Revelation (M/F) (F/M) - A sequel to Devastation

[GreyLord]

The sojourn to Atlantis was a wonderful interlude, @wolfman. Nonetheless, I am overjoyed to get back to the family. Really looking forward to the visit.

[GreyLord]

You are sequeing into reuniting the family wonderfully, @wolfman. Questions abound, however. Will Halpron travel with Nikita? Will the family have significant contact with Atlantis in the future? Will Earth proper have a major problem and get help from Atlantis? You have so many volumes of work ahead of you.

[slackywacky]

That was an interesting chapter with lots of family events (if you can call them that). My imagination is not helping build me a picture of what the training in the last part really looks like, never been one for that sort of sport. But losing = tied up, is never a bad thing

[Caesar73]

You are sequeing into reuniting the family wonderfully, @wolfman. Questions abound, however. Will Halpron travel with Nikita? Will the family have significant contact with Atlantis in the future? Will Earth proper have a major problem and get help from Atlantis? You have so many volumes of work ahead of you.

Yes this return to the family is wonderful. My personal favourite in this last chapter was the conversation between Nikita and Dani, it would be unfair though to pick one sequence out of context. And @GreyLord is right: There are so many roads to take, so many stories left to tell in this Universe you created @wolfman

[wolfman]

@GreyLord @Caesar73 @slackywacky

Thank you for your kind words. There are a lot of options for the future and I have a few ideas on the way forward over the next story arc and possibly beyond.

Slacky, I understand how the fight may have been hard to follow. It was in part intentional to convey the chaos of a four way free for all bondage wrestling match, with constantly shifting perspective and targets.

But as you say losing = getting tied up, is never a bad thing.

[wolfman]

New chapter for the weekend and if you wish to be added to list, please let me know

@slackywacky @Bandit666 @Caesar73 @GreyLord



The Jaguar SUV purrs, passing a sign for Leicester southbound on the M1. The afternoon sunshine, streams through the passenger side window.

Nikita reclines in the passenger seat, bathing in the sun. The flared hem of her red satin dress, allows the cool breeze to caress her stocking clad legs, when she kicks off her heels.

“Don’t get me wrong, you look amazing, but still don’t get why you didn’t want to change nearer home.” Halpron says from the driver seat in a cotton shirt and slacks.

“I have never liked wearing dresses.” She says, smiling up at him. “I always felt self conscious and a bit awkward in them. You have made me believe in myself and see myself through your eyes. I am ready to face the world in a dress again and it is a nice day for one a little shorter and show a bit more of myself to the world.”

“You are now and always have been amazing in every way. It has always made me smile, to think that you can take to form of anyone on the planet and always return to your original appearance.” He strokes her stocking clad legs and smiles, “Almost as if you have always known, that yours is the greatest beauty.”

Nikita feels her face flush and gasps to herself, “Six months in and he still catches me off guard.”

He leisurely threads the vehicle through the traffic on the outskirts of Leicester, puts his foot down when they emerge from the molasses of congestion. “I mean it Niki, inside and out, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met.”

Nikita chokes up a little, hearing the sincerity in his voice, as he continues, “Thank you for agreeing to be my wife. You are the only woman, I would want to spend my life with. I love you, my Queen.”

“And I love you, my King.” She says, with a loving smile, for a moment, her smile falters, “When we get back to my place, I know I asked if you could wait at mine while I see my family, but would you come with me.”

“I have stood by your side against, Annunakin, Infernals, Werewolves, Mycological Sorcerors and rampaging Dinosaurs. I will stand again when you see your family.” He says, in a semi formal tone, with a wink.

“My hero.” She says in a mock damsel tone, before speaking normally, “All joking aside, I need you there when I explain the mental few months we have shared.”

“You never have to face anything alone again. I will always be at your side.” He pledges, with a gentle squeeze of her leg.

“Thank you my lord. I will have to think of a way to repay you.” Nikita says, playfully.

Not taking his eyes off of the road, her takes her hand in his and gently kisses her knuckles. “You repay me with every smile you give me and every dream yet to come true.”



Halpron eases the Jaguar off of the M1 and cruises through the streets of Hemel Hempstead. Nikita chews her lip for a moment and then places a hand on Halpron’s arm. “Could you pull in here?” she asks, nodding towards the supermarket car park.

He nods pulling into the car park. As soon as he has pulled into a space on the more deserted edge of the car park, she steps out of the car and takes a few deep breaths.

Halpron turns off the engine and joins her, placing his hands on her shoulders, “Are you OK?”

Nikita shakes her head subtly, “Could you check your emails. There might be a disaster that requires our attention.”

“I checked on the move. All quiet. Sorry.” Halpron says, gently, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Nikita turns to him and buries her face in his shoulder, “What if I have left it too long? What if they turn me away? I should have contacted them sooner.”

“Shhhhh, hey now.” He says gently, as he pulls her close, “They are your family and love you dearly. They will be so happy to see you safe and well, that thoughts like that won’t cross their minds.”

Nikita let’s herself be rocked gently in Halpron’s arms. She listens to his heartbeat and lets its rhythm still her mind.

A few moments later she pulls back and kisses Halpron deeply. He hugs her again and kisses the top of her head. “We got this.” He whispers, softly stroking the small of her back.”

She looks up at him and smiles, “I could face anything with you by my side.”

“As could I.” He says, taking in the sight of her, “Although I must admit, with those heels doing such wonderful things to your legs, it is all I can do not to pin you to that wall right now.”

Nikita winks and licks her lips slowly before saying, “Down boy, there will be time for that.” She takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “I suppose we should do this. I’ll quickly freshen up and then shall we crack on?”

“Sounds like a plan to me, my love.” Halpron says, tenderly, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Nikita replies, blowing him a kiss.



The security team on the gate, let the Jaguar through without a challenge, seemingly awestruck by Nikita, who does little more than smile at them.

Halpron uses the arrestor fitted to the vehicle, to suppress the sound of their approach, allowing them to park silently.

Nikita does a final check on her minimal make up and pulls on the black sleek leather jacket that completes her outfit. “How do I look?”

Halpron glances at her and sighs, “Radiant, exquisite and sublime. You look amazing.”

“We have faced hordes of monsters together a d emerged unscathed. This is just your family, there is nothing to fear.” Halpron assures her.

Nikita snorts a chuckle, “I thought you said you had read the files on them.”



As the credits start to roll, Kim and her sisters gather together on the large sofa. Alex and Rachel decided to have a rare quiet night in together, leaving Ali to it.

Dani reclines on one of the armchairs, checking her phone for the umpteenth time. Sasha raises an eyebrow, “Expecting a message from someone.”

