Hello every body!

I am so, so sorry for the lack of updates. I suffered from a severe head trauma and wasn't able to write or read for a couple of weeks. I am much better now.

Enjoy your reading!

Pavs.

Chapter Four: Born on the Bayou

[Tool]

He saw her preparing to head outside and leaned back against the wall while crossing his arms.

"And where do you think you're going?" he asked with a smile, and she blushed as she turned to face him.

"Grocery shopping?" she asked in a small voice.

"You know you can just take whatever you need, right? It's not as if these guys don't," Tool replied with a light tone, and Alice nodded.

"Thank you, really. It's just that I thought I would make us homemade lunches for tomorrow," Alice replied, and Tool offered her a warm smile. "Not that I don't appreciate the food here, it's just different and..."

"Thank you, Alice," Tool said sincerely with a small laugh and a big smile. "I will accompany you as a precaution, though, if you'll let me?"

"Of course." Alice smiled, happy to get to spend some time with him.

.

He watched her walk in the alleys with a small list, and he chuckled at how she absently called the food she chose by his teammates' names.

"Yes, this is very much Gunnar," she'd said while picking up some weird, foreign candy.

She was quite something, he realized. He was suddenly thrown back to the moment he'd entered his shop to see her terrified to face Ross. The way she'd looked at him with such awe, relief...pain.

Trust.

Now this was not something common or easily given in his line of work. He then remembered what she'd said to him...more so the way she'd told him.

He'd saved her soul, and not only was she grateful for it, she understood how it affected him.

Feeling understood. Supported.

That wasn't common in his line of work either. It made him think of the way she'd instinctively held Barney the night before.

How confused, he guessed, Barney had been.

How grateful he believed his friend was scared to be.

"Do you think we'll be alright with that?" she asked him with a smile, and he felt his eyes watering a bit.

"Yeah," he said with an almost shaking voice. "It'll be more than enough."

She smiled, and he smiled right back at her, more sincere than he'd been for a while.

[Alice]

Grocery shopping with Tool had both felt incredibly surreal and natural at the same time.

Then there had been the cooking at his apartment since it was a lot more practical than mine. I had been fascinated by the art, memories, and pictures. I'd listened to every single one of the words he was willing to share with me.

It hadn't been much at first; he'd mostly asked me question (which I understood under the circumstances), but after a while, he'd opened up on a couple of anecdotes and shared a bit more about himself.

Nothing too deep, but I appreciated the effort nonetheless and made sure to make him feel comfortable about it.

Once we were done, I looked at every plate on his kitchen table and frowned as he laughed.

"Don't worry, there won't be much left of it anyway once they'll realize how good it is," Tool reassured me as he sat on one of his kitchen chairs, and I smiled. "Besides, I'll help them with it."

I looked at him with a shocked expression, and it was his turn to frown.

"But I thought you didn't want to go anymore..." I said in a whisper as I remembered vividly that scene in the first movie where he spoke about not dying for a woman.

"I have to," he replied with sadness in his eyes. "Can't risk otherwise."

"I am so, so sorry," I said as I hugged him from behind, and I froze.

As much as I'd loved them for years, they didn't know me, and I was getting all up close and personal. I was about to let him go when I felt his hands on my forearms so as to hug me back whilst he relaxed against me.

I heard him exhale loudly and saw him close his eyes as my face was next to his. I didn't let go until he was ready, knowing all too well how bad it was to always be the last one to let go.

[Lee]

''Come on, Lace, I really have to go!'' Lee shouted as he was picking up his thrown clothes on the ground.

''You always say that!'' Lacy screamed as she sent his duffle bag flying down the stairs. ''And I am supposed to believe that without questioning the fact that it has everything to do with that other woman!''

Lee froze as he looked at her with a shocked face.

''How the hell do you know that?!'' Lee said as Lacy suddenly calmed down and started to look ashamed.

''I…I wasn't stalking,'' she said with a defensive tone to her voice. ''I went to see you, and she was there wearing close to nothing!''

