CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The sound of a machine beeping steadily woke Tommi up. She looked around and realized two things. The first was that Jesse was asleep beside her. He'd wrapped his body protectively around hers. She felt safer than she'd ever felt in her life.

The second thing she realized was that a bag of blood was hanging nearby and was slowly dripping into the IV attached to her arm.

"Wow," she mumbled. "I think I almost died."

"You're right," a voice said from the door. Skip entered the room and added, "How are you feeling?"

"A little sore, but mostly okay," Tommi replied. "Did Jesse maul Chester?"

"Yes, but it could have been much worse. Chester survived and is being detained in a safe room."

"Jesse didn't kill him?"

"Jesse figured something out about him. We're looking into it now."

"Has he been next to me this entire time?"

"Yes. He wouldn't leave your side. He finally passed out about thirty minutes ago."

Tommi kissed Jesse's forehead. He whimpered softly before snuggling even closer to her.

"Try and rest, Tommi," Skip advised. "Your body needs it. You almost bled to death."

"I will," Tommi replied, although her mind was racing and she knew sleeping would be impossible.

As she remained snuggled in Jesse's arms, Tommi couldn't help but think about the corruption she and Arnie had suspected was taking place on the other side.

Someone is conspiring against the good guys, she thought. She couldn't be sure why she was certain, but she was. Someone in a position of power was working to ensure the good guys would live painful, traumatic lives. Whoever it was had been behind making sure Arnie found his birth mom right before she got terminal cancer, and Jade was born into a cult, and Beth was born to warlocks, and Randy and Jesse had horrible fathers, and who knew what else?

Tommi loved a good conspiracy theory, but this one made her nervous. She and Arnie never talked about it with anyone else. Arnie hadn't even told Aideen because he was scared the knowledge would get her killed. Tommi was pretty sure he was right, and that was the same reason why she hadn't told Jesse about it.

Whoever it is is closer than usual, she thought. She really didn't know how she knew this. It was almost like she could feel something incredibly wrong hovering over them that no one else seemed to notice.

Arnie said there are five Powers That Be who specifically oversee the Silver Society and their incarnations, she remembered. It's got to be one of them. That's the only thing that makes any sense. I need to find out more about them... If I can get close enough, I might be able to find the culprit.

Whatever happened, Tommi knew she had to help Arnie solve this mystery. If they didn't stop the entity soon, he or she might do enough damage to destroy the Silver Society and their allies once and for all.

~*~

Shooter was walking through Salem, but not the Salem he knew. This Salem was much older.

Am I in the witch trials times? Because that wasn't a good time to have a power that randomly causes me to misfire and shoot sparks out of my hands, he thought.

His concern passed as he realized that no one could see him. I'm dreaming, he registered.

He noticed a young boy walking by. His hands were sparking. He looked terrified as he raced toward the water.

Cora watched the boy from a distance. She looked about eight years old, just like the boy, but Shooter recognized her energy. She climbed onto land. She was bleeding and wearing only enough material to cover her most intimate areas.

The boy was surprised to see her. He averted his eyes as he wrapped his jacket around her. "You are injured," he said in concern.

"A fisherman attacked me," she replied softly. Her voice was beautiful even as a child.

The boy began to tend to her wound. It was deep, but as he cleansed it with water, she began to heal.

"What is your name, Miss?" He asked.

"Cora," she replied. "And you?"

"I am called Anthony, Miss Cora."

"Your kindness is appreciated, Anthony," Cora said shyly. "Will you sit and watch the water with me?"

Anthony sat beside Cora. As they watched the water, Cora snuggled closer to him. They both looked incredibly peaceful.

Time moved forward. Anthony and Cora were teenagers now. Anthony was sparking again. He looked terrified, but Cora took his hands in her own and held them. The sparking stopped.

"Do not fear this gift, Anthony," Cora said soothingly. "It is a powerful blessing, just as my voice is."

"Your voice guides lost sailors to safety, Miss Cora... My curse only causes harm," Anthony said sadly.

"One day, your gift will save all of Salem," Cora promised.

Time moved forward again. Anthony and Cora were kissing. Shooter could feel their energy strongly as it blended together. Anthony's was very similar to his. Shooter knew he was the strongest energy sensitive and manipulator in Salem's history, but Anthony had come close to his power levels.