Dani shrugs, “Just checking the time.” She says, running her finger through her shoulder length, pure white hair. She thinks to herself, “Damn it Niki, it’s almost seven. Please come.”

Perched on the edge of a two seater sofa, Sasha gazes at her sister, concerned thinking, “She has been twitchy all day. I wish she would open up to me.

A soft knock at the door, is almost unheard over the sound of the film. Steve snatches up the remote and hits pause, “Was that the door?” He asks, idly wrapping his arm around Louise’s shoulders.

Dani crossed her fingers and volunteers, softly saying, “I’ll check.” She senses two pairs of leather shoes and a leather belt at the doorway and frowns, thinking, “There are two people there.”

She pads to the front door and takes a breath to centre her nerves, when another knock softly raps at the door. She reaches out tentatively and opens the door.



Nikita breathes out slowly, waiting for the door to open. Halpron senses her nerves and places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Light spills out into the early evening, framing her sisters white hair like a halo atop her head. They lock eyes and it is like the months she has been gone, were mere moments as they embrace.



Nikita winks at Dani before entering the living room. Sasha turns her attention to Liam who is fussing in his chair beside her, unaware of the stunned silence in the room. She barely registers someone taking a seat next to her.

“What film is this?” Nikita asks, softly.

Absent mindedly, Sasha says, “Hard Boiled. Classic Hong Kong action.”

“Awesome. Haven’t seen it in years.” Nikita says, with a smile.

All eyes in the room are on Sasha and Nikita, waiting for Sasha to turn. Nikita settles back on the sofa and makes herself comfortable, then winks at the girls.

She waves at Tommy and blows him a kiss. Her baby brother looks up wide eyed and open mouthed, transfixed. “Hello little brother, you are such a booful boy.” She says in a light tone.

Sasha stops what she is doing and frowns, turning slowly. Her eyes lock with her sisters and she grabs her hand, “Kitchen, now.”

Nikita let’s herself get pulled from the seat and into the kitchen, Dani smiles sheepishly and follows them.



At this point the film is paused and almost everyone is trying to listen to the conversation in the kitchen. Everyone except Steve. He sits back in his chair and calls out, “You might as well join us, instead of skulking out there.”

Halpron winces to himself and sheepishly enters the room. Softly he says, “Sorry, wasn’t sure whether I should come in or not.”

Steve stands and shakes his hand and appraises him as he enters, “Firm handshake, but not forced. Moves like a soldier in hostile territory, cautious and wary, but loose. Big guy. Over six foot tall and built like a brick shithouse. Manicured nails and calloused hands. He wields the quiet power of one who looked into the abyss and the abyss looked away. Seems we have a bit of a conundrum here.”

Steve bids him to sit and takes his own seat, “I’m Steve, this is Lou and Tommy.” He says nodding to his wife and son, then he sweeps his arm to encompass the girls and Liam, “Here we have Kim, Tara, Ali and Anya and Sasha’s little one Liam.”

“Nice to meet you everyone.” Halpron says raising his hands in a welcome, “Call me Hal.”

“Nice to meet you Hal.” Louise says with a disarming smile, “Did you have a good journey? Would you like a drink or something to eat?”

“We drove down from Edinburgh, the traffic was a little sticky around Leicester but overall a smooth trip down.” Halpron says, in a deep friendly tone, “Would it be possible to get a beer?”

Kim and her sisters trip over themselves scrambling to get a bottle from the mini fridge, Ali wins and hands the bottle to the huge manly man in their midst.

Halpron graciously accepts the bottle, with a smile, “Thank you Ali.” He cracks the lid off and raises the bottle, “To your very good health.” All present raise their glasses and join the toast.

Steve lowers his glass and innocently asks, “So, what do you do?”

“Family business. Property management.” He says, thinking, “Don’t want to get into that without Niki.”

“Sounds interesting.” Steve says, with a nod, before adding, “What kind of properties?”

“A bit of a mix of residential and industrial, with a few others thrown in for good measure.” Halpron says, trying to keep his tone light.

“How many would you say?” Steve asks, watching the man closely.

Halpron takes a sip of his beer and sets the bottle down for a moment, “To be honest, I have no idea. I mostly attend meetings and sign paperwork.” He pauses and looks Steve in the eye, “Niki has told me all about everyone. I know enough to respect everyone in this room for their abilities and achievements, especially you Steve. Don’t feel you have to dance around anything. Ask me anything you wish.”

Steve assess him anew, “Interesting. Didn’t expect him to call me out so quick. Maybe some form of interrogation training or diplomatic training.”

Steve leans forward and speaks softly, “There is really only one thing, I want to know.” He takes a breath and lets the point hang in the air for a moment, before asking, “How is Niki?”

“She is great.” He pauses letting everyone stifle a chuckle, “When we first met there was a sadness to her and a pain, she couldn’t name. Over time we have grown closer with each day. I dont wish to speak for her, but she is happy.”

Steve considers Halpron’s answer and just as he is about to ask another question, Tara beats him to it, “Do you love her?”

Without hesitation, Halpron turns to her and softly says, “With all my heart and every ounce of my being. She is the most incredible person I have ever met and she makes me a better person, with the love she gives me.”

The girls squeal and pretend to faint hearing his answer.

Louise picks up Tommy and begins rocking him in her arms. “Do you come from a big family?” She asks, in a soft tone.

Halpron picks up his beer and takes a long pull, “Just my sister and I. I have a few cousins, but we’re not close. My mother passed when I was young, my father passed more recently.”

Steve nods sagely, thinking, “That could make sense with the property management, maybe he left military service very recently hence the vibe.” He looks Halpron in the eyes and sincerely speaks, “I’m sorry for your loss. You have my condolences.”

“Thank you.” Halpron says, breathing out slowly at the memory of his parents, “My father passed just before Niki and I met. She has helped me see past my grief and embrace life once again.”

“She blesses the lives of everyone she meets.” Steve says, thoughtfully.

Halpron reflects for a moment on all she has done for him and his people and nods, “That she does.” He says with a warm smile.

“Do you do martial arts?” Anya asks, drawing frowns and teasing psis from her sisters.

Halpron smiles gently at her, “I dabble a little.”

“Ooh what do you do?” Anya asks, excitedly.

“I do a little Pankration. Niki has been coaching me in Muay Thai and Tai Chi.” Halpron answers sheepishly.

“I have never heard of that.” Anya says, with the same frown as her sisters.

“Pankration is an old school Greek style, hard-core wrestling, bone breaking and brutal. Not easy to find a teacher, I would imagine.” Steve says, thoughtfully, “Help me out. I am having trouble placing your accent.”

Halpron takes a sip of his beer, more to buy thinking time, than to quench his thirst, “I had a lot of different tutors growing up and picked up inflections from many of them. Have tried speech therapy but can’t loose the accent.”

