Rose
April 17th, 2011

Rose settled into a chair opposite Dinah, a smile hidden behind her usual neutral expression. Dinah didn't even look up from the tablet she was messing with, still tapping away with pure glee. If Rose cared enough, she could have hopped onto the main computer and checked who she was talking with, but this was far more entertaining.

"Hi Dinah, how's it going?"

"Oh, hi, Rose." She said, not looking up from the screen, typing away.

"Who're you talking to?"

"Oh, just someone on PHO."

Rose raised an eyebrow, waiting for Dinah to notice. "Should you even be talking to random strangers on the internet? You're twelve?"

She took in the girl, half remembering the betrayal she caused her all those years ago in another life. It felt farther back than it was, but five years ago, everything came crashing down, all lined up and executed by a strung-out preteen. From the reveal of her identity by the PRT at Dinah's word to her confinement, all after Rose set her free. She was still a bit upset over how everything went down.

Dinah glanced at her, looking away from what drew her attention, the mop of hair bobbing with the movement. Rose met her eyes, noticing that they were flat and unseeing, before turning back to the tablet without noticing anything wrong.

"I'm staying with strangers. I think I can work out who I shouldn't talk to." Dinah said before doing a double take. She focused on Rose, actually seeing her as her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "What? But, how? I didn't see it!"

Rose snorted, sitting at eye level with Dinah after shrinking her body with the sparely used Spark power, the ability to adjust their size. She crossed her arms and smirked at the increasingly distraught girl. Maybe it was petty to get back at her after so long, but she couldn't have her plotting in the background.

"Just because Miles fixed your power doesn't mean he would let it work on us. Who are you talking to?"

Dinah's mouth moved up and down, trying to say something before spacing out. Rose waited patiently for Dinah to stop using her power and return to reality. Then she frowned, crossing her arms, kicking her feet as she glared at Rose. "Winged_One."

"What were you talking about?"

"Well, it doesn't matter now!"

That made Rose laugh, knowing that Dinah was up to no good and that she had just ruined whatever was in the works, permanently. "Remember that. Now," Rose returned to her normal size, looking down at Dinah, who was a quarter of her size. "Chances that Coil is an idiot."

Dinah froze before giggling. "88.9%"

"Yeah, that seems about right. The chances he will do something idiotic against the Sparks or family members in, say, a week?"

"5.5%."

"See anything helpful?"

Dinah shook her head.

"In that 5.5% chance, what chance does he have to accomplish his goals?"

"23.7%."

"Wow. Anything this time?"

Dinah nodded, eyes wide. "Mhm," before she smirked. "Want to know?"

Rose leaned forward and squinted at the overly smug girl who thought she had an advantage in negotiation. "Let me hear it."

"I want those modifications."

"It was going to happen anyway. I wouldn't be able to stop Miles, and you seem willing enough."

That made Dinah beam as she wiggled in her chair a little. "Coil got Alexandria and Eidolon to attack."

"Yeah?"

"You kept jamming stuff down Alexandria's throat."

"Ha!" Rose laughed. Served that bitch right.

"You win unless Legend joins."

"What about Eidolon?" Rose asked after wiping away a tear of mirth.

"Um, Miles ridicules him about being impotent and that his midlife crisis hit pretty hard."

Ah, Miles. He would do something like that. Too bad that what Dinah saw had no chance of coming about because she couldn't see the depth of their abilities, which would have made a difference in such a battle. At least Miles gave adequate personality profiles to her shard, but with enough errors, they'd know if it distributed that information.

Though, the PHO person that Dinah was talking to felt familiar. Rose pushed into her memories that, while not faded, weren't needed for everyday use. A way of not letting crystal clear memories clog up her mind no matter how efficient it became. And there it was, Miles talking about some of the stuff he knew about Earth Bet from an outside perspective, and the fanfiction people wrote about it. Something that she willingly repressed for good measure, but Winged_One was a joke about the Simurgh being on PHO.

