Aftermath

[Marta]

Marta told the driver where to go, and she didn’t look as they drove. Her attention all on the baby. She did think though. She had heard the bark of Ricky’s gun. She briefly looked at Marisol who seemed calm. 

They arrived at the building and Marta entered. Still carrying Lily. Immediately she spoke aloud. ”Sky - please alert Liv that Nox may be incoming soon. And he may be hurt. Also tell her I have Lily and I’m in the building.” It was an instinct. Marta knew what Liv could do and She’d rather Liv be prepared than not.

[Marisol]

Marisol let the girl take the lead. She knew where they were going after all. She had heard the gunshot as they had left, and for once was glad she wasn’t on duty. Had she been, she would have been obligated to respond. In this case - it would only be her own conscience she’d have to deal with. She was a detective and was putting pieces together. She knew what Enrique did, and she surmised that he had been a part of that. He also knew how much he cared for the girl she was with now and he wouldn’t have subjected her to it willingly. Whatever happened, had been a surprise.

Marta also had a strange dog - and it seemed different from the normal animal/human relationship even if she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. Marisol pushed that aside - she didn’t need to figure that out yet. They arrived at a building in the Red Light District - an odd place to live, but that feeling you were being watched was here. Marisol paid for the cab and followed Marta inside. She spoke to seemingly nobody and then added in something else too. ”Sky - also inform Nox that Lily is safe at home if you haven’t already.”

”Nox and Liv have been notified,” Marisol gave a smile realizing that the building had an AI.

Marisol followed the girl downstairs to a gym of sorts. She sat down on the couch with the baby, unwrapping her from the coat had wrapped her in. Marisol was surprised. Enrique had told her of her trauma and that she had panic attacks, but Marta didn’t seem that way. She seemed completely collected.

”Every thing alright, Marta,” she sat down next to Marta.

”Everything is surprisingly fine,” the girl said with a smile, still looking at the baby.

”Somethings happening? You want to talk about it?” something had clicked in the girl’s mind or she was having some sort of breakthrough.

”Yes, but not with you. I’m sorry - that’s rude. There’s a lot that you don’t know, and I need to talk to someone who does. I don’t know you well enough yet. I hope you understand.”

Marisol did. She hadn’t gained the girl’s trust yet, and that was okay. ”I do hope to get to know you better soon,” she said.

Marta looked up at her and smiled. ”Me too,” she said, turning back to Lily.

The child began to fuss a little, and Marisol was about to ask if Marta needed help, but she began to gently rock the child, gently telling her everything was okay. Then Marta began to sing a soft lullaby in Spanish. It was almost as if the girl knew exactly what to do. Lily, fussing simply because she was tired, fell asleep in Marta’s arms.

[Legione Sumus]

Olivia Mitchel

Sky didn't just beep a message she spoke clearly and crisply to all of Kallisti through tiny speaker in her pocket. "There is an emergency. Injures incoming to the house." Liv had gotten a few messages before and she'd not gotten around to checking. They happened like three seconds before and now it was an emergency.

Liv growled as she looked at the messages. Marta had sent her a few through Sky and Nox's text said it was an emergency. Liam was at her side reading her messages and he pushed Liv towards the door. "I'll get them home, you be ready." If Nox needed healing then no one else could help so Liam took over the rest. Everyone seemed to be gathering their things and rushing quicker than any other day. Liv wondered how many of the others had heard.

Liv jogged the couple of blocks over the cleared sidewalks, thankfully it hadn't snowed again since someone made the path walkable for the little kids. They couldn't rely on Nox just melting the path. She supposed she could do that, but she had no idea how.

Liv raced inside but she wasn't sure where to go. The basement probably was the best place, easier to clean up. Liv rushed down stairs and found a strange woman standing over Marta and Lily. "Lily's car seat is upstairs by the elevator doors. When the rest of the kids get here you can get that for her if you don't want to keep holding her. I think there is a fresh bottle in the fridge and the diaper bag should be with the car seat. Though she might not let you put her down." She looked down at Marta craddling Lily and smiled. "You let one of the other kids know if you need a break okay. Don't feel like you are letting someone down. We all got this." She said it as much for her as she did for Marta.

This was a first, she was emergency care. It wasn't like that wasn't what she'd done before, but this was different, she actually cared if Nox lived or died. And she didn't want to leave a scar, he was already scared enough. Liv rang her hands on her shirt she didn't know what to do while she waited.

[Cade]

Cade followed as quickly as he could. He wasn't sure about the whole going into the underground systems, but that was where they went. He had to admit it was faster than above ground. How did Nox know about any of this. His brother rambled, coherently. He didn't grumble just kept talking like he knew it would keep him awake. He spoke about all the things that used to live in the tunnels. He told them what went down another branch. And how many creatures he killed down here.

When they came topside they were in the Red Light District and a block away from the Club they all worked at. The directions lead them to a house a few blocks from there. They opened the door and immediately a voice sounded in the foyer. "Liv is downstairs waiting, take him down there."