“Answered without answering. Niki prepped him for coming here. He is hiding something. He is educated, well mannered, in excellent shape and trained to fight and judging by Niki’s ring, has money. The property management thing has a grain of truth to it, but I am not sure how much.” Amused, Steve thinks to himself, “What are you hiding? More to the point, I wonder what they are talking about in the kitchen.”

[Caesar73]

Quite the chapter you wrote @wolfman - again: The entry was wonderful: Nikita and Halpron in the car. Then Nikita enters the house: Her family's reaction - Steves's Assessment of Halpron. Steve is an astute reader of people.

[GreyLord]

This was a wonderful homecoming. I may have enjoyed this as much as anything I have read lately, @wolfman. Thank you!

[Bandit666]

I have to agree this is wonderful and such a great read, and thank you for deciding to tag myself along with such esteemed authors, for now I need never miss an update

[wolfman]

@GreyLord @Caesar73 @Bandit666

Thank you very much for your comments guys. This was fun to write, there has been a lot of darkbess lately and I wanted something fun. I liked the idea that Nikita was more worried about facing her family than facing a horde of monsters. I also liked the idea of her and Halpron crashing a film night and Steve sizing up Halpron.

The next few chapters will establish relationships and the status quo enabling what comes later.

[wolfman]

New chapter as a little morsel and if you wish to be added to list, please let me know

@slackywacky @Bandit666 @Caesar73 @GreyLord

Nikita flicks the kettle on, which Sasha closes the door to the living room. Dani opens the back door and steps across the threshold, to light a cigarette.

Sasha looks Nikita up and down admiring the dress and heels , before she embraces her sister tightly, “I was so worried about you.”

Nikita hugs her back and whispers, “I am sorry it has been so long.”

Dani decides to give them a moment and makes a cup of tea for everyone, when she has finished her cigarette.

They sit around the kitchen table each nursing a fresh cup of tea, Sasha sits on Nikita’s right and Dani sits opposite. Sasha and Dani feeling underdressed in their tracksuit bottoms and t-shirts.

Sasha sips her tea and then nudges her sister, “Alright. Spill. Where have you been? How have you been?”

Nikita exhales slowly, then drains her tea. “I guess you deserve that.” She says, retrieving three glasses from the cupboard and a bottle of scotch from the freezer.

Sasha moves to protest when Nikita fills a glass for her but she knows it is hopeless. Dani nurses her scotch, thinking, “Well with a skin full, I might sleep at least.”

Nikita raises her glass, “A toast. Deadly sisters, back together.”

They all clink glasses and knock back their first shots. Nikita refills their glasses and then speaks softly, “I need you to bear with me a bit. This is going to get bumpy.”

Leaning back in her seat, she begins, “Was a normal day off, kind of boring and I went for lunch at my usual haunt. While I was there I was approached by an associate of Maerig, called the Stag. He asked for my help and I sent him packing.”

Sasha settles back in her seat and sips her scotch, as Dani heads over to the back door to light another cigarette. Nikita continues, “I sensed he was being followed in the aftermath of our meeting, tracked him and got him away from his pursuers. We decided that his assistant must have leaked his location and went there.”

Dani nods, exhaling smoke from the corner of her mouth, “We figured as much. We tracked your movements and spoke to the Stag. The guy left in the chair wasn’t much help.”

“To be fair, he didn’t see much.” Nikita says, draining her glass and refilling it once more, “Anyway, it was all a set up. I took a whooping and ended up in metal restraints unable to use my powers. The fucker was evil and he.” Nikita knocks back the scotch, enjoying its burn, “It doesn’t matter. He’s dead and I am alive.”

Dani sees the torrent of emotions play over her sisters features and stubs out her smoke, returning to the table to hear the rest of Nikita’s story, “I contacted the people who hired him and they regretted the way he treated me and apologised and were actually quite nice. Turns out they were King Halpron of Atlantis and High Priestess Angela of the Phlogiston Order. They seemed genuine, so I helped them out and stuck around for a couple of days.” She takes a breath before topping off everyone’s glasses.

Sasha notices her sister relax a little and finds her body language more at peace the more she speaks, “They were fighting an Unwinnable war in Atlantis. There was an attack and I advised them on tactics. Then I went with Hal and Angela to survey the battlefield after the attack. We crashed and I ended up going toe to toe with their enemy. The Annunakin.”

Sasha and Dani exchange a glance somewhere between confusion and concern, which Nikita spots, “The Annunakin are the descendants of the ancient Annunaki and members of various extra dimensional species.” She explains, calmly, “These were draining the life from all they touched and sending it back to their collective.”

“Anyway, I advised on a few different things and underwent a ritual to prove I could be trusted, which made me confront a few things about myself. Then the Annunakin struck again in massive numbers. Hal secured the portal back to their homeworld and I went through it. I killed the mother of the species and as a result all of the Annunakin died. I returned to Atlantis to a heroes welcome and ended up getting close to Hal.” She takes a sip of scotch, feeling a burn in her cheeks, “We have faced about a dozen extra dimensional incursions into non earthly realms with the Atlantean military, behind us. I have also formed a unit of rescue specialists who are basically otherworldly first responders and as for Hal and I, one thing led to another and well.” Nikita pauses, showing her ring finger, to the raised eyebrows of her sisters.

“Jeez Niki, that is beautiful.” Dani says, looking at the deceptively delicate ring, looking like a spider web of thin metal, interspersed with small sapphires and rubies.

Dani plucks a twenty pound note from thin air and passes it to Sasha. “You were right. You did say she would come back with a mad story of daring-do.”

Sasha places a finger on the note and slides it back, bitterly saying, “Keep it. You said if she came back it would be with some Bullshit explanation and we would never know the truth.” She knocks back her drink angrily and pours another.



Nikita takes a slow breath and pulls out her phone. She pulls up a video saved from an Atlantean news feed and hands it to Sasha after pressing play.

Dani scoots around the table to watch the program covering the battle of Daemos. Nikita standing alone on the field, weapons drawn. Then chaos ensues.

Nikita watches her sisters as they watch the video, “Sasha has lost pretty much all of her extra pregnancy weight and looks great.” She knocks back another slug and refills everyone’s glasses, “But Dani looks awful, her eyes are sunken, with dark circles and she isn’t eating right. What happened?”

Five minutes later, Dani and Sasha look up from the screen open mouthed. Sasha is the first to process what she has seen, “So it is true then?”

“Every word. Hal proposed last night and I needed to make sure that I am doing the right thing.” Nikita says, forcing a gentle smile, despite her worries about her sister.