"When was the Winged_One's account made?"

"Um, April 14th."

"Of course, don't do anything stupid," Rose said, standing up and leaving Dinah behind, not waiting for a response because she'd do whatever she wanted anyway. That was just something else that she had to deal with, and didn't it seem like a pain. Either it was the Simurgh picking up on something Miles did in the future and using it to troll them for some benefit, or more likely than not, a change that their benefactor instituted. A part of her hoped that the Endbringers wouldn't stay active with a brain-dead Scion, but they wouldn't know until May.

Rose could ask Dinah because she should be able to tangentially predict them, but it didn't change much right now, regardless of the answer. Then there was how the world would adjust without Contessa. So much would change with her directing events behind the scenes with a goal in mind. The PRT could be crumbling in a month, changing where Leviathan would strike because Eidolon would focus on something different.

Even with everything she knew, there was no way for her to guess how the future would shape with their active involvement, no matter how much they just wanted to relax. Most capes wouldn't know when to leave people well enough alone. It wasn't like Rose or Miles had the chance to keep a low profile from the very start, and soon enough, someone would be looking to profit from them in some way. She had her bets on the Empire trying something first, then the Elite and Fallen after.

But none of that worried her, partly because she couldn't take insignificant gnats seriously and Dinah. As much as she was a pain, she would help keep any surprise actions in their sight by forewarning. Rose didn't even have to feel bad about hurting her for answers now that Miles doped her up. She sighed, walking into the hanger bay. That was a destined fate for Dinah, it seemed.

Rose was heading towards another issue rapidly coming to a head, Taylor. She was a real and growing presence in Rose's mental landscape. Even as she tried to limit spillage between the two, it only worsened with time. Miles knew something, but as much as they shared everything, they also kept imaginary barriers up to let each other have some fake privacy. If it became an issue, he would stop pretending, and it just might as it progressed without a viable way to slow it down.

For some reason, Rose didn't think Miles would take too kindly to her accidentally killing her younger self, or worse, form a permanent connection. That would put a damper on their nightly activities. She shook her head. Taylor had already suffered for it, but the confused looks never ceased to make Rose laugh.

Rose sat in the Neural rig, planning on expanding her OS to elevate it to something beyond. While she coded with half her mind, she turned to Taylor, who was staring down her future ride. A concession Taylor had to make if Rose was to ever let her out to be a hero. While Rose had survived her stint as a cape, there were many close calls over years, and any of them could've killed her. So Taylor would be learning how to pilot the Knightmare frame once they got around to updating it to something useable, in their opinion.

Though Taylor wasn't happy about the development, being unsure of her spider-silk suit after Miles cut through it with nothing but a fingernail. At least she trusted Rose enough to listen to her without turning into a ball of angst. It wasn't lost on her that Miles sort of filled that role for her, stepping in and telling her that she was about to push too far. Something that he had to do for the first time yesterday.

In hindsight, wanting to fight the PRT just for being deceived by Coil was a bit extreme and would have caused more work and distractions. But they did have their fair share of bad apples.

"Tagg." She mumbled to herself. That man was on her list, and he would suffer.

The OS she already had was everything they required, but its place in their technology would only grow as they expanded. Everything they made would be run by it, and if they wanted to avoid having to program or mess with finicky systems at all times, it had to be adaptive and autonomous. Not only that but predictive.

There was a hidden gem in making an OS that encompassed all those points with a codebase that didn't require compiling every time something changed. She didn't have to program every module. Once everything was set up, she could give it instructions to build a program and it would, letting her adjust the end results to match what she wanted while saving time and effort.

As Rose worked on that, a veritable mountain of a project, the more social part of her brain turned to Taylor. "Looking at your future ride?"

Taylor humphed, shooting her some side-eye. "I'm still not happy."

Ah, Taylor. Hide it all she wanted, but that little rubbing of the minds said otherwise. Rose did feel a decent amount of annoyance, but with it was contentment and hope. A person that would look for the best for her while willing to stick with it and put their foot down. However, that didn't mean Taylor consciously knew that and wouldn't test Rose at times.

