Ada,

Getting wild:

Things are really getting wild now.

Mister Fontaine has recently released the latest must have and I'm not talking fashion here honey, I'm talking tonics! Plasmids! Why have a lighter taking up space in your purse, when at the snap of your fingers you hold a flame in the palm of your hand!

Andrew Ryan better step up his game, he's quickly becoming yesterday's news, wouldn't surprise me if the great chain will be pulled by Mister Fontaine soon.

What am I saying? He's already pulling it, changing your genes is the way of the future my darlings! Change the foundations before you change the decor, Steinman will have to wait… I have a few tonics to collect.

Kelly darted through the many corridors of Dionysus Park, heading for the main hall which would be filled with party goers. Tonight was another one of Ava Tate's grand parties and she'd been invited once more. At first, Kelly had been hesitant to go, simply because she knew what Ava was like.

Plasmids. Well, what a wondrous new thing that was? Ava was bound to jump on it, she'd been at the reveal after all. She'd seen her talk to Limey, probably arranging a deal with Fontaine.

Dionysus Park was a nice place, Kelly had always enjoyed it. It wasn't as commercialised as Fort Frolic was, it was beautiful. Huge golden Art Deco statues of dancers littered the place, a bar and a dance floor, a place for art work too. It was all so elegant and not a hint of Andrew Ryan could be found here.

Ava Tate was a fan of Andrew Ryan, her films always had a hint of Andrew Ryan's propaganda to them. It felt a bit like the old man was breathing down their necks whenever those films were on show. Almost a reminder that free market that Rapture may be, Andrew Ryan was watching everything and if he didn't like what you were doing, he'd deal with you.

Kelly wasn't sure what that quite meant, she heard the rumours of course. Whispers about people going missing and she had seen some of the plans to do with Persephone. Em had worked on it too, but she wouldn't speak about it. None of the people that Kelly knew personally who had worked on Persephone would say anything about it. Hell, Kelly didn't even know where Persephone was. No one in Rapture did, except for select few.

Still, there was always that building that Kelly would see from Fontaine Futuristics. It was a big building too, sitting over a sea trench. She found that an odd place to put a building and she hadn't seen much foot traffic coming to or from the building itself. It just sat there, in the shadows of Rapture, almost like a dirty little secret. She wondered if that was Persephone or if it was a building that simply hadn't been bought by someone yet, but there were lights on in the place so someone had to own it. Whenever she asked, people would give her a funny look, say something about not knowing a building was there in the first place and then mover swiftly on to a different subject.

Kelly couldn't say she was surprised. If she didn't know what it was and she liked to pride herself in finding nearly anything and everything out, then the rest of the populace had no chance. She'd asked Em about it, but the woman wasn't giving her anything, almost avoiding the question entirely. If Kelly didn't know any better, she'd say Em was scared. That was a new one.

As she walked through to the grand hall, she noticed that one part of the place was closed off. Standing on guard where two sorts you'd expect to find in Pauper's Drop, not here. A thuggish sort of person, who didn't look all too smart. Their clothes were rugged and a bit torn, but pinned to their lapels was a blue butterfly. They each had one and Kelly thought it was such an odd thing.

She'd been seeing more and more people wearing the same pins recently, hell even Cammie had been flashing one. Kelly hadn't had chance to ask her about it yet, but she wanted to.

"Kelly!"

Spinning around she found Ava, dressed in her famed red dress, a smile on her face. Her hair was done up fancy and her lips were stained a deep glossy red that almost matched the silk dress. Ava Tate was a woman who commanded a room when she entered it, but she had a feel of aloofness to her, like no matter what you did you'd never reach Ava's level. Though there was always a level of contempt in her gaze whenever she spoke to her guests. Almost like she couldn't abide these people, but invited them anyway.

"Ava, it's simply lovely," Kelly gushed. "You've got the good stuff right?"

"Oh I have your nose candy don't you worry," she winked at her. "But I have something so much better, you're going to love it," she took her hand and began pulling her through the crowd of people. "Fontaine may have his ADAM, but I have something so much better, my darling."

Kelly pointed at the closed off door as they walked. "What's gong on back there?"

"Oh, that?" Ava's voice went flat, not something Kelly had ever experienced before. "Doctor Lamb. She's… working here. We're thinking of making this place into an artists retreat for her patients. Lord knows they could use a break and a party wouldn't kill them."