“He seemed nice from what little I saw of him.” Dani says, with a shrug, then frowns before asking, “So if he is the King of Atlantis, will you become Queen?”

Nikita backs up against the counter, taking slow breaths, “Yes. That is one of the reasons I have come back.”

Dani sees the doubt in her sisters eyes and pours her three fingers of scotch, handing her the drink, she says, “You have a gentle soul and a kind heart. Whatever happens you will do what you feel is right. Let your heart guide you.”

Nikita eyeballs the glass and knocks it back in one go, “I am going to need you guys.”

“We’ve got your back, babe.” Sasha says assuringly. “If you love him, hold on to him. Life is too short.”

“Just like old times, what one faces, we all face. We are with you.” Dani follows up.

Nikita hugs her sisters and smiles, “Thanks guys. I will need your help planning the wedding and I have no idea how to be queen.”

“You know everything you need to know to be a queen. However, I think the first order of business, is to save your future husband from dad and the girls.” Sasha says, with a wink.



Nikita settles on the two seat sofa with Halpron’s arm gently cast across her shoulders, pulling her close. Absent-mindedly he kisses the crown of her head.

Steve sees the peace in his daughter’s eyes and smiles, thinking, “I am not sure how much of what you said is true. But I believe the love I see in Nikita’s eyes.”

Nikita smiles and looks up at Halpron, who smiles down at her and nods. She turns back to her father and nieces and lifts her left hand to show off the ring, “We are getting married.”

The girls surge forward with gasps and coos, swooning over the delicate and exquisite ring and hugging Nikita with congratulations.

After a few minutes, Sasha smiles and chuckles, “Alright girls, settle down. Let Niki catch her breath.”

The girls chatter and giggle to themselves and return to their seats, casting the gaze between the ring and the happy couple.

Nikita smiles at Kim and her sisters and winks. Subconsciously she laces her fingers with Halpron’s. “We haven’t set a date yet, but we would like everyone there.”

“Do you know where you will be getting married? I know a few wonderful churches.” Louise says, warmly.

Nikita and Halpron exchange a look, before Halpron says, “We might have a blessing here, however, the ceremony will be back in Atlantis.”

Steve leans back in his seat, thinking, “Interesting, might actually find out something more than half truths.” After a mouthful of his lager, he asks, “Where is it you call home?”

Halpron considers how to explain before simply shrugging, “Atlantis.”

Anya frowns, “Atlanta? You don’t sound like your from Georgia.”

Kim face palms and corrects her, “He said Atlantis.” Then she looks up at him, “Wait. You said Atlantis. But Atlantis isn’t real.”

“Yes, it is. Many years ago, when extra dimensional rifts began opening, we transported it into a pocket dimension, creating the first extra terrestrial realm. It was the first of many.” Halpron confirms, with a shrug.

Steve scrutinises Halpron as he speaks, “He is calm and at ease. Blink rate is steady. Body language relaxed. He may be nuts, but he believes what he is saying. More to the point so does Niki.”

“Seriously?” Tara asks with raised eyebrows.

“Indeed. It is as real as you or I. We have schools, universities, hospitals, a standing military and all the trappings of a major modern nation.” Halpron explains, “We are a nation of soldiers and the learned. We were at war for a long time and now, we are at peace, thanks to Niki. Times are changing and as a nation, we are changing too.”

Ali giggles, “Nah.”

Tara shakes her head and taps her chest, “We might be young but we ain’t dumb enough to fall for that.”

“Shame, I have brought some Atlantean magic beans for you guys.” Nikita says, playfully.

“Really?” Anya asks, innocently.

“She’s messing with us, babe.” Kim chips in.

“Show them the video.” Sasha says inscrutably.

Nikita pulls out her phone and loads up the video of the battle of Daemos and hands it to Kim, to play when her sisters are gathered.

At the start of the battle, they gasp. The gunfire draws shrieks, as the girls watch their aunt unleash hell. However, when the guns fall silent. The shrieks are replaced with gasps of horror at the death storm that Nikita becomes. They sit transfixed until the screen shows the King and entourage being escorted to the landing craft.

The girls gingerly stand up and turn to Halpron and bow, “Your Majesty.”

Before they return to their seats, Kim steps over to Sasha and whispers in her ear, “We don’t ever want to spar with Niki after seeing that.”

Steve chuckles to himself and gets to his feet, he walks past Nikita and Halpron, tapping him on the shoulder, “Can I have a word?”

Halpron exchanges glances with Nikita and gets to his feet following Steve into the kitchen.




Steve pulls a frost covered bottle of scotch from the bottom drawer of the freezer, under the frozen peas. He takes two glasses and nods towards the back door. “Let’s get some air.”

Halpron nods and follows him out, settling on a lawn chair next to Steve’s and accepting a generous glass of scotch.

Steve nurses his for a moment, staring at the night sky before turning to Halpron. He raises his glass, “This is a fifty year old single malt. This was my dad’s favourite.”

Slightly confused, Halpron looks on, while Steve takes a sip and rolls it around his mouth savouring the flavour before swallowing. He pauses, controlling the silence in the conversation and takes a second sip, “I guess you are wondering, if this is the part of the evening where I say, if you hurt my daughter, then I will blah, blah, blah.” He says in a mock serious tone, wagging his finger.

Halpron nods a little sheepishly, “I must admit, the thought had crossed my mind.”

“Yeah.” Steve pauses, subtly scrutinising Halpron, “I am not going to do that. Let’s be honest, if you hurt Niki, I will be the least of your problems.”

Halpron nods, speaking earnestly “I would never forgive myself, if Niki ever came to harm by my actions.”

“I can see the love you two share. A blind man can see it.” Steve says, “I only want what is best for her and if I am right about you, I think you might well be the man to give it to her.”

“Mr Marks, she is my world. Yes, I rule my realm and have the weight of expectation upon me, but I do so with Niki in my heart and by my side.” Halpron says, struggling to put into words everything in his heart, “Nikita is the better half of me. She makes me strong when I am weak. Brave when fear grips me. She lifts me up, when life knocks me down. But more than that, there is no shadow in her heart, only light. She has become everything to me and I happily devote my life to her.”

Steve sips his scotch once again, with a thoughtfully look before speaking softly, “Some people tell many stories when they talk. They will tell one with their voice, one with their tone, another with their body language and yet more with micro expressions and their eyes.” He says thoughtfully, “With you however, there is one story. That is a rare thing.”

Halpron takes a sip of the scotch not knowing how to respond. He rolls it around his mouth and savours the smoky sweetness of the liquor, before enjoying the burn as it rolls down his throat. “That is really good. Don’t get much of this back home.”

Steve quietly watches the man fighting his heroes and raises his glass, “Welcome to the family, Hal.”