"And that's okay. I have a mission tonight, and you're welcome to join."

That caught Taylor's attention as she fully turned away from the mech, giving Rose her undivided attention. "What would that be? I thought I was too squishy to be a cape?"

Rose turned her head as much as she could without disrupting the connection to the rig. It wasn't a kind smile she wore. "Oh, you know, hunting some capes. I think you might know them."

Before giving her a look, Taylor's excitement drained away. "The Undersiders? Didn't you just rip me away from them? You know, to stop me from making stop decisions."

It was kind of cute how Taylor got defensive about them, even if she only knew them for a couple of days. Younger her was so gullible. "Well, wouldn't you know, that's exactly why we were going. There's a certain blond who can't keep her nose out of other people's business."

The agitated bugs calmed down as Taylor scrunched up her face. "What are you going to do with them?"

"Heh, you know, they're not nice people even if they treated you better than most."

"But…"

"But, Miles and I don't care. If they stay out of our way, then they can do whatever they want. Something that Tattletale isn't doing."

Rose and Taylor met eyes before rolling them as one. ""She's just salty.""

""Spitfire.""

Rose mentally swore, pulling herself mentally away from Taylor and throwing up a barrier. It was a shame that Miles and Queenie were also mostly blocked out. Taylor only looked confused, missing most of what had just happened even though their syncing only worsened. She felt Miles poke her barrier, and she shook her head back at him, only getting a shrug in return.

She coughed into her hand. "Alright! Your first job as a Spark. Grab a tablet and go make yourself an online presence and shitpost on PHO. Get your name out there and talk about whatever you want. I have work to do."

Taylor's eye twitched. "I hate you."

That didn't stop her from snatching up a tablet and walking out with a few more glares. It was a step she skipped last time around, and it cost her throughout her stint. If more people knew of her, what she did and why. The backing behind her would only grow as she controlled the narrative and hamstrung any effort to discredit her. It was a little something that she was doing right now. A post here and there kept her name in people's minds with her information. Anything the PRT posted would have to contend with her constant stream. Rose closed her eyes, returning to programming at the speed of thought.

Rose did take breaks every couple of minutes to use another spoof account to add to whatever conversation that Taylor was trying to make. It was just a little thing until she built up traction. There was no reason to leave her out to dry. She also paid close attention to Dinah's messages and everyone she talked to. It was a little intrusive, but she wasn't even a teenager yet, and Rose heavily suspected her self-preservation tendencies.

Once Rose finished up the basic framework, laying out modules and what they should do, she let the OS build the inner code. She could do a better job considering the computer hardware and processing limits, but the effort-to-reward ratio wasn't worth it. If a module didn't perform correctly, it would be simple for her to return and fix it.

With that done, she disconnected from the neural rig, bringing her mind fully back into reality. There was so much to do, and the many distractions slowed their technological advancement. However, the Knightmare frames turned out to be a boon far beyond their practical use. They were a cache of advanced alloys, computer components, and technology. A boost that would allow them to skip weeks, if not more, of cudgeling together basic tools just to make the next set.

The first tool they decided on was an all-in-one smelter that could simulate several basic environments to produce basic alloys from scrap metal. A simple machine compared to what would come, but it would last them through several tool iterations until alloys required specialized machines to produce.

Beyond that, it required gravity emitters and nanites. The problem was that to produce one, it took the other, a catch-22. At least the REMODEL perk combined with their spark sidestepped that hurdle without years or decades of meticulous effort. Something that the original inventors struggled with and ground technological advancement to a halt until brute forced through.

However, tool limitations weren't the only issue with jumping to that tech level. Gravity emitters drew an immense amount of power to function, more than anything else on that same scale. Even so, the initial setup would only allow a kilogram of homogenous material per second at fifty gigajoules of power daily.