As the dream shifted again, Shooter saw a warlock with a distinctly Vitti energy attacking Anthony. She dove into the water with him, keeping him from surfacing. As the warlock murdered Anthony, she harnessed his energy and took it into herself.

Cora was on the other end of the waterfront. Although she sensed that her love was in danger, she couldn't reach him in time. When she found his body floating in the sea, she screamed and wept for her lost love.

The warlock cast a spell using Anthony's energy that bound his beloved siren to her service. She found Cora still clinging to his body.

"Siren of Salem," she began, "I am Maria Vitti, and you are to follow the commands of my bloodline. No longer wilst thou guide the lost to safety. Instead, they shall follow you to their demise. When I command it, you must take the lives of those I deem fit. During your waking time, you must feed, even if I give no direct order. I curse you, siren! Take the lives of others' loves as I have taken yours."

Cora tried to fight it, but her connection to Anthony was too strong. She was bound to Maria by Anthony's love for her. She could never be free.

Shooter awoke with a start to Skip gently shaking him. He had fallen asleep at his desk. "Are you okay?" Skip asked.

"I'm fine, Boss," Shooter lied.

"You're crying, Shooter," Skip pointed out gently.

Shooter touched his cheek and was surprised to find moisture there. He wiped the tears away before pulling himself together.

"What happened?" Skip asked.

"I think I saw the siren's memories," Shooter replied. He explained what he'd dreamed.

"We'll look into it," Skip promised.

"Boss... Why are you in my office?" Shooter asked. "Did you empathically pick up on my sadness, or did you need something?"

"Both, but the latter can wait. You should take some time."

"I can handle helping if you need it. What's up?"

"Do you remember Chester, the kid who unleashed the creatures and people of the In-Between when the E.V.S. kids shattered the barrier between Mirror and Valley?"

"Yeah, that was hard to forget."

"Jesse captured him at Tommi's house. He attacked her."

"Is Tommi okay?" Shooter asked in concern.

"She's recovering. Jesse would have killed Chester, but he noticed that his scent was similar to Danny's. He's worried he might be his kid."

"And you want me to read his energy," Shooter guessed.

"Yes, but it can wait-"

"I'm fine, Boss. Let me do my job. Where's the kid?"

"He's in a safe room."

"He has to come out for me to read him."

"I know. We have people ready to forcibly sedate him if necessary."

"Alright. Bring me to him."

Skip led the way to Chester's location. Armed guards brought him out of the safe room.

"What do you want?" Chester demanded.

"Relax, kid," Shooter replied. "This won't hurt a bit." He reached toward him and began to analyze his energy.

He wasn't surprised to feel that Jesse was right. This kid was Danny's son, and most likely, it was Valley Danny. His mother, however, came as a shock.

"We're done here," Shooter said quickly. "Skip, let's go somewhere to talk."

"What's going on?" Chester asked.

"Maybe I'll tell you later," Shooter replied as Chester was dragged back into the safe room.

Shooter followed Skip to his office. "What did you figure out?" Skip asked after closing the door.

"The kid is definitely Danny's. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's our Danny's," Shooter replied.

Skip sighed. "Great. Danny would go breaking the rules and having a kid with someone from Mirror. Who's his mother?"

Shooter hesitated. "Judy Connelly," he finally replied.

Skip's eyes widened in shock. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive, Skip."

"Judy and Danny?"

"I know. I was stunned, too."

"Judy would never abandon her child."

"Our Judy wouldn't, but Mirror Judy is probably a warlock, not a witch, and we don't know what she's capable of." Shooter paused. "My guess is that Mirror Judy aged him after he was born just enough that no one would suspect he was her kid. He's the same age Spencer would have been." He shook his head. "This kid is technically Spencer's half-brother. Jade's going to freak out. So are Arnie and Aideen."

"He's Mirror Spencer's half-brother," Skip corrected him.

"Semantics. He shares Spencer's DNA. That's going to complicate this for them."

"Maybe he can be rehabilitated."

"Forgive me if I have my doubts." Shooter sighed. "We have to tell them, Boss."

"Let's get a DNA test to prove it first. This is going to upset a few people, so we should have proof other than his energy. I'll talk to Danny and Judy."