''Lacy…babe. She's a victim that we have to protect. She's got almost nothing with her,'' Lee explained, finally understanding. ''Besides, Barney was the one to watch over her, and you should know better than that.''

''Lee, you have to understand that…'' Lacy began, and Lee scoffed.

''That what? I am not the one who cheated nor would I ever do it. Do you have any idea how much danger you could have put her in? Or even yourself for that matter?'' Lee explained as Lacy seemed to come to terms with what Christmas was saying. ''Babe, you know what I do for a living. You know you can trust me. There is a very good reason for me not to talk about certain things or people. If you're scared about my feelings for you, say it. Don't stalk me.''

''I hate it!'' Lacy scoffed and went back to her room.

Lee stood there watching as she reached the top of the stairs.

''I love…'' he began before she slammed the door shut, ''you.''

[Gunnar]

He watched Lee coming back looking like shit, again.

''Lacy?'' he asked while handing him a beer, and Christmas took it with a somber look on his face.

Gunnar frowned. Lee wasn't an over sharer, but he was a complainer, so him being quiet worried Jensen. As much as the guys laughed about his lack of subtlety, he was good at noticing details. He wouldn't have lived nearly as long as he did if he hadn't picked up some skills in that department.

''What happened?'' Gunnar asked, and Lee sighed.

''Lacy came here this morning…she saw Alice,'' Lee said, and Gunnar swore as he understood what had happened.

''I hope I don't have to tell you how bad that is,'' Gunnar said with a serious tone, and Lee shook his head. They heard the door leading to the staircase open to reveal a smiling Alice…right up until she saw the look on their faces.

''What's wrong?'' she asked, concerned as Tool joined them.

''Lacy saw you,'' stated Gunnar as Lee was sending him a dark look.

''Oh,'' Alice said, looking unsure on how to proceed with that information. ''Do you…uh…want me to talk to her?''

Lee looked at her straight in the eyes while Gunnar raised a questioning eyebrow. Tool looked at her with interest as he made himself comfortable on his favorite chair.

''To say what?'' Lee asked, a bit unnerved.

''Depends. What have you told her?'' she replied, and Lee frowned.

''That you are a victim and that Barney is in charge of you,'' Lee replied, and Alice snorted.

''In charge?'' Alice replied with an amused look on her face that made Gunnar smile too. ''You make him sound like my dad.''

''Well, he could be,'' Lee pointed out, and Alice couldn't hold in a knowing, amused smile on her face as she replied in the negative.

Gunnar looked at her with is mouth opened in surprise, and Tool's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Lee looked straight at her as she started blushing. Then Lee smirked.

''Just fucking call her to get here, will you?!'' Alice exclaimed before she turned around to go back to her room, taking the elevator, and Tool finally began to chuckle.

''Looks like you aren't the only one banging in hurricanes,'' Tool told Gunnar, and they heard Alice.

''Fuck off!'' Alice replied as she was going up, and they all laughed softly.

''What did I miss?'' asked a confused Barney as he was entering the shop.

''A hurricane,'' replied Lee as Tool and Gunnar laughed loudly.

[Tool's]

They saw Lacy arrive and froze.

''Hey guys,'' Lacy greeted them, and Barney turned to Tool, Gunnar, and Christmas, hoping his dark look told them how bad of an idea he thought this was. Hale, Toll, and Yang were looking at the scene with unease. This could go south really fast, especially knowing Lacy. Alice got up and went to her.

''Hey, Lacy, I'm Alice. It's nice to meet you,'' she told her with a smile and went as far as to extent a hand for Lacy to shake.

Lacy took it and muttered some form of greeting before she took a step back. The woman in front of her was very different, but beautiful in her own way. While she was a tall, slim, delicate, dark-haired woman, Alice was smaller, curvier, with golden eyes and dark blonde hair. She also seemed to have a more casual, laid-back style that she realized fit with the team, as if she'd been shopping for a woman version of the boy's style. And, as Lee had pointed out to her earlier, that was not her boyfriend's type at all. Not that it mattered. She still had to make sure.

