-Sadie Kane-

I found myself dragged into another circus, this time it wasn't life-threatening like it had been usually. Nope, rather the initiates urged for a simulation fight… against the Kanes. Amos easily snuck past it, stating it would not be fair for the most powerful magician to fight against kids way out of his league. But he did watch as Carter and I fought a clean fight against our initiates.

By clean, I mean no one meant any serious harm, only little taps from staffs occurred while we used magic for defense rather than the offensive. It was for the best, I'm certain Amos would have been upset to see us burn each other up.

Once we called it over, I noticed our uncle reading some book on witches. He wasn't even concerned about us perhaps getting out of hand, his eyes were fixed on the typed lettering that I practically startled him when I called out his name two feet away. "Reading for fun for once?" I asked curiously as he relaxed, closing the book quickly.

Amos laughed nervously. "I wish… You already done?" He scanned the room quickly to take in everyone heading to lunch.

My right eyebrow rose. "We fought for four hours; I think that's good enough," I informed.

He smirked, as if wanting to tell me otherwise but kept it to himself. Typical, an older Kane doing more than Carter and I, despite the fact that he keeps telling us we've topped everyone in the magician world. Besides, his magical ability came from pure practice and research rather than given to him out of the cruelness of a God's heart.

"I have been wanting to talk to you about the whole 'paying dad a visit'," I sat beside him.

He straightened out of alarm, open ears as his eyes fixed on mine. That was sometimes terrifying, he has unnerving eyes that stay steadily on you like his considering ten different ways of tearing you apart. It's the very reason why Carter hesitates to argue with him, it's scary. The way I figure, he can give me any kind of glare he wants, I'll still say what I want and get away with it.

"You don't want to see him?" His voice stayed even, somewhat curious and yet a little angry towards the thought.

I laughed now, which his eyes relaxed, confusion getting the best of him. "Why are you always thinking the worst from me?"

Amos shot me a gentle smile, "Sadie, that's the only way I can prepare myself for your chaos, think the worst."

"No, I'm going," I reassured, "however, I think you should come with."

His jaw slacked, as if almost about to gap at me, eyes widened in absolute shock. "Uh, what?" He finally managed after a few seconds.

"I said you should-" I started to repeat myself.

"I heard you," he swiftly stopped me. "What makes you think I should pay my brother a visit?"

I smirked now, "Actually, it's more towards you visiting a Jazzy Hippo."

His reaction wasn't what I expected. I figured he would blush and agree. No, he grew flustered, eyes almost on the verge of crying as he struggled to pull himself together. Now I grew worried, watching his eyes drift away from me, not something he usually does in a conversation. His breath became shaky, as if he was losing air with each second. "Uncle Amos?" I asked with concern written all over my tone.

"I can't," his voice breaking.

I wanted him to get mad, scream at me for looking into his personal letters. Not look like a complete wreck in a second. I mean, I've seen him in depression, but this topped that. "You said you wanted to," I recalled from the letter he meant for her.

Well, that definitely gained his attention, fury aimed at me as he digested my words. "Sadie Kane," yep, this was going to be worse than the lectures, "did you come upon a shabti in the Seattle Library?" His eyes practically burning me from the inside.

"Actually, a party of us did," I corrected, voice going soft as to hide from the oncoming wrath threatening to unleash from his eyes.

"That was meant for Kyra," he scorned. "I had hoped she would have seen it, not you."

"Don't get so defensive," my voice started to regain its strength. "It's not weakness to like someone."

"Don't try to change the subject," he snapped. "Who translated it for you?"

I sat up straight now, "I did-"

"Sadie," His voice threatened.

"I host Isis, remember?" I continued.

"Sadie, both of you don't have the patience to translate that code," Amos verbally shot my lie down. "There's a limited few that do."

"Wow," I paused to the dis he just placed on me, though I knew it to be quite true.

"Who was it?" Amos continued to demand, a little frustrated for having to fight me for it.

"Thoth," I gave in willingly, though I kind of felt bad for sending my very pissed off uncle his way.

Amos groaned as he stood up now, "you're telling me I'm going to have to pay Bird-Brain a visit anyways?"

My right eyebrow raised in reaction, "I figured you would be on good terms with him, having Khufu around."

"Was," Amos corrected swiftly, "until… hum." He suddenly slipped into his thoughts, which apparently was far more interesting than me.

I waited a bit to see if he would notice my escape. Once I went to leave, he instantly cleared his throat, eyes on me. "What else happened, Sadie? How do you know all of this?"

I gave a nervous laugh, "I kind of just pieced it all together, a guess honestly-" I was praying my lame excuse would work.