"Lamb?" Kelly rose an eyebrow. "I didn't think you'd get mixed up with her."

"Dear me, Kells," Ava rolled her eyes, a smile on her face once more. "You make it sound so sinister. She's a Doctor, she's just helping people, god you're starting to sound more and more like Opal."

"I thought you liked Opal?"

"I did like her, but she's just been so down recently," Ava rolled her eyes. "Speaking like everything around us is going to come crashing down at any moment. Or at least she was the last time I spoke to her."

Kelly didn't think that was fair. Opal was just worried about her sister. She was working for Steinman after all and well, Kelly could understand why she'd be worried. She'd only spoken to the Doctor once, but once was enough. The man was harsh and cold, not at all how you'd expect a doctor to be.

The party was in full swing. Surrounding them were party goers all dressed in their best, a few had those blue butterflies pinned to their clothing too. Kelly didn't understand why Ava was letting Lamb take over her place, the woman had built everything around them up from scratch and then there was the famed Carousel. To this day Kelly didn't know how Ava had gotten that thing down here. She doubted that Andrew Ryan would allow such a thing, but it was here now and Ryan couldn't do anything about it. Too scared to sensor and be deemed just as bad as those topside.

"Ava why is Lamb here?"

"Why the interest?" She rose an eyebrow at her. "Kelly she's been helping me through some things and so I decided to help her in turn. I hope there's nothing wrong with that."

"Well no, but-."

"Then there is nothing to talk about," she said sternly before smiling again. "But, if you'd like, I could arrange you to go and talk to her. I hear Cammie's been feeling so much better. It might do you some good too."

Kelly doubted that. From what she'd seen of some of the people who came out from talking to Lamb, they weren't all quite there. Like a piece of themselves was missing. Cameal hadn't been quite the same. She used to be so quiet and sweet. Now she would take whatever moment she could to talk about Lamb and how amazing she was. Even Sarah, her other half, was worried for a time. That was of course until she started seeing Lamb as well and now she was very much in deep like Cammie was. They didn't go out with the girls as much as they used to, she imagined it was because they were busy being fed more bullshit from Lamb.

A lot of people did that down here. Ryan fed a nice little line of bullshit about this place being different to the surface. The only difference was being unable to feel the warmth of the sun on your back. Fontaine spoke about being fair and kinder than Ryan and that was lie. Sinclair had woven a little line of being nothing but a businessman and that was for sure the biggest lie out there. Sinclair was up to something, he always was, but Kelly liked that about him. He was fun, not dangerous like Fontaine.

She was starting to see what Em meant about Fontaine since working for him. He was dangerous and Kelly was under no illusion that if she spoke just a touch out of line, she'd be gone. Emilie got away with it somehow, she guessed it was because Fontaine enjoyed irritating her, but Kelly had no such luxury. She was easy on the eyes and her and Fontaine had been enjoying a few midnight rendezvous together, either in his office or at his penthouse. Usually Kelly would insist on it being at her house, but you didn't say no to a man like Frank Fontaine. There was something unmistakably cruel about him.

"I'll pass thanks," Kelly replied, looking over at the door, but she could barely see it now. "It's not like I have any problems to discuss. I'm more surprised you would allow it."

"Like I said, she helped me, I help her. It's a simple transaction Kelly, do keep up," she smirked at her before coming to a stop. "Ah, here we are," Ava grinned, picking up a glowing purple bottle of… something. Kelly wasn't sure what. "I call it, EDEN."

The liquid inside of the bottle had the same qualities to ADAM, it glowed and seemed to be filled with energy. The only difference was the purple colouring. It was beautiful, like all the plasmids in their bottles, they were beautiful to look at. They screamed power and Kelly had seen a few people using them. Their eyes would glow with the power whenever they used their plasmids. A different coloured light depending on the plasmid being used.

Kelly still had her free sample at home. She'd taken it with her after the reveal, but she was cautious to use it. Anything you had to inject into yourself was bad news, especially when you wanted to keep your look as pristine as possible. Sure, she used the old nose candy every so often, but that was only a little bit of indulgence. Never would Kelly try needling though. Bruises didn't look good and needles were awful painful.

"What's it do?" She asked, raising her eyebrow and staring at the glowing purple liquid.

"Anything you want it to, honey," Ava smiled. "You want to escape for a bit? This'll let ya. You want to know the meaning of life? This'll tell ya. You want to live forever and be young for eternity? This is the answer," she held the bottle out to her. "Truly it is EDEN."