Shooter didn't envy Skip's job. Still, he chose to take an even harder one. "When it's confirmed, I'll tell Jade," he said.

"Are you sure?" Skip asked.

"My Goth Chick should hear this from someone she's close to. I've got her, Boss."

Skip nodded. "I'll have Chester's guards get a DNA sample as soon as possible." He paused. "Shooter... About the siren-"

"I'll figure it out," Shooter said, cutting him off. "Anthony and I had the same powers. Maybe that's why I connected to the past, or maybe when Cora kissed my cheek she put the memories in my head, but either way, I need to look into this one on my own. Just get me any files you find that sound like they match what I saw."

"I will," Skip promised.

Shooter had a feeling there was a lot of research in his future.

~*~

Waves of water kept rising up and wrapping around Kit as she sat on the edge of Pickering Wharf. She felt incredibly sad, and the water was comforting her without her even consciously asking it to.

"If you can hear me, you're better off without me," she said softly. "But I miss you..." She wasn't sure if her message would be carried to its intended recipient, but she had to try. Sometimes it worked. The burden of pretending the past had never happened was too heavy to carry that day, so she needed to release some of her emotions in the only way she had.

It was such a stupid mistake, she thought, but I can't regret it.

"Kit... Are you okay?" Arthur asked gently. He stood a few feet away with a stroller. Genie was fast asleep.

Kit wanted to reply with something witty and sarcastic, but she couldn't. In that moment, she inexplicably grieved for what she'd lost.

She's not dead, Kit reminded herself, but they couldn't be together, so she might as well be.

"Kiss me," Kit replied softly.

Arthur sat beside her. He kissed her, because he always did when she asked him to. She tried to lose herself in the kiss, but instead, she started to cry. She buried her face in his shoulder, wrapping water around the two of them and Genie so no one would see them.

"Kit, talk to me," Arthur urged her.

"I miss her," Kit whispered.

"Who?"

"My secret."

"I'm kind of confused..."

"I know." She kissed him chastely, a quick peck on his lips to reassure him.

"Listen, Kit... Whatever it is, I'm here, okay? I'll help you."

"You can't help, Arthur." She sighed. "No one can fix this. I made a mess."

"Why don't you tell me what you did so I can try?"

The look of genuine concern in his eyes was too endearing to ignore. Kit figured there was no harm in trying, but she really didn't think he could help her.

"Remember last year when Mirror and Valley started blending together?" She asked.

"I'm pretty sure everyone remembers that," he replied. "I hated them, but I can't deny that last year's chapter of Bishop's E.V.S. pulled off something that was beyond epic chaos."

"Well, I was pretty annoyed about not getting invited to join them My dad was coming down on me for it even though I was only a sophomore. Anyway, I confronted Stephanie and Gregory about it. Stephanie's answer was to shove me through a mirror, and the next thing I knew, I was in another realm."

"You ended up in Mirror? How did you get back?" Arthur asked.

"I jumped into a lake, but that left me in the In-Between... Before that, though, I ran into someone." She sighed. "Sometimes, my taste in guys is pretty toxic... Mirror Randy hit on me, and I went for it because I was upset and he's hot and I'm an idiot... Whatever. Anyway, I slept with him."

Arthur's eyes widened in horror. "You slept with Mirror Randy?" He repeated. "Kit, he's-"

"A creepy rapist? An idiot jock? Totally beneath me? I know all of the that, Arthur, but I'm a teenager, and sometimes I do stupid things when I'm upset."

"I'm not judging you, Kit... I just don't like the idea of that creep touching you."

Kit smiled slightly. "Jealous, Arthur?" She teased him.

"No," he replied. She could tell he was lying. They weren't a couple, but apparently, Arthur was possessive of her lips. She had to admit she kind of liked that.

"Anyway, I realized my energy felt wrong afterward. I went to Mirror's version of the Willows and thought about my life choices, and that's when I saw him."

"Who? Randy?"

"No... Poseidon."

"As in the God?"

"No, Arthur, as in the goldfish." She rolled her eyes. "Of course as in the God!"

"Okay, maybe that was a dumb question," Arthur admitted. "What happened?"