His glare told me otherwise. I sighed, giving in as I straightened my posture, averting my eyes from making contact with his. "You left a note for her in there-"

"I'm very much aware of that," he interrupted. "What happened after you read it?"

The air in the gym became heavy, which didn't make much sense seeing as everyone else had left for lunch. "We… uh, paid her a visit…"

"We?" He continued, agitation added to his tone with each new development.

"Just Walt and I, but we figured she would have a better idea as to what you were looking into," I spilled finally, figuring I might as well get it over with.

"And let me guess, you two just strolled into the Hall of Judgment and casually asked Osiris if he knew anyone named Jazzy Hippo?" Amos continued.

I shot him a sheepish grin, for he had hit it on the nose. Strangely enough, his eyes relaxed, as if just accepting everything as the big mess I left it as. "Sorry, but-"

"It's nothing against you, Sadie," Amos continued. "It's… It's just something that's been bothering me for a while. No hard feelings?"

This was just too weird, first a stare down, and now a sudden apology? A bad feeling started to tug at me though; ever curious as to why she happens to remain a ghost. "Need to talk?" I hesitated, knowing it was weird for a thirteen-year-old to be asking, but hey, thirty-six year olds need to vent a bit too, right?

I could tell he completely dismissed the thought with another sharp look in his eyes. "You better go get yourself lunch," Amos waved his right hand, as if ending the topic at hand.

I watched as he sat down, doing his best to read the book again. "Don't tell me and I'll just ask her myself," I continued anyways, diverting his eyes from the book.

"Sadie, you have your own problems-" He started.

"Everyone has problems," I added. "You, however, are hung-up on a 'problem' for I'm betting a good amount of years. Think it's time to bury whatever's eating at you?" I glared back at him, which just made him uncomfortable.

He finally gave up on the book and set it down again, "No one else understood it, so I highly doubt you will."

"I'm your niece, and there's been quite a few unexplainable things that happened over the past two years. Do your worst." I promptly sat down, refusing to budge.

I could tell he didn't believe me, but I was ready for anything he could throw at me. What does he take me for, honestly? Like I haven't been through relationship drama? Like Walt dying slowly and having to take help from a God to stop it, a very hot God at that. I did finally manage to straighten my priorities out, deciding Walt is a better choice over Anubis. (And okay, Carter did mention Anput, which really just wanted me to punch Anubis the next time I see him.)

His eyes saddened, and I could tell he was contemplating ways of getting out of this conversation. "Here, I'll help get you started then," I announced. "Her real name is Caroline Smith, and she's a former healer of this Nome."

"She was from Miami, Sixty-Seventh Nome," Amos hesitated to pick it up. "Met her in Cairo. Actually… I guess it was more like I 'noticed' her, and we didn't officially meet until months later."

"Because you stalked her, right?" I recalled what dad had said.

Amos' eyes narrowed, but he had a look in his eyes that didn't seem like it pinned it on me. "I wasn't exactly the obnoxious kid like your father."

"Okay, but you realize how creepy that is?" I continued anyways.

"No one really saw me; I wasn't combat, I wasn't a loudmouth. Just the smart kid that kept to himself, the empty seat in their classes, that's what they saw. She didn't know about it until years after," Amos explained.

Silence for a moment, which I reviewed what I could remember of the note. The word 'possession' popped brightly in my thoughts, but I wasn't sure I actually read it in there. "Didn't you say something about possession?"

Amos tensed, but he relaxed a bit with a sighed. "Maybe this isn't a topic to discuss with you-" He was starting to back away from our talk, uneasy eyes.

"How many years was it? And you're still refusing to give any details on it?" I finally gave in to anger.

He gave me a sad smile. "I just don't want you or Carter to overthink things. The two of you have a bright future, beyond the Gods. You'll second-guess yourselves if I tell you, and that's not something I want to see. In fact, I want the two of you to be bold when it comes towards your lives; don't stand in the shadows like I have."

My right hand clenched, but it wasn't because I wanted to hit him. A small stab of emotion leaked through from his choice of words, telling me he has been dwelling in the past for quite a while. Amos stood up before I could think of anything to say, "I'll consider your words, so long as you drop this and worry about yourself."

I was about to protest when he extended his right hand towards me. "Maybe I can persuade your father to give his blessing to Walt. That's a big maybe though."

I smiled now, taking in that he wasn't pulling an act towards liking Walt. He sounded like he already accepted Walt into the family, and who knows if he felt the same towards Zia. I took his hand and stood up again.

He pulled me into a hug, one telling me everything was going to be okay either way. Then a small thought occurred to me as we pulled away, Amos took his book and left the gym. "You could have made a great dad."