Hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry it took me so long, but I've lived at school the last several weeks, and have had not time for sleep or food, or, more importantly, writing. I've not gotten dressed in three days, no time. I've gone to school in my pajamas the last couple days (Okay, I changed into costume five minutes after arriving— performance days! It just sounds worse if I don't add this part. :P). It's so bad I sat down on the couch at my dad's office and then woke up... two hours later. Dang it, I could have used those two hours to write! Sleep, ha! What's that good for?

Not too confusing, for a Powers chapter. A majority of the stuff is quite apparent. Long, too, considering what it is. And.... as a special bonus.... a first-person narrative visit from everyone's favorite Power!

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"For once, Quintin, you may have had a good idea," Mercy admitted.

"Always," Quintin said, with a smile.

"They haven't fallen in love yet," Joyce pointed out, critical of him as always.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" asked Quintin. "They are together, and friends, at the least. It got her to open up, didn't it? At least now, her Protectors know that He is lurking about. If the two don't happen to fall passionately in love, well, it's not a big deal, as long as they care for each other. I can't make them fall in love; I don't have the stereotypical arrows. I can only encourage them in the right direction."

"And pump them full of hormones, like you did to the Protectors," Joyce added snidely.

"That is an unfair comparison," Quintin protested. "Different strategies work on different couples. Who is the Power of Love, again? With the Protectors, there was already a physical attraction before I got involved. I just... gave it a boost. After they explored each other a bit, they both realized that they couldn't just have a physical relationship, and were mature enough to get to know each other in other ways. The hormones just kept them together long enough to realize that. In this case, the pair is a bit younger, and I'm not sure if they'd reach the conclusion of love on more planes than simply physical. Besides, they are getting along fine with one another."

"What ever you did, it does seem to be working," Wit answered. "Your previous choices with the Protectors relationship seemed to be correct as well. Though, if you could encourage the primary Protector to consent to be the consort of Lugh's heir, it might be beneficial to the protection of His child from Him."

"I can try to soften her heart, but I can't make her do anything," Quintin insisted again.

The Emotional Powers conversation was cut short, as usual, by Mike, who announced in a distressing tone, "We have a problem."

***

I never used that identity, that Gary, again, after the last time I saw the mother of my child.

My child. Has a rather nice ring to it, doesn't it? My child. I never thought I'd be able to say those words. Not after being cast out of Timeheart.

Other Powers had relationships with mortals, many a time. However, never me. At, least, rarely me. There were a few carnal amours at first, but never anything that could be considered a "relationship" like the Others had frequently. But that was millennia ago. I became too busy for that kind of thing.

"Gary" was a great identity. I had forgotten what it felt like to have someone care about you. Someone who, when they laid eyes on you, didn't quiver in fear or make foolish threats, but looked adoringly upon you.

I have become a great actor in these years. I've convinced everyOne that I love my life, love my hate, my anger my destruction. They don't realize it's a cover, just a cover.

I love nothing. Hatred does plague my life, or the pathetic excuse for thus. But I don't enjoy the hatred. I hate it with more hate than I have for all the Powers and the Universes combined.

"Gary" was a break, an indulgence. I didn't hate the girl. I didn't hate the one I pretended to be. But I hated who I really was. I have become a great actor.

There was no love. I have established that I am now incapable of love. My actions and the actions of others towards me have prevented me from having this small thrill to life. Ah, but other thrills! It had been years since I had indulged in mortal pleasures; I had forgotten what physical joy mortal bodies can produce.

But this time... this time, an after effect. The girl moved. I figured she was gone, and grew tired of Gary. There were a few other girls that Gary was good for, but no one lasting. Then she called.

She told me she was pregnant, that she was carrying my child. Never before had this happened- there were never any consequences of my being with mortals.

I was shocked and angry, mostly with myself. I tried to rid myself of what I then thought was a problem, and rid myself of the girl.

But afterwards... I changed my mind... It was not a problem and...

I wanted my child.

I tried to get the child, who I eventually discovered to be a girl. My child. My daughter.

The girl didn't want me to take my daughter. She got help from those annoying wizards, who told her horror stories about me. I can't deny that some of them, at least in part, were probably true. But they have nothing to do with my child!

They trapped me, the wizards, imprisoned me with my own power. Ah, the shame! The embarrassment! I was kept from the child then, but the girl died to accomplish that.

Perhaps I should restate something I said earlier. I never used "Gary" after the girl's death... until today.

One of the annoying wizards, now a Senior Area Advisory wizard for my even more annoying fellow Powers, has done a good job protecting her. A bit of help from Them, of course. She's gotten the permanent job as Protector of my child. Protector from what? Me? She has done a good job. I have only been able to watch my daughter grow from the other sides of boundaries imposed. Until today.

Today, I was finally able to get through those boundaries. Under the identity of "Gary", but an older one, I was finally able to meet my own daughter.

She clearly had not been told anything about me. Good. She can make her own judgments in time, without poison edging at her mind of who they think I am.

She is beautiful. She looks most strongly like the girl, her mother, but I can see a bit of Gary in her as well. It was wonderful, this experience. Hopefully I will have more like it soon.

My child. My daughter. My child and I.

Together.

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