Halpron nervously clinks his glass, “Thank you Mr Marks. Nikita really respects you and it means a lot to hear you say that.”

Steve chuckles, “Steady on fella, this isn’t a Hallmark moment and for goodness sake, please call me Steve. Knock that one back, there is another waiting.”

“Thanks, errr Steve.” Halpron says, before downing the rest of his glass with a satisfied grunt, “That is something else. Don’t get much of the good stuff back home.”

Steve refills Halpron’s glass and asks, “What’s it like back home?”

Halpron sits back in his chair and shrugs, “The weather is fairly constant, either warm and sunny or occasionally, warm and raining. Our fields and forests are lush and bountiful. Our people learned and skilled in the sciences, esoteric arts and the arts of war. After so long at war, our society is opening up. We are seeing a rise in artisans and the soul of society is beginning to flourish. This could be a new golden age.”

Steve nods still watching the man, he raises his glass which Halpron clinks. Steve knocks back the scotch soon after followed by Halpron. “Sounds nice. If Atlantis is seeing a rise in artisans, how do they earn enough to live?”

As Steve refills their glasses Halpron shrugs, “We don’t really use money. We grow enough to feed the people and can turn lead into gold on an industrial scale. Everyone gets enough resources to live well, by virtue of citizenship. Should one choose a role within the realm that serves society, then they may claim additional resources.”

Steve nods, “That’s interesting, so how do artists serve the nation?”

“If the military is the strength of the realm and the Phlogiston Order is its nurse, the fields are its larder and the Guild its Toolbox, then the Arts are its soul. When the Arts flourish, society is nourished.” Halpron, wheezes a chuckle at the rhyme, knocking back his drink.

Steve refills his glass, thinking, “Well Hal, welcome to the most effective truth serum their is. Alcohol. For all your muscles and training, you are not ready for an old school hard drinking session. I think you are a stand up guy, but it would be nice to be sure.”

[GreyLord]

Magnificent, @wolfman. I had almost forgotten how great Steve is. Good to see him working on the truth.

[wolfman]

Magnificent, @wolfman. I had almost forgotten how great Steve is. Good to see him working on the truth.

We have seen Steve as the soldier a lot in the past, i think it is fun seeing him as a family man as a contrast

[Caesar73]

Magnificent, @wolfman. I had almost forgotten how great Steve is. Good to see him working on the truth.

We have seen Steve as the soldier a lot in the past, i think it is fun seeing him as a family man as a contrast

Well done @wolfman - I like the interaction between the family members - and to see Steve in this role is indeed delightful. Halpron and Steve seem to get along well.

[wolfman]

Well done @wolfman - I like the interaction between the family members - and to see Steve in this role is indeed delightful. Halpron and Steve seem to get along well.

Thank you @Caesar73 , Steve and Halpron are similar in a few ways. Both lifelong soldiers, men of integrity and honour and very disciplined and both love the women in their lives greatly.

[Caesar73]

Well done @wolfman - I like the interaction between the family members - and to see Steve in this role is indeed delightful. Halpron and Steve seem to get along well.

Thank you @Caesar73 , Steve and Halpron are similar in a few ways. Both lifelong soldiers, men of integrity and honour and very disciplined and both love the women in their lives greatly.

As you say, there a similarities between Steve and Halpron. And to see them interacting is intriguing. There are differences too - but the similarities outweigh the differences. We haven´t seen Kate for quite a while. Will we see her at some point again?

[wolfman]

@Caesar73, the short answer to your question, is yes. But she will show up when you least expect it and i think you will be pleased.

[wolfman]

If you wish to be added to list, please let me know @slackywacky @Bandit666 @Caesar73 @GreyLord


Halpron wakes slowly, reluctantly, languidly. In reaction to the light burning his eyes he squeezes his eyes closed and rolls away from the light. His powerful arm, wraps around his bride to be and he pulls her close.

Nikita feels him stir next to her and curls into him, sensing his pain from the ruthless hangover that grips him with an iron fist.

She wipes his lifepulse clean of the effects of the alcohol and soothes his pain, then smiles feeling the lifepulses of her family nearby, “It’s nice to be back.”



Steve drops two dissolvable aspirin into a glass and waits for it to be ready before knocking it back. “Shit, that fella can drink.” He thinks, looking at the three empty bottles of scotch on the counter top.

Sounds of movement shake his from his thoughts and he silently heads upstairs to his sons room.

Tommy lays on his back kicking his legs and waving his arms, when he sees his father he reaches up, opening and closing his hands and gurgling happily.

“Hey there big fella. How are you doing this morning?” Steve coos gently as he reaches down to scoop up his son.

He gently rocks his son and carries him over to the window. Tommy listens rapt, as Steve tells him about all the birds and trees that he points out.

Steve springs into action when Tommy starts to cry and a quick nappy change later has the boy happy and smiling again.

Creeping past the main bedroom, Steve whispers “Quiet now son, it’s mummy’s turn to have a lay in.”

He sets a pan of water on the stove and plays with his son, as waits for it to boil. He drops a bottle of milk into the pan and shuts off the heat, before playing again with his son.

After a feed, he lays back on the sofa with some cartoons on, “Isn’t this the life?” he mumbles, dozing with his son in his arms.




Kim and Tara circle ready, hands raised defensively. No ropes or restraints, today. Just straight sparring, while Ali watches and Anya films it.

Tara strikes first, lighting right jab to jaw. Kim counters with a left forearm block, then chops down onto Tara’s arm. Tara twists away, left hook to ribs, under Kim’s guard. First point, to Tara.

Kim slams her shin into her sisters leg three inches up from her ankle, forcing Tara to step back and presses the advantage with a right cross, left elbow and left backhand combination. Tara blocks the cross but is too slow for the elbow and backhand. Two points to Kim.

Tara chops down on Kim’s left arm and delivers a palm heel to her sisters collar bone with a rising backfist under her jaw. Three points to Tara.

Kim staggers back, drawing Tara in. Tara closes the gap between them, only to be taken off of her feet, by a backflip that catches her under the chin. Three points each.

Kim rolls forward, straddling her sisters chest and pinning her arms. Tara admits defeat, grudgingly then wiggles her jaw. She accepts her sisters hand and allows Kim to help her to her feet.

“Not bad.” Sasha says from the doorway. The girls watch warily from as Sasha enters the room and hands Liam to Ali.

“Morning Sasha. I am really sorry. Did we wake you?” Kim asks, blushing.

“Not at all, your brother woke me up for a feed. Is this how you normally train?” Sasha asks, warmly.

Tara nods, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly, “Yeah. We go close to full contact and go hard. Everything we read says, that any martial arts practitioner can fold in a real fight. However, if they are pressure tested, it reduces the chances of them freezing or forgetting their training.”