Kelly eyed it, she didn't move to take it and she wasn't too keen on taking it either. Sure, you saw all manner of things if you took too much of the white powder, but Kelly didn't enjoy that part. She liked the happy almost giddy feeling you got at the start, almost akin to the feeling of being tipsy, you just got there quicker. She liked being in control of her actions and this did not seem like something that would allow that.

Also, she wasn't sure how far Fontaine's reaches went. If he caught wind of this product, he was sure not going to be happy. He'd probably be less happy if he found out his employees were taking the stuff that would no doubt become a rival to his own product. If this EDEN really did everything Ava was saying it did, no end of people would buy it. She was pretty certain that soon most of the parties like this would just become a round of shooting up plasmids and combing them. Seeing just what crazy concoctions you could make.

If and when it got to that stage, Kelly was going to stop coming to these things. She didn't know the first thing about chemistry, she certainly didn't have the qualifications that those crazy doctors Fontaine had hired did. She wouldn't know a gene sequence from an element on the periodic table. It was all greek to her, but there was one thing she did know and that was the simple fact of you didn't mix your narcotics. She'd seen a few idiots do that and regret it immediately afterwards. So if these lunatics started mixing plasmids and tonics together in a bid to make a brad new thing, not knowing what the outcome was going to be, well you could count her out.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Ava," she crossed her arms glaring a little. "But I'm in no mood to visit whatever la la land you're selling. I'll stick to the powder, thanks."

"You think that's any different?"

"Least I know what that does and I know my own limit," she gestured to bottle. "I don't know what the hell is in that or what my limit is. Do you even know what you're doing to people?"

"Oh, nothing they didn't ask for," she smiled at her. "And besides, Ada helped me out. She's an intellectual you know. She knows some bits about science," she shook the bottle. "She takes it, come on… it's just a bit of fun Kelly, never known you to be a stick in the mud."

Kelly narrowed her eyes. "Never known you to be so goddamn stupid," she crossed her arms again and shook her head. "Take your little science project to someone else, I'm not interested. I just want my nose candy, maybe pick up a date and you won't be seeing me again. Especially if you're mixing this kind of stuff up. Do you even know what you're doing?"

Ava didn't look happy, slamming the bottle down on the bar top. "I know enough. Like I said, Ada helped me. She's a smart girl."

"Can't be that damn smart," Kelly bit back. "You really trust an actress and chess player-."

"Ada is an intellectual, like I said," Ava picked up the bottle again. "I'm telling you Kelly, this is the future of having a good time."

"Then I guess I'm just an old fashioned type of girl," she took a step closer, glaring at her. "Take it to someone else."

Ava glared at her, straightening her back and flicked her hair out of her face. She pushed past Kelly, slipping through the crowd, no doubt to grab someone else to try her little chemical concoction.

Kelly was glaring right after her. She might leave early, screw the powder, she'll get it somewhere else and have it in the privacy of her own home. These parties were getting a bit old. You've been to one, you've been to them all and the best of it was every single person thought they were being so outrageous. It's not outrageous when you're allowed to do it, but people didn't seem to get that.

Kelly often wondered if that's why Ava threw the damn things. She was secretly laughing at the stupidity of people and making fun of them behind their backs, while taking their money at the same time.

"You really stuck it to Ava. Whilst I enjoy the woman…" Kelly turned to see a woman in the shadows, leaning against the wall and smoking. "She can be so pushy sometimes, don't you think?" The woman emerged from the shadows to be none other than Ada, famed actress and intellectual of Rapture.

Ada had been a silver screen actress topside, but she came from a long line of stage actors. In Rapture she painted and acted in films, but she was also a famed chess player. Ada was a smart woman, smart was dangerous in Rapture and Kelly was beginning to learn that as the years went by. Smart could potentially be a danger to you or to everyone else, but Ada seemed harmless enough.

Kelly had never spoken to her personally, but she knew a few people who had and they always commented on how lovely Ada was. Never a bad word spoken about the woman, everything was positive. In Rapture that either meant two things. Ada was paying them very well or she had something on all of them that they didn't want revealed. Given that she was at a lot of Ava's parties, Kelly was leaning more towards the latter.

"A little," Kelly agreed, looking the woman up and down. "You're Ada, aren't you?"

