Femi waited in the entrance lobby with a rucksack of supplies hanging from her little shoulder; it kept tugging on her hair, causing her to hiss and fiddle in frustration. Ixa was watched her strangely from her position against the wall where a painting of a queens' crown hung above her head. It was an ironic picture. Femi felt a pair of eyes watching her and glanced sideways to find Carl secretly studying her from where he leant against the wall; his midriff was bandaged securely but he was still recovering. When their eyes connected, Carl and Femi both snapped away from each other as if their eyes had a poisonous effect on each other. Why had Carl been watching her?

"Right-oh!" Jonathan exclaimed, bowling into the lobby, "all set, ducklings?"

Femi was relieved to find him full of life again, after he had sunk away to the privacy of his bedroom like a miserable recluse earlier that day. It was always a shock, however, when the wrinkles on his skin and grey streaks of hair reminded Femi that he was almost double his age.

Alex and Samira followed after Jonathan and had just finished what seemed to be an important conversation as Samira pointed at a map she was holding. Alex took the map, folded it up, and stuffed it into his bag. These were all gifts from Samira to bid them well on their journey. Their bags consisted of water, food, clothing, rope and, of course, weapons. They would probably need them at some point but Femi prayed for the opposite.

"The driver will take you straight to the airport. Do not speak to anyone. People cannot be trusted." Samira said.

Alex nodded in agreement, "No worries about that."

He then shook Samira's hand, like the gentleman he could be, and led the group out onto the front porch and down onto the driveway. Samira opened the large gates and watched them load into the black car where a pale man wearing a cap-hat waited in the drivers' seat.

"Is this safe?" Ixa asked, surveying the walls of the vehicle.

Femi smiled, "Completely. This is how we travel, now. They are called cars."

"…Cars." Ixa repeated, amused.

Carl just stared at her from his seat opposite them with a stiff mouth and unconvinced eyes. He still hadn't come to accept that Ixa was the daughter of an ancient God, sent to their world for the sake of Jonathan's libido. Jonathan slipped into a seat beside Carl and sent him a quick smile but Carl didn't return it. He couldn't believe what a moron Jonathan was. No wonder Armand was so concerned about the future of the ring and its wishes – an idiot was going to waste them. Fair enough, Armand wanted to use the ring for power and all-things wicked, but if Carl wore the ring, he would use it for good. Money, and good.

Alex sat in the front with the driver to ensure that the plan went as agreed. He didn't trust anyone, even if he was a companion of Samira's. Femi wished he had sat in the back next to her so that she could hold his hand or smell his scent, but it was for the best. Femi waved to Samira as they drove off while Alex simply nodded in respect; she had done the world for them. She was a decent soul.

Femi noticed Ixa's fascination as the dark, quiet world flooded by in the glossy windows. Her eyes couldn't settle on any one, single thing as her amazement took over her. Femi thought about her brother and wished that he could be with them, just like before. The gang, out to save the world again.

"Anyone want to play eye-spy?" Jonathan asked.

Femi and Carl looked to him with expressions of disbelief. Only Jonathan would suggest something as ridiculous as a game in the middle of their triumphs.

Ixa tilted her head, "What's eye-spy?"

Femi leant her head against the window, sighing tiredly, as she was forced to listen to Jonathan's lengthy explanation of the game. Alex glanced at her in the reflection and frowned; he knew how much she was worrying about her brother. Alex clenched his fists, furious at himself for being so useless. If he could only get him back for Femi, just to wipe that sadness from her lovely face.

The car arrived at a deserted airport which held only one runway and an average-sized garage fit for three aeroplanes – one was already on the runway, waiting for them. So far, everything was going to plan. Femi wondered when the first hiccup would ruin their easy journey. Something always happened…

"Thanks." Alex said to the driver.

The silent skinny man simply nodded and let the group climb out of the vehicle and into the wild winds caused by the propeller. The pilot stood by the open door of his cabin and waved to them with his hat, calling them over. The group rushed over and let Alex do the talking, as usual.

