To say that the first reunion was tense and awkward would've been the understatement of the century. The only positive side was that both women were so badly shaken from the night in the getaway cars that they didn't even have it in them to be mad anymore. Even Deborah, the one whose name was now synonymous with rage, revenge, and rampage, was subdued, and it wasn't just because of her pain medication.
"Hey… Deborah…" Angela's voice was so soft as she entered the hospital room that even she could barely hear herself.
For a moment, Deborah didn't respond, but then she started to nod slowly. Tension left her shoulders. "… Angela."
Angela nearly cried out in relief. She hadn't realized how desperate she'd been, not just to hear Deborah's voice again, but to hear her say her name. Her first name. But the relief faded fast. Maybe the worst was over, but they still had a long road ahead of them; and, unlike Deborah's little stunt in the getaway car, there were no other paths for them to quickly turn onto. The only way left for them now was forward, right into the storm.
They slowly, carefully made their way through the conversation until they reached the getaway cars.
"Why didn't you just let me go?" The question was accusatory, but Deborah sounded so tired. All the fire was gone.
"I couldn't!" Angela sobbed again, devastated by the thought. "No matter what happens between us, I never wanted to see you dead! I couldn't lose you! Not like that! Anything but that! I… I couldn't let you kill yourself without trying to stop you first… I'm sorry if that's selfish of me, but—"
"Kill myself?!" Deborah interrupted, sitting up taller. For a moment, Angela looked alarmed, not because she was worried she'd angered Deborah, but because she didn't want Deborah moving around too suddenly. Even if her survival was assured (for better or worse, her legs took the brunt of the blow. Her entire upper body had been spared, save for a few cuts and bruises), Angela still didn't want her hurting herself.
Deborah, however, was more focused on what Angela said. Once she managed to get Angela's focus back on it, too, they realized that something got lost in translation. Deborah most certainly had not been driving to the bridge with the intent of getting to the other side, vertically speaking. She was trying to get to the other side, horizontally. That was the fastest route to the nearest airport where she was going to just… vanish.
"Eleanor helped me. She gave me a bag of money, the getaway car, and a plan to skip town until all the drama died down. At least, that was the idea until someone decided to intervene, ruining everything."
"I… I'm sorry…" Angela looked horrified and twice as guilty. As if she didn't already blame herself for the crash, now realizing her error only made it that much worse. She'd been trying to save Deborah only to find out now that Deborah was never in any "real" danger to begin with.
"Wait, save me?" Once again, Deborah was focused on something else. At the same time Angela had her horrific realization, Deborah had one, too. That night in the getaway car, she'd cried so hard because she thought Angela hated her enough to be willing to die to stop her. Now, with the change of only two words, the entire story flipped. Angela loved her enough to be willing to die to save her, even after all they'd been through…
"Why?" Deborah asked again, sounding even more like a lost, lonely, scared, confused child than ever before. "Why didn't you just let me go?"
ooo
My castle crumbled overnight. I brought a knife to a gunfight. They took the crown… but it's all right.
The tone of the conversation shifted drastically after that. Deborah was still scared, still world-weary, but she felt something… new start to blossom in her chest. Angela had been trying to save her. Angela came chasing after her when the rest of the world wouldn't even try… And just like that, just as fast and violently as a car crash, Deborah's entire world flipped upside down once again. Angela came back to her.
I really did it this time, didn't I? I'm in WAY over my head… As Angela put it, that "near-death experience" certainly put a lot into perspective.
For Angela, it was the realization that Deborah was just so young. She was not a child, but she was definitely too young to be bearing the burdens that she did. And she was definitely too young to die. Even if Deborah's life was never in any real danger, had that crash gone even slightly differently, maybe Deborah would be dead. Then there would've never been any sort of resolution, or even the hope of resolution.
"But there's one more thing," Angela's voice was barely above a whisper at this point. "I… I… never told anyone else this before… not even Ambrose, not even my parents…" she looked pained, as if struggling to decide if she should even tell Deborah, but it felt pertinent enough that Angela thought it might possibly be worthwhile.
Deborah, sensing that this was a serious matter, leaned forward, but said nothing. Angela gave her another wounded look, but after a few more seconds of silence, she took a slow, deep breath. "When I was in high school, I remember a night when I went flying in my own getaway car. I was scouting out the perfect place to crash. I was driving so fast, waiting for the free fall. I had no plans on ever going home again."
"What?!" Deborah squawked, but another pained look from Angela silenced her. "Sorry, continue."
"I also considered driving to a bridge, to sink and drown, to quietly disappear forever. I even pulled the car off the road to the lookout, but somehow, I still found myself back in my parents' doorway. They asked why I'd been out so late, why it took me so long to get home, but I had no idea what to say, so I just told them I got stuck in traffic. They believed me, then I went to bed and cried myself to sleep."
Before long, the two women were weeping again.
"I don't tell you this to worry or guilt you," Angela managed to whisper through her tears. "But to explain why I assumed the worst when you…"
"No, no, I understand!" Deborah whispered, crying as well, and she did. Angela had given her more perspective. "I'm sorry I'm too tough to love…"
"Even tougher to hate," Angela shook her head, then she pulled out of Deborah's arms to look her in the eyes. "There's something else you should know about… the night that my lab burned down…"
Deborah winced, guilty, but she trusted that Angela had a point to the story, so she said nothing.