Ada did a little bow. She was dressed in the finest rich pink dress Kelly had ever seen. It wasn't a light and friendly colour like Cameal wore, it was a darker, deeper shade and she wore a big necklace. It was filled with diamonds and one pink stone in the middle of it. Long black gloves covered Ada's arms and her hair was wavy and ran down her back, with one part slipping over her shoulders.

"The one and only," she smiled. "Kelly Christie, right? I've seen you around… you make a habit of popping up with the men."

"And you like to mix your tonics."

Ada laughed, taking a drag from her cigarette. "Oh my, that was just a bit of fun. When she first told me of the idea, I thought she was mad. Ava had already made the EDEN, she just ran it by me to make sure she'd done it right. As far as I could tell there was nothing wrong," she blew some smoke out. "But I'm an artist, not a scientist."

"You still use it though."

"But of course," she smiled at her. "I have enough faith in my knowledge to have a little fun. The EDEN is perfectly safe and I certainly wouldn't pass up a chance to be young forever," she looked distressed for a moment, but she was more putting on a show. "Originally I was going to turn myself into nothing but plastic, till all that remained where the few films I'd starred in to immortalise my beauty," she looked up at Kelly and grinned. "But now? Oh, now I have EDEN and the greatest plastic surgeon at my disposal. I hear Steinman's been using ADAM in his work now and the results are simply staggering."

"As long as he's not shooting up with the stuff before the surgery," Kelly glanced around the room at the other partiers. "I've heard that some people have been going a little crazy with the power."

Ada waved her off. "They just don't know how to handle their plasmids, darling," she stepped forward and hooked her arm through Kelly's. "What was it you said you liked? The powder, yes? That's just over here-."

"I think I'll pass this evening," Kelly slipped her arm out. "These parties are getting old. They're not crazy enough anymore," she looked around at everyone else and frowned. "They're just sad."

They truly were just sad. A bunch of ageing frat boys and party girls trying desperately to hold on to their youth. Kelly wasn't that bothered anymore and these parties were getting old. Old and boring, they hadn't moved on in their lives. She finally felt old and she wasn't even that old, only reaching that horrifying three and zero just this year, but she felt tired. Of course, she wasn't going to stop fooling around any time soon, she enjoyed it too much, but these types of parties… well, simply put, she had outgrown them.

"Oh I know what you mean," Ada gushed, flicking ash intro one of the nearby ashtrays. "Simply boring, same old, same old," a frown crossed her face. "And now there's this… Doctor Lamb here too, I honestly don't know what Ava was thinking," she stubbed her cigarette out. "Woman's hardly in our league, but her being here has really brought down the mood."

Kelly thought about it a second. Glancing at Ada, she decided the woman wasn't that bad and it had been a while since her and Em had been out on the town. Ever since she got Clayton, Emilie had been busy, she had other responsibilities now and then there was Opal talking about settling down… everything was changing. Kelly didn't want to be left behind and forgotten. If people were settling down and starting families, what did that mean for her? Would she be that old kuggar she saw at the bar every now and then? The old biddy who still chased after young men to make herself feel young again? That really was a sad prospect.

Maybe she could settle down?

She thought about it for second. Imagining her settle down with a family and taking care of the kids, doing the laundry and cooking the dinner and oh dear god it was a nightmare. Stop, don't think about it any more. That clearly wasn't going to be happening.

"You know," Kelly began looking back at Ada and smiling. "If you want to have a real good time. I know a place that makes this," she gestured to the party. "Look like the tamest place in Rapture, no ADAM required."

Ada looked intrigued, stepping closer to Kelly again. "And where is this place?"

Kelly grinned at her. "Have you ever heard of the Fighting McDonagh?"

There were moments, just moments where Reggie felt like things hand't changed at all. This right now would be one of those moments.

Frank and Limey were laying into each other with harsh words and barbed tongues. It was quite the spectacle to see, but Reggie had seen it many times before so now he felt like a veteran. They'd always argued, always disagreed with something and Reggie was usually stuck in the middle or stuck on the side lines. Sometimes he didn't even know what caused the arguments. One moment everything would be fine, the next? Screaming and yelling, the occasional glass thrown across the room at a wall. That didn't happen too often, but he had a feeling it might happen this time.

"You are behaving like a petulant child, Francis!"

Fontaine looked like a blood vessel was going to burst. Reggie wasn't sure if it was due to being called Francis when he was mad or the petulant child part. Either way, the boss looked about three sentences away from throwing something.

