A/N 1: Ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, ficlets, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net.

A/N 2: VivaGlam: Well, having the city swarm with FoHs would only make me seem predictable, and I can assure you, babe, that I am anything but that *smirk*

Archangel: Let's see...my current muses are Fortune and Vamp. What are the chances that either of the two will take pity on the poor characters? *grins*

Italics indicate thoughts/telepathy

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Fourteenth Interlude: Trust

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Ryan and Hal watched as their teammates left for their rooms to get some sleep, leaving the two alone. A long moment of silence passed, then Ryan turned to Hal, voicing the thoughts that had haunted them both.

"We need to figure what to do - this joint leadership works for the time being, but the moment we start to disagree, this whole thing will come apart," he said, watching Hal carefully as he spoke.

"Then what do you suggest?" Hal asked, looking at Ryan for the first time since the others left the room. "That if we start to disagree, you'll have the last say?" she suggested and snorted at the thought. "It wouldn't work - I know my teammates, and they wouldn't accept something like that. They can accept you as a temporary co-leader because of the situation, but don't push your luck."

"Actually, I already knew that," Ryan replied, not letting Hal's words get to him. "You don't trust me, and I'm not sure if I trust you, either. But if we want to get out of this alive, we have to work something out - starting to disagree about what to do would only make the situation worse."

"So no arguing in front of the teams," Hal summarized. "What else?"

Ryan smiled wryly at the irony of the situation - their two teams working together? Who would have thought...?

"I don't know," he admitted, forcing the amusement aside. "I've never been in a situation like this before."

The comment drew a small smile from Hal.

"Me, neither," she replied. "But I guess...I guess that if we do as you suggest and head for Houston, then we can always discuss it in further detail when we arrive. It's hard to plan anything if we don't know what we're up against."

Ryan nodded slowly, accepting the suggestion, then watched Hal for a moment.

"Are all of them okay?" he asked, and Hal sent him a surprised look. "Your teammates," Ryan clarified. "Are they okay?"

Hal shrugged, trying to shake off the confusion she felt at his concern. They were on opposite teams - Ryan wasn't supposed to care about what happened to them. He had no reason to give a damn about any of them...then why did he?

"They're...as good as you can expect given the circumstances," she replied truthfully, since there was no reason to lie to a telepath. "Pheonix and Jhonen are taking Nike's death pretty bad, but they'll be okay, I hope." She paused, then narrowed her eyes. "Why would you care, anyway?"

"Because at the moment, we're stuck in the same bad situation," Ryan said. "Contrary to what you might think, I don't hate any of you, Hal. No, we don't agree about much, but that doesn't mean I hate you. My quarrel is with Blade, and him alone."

"He's not as bad as you think," Hal argued, unconsciously defending her leader.

Ryan sighed softly. "He's a killer. He had Prue executed in cold blood and would do the same thing to anyone who crosses his path. How can you follow someone like that?"

"I'm not stupid," Hal snapped. "I know where a good part of Blade and Nike's money come from. But...you don't get it," she said frustrated. "He keeps us safe and off the streets, and that's a hell of a lot more than anyone else has bothered to. Yeah, him and Nike might be psychotic and insane and whatever else you might call them, but what they offered us was a lot better than living on the streets."

"It's only matter of time before something goes wrong and you get killed or arrested," Ryan pointed out. "What you and your team do is dangerous, we both know that."

"We've remained alive so far," Hal replied with a shrug. She knew that Ryan was right, but she'd thought about the same risk for a long time, and had accepted that this was how things were.

"You shouldn't be doing this," Ryan said and shook his head. "You're eighteen - you shouldn't be dealing with this kind of life, and you shouldn't have to be responsible for the lives of your teammates."

"And then what should I do?" Hal demanded. "Live on the streets with the hookers and try to survive that way? I don't think so. And before you start to criticize my skills as a leader, then take a look at your second in command. She's *sixteen* - do you really think that she's ready to lead your team if someone kills you?"

"I wasn't criticizing you, Hal," Ryan corrected. "And things with Diana isn't like you think. If I die, she and Kyle will lead the team together. I know she won't be able to handle it alone, but she'd be able to give Kyle the support needed."

Hal frowned at the words - Ryan's voice had told her beyond any doubt that he was speaking the truth, and she found herself deeply confused at that. They weren't friends - they didn't even trust each other. Why would he want to reveal a potential weakness to her? It didn't make sense...

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked suspiciously. "You have no reason to trust me - how do you know that I won't tell Blade about everything we talked about the moment him and Jordane get free?"

"I'm telling you this because you asked," Ryan replied. "As for the other...I know that I have no guarantee that I can trust you, but I'll do it anyway. I don't like this, either, but if we want to make this thing work, we need to show some level of trust."

"I don't trust people," Hal said, watching Ryan with a hint of wariness in her eyes.

"You can see the future through your powers, can't you?" Ryan asked. "Then look at it and tell me if you have any reason not to trust me."

"I don't see the future, only snippets," Hal corrected. "And looking a few minutes into the future won't help much."

"Try anyway," Ryan suggested. "If there's any chance it might make you feel better about trusting me, then do it."

Hal watched him for a moment, then took a slow breath and closed her eyes. The strange and not entirely pleasant feeling that accompanied any use of her powers appeared at the edges of her mind, but she suppressed it. Another slow breath, focusing on the timelines, trying to limit down the options. She focused, preparing her mind for the effects of her powers, then reached out to unlock the timelines and-

Abruptly she cut the connection, before she had the time to see anything.

Ryan had been right. It was a matter of trust - to survive they would have to show at least some degree of trust towards each other, and using her powers this way wold only serve to prove that she didn't trust him at all.

No...like it or not, she would have to trust him, even if every part of her mind fought against it.

Hal slowly opened her eyes and found Ryan watching her carefully, clearly waiting for her reply.

"Are you willing to trust me now?" he asked, somehow sensing that she wasn't about to take the initiative.

Hal hesitated only for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah...I am. But if you try anything, I'm gonna kick you ass, got it?"

"Got it," Ryan replied with a faint smile. "Let's get some sleep, then - I think we're going to need it."

Hal nodded, agreeing with the words. She'd learned the hard way that being on the run while sleep-deprived wasn't a good thing, and it was a lesson she wasn't very eager to learn again. Hal turned around and headed across the room, not bothering to wait for the other. She'd almost reached the door when Ryan's voice broke the silence, making her stop.

"Hal..." The girl looked over her shoulder and met Ryan's eyes questioningly. "I know you didn't use your powers."

For a moment neither moved, then Hal broke the intense stare and walked out of the room, her footsteps shattering the silence around them. Ryan waited for a moment, then smiled faintly and headed for his bed as well.

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