An astounding amount of power that was impractical for everyday use, but once they had a proper fusion reactor, it would be easy to sustain. But as always, each step required a dozen more before they could take it. Then those dozen took another dozen each, making a single goal into an expanding process of building a whole industry from the ground up. It was daunting to think about.

Then there was the slight issue: any fusion generator they set up on a proper scale would be easily tracked down from the waste radiation that escaped. Rose didn't even want to think about building fission reactors and the headache that would come from the PRT harping on them. At least fusion reactors only used deuterium as fuel, which could easily be found in seawater. Radioactive material, on the other hand, wasn't.

But the Knightmare frame saved the day again, coming with its own reactor that used Sakuradite. A fuel that was in limited quantity, only what the mechs carried on board. Once it ran out, the reactor was just scrap. There was a possibility to use the hell dimensional hopping perk to find a world with it, but that felt like playing with fire for little payoff.

Rose used her telekinetic might to turn a pile of parts into a whirlwind. A single part flew to her at a time, using what tools were on hand and sometimes her fingers to reshape it into the desired form. However, that wasn't always enough, forcing Rose to delve into the madness palace to warp reality around her and fudge together some components that performed far beyond what was possible. From that, she turned the ten-ton mech into a smelter. The final panel slid into place as Miles approached.

She lowered her mental barrier. 'How was it?'

'Not the best. The house was pretty well trashed by the time we got there. Taylor's room was particularly torn up; her journals gone, bed slashed.'

Rose grimaced, using her fingers to massage her temples while trying to predict how this would change events. Was the PRT still there?'

'No, but they left the front door shattered.'

'How much did you save?'

'Most, to be honest. We packed it all up and loaded it into the paneled truck. Danny wasn't too happy about abandoning his home.'

Rose walked to the side of the hanger, hitting the button to open up one of the smaller doors right as Danny pulled up, then backed right into the building. She pulsed her mind out, feeling Taylor hammering away at her tablet while muttering swears under her breath. Dinah sat in the same room, shooting Taylor looks once in a while as she did her own thing. Rose smiled, just as planned.

The truck that Danny found offended her on the basis that it even existed. Belts squeaked and skipped, the pistons were mistimed, the transmission sounded like it was missing a tooth, and a hundred other small things made it hurt to be around.

Danny pulled it to a stop and shut off the wheezing engine, putting that atrocity out of its misery. He threw open the door and stepped out, his body sagging like an anchor weighing him down. Big bags under his eyes and a sickly pallor showing on any exposed skin. The stress from yesterday and the day before finally caught up with him, and spending time in a cell didn't help.

"Where's Miles?" Rose asked, noticing that the passenger seat was empty.

"In the back."

A smile grew on Rose's face. "Let me guess, he was A, too big for the cab, and B, too heavy?"

"Ah, all of the above?"

"Ha." 'Did you hear that, Miles?'

'Ha, ha, so funny. I never heard you complain about me being this big, but I suppose I could shrink and lose some muscle mass.'

'Don't you dare.'

'I dare, thirsty board!'

In the distance, Rose felt Taylor freeze and turn towards Miles, even though he was on the other side of a couple of walls. She glared at him before scrunching up her eyes in confusion. Taylor put down her tablet and made her way through the office area to the hangar bay. She hadn't learned how to listen through her bugs yet, so she must be confused. Before Rose could shift it out of her mind, Miles latched on.

'What was that?'

'Nunya.'

'Nunya?'

'None of ya business.'

"Are you done? Can we get the stuff unloaded?" Danny asked, having noticed her mental conversation.

Rose gave the tired man a look. "What?"

"Nothing." He sighed.

She threw open the truck door, ducking under a rock Miles chucked at her. It sailed through the open hanger door before hitting the bay and skipping halfway across it. She wasted no time in grabbing him with her mind and tossing him out of the truck. They smirked, ready for a spar and some stress relief.