"You're O'Connell?" The man called over the propeller.

Alex nodded, "That's me!"

"You owe me, man!" He teased, "I've not been called out at this time in five years!"

"We appreciate it!" Alex replied.

"Well," The pilot slapped the side of his plane proudly, "Mexico City, here we come. I hope you're ready. Eleven hours is kind of a long flight."

Nodding, Alex parted from the pilot to begin helping his group into the bulk body of the plane. It wasn't huge but spacious enough for everyone to get comfortable in a seat of their own, aside from Alex and Femi who sat together. Their belongings collected in the shelves above them or in a vacant seat near to them. Ixa looked petrified.

"Is this safe?" She called out, gaping out through her window.

Femi smiled over at her as she held Alex's hand, "This is called an aeroplane! It's a faster way for us to travel!"

Ixa just blinked at Femi in a clueless manner. It must have been difficult, Femi thought, having to adjust to such a modernised world with strange machinery and buildings. Everyone was ready for take-off but as the pilot accelerated and the plane begun to zoom speedily down the runway, Ixa broke out into a panic.

"Dios moi!" Ixa almost screamed, clutching the arms of her seat, "dios moi! Dios moi!"

Everyone sat up in their seats to peer over at her as she trembled in her place, head swishing from left-to-right and feet digging into the floor. She was terrified! The plane finally lifted from the ground and the inertia sent butterflies fluttering inside Ixa's stomach. That was all she needed. At once, Ixa leapt from her chair and started to run up and down the aisle with the characteristics of a limping monkey, ducking and rising, spinning and swerving her head in her desperate search for an explanation.

"Ixa!" Femi called out to her.

Before she could even move, Alex was already shuffling across her seat. He marched up the aisle with the intention of returning Ixa calmly to her seat, but the poor girl screamed upon seeing him drawing near to her and scurried to the back of the plane. Femi knelt up on her seat to watch the insane event take place.

"Calm down!" Alex held his hands up to her, "it's alright, damn it!"

Ixa shook her head madly, "No, no, no, no!"

"Come on, darling," Jonathan cooed, ridiculously relaxed, "it's just a little bump in the air!"

Carl watched with both amusement and surprise; he didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the girl. Femi watched as Alex slowly approached Ixa, but with every step he took, Ixa was pushed further into her panic. It was time for a womans' touch. Sighing, she quickly jumped from her seat and Carl watched as Femi rushed down the aisle to take over from Alex's role.

"Ixa…" Femi spoke softly, stepping before Alex, "I know you're frightened, but you have to calm down."

"What is this?" Ixa stuttered, "we are in the air!"

Femi nodded, "We are flying… Don't be afraid… We have been doing this for years… Nothing is going to happen to us up here. Trust me."

Ixa's lips trembled as she watched Femi in a deep frown. Her eyes glanced to the windows and back again, as if deliberating Femi's honesty. There was a sudden knock against the wind causing a shudder through the body of the plane and, suddenly, Ixa instantly threw herself against Alex and clung to him like a child. Femi's eyebrows raised in surprise as she watched Alex look down at her head, clueless as to what he should do. He felt embarrassed in front of Femi but sympathetic towards the poor girl shaking around him. At first, Femi felt a twinge of annoyance towards the situation, but ultimately her mature attitude knocked her back to reality and she felt no objection against it. Femi nodded, moving past them, and Alex slowly rested his hands down on Ixa's head.

"Come on," Femi told him, "sit down… Ixa, you'll forget we're even up here soon."

Alex led the cowardly Ixa to an empty row of seats and had attempted to sit her down, but the girl just wouldn't let go. Looking to Femi for help, Femi just nodded in approval. Alex begrudgingly sat down and allowed Ixa to hide away against him; Femi thought nothing of it, and why would she? The girl was in shock and Alex was the strongest figure in the group. He would make any girl feel safe.