“Very true.” Sasha says, with a hint of admiration, “Pressure testing is key, as is feedback.”

“What kind of feedback do you mean?” Kim asks, nervously..

“Sometimes an outsider looking in can spot things you miss. Dad coached me quite a lot, spotting things that were reducing my speed and power.” Sasha nods to Anya, “Could you put that fight up on screen?”

“Wait. Steve coached you?” Kim asks, incredulously, “What does he know?”

“More than you think, sweetie.” Sasha smiles gently, “He used to be in special forces. He taught me BOTAT.” Seeing the confusion on the girls faces, she explains, “His personal fighting style, it means Bits Of This And That. He taught me the rope block, I showed you.”

“Whoa, that is so cool, we have only seen him be a chilled old dude.” Tara remarks, surprised.

“Don’t you believe it. He has knocked me on my backside more than once.” She says, remembering the bruises. “By the way, do you know what happened to the last person to call my dad old?”

“No, what happened to them?” Ali asks, innocently.

“No one knows. Their bodies have never been found.” Sasha says with a smile. After a few concerned looks are exchanged between the girls, Sasha gives them a wink.

Once the girls have settled she asks Anya to play the video of the fight, pausing just before the first punch in thrown, “Play it frame by frame. Everyone watch closely and then we will talk about what we see.”

The clip plays until Sasha pauses it again, “What happened?”

Anya speaks up, “Tara threw a jab at Kim. Kim blocked it.” The others nod in agreement.

“What else happened?” Sasha asks and when only blank faces look back she says, “Watch closely.” and presses play.

As it advances frame, Kim shouts out, “Wait. Can you run it back a little.” She leans forward watching the replayed footage, nodding to herself.

Sasha runs it again from the top and Kim speaks, uncertainly, “Just before Tara punches, she pulls her shoulder back slightly and when she does that, I start moving my left arm down to block.”

Sasha smiles and winks at Kim, “Spot on. The same is true of most of the strikes you both launched. You cock your arm or leg back subtly, before striking.” She explains, while slowly acting out the motion.

“Truth is, many fighters do this and it acts as a signpost, for their opponents sub conscious that an attack is coming.” Sasha says, before demonstrating a punch. “If you practice, you could eliminate that, and strike a little more fluidly and quickly.”

“How do we do that?” Ali asks, wide eyed.

“Well, I have a few tips.” Sasha says, smiling.



Dani pours a glass of fresh orange juice and lights a cigarette. She sits at her kitchen table in pure white, silk pyjamas. She blows a plume of smoke towards the open back door of her kitchen and leans back in her chair.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep lungful of smoke and listens to the birds in the trees outside. “I wonder what the day will bring?” she ponders, then thinks back to the previous evening.

“It’s good to see Nikita again. Can’t believe how much she has changed. She has always been vibrant and full of life, but there is something different in her.” She thinks, exhaling slowly, “She has always known exactly what she was capable of, but looking in her eyes now, she finally believes it.”

“From the moment she walked in, she exuded confidence. She moves like a woman who owns her body, instead of one who controls it.” She muses.

Dani stubs out her cigarette and puts a pot of coffee on, then wanders to the fridge. A moment later she is beating three eggs and adding cheese. She sets a pan on the cooker and adds butter and a few slices of chorizo. Whilst absent mindedly, watching the pan she thinks to herself, “Between us dragging Niki into the kitchen and Dad dragging Hal outside for a session, didn’t get much chance to speak to him. Seems nice though.” She chuckles to herself adding the eggs and cheese to the pan, “I guess dad got the truth out of him. If there is anything off about him, he wouldn’t have been able to come back inside.”

Dani puts the pan under the grill and cuts a couple of tomatoes, a spring onion and an avocado. “From the little I saw, he seems like a nice guy. He was relaxed and chill when questioned by Louise and the girls from what they said.”

She turns the omelette out onto the plate and pours herself a steaming cup of black coffee. She eats in silence, savouring the balance of flavours and textures.

After setting her empty plate in the sink, she pours a bowl of cereal and adds ice cold milk. “With everything she has been through, Nikita has managed to find happiness.”

Dani smiles to herself, changing in an instant from pyjamas to a sports bra and lycra shorts.




Tara drops to her knees, panting. She and her sisters are all soaked in sweat from four hours of striking drills. Uppercut, jabs, crosses, haymaker, elbows, hammer fists, palm heels, kicks, knee strikes and defences against each.

Kim sits on the floor and swipes a lock of sweaty hair out of her eye, to give her a clear view of her adopted mother, “Thank you so much for this.”

“No worries, love.” Sasha says beaming a smile.

Kim takes a sip of water, she glances at each of her sisters and each of them nods. “Sasha, can we talk to you about something?”

Sasha relaxes her posture and leans back, cuddling Liam, “You can talk to me about anything. I will always listen.”

Kim chews her lip and takes a deep breath, “We have been talking and erm.” She pauses looking to her sisters for support, getting a smile and thumbs up from all of them. “We have something we have to ask.”

Sasha softens a little more, seeing the conflict on her daughters face, “You can tell me anything, no matter what.”

Kim close her eyes and decides to just say it, “We don’t think that this is the best place for Liam to grow up. The place is crawling with armed personnel and there have been various security breaches. We just don’t think it is healthy or safe for him here, or for us either.”

“I see.” Sasha says, thinking, “Do they know I have been thinking the same thing?”

“Yeah, it is cool here with the pool and grounds, but there are too many guns and it is not healthy for him.” Tara says in support, “Would you consider moving?”

“To be fair, I have been thinking about it and have been talking to Alex, Rachel and Moses about all of us moving.” Sasha says, thinking, “Shit, I didn’t want to do this without them.”

Kim and her sisters, breath a collective sigh of relief, “We were scared you might want to split us up.”

Sasha smiles and shakes her head, “That wouldn’t be fair on you. All of us are a family.”

“We love it here, but at times it feels like we are in an army camp.” Ali confesses.

“Don’t get us wrong, it is cool here, but we want what’s best for Liam and for us.” Anya chips in, “It feels like living here, is building us into soldiers and closing us off to what else life might have in store for us.”

Sasha smiles gently, “We want that too. The big question is what is best for you?”

“How do you mean?” Kim asks, confused.

“You all have good school results and A levels. You also have skills that no one your age should possess. You are at an age now, where you can decide what kind of person you want to be and what you want to do.” Sasha says softly, she pauses for a moment to let the point sink in, “Each of you has the potential to do whatever you want to do.”

“We don’t know what we want to do.” Tara says, sadly. “Or where we think would be best to go.”