"How many times Limey?! Don't call me Francis! Least of all in this buildin'! I can't have no mooks leanin' that-!"

"Learning. Learning!" She put emphasis on the 'g' at the end. "Do you spell leaning without a 'g'?! No you don't! Would it kill you to pronounce things properly?!"

Reggie frowned slightly and looked between the two of them. He knew how much the boss hated his speech being corrected. In many ways it was a reminder of where Frank had come from. Even now as a big shot in this wet old town, a few folks still looked down their nose at him whenever he spoke. Almost like they could see the street kid from his past hiding behind the fancy suits and expensive cologne.

Frank lost his temper, like Reggie expected him to, hurling a brandy glass at the wall. It exploded into a rainfall of shards.

Only took two sentences. Reggie had been close.

"God fuckin' damn it! This ain't an elocution lesson!"

"I am astounded you even know what that is," Limey replied flatly.

"I ain't an idiot, Limey, even Reggie knows what it is! Right, Reg?"

Reggie blinked as two sets of sharp and infuriated eyes landed on him, one brown and one steel blue.

Why did they have to bring him into this? This was their argument, their disagreement. He just stood on the side and watched the show, before picking up the pieces afterwards and sometimes he wouldn't even do that. Sometimes he'd just let them be and they'd sort their own mess out.

Never said sorry, dear lord, neither of them would ever say sorry. Both too proud to ever admit they'd been in the wrong, but you had to understand their language. It would take a week, sometimes an afternoon or on the really bad times, it would take a month, but on their desk they'd find a box of tea or a box of cigars. It was their way of saying sorry. Something that anyone watching wouldn't always understand. Probably think it was too much hassle, but uttering those damning words felt more like hassle to Limey and Frank, than buying an apology ever did.

"Ah, well.. ah…" he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Ain't it those… talkin' lessons or somethin'?"

"See?!" Frank snapped back at Limey as they started to glare at each other again. "Knew ya wouldn't let me down Reg."

Well at least the boss wasn't going to kill him. Limey still might, could never quite tell with her.

"I still think you're being too rash, you're making big assumptions that not everyone is as smart as you. The most dangerous thing to a good plan is ego, Francis!"

"Well one will make sure he does not let his ego get the best of one's self!"

Reggie blinked in surprise as Frank said an entire sentence perfectly. Almost like Limey, in good old king's English. Though it was probably done to get a rise out of Limey, Frank did and would always enjoy aggravating the woman in some way. Did it as a kid, he did it as a teenager and he did it now. Reggie thought he had a death wish.

It looked like she know what he was doing because she smirked at him. Limey smiling was worrying, Limey smirking was a precursor to being dead or humiliated.

"Well would ya look at that ducky, he can do it, he can! Would ya' Adam and Eve it!"

Now it was Frank and Reggie's turn to look astounded at the use of slang from Limey of all people. She never used slang, not even when she lived in the bronx with them. It was always proper English spoken from her. Part of the reason Frank and Reggie's slang would get on her nerves. She'd tried so hard as a younger woman to teach Frank how to speak correctly. It was all a waste of time in the end, that boy was a bronx kid through and through.

She crossed her arms and her smirk got bigger. "Yes, I know slang. A well educated person is informed on all forms of speech, but one finds it dangerous to use such language in an environments such as this."

Frank got over his shock quickly to glare at her. "Ain't it dangerous fer someone to use their entire vocabulary in a single sentence?"

"You tell me, Francis, I have never had such a problem."

Reggie slowly began to try and inch his way towards the door. To escape. Lord knows that this conversation was entering similar grounds of the great argument of forty one, or the tantrum of thirty two. Yes Frank been twelve, but it was still a tantrum. One Reggie very much would not like to deal with or be in the vicinity of ever again please, thank you very much. Three times was enough.

"And just where the hell do ya think you're goin'?!"

Shit. No such luck.

"Nowhere."

"Really? 'Cos it looked like you was trying to go somewhere!"

"He agrees with me!" Limey snapped.

Reggie silently cursed her, because why would she say that and bring him into it completely. He didn't want to get involved even if he did agree a little. Ever since Plasmids had come out, Frank had become more and more carless. Like he assumed that everything was going to be fine and go according to plan because he had the thing everyone wanted.

"What?!" Frank's attention was on Reggie and the larger man shuffled awkwardly. "Oh ya do, do ya? Well, come on Reg spit it out! Seems like truth is havin' a say today, which is ironic."