''So, Lee told me they were helping you?'' Lacy asked in a non subtle way that made Alice almost visibly cringe.

''They are. My ex tried to murder me,'' Alice said bluntly. She'd told Lee that she wouldn't talk about the portal for obvious reasons but that she would stay as close to the truth as she could. She hated to lie, even though that memory was painful for her. She knew it showed on her face as Lacy looked at her with much more compassion than she thought the woman capable of. She also saw sadness in Tool's eyes as he was standing behind Lacy, who was putting a hand on her mouth as she looked at Alice in shock.

''Oh…'' Lacy exhaled before she saw tears in Alice's eyes. ''Oh my God I am so sorry! You're safe here. These guys are safe…I…am so, so sorry. If there's anything I can do…''

[Alice]

I felt the tears burning my eyes as I saw Lacy going through her own pain to try and help me. Nobody should have gone through that. Lee defending her had been the boost of courage it had taken me to get out of that relationship. And as much as the movie had put emphasis on Lee's badass skills, they hadn't gone back over Lacy's trauma from it.

I had been so caught up in being here that I hadn't gotten through my own. I felt tears rolling down my cheeks and wiped at them frantically while avoiding Tool's worried eyes and the guys' sad faces.

''I'm ok. I know I'm safe with them,'' I said with a trembling voice. ''I'm fine, really. I just didn't want you to worry about…'' I couldn't finish my sentence as Lacy took me in her arms, and I found myself hugging her back while crying. I saw Tool getting emotional and closed my eyes while taking a deep breath.

''Thank you,'' I said as I got out of her embrace.

''Of course,'' Lacy replied before I noticed Lee's sad expression.

''Lacy, I truly appreciate your support, but if I may be brutally honest?'' I asked, and she nodded. ''I know I am safe here with them, just as you should know that Lee is loyal. He is a very good man with a heart of gold. He deserves more trust than that.''

She looked at me with an offended look as the guys looked at us completely speechless. Then she slowly seemed to realize where I was going with this and frowned before she looked at Lee's apprehensive look, then back at my determined face.

''I hurt him, didn't I?'' she asked, the fight completely leaving her body.

''You did, and I can't have you hurt any of them,'' I said as my eyes caught Barney's unreadable expression.

''I believe you,'' Lacy said with a shy smile. ''Let's start this over, shall we? I am Lacy.''

''I'm Alice,'' I replied with a smile. ''And I'm starving. How do you feel about Chinese takeout?''

[Barney]

He hadn't missed the warning in Alice's tone when she'd defended Christmas, nor had he missed the fact that she'd felt safe with them. He was looking at her making a drink for Lacy and had to laugh at Lee's girlfriend as she pinched her nose.

''Alright, drink your fancy ass wine. At least I used the good stuff before I went sober,'' Alice laughed as she handed the glass to Tool instead, and Barney chuckled. He liked gin and whiskey more than other drinks too. Beer was fine though.

''You're not bothered by this?'' Gunnar suddenly asked, and Barney waited for her response. He'd been wondering that too.

''A little,'' Alice replied, completely honest. ''But I got very sick, and if that's not a reminder enough, I ask myself if I need or want it. If I want it, it's fine, everything's under control. If I need it, I take a step back and assess the situation. Reach out to a friend if need be.''

''It's a good trick,'' Toll agreed, and Alice thanked him shyly.

''Indeed,'' approved Doc, and Alice smiled.

''So, I'll clean that mess before going to bed. We're up early tomorrow,'' Alice said as she began to take the dirty dishes away, not noticing that Barney was still looking at her while trying to ignore how much his thoughts kept going back to her.

[Alice]

I woke up crying again as the same nightmare from the night before kept replaying in my mind more and more clearly. At first it had been a blur, now it was longer and more vivid.

I looked at my pre-packed bag and sighed. This was a mess. I went to shower, trying to shake off the bad vibes my nightmare had given me but even that didn't help. My mind was in complete chaos as I remembered that I had to go and grab the food in the fridge for the guys and prepare it for the flight.

