mouth shut!- She said before she left the laundromat in a hurry. 

Sage curbed a brow and shrugged. This whole exchange really went sideways, didn't it? She thought she had the upper hand and had managed to scare the singer, but it backfired on her. In truth, Sage was a bit flabbergasted at the reactions she got out of Sara Richardson, but she also learned new valuable information. Sara was genuinely in love with Homelander, given how far she was ready to go to protect him. She also was far more cunning than Sage gave her credit for, which meant that if she wanted to use her as a pawn, she had to change the way she went about it. She had to plan better. Sara was quite a traumatized person, which she could exploit for her benefit. After all, she lacked love and, given her career of choice and determination to keep her private life protected, it was clear that she didn't want to disappoint anyone. A people-pleaser? Much certainly! She had some bite, but Sage was the smartest person, and she knew exactly how she could use it to her advantage. It was a little challenge, which brought a smirk to Sage's face. 

-TBC-

Peaky Blinders: She couldn't be there for him.

Mary leaned against the dining room door. Her arms were crossed above her chest, and she held a glass of wine.  It had been weeks since she last saw Tommy Shelby, and she had no bloody idea of where he was or what he was doing. Polly told her that it was business related, and Mary took it at face value but somehow.... She knew something was wrong. He had been spending more time away from home, and when she managed to see him, he was having more and more trouble hiding the fact that he couldn't keep track of time. He simply couldn't. Was he sick? Was he overwhelmed? Mary had no way to know the answers to her questions, and it was starting to weigh on her. Most people would say it was because she felt lonely, and, truth be told, she did feel lonely at times.  However, her worries were more about Tom's whereabouts and if he was doing well or if he needed help. They survived several attacks on their family, and Mary was still worried that Tom found his match and lost the fight to this person. So yes, she was worried about him more than she felt alone. 

It was well into the night, so Charlie was sleeping already, but she still remembered his disappointed face when she told him that his father was not home for the night. He didn't put up a fight and simply shrugged his shoulders. "Daddy is never home. I guess we'll have to wait." She tried to comfort him, but no matter what she told this little boy, she could see his pain. He knew his father was working hard to provide for them, but he still wished he could see him more often. Tommy was starting to feel like a stranger, and Mary was horrified.  She had to have a conversation with Tom. She had to tell him to at least talk to his son and be in his life in one way or another instead of being a ghost.  They had talked about it, about Tom's desire to be different from his father. He always wanted to be there for his children, to do right by them, and to be present, but Life had a funny way of bringing reality down on you. The truth was, Tommy couldn't be present in the lives of those he cared about. He couldn't because of his enemies. His "business," as he called it, was dangerous and lethal. He had to be careful; he had to take the danger away from his child and woman, and to do that, he couldn't always be home.  That was one reason, but the other one was that Tom couldn't stay home. He was a black stallion, and he needed his freedom. He needed to wander otherwise, he would wither away. 

She shrugged and took a sip of her wine. Tommy had always needed to wander the Earth, and she understood his need. She refused to have him bound to their home with little freedom! Of course, she wouldn't want him to be miserable!  But Mary wanted Tommy to have a relationship with his son. She wanted him to have a family of his own, not just by title or blood but because he would spend time with them. She wanted him to be in pictures with his son. She wanted Charlie to have memories with Tom and to be able to revisit them. She wanted Tom to watch his son grow into a man and be present in his life the way his own father never was.  She needed to make sure that they had a life and that it wasn't just a fever dream. Maybe she resented being alone more and more as time went by. He loved her, and a part of her thought that maybe it was enough. He loved her... even if he was not there. He loved her, and she shouldn't be asking for more than what he gave her. 

After all, she was a widow... A young one, but still one. Maybe she shouldn't be dreaming about getting married and having children of her own. Maybe she should just focus on the children still alive.  Mary put her hand on her belly and bit back a sob. No! She had the right to want things. She had the right to imagine a different life for herself. She had the right to be worried about him and to want him to survive. Truth be told, she knew he could kill himself at any given point. She had seen him at his lowest... The only thing Mary truly wanted was to be there for him. She wanted to be the rock he could hold onto. She wanted to be a beacon of light so he could escape the darkness of his heart. She wanted to be there for him, but he was out of reach, and he couldn't do much, and that was making her drink. She couldn't be there for the man she loved. 

She couldn't.