"I.. I don't really wanna get into this…" Reggie held his hands up in surrender. "I just.. I really don't want ta be involved with another tantr- argument!" He practically shouted the correction as Frank's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Really, arguin' is yours and Limey's thing. I'm just the muscle, remember?"

This was not a situation he wanted to be caught in. Frank was scary when he wanted to be and whilst Reggie was a good foot taller than him, Frank made up for the height difference in temper and presence alone. Always had been a fiery little bastard. Reggie had been fond of his explosive personality when he'd been a kid because at times it was funny. He'd also been a sharp kid too, scary sharp. Those brown eyes always saw more than what you thought they did.

His answer didn't seem to please Fontaine in the slightest.

"Oh so it's a tantrum now is it?"

"Well it's hardly an intelligent conversation," Limey drawled with a roll of her eyes.

"Can it Limey, I don't have the patience or the time!"

"Charming as ever, Francis, it's a wonder the women are falling at your feet."

Frank growled, literally growled at that and Reggie looked between the two of them again. He sometimes wondered why Limey made it worse. One time she'd said that if he didn't get it all out of his system it would do him no good. Still, Reggie didn't understand it fully. Part of him suspected that Limey enjoyed the arguments to a degree. That she liked pushing people's buttons to see how they'd react. Now Reggie was starting to see where Frank got it from.

Now, however, it felt like he was being taken back through several arguments like this over the years.

When Frank was twenty one, still brash and young, it was the first time a job had blown up in his face and the argument after wasn't any better.

"Look at my dress, Francis! Look at it!"

"Really? Ya complainin' 'bout that?! Look at my face!"

Reggie remembers that he had been shot in the arm at the time, but that had not been as important as a screaming match apparently.

Then there was the first time Frank been shot at the age of fifteen.

"How did you get shot?!"

"Some mook pointed a gun at me and pulled the trigger, Limey! How ya fuckin' thi-?! Ahhh! That hurt!"

"Of course it hurt. You've been shot! Don't antagonise your surgeon, Francis, I can do this with as little or as much pain as possible. The choice is up to you and that mouth of yours."

"Crazy board! Reggie, why didn't we go to a real- ah Jesus fuckin'- why didn't we go to a real doc- fucking christ what ya doin'?! Why didn't we go to a real doctor?!"

Frank's voice was still breaking at the time. Had the circumstances been different, Reggie might of considered that argument funny, since the kid's voice kept jumping from octave to octave.

And finally, the tantrum he'd had at the age of twelve.

"I ain't doin' it Limey!"

"Francis you will wash the dishes and you will put your plates away!"

"That's not my name! It's Frank! Frank! F-R-A-N-K!"

"Can you spell your last name?"

"Shut up! I ain't doin' the dishes!"

"Oh yes you are and don't you think- get back here when I'm talking to you!"

If Reggie recalled right, Frank decided that instead of washing the dishes he would smash the dishes. Proudly standing over the mess, sticking his tongue out and declaring he didn't have any dishes to wash. The next evening Limey cooked dinner and Frank didn't get any.

"No plate. No dinner. Unless you'd rather eat off the table, Francis."

Frank did his dishes every day after that. After another round of screaming and yelling of course. Little bastard wouldn't go down quietly, not without getting his point across.

Now here Reggie was experiencing the latest explosive argument. The two of them at each other's throats in a verbal spat.

It hadn't changed much.

"Boss…" he sighed, using a tone he hadn't used since Frank was just that scruffy little ten year old pain in the backside and it was amazing to watch the transformation, as Fontaine snapped his mouth shut before glaring at Reggie.

That look almost burnt a hole in Reggie's head. He hated it when Reggie used that tone, but it still worked. Not quite as well as it used to. Frank was an adult now after all and he was the boss, but it usually got him to calm down enough to actually look at the conversation. To actually give him a chance to see what Limey was trying to say without going through another round of screaming and yelling.

"What?!"

"All Limey's tryna' say is be careful."

It was like all the wind had left Frank's sales and he deflated in an instant.

Yep, still got it. Reggie could still defuse the Fontaine bomb when others couldn't. Though of course now he couldn't pick him up anymore or hang upside down which is what he used to do. It sorta made the screaming worse until little Frankie tired himself out and would just hang there glaring at him. Still, it would calm the little bastard down and they could start from the beginning with no fear of a verbal spat starting up again because Frank was too tired.