Rose threw Miles up at the ceiling while Taylor went up to her dad and talked to him. Miles grabbed hold of the truck, stopping himself from going any higher before throwing himself at the ground using the truck's mass. She bolted to his landing spot, only missing it as he adjusted his descent and slammed into the floor, his feet producing a thunderclap against the cement. It held without cracking, somehow.

Miles winked at her, and she returned it before dropping into her fighting stance, mirrored by him. It felt good to fight.

"Why don't we go inside and plug our ears for the next hour?" Danny said to Taylor, already halfway out of the hangar and dragging her along.

"Why?"

"God, I suck as a parent. You'll figure it out."

Taylor

Almost eight hours passed after leaving Miles and Rose in the hangar, still confused by what her dad meant. He was implying they were having sex. That was easy enough to figure out, but she was watching through blurred insect vision and nothing close to that ever passed. She waited for it, not to watch or anything like that, but it never happened. Though, even if dad knew about her powers, he still hadn't internalized them. She was everywhere in her range and leaving the room did nothing to shield her from what was happening.

They beat on each other for an hour and came out of it looking just as perfect as they did going in. Then they unloaded the truck in a single trip by floating everything they owned through the air without effort. God, she was jealous of them.

Controlling bugs felt so weak, even after what Rose said she did with it. It just didn't compare to those beasts of people. Able to do everything, it seemed, while she did nothing. Not even Rose being an older her helped. She was being forced to drive a mech just to keep her safe!

It hurt her to admit that it was a good idea, and her half-hearted excuses were shot down without a thought. The beanbag round, shattering her ribs, was all too fresh in her mind, knowing that even her suit wouldn't have helped. Taylor rubbed her right ribcage, knowing that three artificial ribs sat just under the skin while a lung and a heart that weren't hers kept her alive. The stabbing pain that came with each breath, the blood gurgling in her throat, the hopeless fog of darkness that clouded her brain.

She shivered.

Just thinking about being shot with a bullet instead was enough to extinguish the last bit of stubbornness. Maybe having metal armor between her and any guns was the smart decision. She didn't want to find out what Miles would replace next time she was gravely injured. Dad still didn't know how much of her was replaced or how close she was to dying, and she wasn't going to tell him.

Then there was the dreaded Undersiders meeting tonight. Maybe she could stop everyone from doing something stupid by being there, but Lisa was turning into a major pain. When Taylor was posting as a cape, Weaver, Lisa wouldn't stop trying to start something. She did not like being called a muscle slut. Lisa still believed that Rose was posting as her and wouldn't believe otherwise no matter how much Taylor tried.

Taylor scanned the area as she had done from the second she awoke after the surgery. No longer would she be caught off guard, never again. As before and still was, the only people in her range were dad, Dinah, Miles, and Rose. She didn't know where Queenie or Sam was, and no one said anything, so she assumed nothing was wrong.

Rose and Miles walked in side by side, hips touching, with his hand behind Rose and, if what Taylor's bugs were telling her was correct, it was on Rose's ass. Taylor dragged her eyes away from the happy couple, weirded out by the PDA of her older self. That didn't mean she wasn't still watching, just not as obvious!

This room had turned into the designated common area that she hung out in, mostly her and Dinah on what furniture they saved from her old home. She had no school to tie up her time and nothing to do, which felt weird. Her dad had taken off to return the truck and was going to hitch a ride back later.

To her side, Miles pulled Rose into his arms, locking lips in a sickeningly tender display that left her confused. Then there was the tingling on her own lips that had her looking at a bare wall in the hopes that whatever was happening would stop. Her new heart thumped in her chest faster than it had since she got it as she touched her lips with her hand, experiencing a ghost of a feeling. Dinah never looked up from her tablet, spending every waking moment on it.

The door closed as Miles went back into the hangar, leaving the three of them in the room.

"Ready to go?" Rose asked, moving into her personal space.

It was futile as she instantly compared herself to her older self's designed body. It was everything she could ever wish for, in a yellow sundress that ended mid-thigh. A sundress that was her mother's and one that would never fit her flat, boyish body.