“Well there are plenty of places here in the UK we could go, or America or Australia. Dad and Lou would prefer somewhere where they speak English, French or Spanish, but they are flexible.”

Tara’s eyes light up “Would they be coming too?”

“Yes, they have similar worries for Tommy.” Sasha says with a nods.




Dani listens from the other side of the door, her heart feeling like it is torn in two, “They are all going to go without telling me.” She thinks, stifling a cry.

“Do they think, I am a danger to the kids “ She thinks, “I would never hurt them. Don’t they know that?”

“This could be so cool, a fresh start. New place. Maybe the chance of going out without an armed escort.” Kim says, beaming.

“Steady on now.” Sasha says raising her eyebrows, “We will see about that.”

“We can look after ourselves.” Kim protests.

“I know you are sensible and can take most people who would try it on. But there are a lot of people who want a piece of us for one reason and another.” Sasha says, trying to be tactful.

“We could go somewhere remote, where no one knows us and live a quiet life.” Tara says, wide eyed.

“If we go somewhere remote, there wont be anywhere to go out.” Anya chuckles.

“Oh yeah.” Tara giggles.

“They deserve a good life. They are good kids. Now that I think about it, that is what I want the most right now.” Dani reflects silently, wiping her eyes.

“I am sure we can find a compromise.” Sasha says, brightly, “Near to a town or city, big place or collection of smaller places and I am going to vote for nice weather.”

“Could we get somewhere near a beach?” Ali asks, hopefully.

Sasha tilts her head thoughtfully, “I am on board with that. “

[Bandit666]

Awesome, brilliant, fantastic, what more can I say, the way you’ve taken us on a journey of twists and turns, adventure and danger, before cleverly lowering the tension is simply incredible

[Caesar73]

This chapter is so full of sweet little moments. Starting with the first Paragraph - and later Steve´s admission: "That man can drink" I would say: Both men are on equal terms in this regard. Or the conversation Sasha has with the youngsters: BOTAT And that line about what happened to people who talked about Steve ... if I would compile a list of other quotes? It would be rather long That being said: I like it to read those scenes of a family life. It forms a nice contrast to the action sequences of before.

[GreyLord]

Well said by both @Bandit666 and @Caesar73. A reader may be called on to suspend belief. This cries, "Believe! Believe!" Great work, @wolfman.

[wolfman]

@Bandit666 @Caesar73 @GreyLord

With these characters, I could write endless action scenes, but they would mean nothing without the quiet moments. I often find it hard to create bridges between events in this story, but I find it is always worth it. The characters have a reason to be where they need to be and it gives what they do weight and in sone small way adds power to their actions and decisions.

[wolfman]

@Bandit666 @Caesar73 @GreyLord @slackywacky

Kim frowns for a moment, “What about Auntie Dani? Can she come too?”

Sasha inhales slowly, “To be fair, we haven’t spoken to her about it yet.”

“Why not? She has to come too. It wouldn’t feel right without her.” Kim says, fearfully.

Sasha takes a seat on the floor next to Kim and wraps her free arm around her, “Steady on. We are only starting to think about this. Dani has been on operations solidly, since we first started talking about it. We haven’t had a chance to ask her to come.”

“So you are cool with her coming?” Tara asks with a hopeful smile.

Sasha smiles warmly, “She is my sister and one of my best friends, I can honestly say that I would be lost without her.”

For the second time in two days, Dani is flooded with pure emotions and managed to stumble out of earshot before bursting into tears.

“Awesome. She is a cool aunt.” Tara says, enthusiastically, “She teaches us such cool stuff.”

Sasha raises an eyebrow, “Oh really, like what?”

Kim shakes her head, “You gobby donut.” She psis to her sister, who replies with a image of herself hanging her head.

“She has been giving us driving lessons and teaching us how to evade pursuers.” Ali confesses, adding, “She also helped us to master the stuff in Fey’s book.”

“Fey’s book?” Sasha asks somewhat surprised.

“Yeah, it emphasises blind spot management and stealth to infiltrate and confound our enemies and move like shadows in the world.” Ali explains, in a hurried tone.

“What else does she teach you?” Sasha asks, trying to keep her tone light.

“She has been, teaching us about.” Kim begins, but cannot bring herself to say.

Sasha hugs her close and whispers, “Don’t worry, I am not going to be mad at you, but I do want to know.”

Tara takes a sip of water and breaks the silence, “She has been teaching us how to gamble.” She confesses, closing her eyes, “Poker, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, dice,”

Sasha let’s slip a giggle of relief, “My God, I was worried it was something horrific. Why would you want to learn that?”

“We didn’t initially, to be fair. We asked her how to spot a liar and how to spot a different things that can provide clues to what they might be thinking. She told us the quickest way to build our skill would be to learn how to play poker.” Anya says with a sparkle in her eyes.

“Yeah, it kind of grew from there. She has also shown us how to quickly analyse people to gain insight from their actions and identify their tells.” Ali says, reverentially, “She is really smart, when it comes to people.”

Kim hangs her head, “In for a penny.” She begins, “We spent a while watching online poker tournaments and before long we were predicting outcomes of games. Then Dani helped us with our make up, to look older and we entered a couple of tournaments to put it into practice.”

“I may still kill her.” Sasha thinks, before asking, “How did you do?”

“We crashed out of the first one early on. We made a bad call and it cost us. Second one was better, but we didn’t start winning until about the eighth.” Tara confesses and then regrets it.

“How many have you played in and how much have you won?” Sasha asks, trying to keep her temper.

Kim feels her face burn, as she confesses, “Twenty two. And we have won just under a hundred thousand.”

“But we have only kept half, the rest has gone to charity.” Anya blurts out.

“The rest is in trust funds for us, Dean, Tommy and Liam.” Ali says, sheepishly.



After composing herself and washing her face, Dani returns to the training room and takes a breath before knocking on the doorframe and stepping into the room.

Sasha smiles and raises her eyebrows, “That’s good timing. I want a word with you.”

Sensing a playfulness to Sasha’s tone, Dani leans against a wall and innocently asks “What’s on your mind?”

“Is there anything you would like to tell me?” Sasha asks, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Dani turns a slight shade of pink, her cheeks flushed, “Sasha, you and the girls mean everything to me. You guys are my world and I couldn’t bear to lose you all.”

Sasha pauses for a moment, caught off guard, before walking over to her sister and hugging her unbidden, “We are thinking of moving away from here. We don’t know where yet. But wherever we end up, there is a place for you, if you want it. You mean everything to us.”

Dani cannot speak, she simply nods.

Sasha feels her sisters body shaking gently as she sobs and opens her eyes in alarm, “Is everything alright, babe?”