I always loved them, but now I was getting attached, and it could hurt me to the point of no return. There was a difference between fiction and reality for a lot of reasons and this situation brought out more of them by the second.

Would I go back?

Would I want to go back?

Should I go back?

Fuck, this was a mess.

I heard a knock on my door and went to open it. Tool looked at me with a warm smile as I felt my heart lurch. I loved him so much…

Fuck, I was a mess.

[Team]

They all had chuckled a little to themselves at her barely contained enthusiasm as she was walking around the hangar with a big duffle bag she'd borrowed from Tool.

''You know we aren't going on vacation sweetheart?'' Lee mocked, and she scoffed.

''Who the hell you think I am?'' she retorted back. ''I've read and written way too many fanfictions not to know that you always pack light and practical.''

''This is what you call light?'' Hale said as he pointed her bag with a raised eyebrow, and Toll snorted.

''Yeah, what do you have in there?'' Gunnar asked her, and she smiled.

''You'll see on the plane, big boy,'' Alice said with a satisfied smile, and Barney shook his head as Tool winked at her.

''Oh, so he knows?'' Doc commented, and Alice kept walking so he turned to Tool.

''You had to be there,'' Tool said with a laugh, and they all went on the plane.

.

''Is it me or do I really smell food?'' Lee asked Barney about fifteen minutes in the air.

''Well maybe you're the one smelling burnt toast now,'' Barney retorted back before his nose caught a drift of something.

''Or maybe I thought it was very sad to see you all either call in lunch, bring ration packs, or eat reheated food, so I made you something…light and practical,'' Alice said from behind them as she offered them both a Tupperware containing doughnuts (for Barney) and fish and chips (for Lee). ''See, I wasn't going on a vacation.''

Lee opened the Tupperware and looked at the food with a confused look before he looked at her and saw her sincere smile. He offered her a small, shy smile before he took a bite and closed his eyes with a groan as he tasted it.

He heard her giggle, and he opened his eyes again with another bite halfway into his mouth. She looked truly pleased that he liked it, and Barney both looked amused and sincerely touched at the attention.

''You're both welcome,'' she said before she went back to join the others, who had started to search for Tupperware with their names on it.

They could hear her laugh in joy at their enthusiasm, and Barney found himself smiling.

''Yeah, I'm liking her more and more too,'' Lee said before he took another bite, and Barney let out a small laugh before he took a doughnut.

He closed his eyes too as Alice's smile seemed to make its way straight to his black heart.

He was so fucked.

[Alice]

"Well, Alice, that's what I called a wonderland," Hale said as he finished his plate, and I laughed.

"Is that the best you got?" she asked as Toll shook his head with an amused smile.

"Go big or go home," Hale mocked, and I smirked.

"I asked for a roast battle not the title of your next porn movie," I retorted back as Hale was looking at me completely speechless.

"Ooofff," Toll exhaled with an amused/pained expression as Gunnar was choking on his drink, and both Doc and Tool were laughing out loud.

"So, what about it? It isn't a bad title," Hale finally retorted back with a smile.

"Well, as you can see, I rather eat homemade or cook it myself now don't I?" I replied and almost felt bad at his shocked face as Toll burst out laughing along with Gunnar and Tool.

"Wow," Doc laughed while looking at Hale.

"I thought you liked me," Hale said with a pitiful voice despite the fact the he seemed highly amused, and I sincerely smiled at him.

"Of course, I do," I answered, and he smiled back.

"Alright! We're on time. The kids are there, and Trench and Yang will join us after." Barney shouted from the cockpit and the atmosphere became a bit tense as they all looked at me.

[Plane]

They all noticed her getting uncomfortable from their stares, and Toll got up to get some spare blankets.

"Here, you should get some rest. Just in case," he told her, and she thanked him shyly before making herself a bed on one of the benches.

[Alice]

I could smell the blood and fire as a shiver was running down my spine.

''Well, Allie, it looks like nobody can help you now,'' I heard Stonebanks's voice behind me, and I turned to face him.

Only he wasn't there anymore. Barney's lifeless body was.