"He physically manifested, and he sat down next to me. He looked at me, laughed, and told me that his kids are like water... You can't stop their flow once they get an idea in their heads. They're always too impulsive for their own good... And that's how I found out my soul is Poseidon's daughter."

"You're a Goddess?"

"Was there ever any doubt, Arthur?" Kit laughed. Then, awkwardly, she continued. "So, my soul's daddy proceeded to tell me that I'd broken one of the great universal laws because I, a person from Valley, was carrying the unborn offspring of someone from Mirror."

Arthur actually gasped. "Kit... Mirror Randy got you pregnant?"

"No, it was one of the eighty other guys from Mirror I slept with." She shook her head. "Obviously it was Mirror Randy's kid. I'm not that big of a slut, Arthur, contrary to the rumors."

"I know that," he said quickly. "It's just... What happened to the baby, Kit?"

"Poseidon told me he could wash away the pregnancy, but that felt wrong... Like, the kid happened for a reason, right? So I told him I'd take my chances. He told me if I had her in Valley, the universe would find her and either kill her or send her to the In-Between. I had her in the In-Between instead, completely alone. I used magick to advance the pregnancy and delivered her by myself in the water. The water healed us both and she survived... She was this precious, tiny thing. I remember holding her and thinking, wow, I made this? But I knew I couldn't take her with me. She wouldn't be safe. My father would use her for her power... So I used magick to age her almost to my age, and I told her the truth. I hoped she'd be able to fend for herself..."

"So you have a kid who's nearly your age running around in the In-Between?"

"Yes... Her name is Faith. Water is a portal, so sometimes, I feel her getting really close... I know she's okay, even if that place is awful. But I miss her, and sometimes, it sneaks up on me... I feel like part of me is missing... She's not dead, but since I can't be with her, it feels like she is."

"Kit, I had no idea..."

"You are literally the only person who knows, unless you count Poseidon. Anyway, when I think about her, I get sad... And today, I can't stop thinking about her."

"This is why you helped me with the spell to make Genie's DNA match mine... And why you worked so hard to revive her when she was stillborn."

"I understand how hard it is to let your baby go for her own safety, and I know what it takes to make sure no one hurts her. I couldn't bring Faith into this realm, but protecting Genie brought me a little bit of peace."

Arthur wrapped his arms around her. Kit pressed her lips against his. He kissed her deeply, knowing how badly she needed to feel something that didn't hurt.

They stayed like that for a while, until Kit finally felt a little bit better. "You'll see her again one day," Arthur said gently.

"I hope so," Kit replied. She desperately needed to believe that, somehow, her daughter would return to her.

~*~

Cassandra was finally back in Salem. It felt like she'd been gone for a year, but it had only been a couple of days. The first thing she wanted to do was curl up in bed with Kurt, but as soon as she reached her house, that option vanished.

"Hello, Cassandra," the man standing outside of the house said.

"James," she acknowledged him. "What are you doing here?"

"I am here to advise you to stop slaying until after you safely deliver your child."

"You're joking, right?"

"The baby is meant to be born, Cassandra. Don't take unnecessary risks."

"The five of you aren't supposed to interfere. Why did you come here physically to tell me to stop doing my job?" She looked at him suspiciously. "And why would you come alone?"

James frowned. "Why do you doubt me?" He asked.

"It's my destiny to protect Salem. You're asking me to stop. That's suspicious to me," she replied.

James nodded thoughtfully. "I understand your concern, Cassandra. Unfortunately, my warning remains the same. Your child is in danger. You should avoid situations which increase the threat. I cannot force you to do this, but I highly recommend you listen to me."

"Where are the others? It's usually Lou Anne or Carolyn who go rogue and manifest in person. Occasionally, they convince Jonathan to join them. You and Nathaniel never do this."

"That should tell you how serious the situation is. Please, heed my warning." James paused. "I must go before they realize I'm here. Good luck, Cassandra."

He vanished into thin air. Cassandra frowned. This wasn't normal, but she couldn't just stop protecting the streets of Salem, especially not while they were stuck in unending darkness.

"You'll just have to learn to adapt, kid," she told the unborn child. "This is the life of a slayer. With your genes, you're bound to become one of the highest ranking slayers in Salem, so you might as well start training now."