Rose filled it out perfectly, hips just the right size, boobs that might be small for her size but conveyed a regal air. Flawless skin with defined thighs that rippled with power under a soft exterior. Hair that shone beyond what should be possible, flowing in gorgeous locks that sprung with every step, yet never fell out of place. It was like a sculpture carved her from marble as the epitome of female beauty, grace, and strength. A being that she'd never compare and would always crave. Not just in form, but in what she had, who she had. It was a stark difference from the old hoodie and jeans draped over her skeletal body, with no curves to be seen.

Taylor took a deep breath to calm herself before turning around. "Not bringing your future ride with you?" She snapped.

Rose shook her head at Taylor, her lips ever so slightly upturned. But with it was a look of pity. One that Taylor hated. She followed along wordlessly, out into the cold and dark night. The taste of salt filled the air, brought in by a subtle breeze rolling in from the bay, biting deep into her exposed face. She shot another look of jealousy at Rose's exposed skin, not touched by the temperature.

Rose walked up to her dad's truck, and without bothering with keys, the door popped open by itself. Taylor didn't miss the frown of concentration. The passenger side followed with a crisp click, the lock disengaging. Those powers were bullshit.

"Did you ask dad about using his truck?" Taylor asked.

"Ha, no. Would you rather walk in the dead of night through kilometers of lawless docks?"

That shut Taylor up. The docks contained some of the most dangerous areas in Brockton Bay. It was full of drugged-out people who would do anything for another hit. A place that she'd avoid even with her powers. Wholly unsafe for lone women. Not that she thought Rose would have an issue, but it was also cold out, and she would prefer to not watch people get killed. "Driving's fine. But why was it hard to pop the lock when you were throwing Miles around?"

The truck tilted to the side as Rose sat down; it only budged a hair when Taylor entered. Both of Rose's hands disappeared under the dashboard while Taylor buckled herself in. Then the engine roared to life without the keys. The truck jerked into motion as Rose steered it out onto the abandoned street.

"Mhm, our telekinetic power has limitations on it, like all things. Whole objects are easy, but think about it like a big hand. Grabbing large things like Miles is easy; even small objects can be scooped up. But when trying to manipulate a small part of the whole, it feels like fumbling over it. Taking apart objects, on the other hand, is aided by some of our other powers. Also, anything we pick up with our minds weighs down on our bodies, as if we were picking it up by hand."

Taylor nodded along, watching abandoned buildings flash by out the window. She spotted homeless people crowding around burning barrels, the flames casting eerie shadows. "So, if you lifted a car, all that weight would be pushing down on you?"

"Yeah."

"Is that why you're so strong?"

"Nope," Rose popped the p, "that started long before we got those powers, though we couldn't lift a kilogram at the start. Fun times."

Things did get better once they left the docks behind and entered the market area. Less trash littered the streets, with only a spattering of suspicious people loitering around and giving the truck hard looks. She didn't just observe with her eyes, but with her bugs too. Behind the facade, things were just as bleak, with buildings falling apart from the inside out while the outside showed nothing. The people she saw were just as depressing. It didn't matter if they were adults or kids. An air of hopelessness filled the night just like it did every day. It reminded her of why she wanted to be a hero in the first place. Maybe she'd be able to help.

Rose pulled the truck and parked it outside the 'abandoned' Redmond Welding building. Taylor saw a relieving lack of Brian and Rachel. Alec lay on the couch playing games while Lisa furiously tapped away on her laptop in her room. She breathed in a calming breath, knowing that this was going to be difficult for her. A surprisingly heavy hand patted her leg as Rose acknowledged it.

"You really lived through this once, didn't you?"

Rose sighed, "Yeah, it felt mostly good, like I was doing the right thing that slowly slipped away until I was suddenly not the person I wanted to be. A slippery slope that didn't stop until I hit rock bottom." She looked forlornly towards the red brick building, its windows boarded up with no signs of anyone living there.