Dani pulls back a little and smiles weakly, “It is now.”

Unsure of what to do, Sasha holds her sister for a few minutes, before whispering, “There is always a home for you with us. We will always be there for you.”

Dani beams a smile at Sasha, feeling a massive sense of relief. Sasha smiles back thinking, “With first Liam and then Tommy being born, Niki disappearing and now being back with a new man, I have neglected Dani just as I neglected the girls. I wonder what else I have missed.”

She is shaken from her thoughts when Kim and the girls join the hug, with Liam.



Nikita stands tall on the back lawn of her home and bows to Halpron. She is dressed in a sports bra and lycra shorts, in contrast to the full combat sheath he wears.

He bows back and with a flourish, fills his right hand with the hilt of a handgun. Sunlight glints off of the polished metal work of the weapon, glittering darkly in the sun light.

Simultaneously, they flip forward onto the patio table. Standing almost nose to nose on the four foot square table, they stare each other down. Suddenly, he raises the weapon. She twists to the side and grabs its barrel, pushing away from his palm allowing her to take it into her grasp. She raises the weapon and he steps within the sweep of her arm, aiming a fist at her solar plexus.

Nikita twists back, Halpron grabs the slide and hilt of the gun and twists it into his hand and rapidly aims for her head. She ducks before he pulls the trigger and strikes the side of his knee. He staggers slightly creating an opening to lose the weapon again.

Halpron grabs a gladius from a dimensional pocket and swings for Nikita’s face, narrowly missing.

Drawn by the noise, Sasha, Dani and the girls, watch the display silently for the next ten minutes. Barely able to keep up with the rapid arming and disarming of each combatant as gun and blade pass between the pair. Until the sword rests against Halpron’s neck and the gun clicks on an empty chamber, pointed at Nikita’s heart.

Both combatants are breathing heavily, with a lustful look in their eyes, until a gentle clapping draws their attention to their spectators. Halpron leans forward, with a gentle peck on her cheek and whispers, “Time for family. You and I have a lifetime.”

“That was impressive.” Sasha says with a hint of admiration, “Unusual set up, but I like it. Might have to try that myself.”

Nikita hops down from the table and grabs a towel from one of the chairs, “A weapon is no good, if you can’t keep hold of it.”

Halpron flips down from the table changing in mid air into a t-shirt and joggers, “With the number of beast type opponents we face, it is easy to forget how to engage a person in close quarters. This is now a standard practice drill for our troops.” With a flourish the weapon vanishes from his hand another takes the sword from Nikita.

Ali looks up, feeling a little hurt, “Did you show all the troops, the dimension trick I showed you?”

Nikita smiles, shaking her head, “I demonstrated its use in combat, but it was something that some in Atlantis already knew.”

“Wait, what? They know magic there?” Ali asks, wide eyed.

Halpron smiles at the young woman, making her blush, “Yes my dear, some of my people are skilled in the Esoteric Arts. However, it was never a path I trod, so have no idea what other secrets they hide.”

“It is only beginning to sink in, how different your life is now.” Dani says, looking at her sister, as if seeing her for the first time.

“Nah, not that different.” Nikita says, dabbing the sweat from her neck with a towel, “I get the call and head out with a team to help those who can’t help themselves.” She shrugs, ”Same as here, just the locations, back-up resources and transport are different.”

“I think it is really cool.” Kim says, slightly awestruck.

“Nah.” Nikita says with a playful smile and a dismissive wave of her hand, “Just a day job.”

“I gotta know, if you are marrying a King, does that mean you will be a Queen?” Tara asks, wide eyed.

“Yes love. I will be crowned the Queen of Atlantis.” Nikita says, then locks eyes with Halpron, who smiles and nods, “Speaking of the wedding, I was wondering if you girls would like to be my bridesmaids.”

Kim and her sisters cannot find the words, but manage to nod vigorously. Nikita looks up at Sasha and Dani, “Would you be my maids of honour?”

Sasha doesn’t hesitate, blurting out, “Hell yes.”

Dani feel herself welling up, “Are you sure you want both of us? I understand if you can only have Sasha?”

“I need you both there and Fey too.” Nikita says, giving Dani a hug. “With all we have been through together, it wouldn’t be right if you weren’t all by my side.”

“Count me in.” Dani says, beaming a smile, “When is the big day?”

Nikita and Halpron exchange a glance, before Nikita announces, “At the moment, it is looking like six months or thereabouts.”

“Oh wow, that is quick.” Sasha says, surprised.

“It took me thirty years to meet, not just the perfect woman, but the one woman who is perfect for me. Life is too short and I don’t wish to waste another moment of it.” Halpron says, warmly. “Hopefully, it will be enough time to prove my intentions are honourable.”

Sasha mock frowns at him, “You have a lot to prove, her last fella was a movie star.”

“His career was pretending to be the King of a mythical land and a great warrior.” Halpron shrugs, “Difference is, I don’t pretend.”

“True.” Nikita says, warmly. She sidles over to him and kisses him on the cheek, “He is the real deal.”

“Where will the wedding be held?” Kim asks, buzzing with excitement.

“One of the cathedrals in Atlantis.” Nikita says, with a smile, “We aren’t sure which yet.”

“We get to come to Atlantis?” Tara asks, hopefully.

Halpron scratches his chin, “It would be difficult to be a bridesmaid, if you aren’t in Atlantis.” He says, warmly, “Provided it is alright with your folks, you had better come.” He turns to Ali and Anya and winks, “Of course, your families are invited too.”

“With the madness that surrounds the Palace, you might be better off at my villa when you come.” Nikita offers, “It is big enough for everyone and has a pool, beach and underground training area.”

“How can you afford it?” Dani asks, curiously.

“Atlantis doesn’t use money, it uses social currency. If you act for the good of Atlantis you gain credit, the greater the deed, you get the idea.” Nikita explains, “As you are my guests, you would trade on my currency.”

“You are our guests, all of the realm will be open to you.” Halpron affirms.

“Can we get a suit like yours?” Kim asks, “The one you wore when training with Auntie Niki looked sick.”

“I’ll need to see about that.” Sasha says, raising her eyebrows, “I know you are responsible, but I need to be sure it isn’t dangerous.”

Nikita raises an eyebrow, “I have one for you when you are ready to try it out.” To which, Sasha barely conceals a smile.

[Caesar73]

Simply wonderful and masterfully done. Take alone the conversation at the beginning .... Kim talking to Sasha. Sasha growing tense as Kim tells her that Aunt Dani is teaching them Stuff - and then her relief.

[GreyLord]

Sorry, I am late—another excellent chapter. I am overwhelmed by the possibilities of where the story can go from here. Can hardly wait for you to continue, @wolfman.