''NO! BARNEY!'' I screamed as I felt sheer terror.

I was shaking him, begging him to still be alive as tears were running down my face.

''You failed,'' I heard my father say, and I screamed at him to shut up.

He laughed, and I looked up to look at him, only to face Tool's bloodied eyes.

"You lost our souls," he said.

''Tool, I didn't lose you I swear. I could never!'' I begged him to understand. ''Please help me save him!''

''But you will,'' Mickey Rourke added while putting a hand on his character's shoulder.

He then caressed my cheeks as he cried bloody tears and looked at something behind me. I turned around and saw a bridge with a river down below.

''You'll have to lose them there to find them here,'' Sylvester Stallone added beside me in a whisper. ''It's the only way.''

''What does it mean?!'' I cried, desperate, as I was now somehow on the bridge, looking at Barney's still body from afar.

''You have to jump again,'' my ex's voice sounded behind me, replacing Tool's ''You should have fallen down. You have to live with all of it now.''

''ALICE!'' I heard Barney's exclaim with an urging tone as I was running to get back to him.

I could see him coughing blood, but he was breathing. I could still save him. I was back beside him in no time, and I could see him dying all over again.

''BARNEY! STAY WITH ME! YOU CAN'T GO!'' I begged again and again.

''ALICE!'' I heard his voice say behind me as I watched his now unseeing eyes.

I could feel the bile rising as I saw all of them lifeless beside him.

''NO!'' I screamed in pain at seeing them all dead.

''ALICE!'' I heard Gunnar exclaim louder.

''NO! PLEASE DON'T GO I NEED YOU!'' I screamed as I saw the blood pouring from their bodies.

''STAND BACK!'' I heard Doc exclaim as I woke up with a rush of adrenaline, drenched in my own sweat and tears.

[Plane]

She'd closed her eyes for about five minutes before they heard her snore softly. Toll kept looking at her until Jensen spoke up.

"Why are you looking at her like that?" he asked, and Toll frowned.

"How is she not scared of us?" he asked softly. "Whatever she was tense about, it wasn't us. I never saw someone not on the brink of death or burnout pass out so fast beside us."

"She knows us," Tool replied, and he saw both Gunnar and Hale's puzzled looks. "Not in the obvious way, but emotionally, I think, somehow she does."

"Something happened?" Gunnar asked as he saw Tool's faraway look in his eyes, and Doc frowned.

They didn't have more time to wonder about it as Alice started to move in her sleep. It was frantic, and she was crying. Then her nose started bleeding.

"What the..." Hale started to ask seconds before she screamed.

''NO! BARNEY!'' she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Barney felt a rush of adrenaline and rushed to her side at the desperation of her tone.

''What does it mean?!'' she cried seconds before Barney tried to wake her up.

"ALICE!" he urged her when she started shaking.

"BARNEY! STAY WITH ME! YOU CAN'T GO!'' she screamed through her tears as Doc started to take her vitals.

He realized with horror that they were far from normal.

"She's going to have a heart attack if she doesn't calm down," he said, and they all were on emergency mode suddenly.

"ALICE!" Gunnar screamed to wake her up, and she started to gasp for air.

"No, please don't go I need you!" she managed to exclaim before Doc screamed at them to stand back.

He shot her with a sedative as she finally woke up.

"You're ok," Barney told her as he kneeled in front of her so as to not scare her more than she already was.

"You were dead," she cried, her voice hoarse from the screaming. "You were dead, then they were dead too, and I couldn't save you. I tried. I really tried."

Barney felt his chest tighten at how heartbroken she looked.

"So that was what she was scared of," Toll whispered to himself seconds before they heard Tool's ringtone.

"What?" the man asked as he was still looking at Alice with a worried look.

"Stonebanks came back," Drummer said, and Tool became as white as a sheet. He looked at Barney still kneeling in front of the girl then turned to see Lee looking at him with concern.

''I know,'' Tool told him before he closed his eyes.

''Fuck, do I know,'' he thought to himself as he tried to keep his dark thoughts at bay.

He couldn't lose it, not now.