"Bloody mary," Jonathan sighed, rolling his eyes, "what next? I wish this would all"-

Alex turned and pointed threateningly back at his uncle, "If you wish… for one more god-forsaken thing… I swear… I'll kill you myself."

Jonathan pouted like a spoilt brat and sunk down into the depths of his seat, nuzzling his chin into his coat. Carl couldn't help but chuckle and everyone looked to him.

"Someone oughta' stitch his mouth shut." He teased.

Alex turned his head away, "Be my guest."

Jonathan looked to Carl, at once, and Carl presented him with a cruel smile. He was, of course, teasing Jonathan but Femi didn't approve.

"You just stay away from me," Jonathan mumbled, "or I'll get Femi on you."

Femi rolled her eyes, "Oh shutup, Jonathan. No one is stitching anyone's mouth shut."

Jonathan leant up, "But he"-

"Please," Femi grunted, "can we all just be quiet?"

It was then that everyone recognised the aggravation in Femi's voice. A blanket of silence fell over the group and they shifted into their own guilty thoughts, pondering philosophically over the chain of events so far. Here there were, flying to Mexico city with the daughter of a God, an aging Jonathan, and the fate of the world in their hands. They kept forgetting how serious their situation was. Femi kept glancing over at Ixa and Alex as they cuddled together. She couldn't be jealous. Ixa was just scared. And Alex was simply comforting her. What else was he supposed to do, kick her off him? Femi shook the ridiculous suspicions from her mind and tried to rest. She was tired, now, but after an hour went by and all of the others had managed to succumb to their dreams, Femi was still wide awake. She shifted plenty of times and tried to use her jacket as a pillow against the window, but nothing was working.

Femi twisted round in her seat to look back at everyone. Jonathan was drooling, Alex was asleep against his window and Ixa had finally fallen asleep in his lap. Why did Femi still feel a bother itching at her heart? Ixa was innocent and helpless, and Alex was strong and simply helping her.

"Get over it, girl." Femi growled, turning away.

"Still awake?" Carl's voice spoke from behind her.

Femi peered through the gaps in her two seats to see Carl sitting there, looking out of his window. The glow of the silver moonlight cast shadows across his handsome face.

"I can't shut off…" Femi sighed, "with everything…"-

Femi cut herself off and just shook her head. What was the point in talking about it? It wasn't going to change anything. Carter was still being held prisoner, their world was still at the risk of ending and Alex was still cuddled up with a gorgeous celestial girl.

"He's only being kind, you know." Carl suddenly said.

Femi looked at him in surprise. She didn't say anything, but just looked into his eyes. He sent her a look of knowledge, but also a vague sparkle of amusement. What was he implying? He glanced at Alex and Ixa, causing Femi to understand exactly what he had meant.

"Please," Femi scoffed, "you need not reassure me of such silly things."

"Fine," Carl arrogantly retreated, "but you're awake for some reason."

"My chair is uncomfortable, thank you very much!" Femi whispered, but snapped.

Carl held his hands up innocently, "Alright, alright… I was only concerned."

"Don't be," Femi narrowed her eyes, "you're not here to be our companion. Therefore your concern for me is not needed."

With that, Femi turned back and folded her arms tightly across her chest; his words had upset her, but why? Femi couldn't stop herself from looking over at Ixa one more time. She remembered their conversation about love. Ixa's exact words were: "I want to find a love… Like you and Alex."

No. It meant nothing.

Femi mentally slapped herself for even beginning to think about it and closed her eyes.

Author's Notes: I just want to say that I hope you're all enjoying my sequel! I am really enjoyng the new characters to the story and can already see how everything is going to pan out... Dun dun duuuuun! Please review and let me know your thoughts and feelings. It always helps :) Sorry if they aren't being updated as quickly as you'd all like, but I'm trying to fit my writing into work, studying for a degree, and having a social life.

~Hyaline