Cade heard the bustle down the stairs and it was coming up the stairs. Three young boys came up the oldest one asked before any of them moved. "Can we help you get him downstairs?"

[Enrique]

It had been a long time since Ricky had run like this. He couldn’t remember the last time he did it with 150 pounds of resistance, but he pushed. The man on his back was depending on him - as was his little girl. The worst part was when they came out of the underground tunnels and the Moscow air hit his sweat, still he ran, finally arriving at the building. Nox had kept talking the entire time.

The door opened and three young guys came up to help. ”help would be appreciated,” he said, breathing heavily. He lowered Nox down so they could assist. ”Keep talking, amigo, just a little bit and you’ll be good as new.”

The five of them would be able to easily get him down, and Ricky did help, but he let the fresh people take the brunt of it, and handed him off entirely when they got to the room at the bottom. Marta gave him a look of concern.

”Im fine - just need to breathe,” he said, leaning over and planting his hands on his knees. He got Nox to the healer. She would have to do the rest.

[[OoC: ill wait for Liv to do her thing - I’ll wait for that to post with anyone else]]

[Nox]

He wasn't an idiot. If a cab were faster he would have suggested a car, but Nox knew the city and he knew it well enough to know even newbs in the underground with his maps they could get home much faster than if they waded through traffic, and it was warmer in the tunnels to be fair. There was a reason the refugees had liked the tunnels so much.

They could go back, he mused outloud his thoughts to stay awake. It wasn't that anyone cared what he said, just that he kept talking, kept awake while his blood slowly leaked out of his body. Though being warmer now probably wasn't as helpful as the cold had been, but it was what it was.

And when they reached the house Nox was barely keeping his eyes open. But he was. He was staying strong, healing wouldn't work and they'd have used the wrong method to save him. If they had been anywhere than an open alley it might have ben better to bring Liv to him. But it was what it was.

He couldn't feel anything. His skin was probably paler than the snow outside when Liam and the others helped Ricky get him down stairs. Liam looked at Nox with a stern look. "You're an idiot."

Nox leveled a look at him that didn't fit with the music playing in his ear, but it was neither scary nor scarcastic, just not content,nor pained -- more matter of fact than usual. "It's dead and I'm not."

They laid Nox down on the ground, no need to get anything else messed up. "Out of the way." Liv pushed her way through the boys even as they scattered. Liam stayed by his head and looked at Liv, waiting for instruction. He'd done this before, though usually Ashton had been on the other side of his head and Nox was lying there willing and waiting for the blade to crash down in on his body.

It was a moment of panic, of memories flooding his mind and Nox instinctually reached for the power as they took over for that breif moment and Liam's hands were on his shoulders and Liv was pushing him down. Liam moved underneath Nox and craddled his body speaking softly "It's okay. You're safe. I got you."

It didn't calm him exactly but soon the healing touch was flowing through him and he felt what little energy he had left being sapped from his body as the wounds healed. The wound knitting together was strange even after he'd had it done many times over by now. Nox was almost dead -- nearly dead. But not in the not alive sense of the world.

"Still with us Nox?" Liv asked.

Nox nodded and reached across the way and touched Liv's cheek, a smear of blood left as he caressed it. "Thank you. I owe you one."

Liv's hands reached for his and held it in her lap after drawing it away from her face. "I think we still owe you many more. But you need to sleep now." Liv stood up and started barking orders. And Nox tried not to follow the instructions he'd been given but the weight of the healing over took him and he slipped into slumber in Liam's arms.

[Legione Sumus]

Liam & Olivia

Liam had seen Nox at his worst before, he's seen him nearly dead lying onthe concrete cell but he hadn't known him then hadn't trusted him. He was afraid. What happens if Nox dies to the rest of them? They'd all go into the foster system, they'd never be understood as much as they were here.

Liv healed him, the wound closed and the bleeding stop and Nox spoke before he passed out. It was a lot of blood all over him.

Liv started barking orders as he lie there holding Nox just staring at the man who had saved him. Peacefully asleep, safe in his arms. "You're still an idiot."

Liv ordered the kids around. "Gen, you run up and get Nox a set of clean clothes, they are in his bag in his closet, jeans, boxers, t-shirt and a pair of socks."

Gen added. "And don't forget a hoodie."

Liv smiled at her with a nod. "Liam you, Jackson and Noah get Nox into the room down here and out of his clothes before putting him in bed. Soph and Em, can you get some towels and warm water so the boys can clean him up before putting him in bed."

Liv looked to Marta and smiled. "You want Lily duty, Marta. If you are staying?" She looked over to the woman and two men who had come with Marta and Nox. She walked over and offered each of them her hand. "I'm Liv and there are just too many to introduce and they are all busy right now. But the red head is Nox's cousin, Sterling, the little one with her is Arabella. She's biologically sisters with Genevieve who ran upstairs and to Serphina who is running around somewhere helping out." Liv looked around but didn't see the middle Blackthorns. "The boys are Liam, Jackson and Noah. The older girls are Sophia and Emma. We are all Nox's foster kids. You've all met Lily." She looked at the man covered in blood and frowned. "Not sure Nox's clothes will fit you but I think I can do something about all that blood."