The second the truck door closed, a switch flipped and Rose stiffened up, her posture radiating pure confidence in a way that allowed no discourse. Taylor felt drawn in, falling to the rear. A wave of oppression hit her, driving her to the ground before it released her a moment later and turned into a comforting blanket, bound and protected by Rose. Taylor instinctively knew that only Rose's closest allies would ever feel it like she did. It pushed away the little voice in the back of her head, telling her it was but a dream.

Rose grabbed the locked door knob and gave it a sharp twist, sheering the heavy lock right off before pushing against the metal door. The lock bars groaned under the force before they snapped off, letting the bent door swing inwards. Further up, she watched Alec jump with a start as Lisa slammed her laptop shut.

Taylor hurried behind Rose as she strode majestically up the stairs, her hair billowing in the absent wind. Each step thundered, announcing her entrance, yet wasn't overtly threatening. Heralding the incoming tide, unstoppable, unassailable. All Taylor could do was match her pace and cower behind such a being. A wish that one day she would be equal to Rose's shadow.

There was nothing Alec or Lisa could do to resist; the threat of a pistol in shaky hands was nothing and not worth mentioning. Their powers mattered not, being no better than unpowered, just as she was against Miles.

Rose stepped out onto the second floor. Lisa's skin took on a deathly pallor. Her eyes wide, the magazine for her pistol slipped out before the slide slid back and ejected the loaded round before it flew to Rose's hand. She squeezed the bullet between two fingers, crushing it flat and sending gunpowder all over the floor.

A muscle twitched in Taylor's arm, drawing her attention to Alec as he shifted his focus to Rose, his power accomplishing nothing.

"It's time for a little chat, Lisa. Alec, go back to your game."

"Cool," His voice strained, "you heard her, Tats, get talking."

"Fuck you, Alec." Lisa shakily replied, having yet to blink.

"Any time, dear." While trying to sound carefree, Taylor heard the tremor in his voice.

"Um, hello," Taylor said from behind Rose's back.

"Oh, hey, dork, you look unmolested. I guess that's a good thing."

Brief thoughts of a private nature flashed through Taylor's head before she banished them with a grimace, hoping that Rose didn't notice. She was also a bit annoyed at Alec for even going there, embarrassed that Rose heard it. That led to some conflicted feelings, as she struggled with filling her mom's spot with her older self. It was a special kind of screwed-up that fit right in with all the other issues floating around in her head. Most would never see the light of day.

"Oh god, I'm going to puke." Lisa moaned, her pale skin looking sickly now as she held her mouth with one hand and her stomach with the other. Taylor noted that Lisa looked deliberately away from her, making a blush form on her cheeks.

"Not on the couch, not on the couch!"

Taylor rolled her eyes while feeling a faint sense of amusement from Rose that subdued the radiating waves that washed over them. Alec half-smiled before turning back to the TV, and Lisa regained a bit of color. Taylor moved around Rose, plopping down on the couch opposite Alec.

This place once felt like a refuge from her terrible life, but now it only felt foreign. Rose sat down at the kitchen table, Lisa following her and sitting as far away as possible.

"So, did they have their dastardly ways with you?" Alec asked her like that was a good icebreaker.

"What? No, no, no!"

"Me thinks you deny too much. I mean, even I was tempted by the hunk of meat that carted you off like a kidnapped princess." Alec put his hand on his heart, throwing back his head and fluttering his eyelids. "Now, who's that? She looks like a touched-up you if you squint real hard and shake your head."

Taylor groaned, placing her face in her hands. She tuned Alec out as he waxed poetically about the barbarian and the amazon, focusing on what was being said at the table.

"What do you mean, keep out of your way?"

Rose folded her hands, spine perfectly straight, and looked down at Lisa. "Stay out of our way or lose your head. Quit acting like a villain; there might be opportunities ahead."

"So, you'd just break the rules?"

