Nine Years Ago:

Emerald was- is.

Emerald is worried. It's an active sort of worry.

About a lot of things.

Money isn't really one of those things these days. Food maybe, but more in a 'sticking to a diet' kind of way than actually lacking food. Ironic, she still remembered when the idea of purposefully not eating anything really was reserved those those things where ingesting it would leave you weaker than just continuing to starve. She hadn't had a run in with the beast of starvation in a very long time, but some monsters leave their scars regardless of aura.

Monsters like Marcus Black.

She had looked into him, several times actually, over the years. Any large-scale organization seemed to have something on the man; from past contracts to investigations surrounding the assassin. Emerald was likely one of a handful of people who knew more than just rumor and maybe one real account heard secondhand. Each story and report just filled in another terrible detail to the already horrendous painting that was Marcus' life.

She only knew of one person in the world who knew more than her, and she swore she would never ask him. One of many promises they had made to each other. Not all of them in good faith. Not all of them kept.

Emerald liked to think she kept that promise, even if she had broken nearly all the others at some point. Even the ones about never eating Kale, and the promise not to rat each other out. Yet here she was, thinking about her diet, and directing a team of lawful huntresses where and how to get her old partner to listen.

She had spent the last several years hoping for this exact situation. She felt somewhat bad about the events surrounding it sure, but she knew the man well enough to know it wouldn't have ended any other way. If it had, one of them wouldn't be here. If one of them wasn't here, neither would the other be.

She was glad the two of them had long ago, another life practically, decided on a whole slew of code words. Everything from 'your location was tortured out of me' to 'Magic shit happened, I'm from the future, don't ask' had a phrase which confirmed with the other the situation.

Somehow they'd never seen the wisdom in making one for 'I'm going to be a godparent' but Emerald made due with its lesser version 'family emergency' which, ironically, wasn't code at all. Neither of them had a family, or expected to. But the trust the two held for each other still hadn't dimmed over the years it seemed. It certainly hadn't for Emerald.

When Ruby had stepped through the door, bruised and scraped but beaming - Emerald nearly passed out from the emotions battling for dominance. When Yang crushed her in a bear hug that once been hot, now wonderfully warm, she actually might have.

The rest of that day was little more than a blur, as was most of the week. Worry and joy warred within Emerald's mind. She wanted to go fill the hopscotch-chalk of an ex-partner in immediately, on everything. They hadn't seen each other probably since Emerald had been offered a deal. A strange deal, that could only have come from one woman.

Still, she waited like a good law-abiding citizen. He was a criminal, he had to be checked for attitude and concealed weapons. She had been on that side of the desk when her own Amnesty had been offered. They had both played the waiting game for politics before.

Now, here she stood. Outside the interview room that contained the closest thing to a friend Emerald had, until about five years ago anyway. Now she had several friends, and was wearing a paper party hat at their recommendation.

Emerald felt silly, but also had yet to remove the festive cone from her head. Or drop the matching party horn in her hand. As goofy as she may have looked, the cheap accessories represented support from people who cared about her. People who had proven they wanted to help her be happy - Friends.

The same friends who had hunted the man behind the door for her sake. Who had promised not to escalate the situation upon meeting him, and been trusted with one of the few code phrases that might still hold weight to Mercury.

Emerald felt braver holding the small party favor than she did her own weapons - Rajah and Jasmine didn't exactly give off an aura of calm. The hat and horn also had the advantage of being impossible to weaponize, and thus were actually allowed by security. The bravery lasted up until she approached the door, and then quickly evaporated.

Do I knock? I don't remember anyone knocking on an interview room door before. If I just go in, will he try to attack? Should I brace for an attack anyway? He's here, and he knows I'm coming, would he really attack me? Should I try to use my semblance first? Would that show him I'm just generally jumpy, or that I'm scared of him?-

I wonder if he'd still remember the old code knocks, I barely do. Worst case he doesn't, I suppose. He remembered at least some of the phrases, may as well give it a shot. Emerald steeled herself, there was nothing to be afraid of. It was just Mercury. That stupid lime-licker .

Emerald knocked using the most recent pattern she remembered, but it had still been years since she last needed to check the security of a room this way. She waited, sure she had used an incorrect or long-replaced knock.

A reply sounded from the other side of the door. Equally as unsteady as her own. But she vaguely remembered the pattern. That would have to be good enough.

As Emerald Sustrai opened the door, a sense of familiarity came over Mercury; and an additional sense - the intrinsic need to tease her.

She looked good, healthy, maybe happy - or relieved. Completely ridiculous wearing a paper party hat, but good. Mercury was curious about what possible kind of 'Family Emergency' could ever involve him, especially after the way they had last parted. He wasn't one to wait around to find out either.

"So, how's life been treating you since you went soft? See any good movies lately? Find someone special? Rob any poor old ladies? Wait. That last one doesn't quite fit."

That elicited a laugh from the dark-skinned ex-thief.

Ice: Broken. Good to see her sense of humor has improved at least.

"Winter keep me, Merc, you absolute Flapjack . How long have you been saving that one? Since preschool?" Mercury felt like he should be offended by that name, but how could something so delicious ever be an insult?

"Homeschooling, remember? Between the regular beatings and emotional trauma, it was all about how to quip." Another laugh escaped, and met its partner.

It was good to see her again.

It was good to see him again.

It felt almost like the last several years had never passed. Maybe that was thanks to Mercury's insufferable humor. But things had changed, mostly for the better for Emerald. Mercury however, was looking a bit thin. Not unhealthy or sick, but clearly stress was an every day issue.

Emerald hoped she could ease some of that stress. Hoped he would let her help.

The conversation continued as she thought and hoped, eventually leading to the Goliath in the room: "So, what kind of family emergency could you have, that you'd ever call me in to help with? Please tell me the birthday hat doesn't mean what I think it does."

"Well. That's a bit of a story. But to answer the easy question: yes it is a baby, but no it's not mine."

"Did you check?" His smirk was infuriating, and comforting.

"Shut up ! No, I didn't check. Technically the kid's only a glimmer in their mommy's eye right now. But I was asked to be a godmother, and I'm scared I won't know what to do. I'm sure I'll mess it all up, and I needed help from someone who wouldn't leave me when I do mess up. And they've been looking for you, to make you a deal, and I figured if you could get here sooner I wouldn't be nearly this-" She was rambling. She knew she was rambling, but Emerald was so worried she couldn't stop herself.

"Wow wow wow. Hold up. First off. Do you know what a godmother actually does?" Emerald thought about the question, before realizing she had been so worried about doing something wrong that she had never actually learned what it was she would be doing. A slow shake of her head was all she could manage.

"You're basically just first in line to adopt the kid if the parents bite it. Maybe spoil the munchkin if you want, but that's not required. Who'd you say the parents were again?"

Emerald was- is- was.

Emerald was worried.

About a lot of things. Mercury being willing to help should never have been one of them.