She'd never really tried to clean clothes on someone before but she'd gotten blood out with the power. It was a trick she'd picked up early so that the Blackthorns wouldn't get angry at the little ones who fell and got cuts. This was a lot more blood though.

She embraced that light with in and it was wonderful and glorious and there was a pang of guilt that she had it and Nox didn't. He must be so broken inside because it was gone, she knew she would be. The power flowed through her and she pulled the blood from the fibers with ease and deposited into the nearby sink. "That's better. We should all go upstairs. I can make some coffee and or I can call Hayden and he can make everyone some stiffer drinks."

[Cade]

Cade was utterly surprised by the organized chaos that ran through this talking house. Everyone seemed to understand the dire necessity of things and one young lady in particular took over like she'd done this a thousand times. There were children everywhere. None of them looked like they belonged together, but yet here they were. He was a delusional man with children, but after what he'd seen just then in the alley, and before maybe he was being delusional.

It was one thing to hear about miracles. Nox was fading fast, but the girl just touched him and the blood seemed to lessen and they didn't even bother looking at what the wound was, they just healed it sight unseen. Probably best with all the children present. Cade wanted to kneel down beside her and ask her a ton of questions but she immediately took charge and sent the children scrambling after chores which they all did without question. It was either a house run out of fear, or it was something else.

With all the things going on and when Nox was being hefted up into an adjoining room by the boys, the young woman came to them and introduced those she could in the chaos. "I'm Cade. I have a lot of questions. A stiff drink might be good."

Liv smiled. "I figured as much. Sky, can you ring Hayden, tell him about Nox and tell him to bring booze, we've got a lot of answers to give."

"Anyone else you'd like me to notify? I have taken the liberty of informing Carmen Nox won't be in for his shift."

"That's good and no. Thank you."

Liv gestured for them to alll head towards the stairs. "What was that thing? And can't he do that magic thing? Why did he go toe to toe with it?"

[Marta]

Marta stood after it was all over, intending to follow the group upstairs, but she said very little. She hadn't even looked at Nox when he had come in. Of course the smell of blood had been a lot. Marta had kept it in, but it had made her want to gag. It was a reflex she had pushed down, and the overpowering scent was something else that on a normal day would have sent her into panic - especially since this day had been crazy, but once again, it had not.

Marta walked and gave Sterling a smile when she saw her. Lily had surprisingly slept through the whole ordeal and for that, Marta was glad. Marisol walked with her and she hadn't been offended when she had told Marisol that she hadn't gained Marta's trust yet. The time with Lily had given Marta time to think things through and had an idea of what was going on inside. Nox had been hurt like she had thought, but Liv had set things right. It made Marta happy.

"You doing okay? Since Ricky is here, I might head out. I do have other responsibilities, but don't want to leave you if you need it," there was more to her scent there, but Marta wasn't really focused on it.

"I'm okay - I'm sorry we didn't get to spend a whole lot of time talking. I hope to see you again," Marta gave her a smile.

Marisol smiled back. "I'm looking forward to it. It was good to meet you!

They said their goodbyes and Marisol went to check in with Ricky. Marta mostly trailed behind the group. Hayden it seemed was coming, and maybe he could help her sort out what was happening. She wasn't really sure if things needed to be sorted out, but she was feeling different, and she needed to tell someone in the know. Ricky was a possibility there, but he didn't always get it. He was a good man, but didn't always understand - even though he tried to. Elyse hadn't come back with the kids, so she and Anna were likely working. Right now they, she had to focus on Lily, because it had been Lily and Nox handing her Lily that had made the change happen.

[Enrique]

Marisol came up pretty quickly. Ricky raised his hand asking Doc for a minute. He would answer Doc's question soon. "I need to head out, got my own responsibilities you know," she said. "You good?"

Ricky nodded and gave her a smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for helping - I appreciate it a lot," he said.

"So this magic stuff is real then?" She asked.

He smiled. "Very much so. You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah - just a lot to take in."

They parted and Marisol left she likely had her own shift and had also decided that the less she knew the better. Probably a good idea. Ricky hadn't thought of her being a cop when he had called her, she had just been the first one to come to mind. Ricky saw Marta and she looked different. She was smiling at the baby in her arms, which in itself wasn't weird, but her posture, usually tense like a serpent ready to strike, was now relaxed. She looked up, and Ricky gave her a thumbs up, asking if she was okay. She beamed at him. She was fine.

Ricky caught up with Doc and Liv. "Enrique, Marta's guardian," he said, finally introducing himself to the pair. He spoke directly to the Doc. "What you saw is called a dreykan. They feed on blood. As for why he didn't use magic, I have no idea, but it's my guess that for some reason he couldn't." it was too big of an advantage to not use. Nox wasn't a stupid man. "I could probably tell you more, but," he turned to Liv. "I just sprinted a couple of miles carrying Nox on my back. Don't get me wrong, I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but a shower would be much appreciated. Would that be okay?" She had cleaned his shirt, but the thought of someone else's blood on him was something he didn't relish.