"Tell me, Lisa, how many people follow those rules?"

Lisa sucked in air, leaning back in her chair, eyes wide before she firmed up. "Then I guess you won't mind having your secrets spread far and wide, Taylor."

Alec gasped, putting a hand on his mouth while pointing at Taylor and then Rose, going back and forth.

"Oh no, you guessed my name, Sarah Livsey."

Taylor rolled her eyes as Alec gasped again.

"I wish I had some popcorn; this might be better than TV." He whispered to her.

"URG!" Lisa slammed her hand onto the table. "What about the secrets you're hiding from Taylor? Huh?" She pointed right at her.

"Hey, Taylor, our minds are syncing up," Rose said.

While Taylor processed those words, she also felt Rose's growing sense of amusement. As if now that it was out in the open, she stopped hiding it from her.

"Holy shit, this is better than TV!"

Rose turned back to Lisa with a half smile. "You've got nothing, now be a good girl and leave us alone."

Besides listening to Rose one-up Lisa, Taylor wanted to know what exactly syncing-up meant. Some possibilities jumped to mind, but more feelings and intrusive thoughts suddenly had an explanation behind them; besides that she was a sick person. She ignored the violent eyebrow wiggling from Alec and replayed the past few days. Then it hit her, the talking in unison!

""We sync up while talking!""

Rose winked at her before returning her attention to the much less smug Lisa. "Now that's over with, we'll be leaving. Be good or lose your head. That includes you, Alec."

"Never!"

It had been five minutes max, but Rose had already stood up and made to leave. She gestured at Taylor to follow.

Taylor jumped to her feet, smiling half-heartedly at Alec and Lisa before following behind.

"I hate to see you go, but I love watching. Ow!" A small rock bounced off Alec's head. Rose was ready for it.

The second they were back in the truck, Rose lost the unattainable air around her, placing both hands on the steering and slightly slumping. "Go ahead."

"How long?" Taylor asked. Rose had to have known for a while but kept it from her, and there was one place she was safe, and it was her own head, but no longer.

"I didn't notice it until after I possessed you."

Taylor pulled off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "What's going to happen to us? How much of what I feel is me and not you?"

"I don't know." Rose sighed, closing her eyes. "You know how I have a bond with Miles and Queenie, right?"

"...Yeah."

"It feels like a more intense version of that and it's growing. I think it's because we are the same person, the same soul and all that."

Taylor snorted, "Souls? They're real?"

"We guess so." Rose shrugged. "There are only so many explanations, and when you rule out the possible, you're left with the impossible."

"So, does that mean those feelings- those feelings are from you?" Taylor blushed, looking out the window into the dark night. "About you know what."

Rose laughed, "Yeah, that's from me. I've-"

Whatever Rose was about to say was cut off as night turned to day. She threw open the truck door, looking up high into the bright night sky. As night fell once again, Taylor followed her out and looked up to see what Rose was watching. Taylor's heart skipped.

A wave of molten rock was expanding away from the moon, encasing the surface. The once pristine pale orb, now tarnished, one side expanding out like a firework in slow motion. Taylor was about to ask what was happening when a second flash seared her eyes, momentarily blinding her. By the time she could see again, cracks crossed the moon as chunks visible from Earth split off.

Rose held a thumb at the moon while moving her head back and forth. "Impacts happened spinward, reducing solar ejecta and maximizing de-orbiting debris. High-intensity electromagnetism emitted indicates a high C impact and low relative mass. Two objects too small to see via the eye, combined with penetration, equal extremely high density, unnaturally high." Rose smashed her hand on the truck roof, imprinting it on the thin metal. "This was supposed to be a fucking vacation. Fuck that bastard. Get in, Taylor. We need to go."

Taylor couldn't pull her itchy eyes away from the expanding ball of molten rock. Millions of streaks slowly filled the sky. "D-did this happen, uh, last time?"

Rose looked her in the eye, a harsh frown on her face. "No."