"I get that. Seriously though, Limes, ya got nothin' to worry 'bout," he offered her his signature smirk. "Got it all figured out. 'Sides, I got you two ta watch my back."

"Of course you have," she nodded and Reggie grinned nodding too.

"Sure thing boss."

They'd always be by his side. Always watching his back, they weren't going anywhere. Even if Frank didn't see them as family, Reggie did. Frank was his kid, as far as he was concerned. His kid first, his boss second, he'd always watch his back and protect him no matter the cost. That's what family did after all. They looked out for each other and even Limey with her coldness still cared.

Reggie wasn't sure how Frank saw them, if they were just friends to him or not even that, but he was Reggie's kid. He'd like to think after all the years they'd been together, this strange little family of theirs, that Reggie and Limey at least meant something to Frank.

Frank gave a single nod looking them both over. "Ya know… I could do with a drink.. wanna head home?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Limey sighed in relief, linking her arm with his offered one, walking towards the door. "These heels are killing me."

"Ya' just tryna' be taller than me is all," Frank winked at her. "Why ya' think I wore my heels today?"

Limey laughed softly and Reggie followed them out quietly as they chatted both taking digs at each other, but in a friendlier way.

That evening, after a few rounds or pool and a tremendous amount of drinking, all parties fell asleep on the sofa. Limey on one side, legs stretched out over Frank and Reggie's lap. Frank was in the middle resting his head on Reggie's shoulder, just like they'd done the first night they'd taken Frank in on that cold December night of 1930.

Yeah, Reggie thought as he opened one sleepy eye to look over the other two, some things never change.

Cameal tightened the ribbon on her ballet pumps, standing up and brushing down her dress. She wobbled a little before regaining her balance and then proceeded to dance to the music playing on the record player. It was late and she was practicing in the rehearsal room, the mirrors reflected her figure as she elegantly danced around the room. Loops and twirls, extending her leg and arms in arches, even craning her neck.

Ballet was Cameal's calling, her love and passion since she was a little girl. It was the only thing she took seriously and she practiced every day. Now, she'd begun to practice at night too. There was a big show coming up and she didn't want to mess up. She wanted to stand out compared to everyone else.

It did contradict some of the things she'd been talking to Doctor Lamb about, but this was her chance. Yes, she wanted to belong and she did feel embarrassed when it came to her friends. She was the one who felt embarrassed though, because she was rich and they were poor, but not because they were poor. No, she felt embarrassed because she was rich.

Emilie and Kelly were far smarter than she was, yet they were doing badly. Well, Kelly wasn't doing too bad, but Emilie was in that awful housing in Pauper's Drop.

Since seeing Doctor Lamb, Cameal had been down Pauper's Drop more often than she'd liked, but being there had been a real eye opener. To see how awful it all was, to see how little Andrew Ryan cared about any of them. Doctor Lamb cared though. She wanted to see everyone as an equal, so everyone was the same and no one was prospering above their fellows. Cameal believed in that, except when it came to dancing. This was her love, her passion. She wanted to be seen finally for the skill she had.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Cammie stopped, turning to Sarah who was leaning against the door to the rehearsal room with a soft smile gracing her face. Sarah always knew where to find Cameal, it was a lovely feeling, to be loved. To finally find someone that was like her.

Cameal had always thought there was something wrong with her or maybe she just hadn't found the right man yet. Ever since she was a teenager she'd never thought of men as being appealing, found herself staring at women instead. She just found them so beautiful, so much more appealing than men. She soon realised she was attracted to women. At that realisation she thought there was something wrong with her. Oh yes, she'd herd of men liking other men of course, but it was unheard of with women.

Then she met Sarah and it was like everything clicked. She wasn't the only one, funny thing was, Sarah had felt the same as her. That she was the only one in Rapture who felt like that, but it wasn't true.

They said that time would stand still when you found that person and Cameal would agree. That's what happened. She'd walked in the shop and there was Sarah, hair up out of her face, working away at a sowing machine. When she looked up and spotted Cameal she smiled and it lit up her whole face. She was beautiful, Cameal had never felt like she did in that moment. It was like truly finding the right person, the one you'd waited your whole life to find.

It had been awkward at first. How did you tell someone how you felt about them when you knew they wouldn't feel the same?

Luck seemed to have been on her side or maybe it was fate? Sarah was like her. She wasn't alone anymore.

Cameal had thought Diane was beautiful, but then she saw Sarah and any thoughts of Diane just disappeared. This was the woman that she wanted to be with.

The hardest part had been admitting to her friends that she was fond of women rather than men and thankfully they took it in their stride. Kelly being Kelly asked if it was any different being with a woman to a man and Em even told her that in the workplace during the war, she saw quite a few women get together. So Cameal and Sarah weren't the only ones. They were normal.

It was such a wonderful feeling, to know you belonged.

"I was just practicing," she blue some hair out of her face. "I'm sorry, what time is it? It must be late now…"

"It's a little past midnight," Sarah smiled, walking into the room, her coat was folded over her arm. "You must of gotten really engrossed. Though, I have to admit, I was tempted to check if you were murdering LaLorna."

Cameal was busy packing up her things. "I'm so sorry for keeping you up," she pulled her ballet pumps off and slipped her flats on. Her feet always hurt after dancing in her pumps. "No, I wasn't murdering LaLorna. I couldn't hurt a fly," she grimaced. "I hate violence. It doesn't solve anything, just creates more problems."

Sarah smiled and helped her into her coat, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She slipped her own coat back on and took Cameal's bag, before taking her arm gently, leading her out of the room. Cameal reached over and switched the light off as they passed, shutting the door behind them.

It was quiet out in Fort Frolic. There were a few stragglers around. Most were drunk or were still getting drunk, a few were on the slots. She doubted Fort Frolic was ever quiet, if there was a time where the place was ever closed. There always seemed to be some sort of action going on.

"How was the store today?" She asked Sarah, looking up at her with big eyes. "I was supposed to come and help today wasn't I? Oh darn it! I'm so sor-."

"That's tomorrow," Sarah laughed. "You're meant to be helping me tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," she nodded her head. "Okay, I'll remember."

"I'll pick you up."

"You really don't have to."

"Cammie," Sarah grinned at her, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I know you, you'll get engrossed in your practicing again. You always do. It's sweet."

Cameal blushed a little, looking away a moment. "Well, at least you find it sweet."

As they walked up to the Rapture Metro, they spotted LaLorna standing near the edge. She was clearly waiting for a bathysphere, but they both felt like she was standing too close. Cameal was surprised she was even leaving Fort Frolic. Some days it felt like LaLorna lived here, much to everyone else's annoyance.

They stopped a good distance from her. If she'd been drinking they didn't want to have the verbal spat with the idiot.

"Do you think I could push her in?" Sarah whispered to Cameal who giggled behind her hand.

"Don't be cruel," she whispered back. "I don't believe in violence, remember?"

"I would do as peacefully as possible."

"Don't do it," she grinned at her. "All her make up would wash off. Do you really want to see what she looks like under all those layers?"

Sarah grimaced slightly, pulling Cameal to her and nuzzling the top of her head. "You think her wig would come off and reveal her snake hair?" She whispered in her ear. Cameal laughed and whacked at Sarah's arm, whispering stop it over and over in between her laughing. "Careful, don't make too much noise, old Medusa over there might turn us to stone."

Cameal snorted and whacked at her arm again shaking her head. "You're awful sometimes."

"Just being honest," Sarah grinned.

Cameal smiled softly at her, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair out of her face. She was so lucky to have found this person. Everything was perfect, it felt like everything had fallen into place. Well, maybe not quite everything…

"I was thinking…"

"Should I be worried?"

Shaking her head and laughing Cameal pulled her a little closer. "No, no not at all… I was thinking… I want to start a family…"

Sarah looked surprised but she began to smile back at her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah.."

"We'll do it then," she said softly, wrapping her arms around her. "We'll do it, you and me."

"Forever?"

"Always," Sarah kissed her softly on the lips. "Always and forever."

Cameal Abigail,

Happiness:

We've moved in together. Sarah and me. Oh it's a lovely little place in Mercury Suites. It's perfect.

"And look at us," Sarah said, "Rubbing elbows with the rich and famous!".

Ha, it's unreal! Now that we've got the house… we're thinking of.. you know adopting. There's an awful lot of orphans now and with the money we have… well we could give so many of them a chance!

Doctor Lamb says we should unite and look out for each other, well those kids don't have anyone looking out for them.

My Sarah and I… we found our happiness when we found each other, here's hoping we'll be able to help others find theirs.