"When I went there, everything was gone… except a handful of cages of rats."
"What?"
"My lab rats. Their cages were all outside, just beyond the limits of the fire."
Deborah didn't follow. She was glad Angela's rats survived, but…
"Deborah, who do you think saved them? The firemen definitely did not arrive in time, and who was the only other person in my lab that night?"
No. Could it be…? Enyo…?
Because Deborah could not remember her time as Enyo any more than Angela could remember her time as Lola, neither of them knew what actually went through her head when she saved those rats, but Angela was certain it must've been some streak of inner goodness.
"And it's not just my idealism that makes me think that," Angela promised before Deborah could ask. "Finding the rats outside, safely beyond the flames, when she could've left them anywhere else or done anything else to them makes me certain that she didn't want them to die."
For the first time ever, Deborah found herself desperately wishing to turn into Enyo to ask. Maybe someday they would, but definitely not now. Not as long as she was still in the hospital. But even if she couldn't confirm, that story gave her the first feeling of real hope that she'd had in years.
Could it really be true? Enyo managed to make a right decision even in the literal heat of her, MY, angriest moments?
"If you were truly kind enough to spare my rats, of course I wasn't going to let you die…" Angela whispered, tearing up again as she reached for Deborah's hand. Deborah let her hold it tight. "You are so much more than the monster inside, Deborah, and even the monster inside is not fully a monster. Thank you for showing me that, I'm so glad you both survived the fire. The lab can be replaced, but you cannot."
ooo
All the liars are calling me one. Nobody's heard from me for months… I'm doing better than I ever was.
The recovery process was long and hard; after all, two badly broken legs and countless more badly broken relationships weren't easy to fix, even if none of it was life-threatening. And of course, the media was hungry for gossip, drama, a story to sensationalize. They speculated on the nature and motives of the crash, as well as the outcome of the family feud that led to the crash at all. Maybe it was a publicity stunt gone wrong? Such mystery!
Their whispers eventually became shouts, but even though the public talked about Deborah, none of them ever got a chance to talk to her. In light of the crash, the Lavishes agreed to end their "war" against the Jekylls and Moultons to focus on keeping nosy reporters away from their youngest member as she recovered in the hospital. Even Mr. Lavish wasn't heartless enough to be hard on his daughter at a time like this.
The Jekylls and Moultons offered help as well, all three families willing to set aside hatred for love. Truly, the getaway cars put so much into perspective. Even though talks of reparation were still on the horizon, they were all willing to call a truce for the sake of this. Once divided, the three families now stood as one around the very same woman that divided them all in the first place. It was oddly poetic.
Somewhere along the way, Ambrose was finally released from prison. The Lavishes spun a new story that although Angela had indeed run experimental trials with unknown substances, it wasn't entirely her doing. They painted Lola as an autonomous figure who bullied Angela, and Ambrose, into doing her bidding, but now she'd disappeared because things had spiraled so far out of control. It wasn't entirely untrue.
Furthermore, Mr. and Mrs. Lavish were able to pull a few strings with the jail in which Ambrose was being held. That particular jail was under the umbrella of the Derleth holding facilities, their largest facility being an asylum for the criminally insane (it was a place Deborah had considered trying to get Angela committed to, before everything went south). Ambrose wasn't deemed mad enough to go there, but his jail was still an arm of Derleth, so the Lavishes went to the main base of operations and worked their magic.
As soon as he was free, he made a beeline for the hospital. Like Angela, he displayed nothing but sheer relief that Deborah was ok again. Oh, he was still upset by all that she'd done to him, his property, and his family, but that car crash had really put a lot into perspective.
"We can worry about that later!" he wept as he held Deborah in his arms and kissed her head over and over again. She couldn't even offer a reply, ugly-crying into his shirt and clinging to him like a lifeline. But even though she was shaking and shaken, being in his arms again helped ground her, and for the first time in a long time, she felt… better. Just a little, but better, nonetheless.
ooo
He, Angela, and the rest of the Lavish family were the only ones who got to see Deborah in person for the duration of her stay in the hospital. For once, Deborah was more than fine with that. It actually, quickly, became a highlight of her day to see someone walking in to see her. She wanted to feel wanted, and whenever she got to see Angela poking her head in through the door, Deborah felt at peace.
My angel's fit like a daydream, walking with her head down, I'm the one she's walking to…
Angela would always enter the room with her head down, as if still afraid that Deborah would one day blame the crash on her. But just like the very first night, Deborah was focused on something else entirely. I'm the one she's walking to…
As long as Deborah had that, she finally realized that she didn't give a damn about anything else. Let them call it what they want, let them say what they want about me, 'cause my angel's fly like a jet stream, high above the whole scene, loves me like I'm brand new… And with a love like that, well, everything else was hollow by comparison.
All my flowers grew back as thorns, windows boarded up after the storm, she built a fire just to keep me warm…
If history was destined to repeat itself, and Deborah and Angela were only watching the same story unfold for a second time, then they'd hit the "girlfriend phase" again. It seemed as if their rivalry was over (forever this time, Deborah hoped), and now Deborah was looking at a woman who'd always tried to be so accommodating for her. This wasn't the first time Angela had built a fire in hopes of warming Deborah's frozen heart.
All the drama queens taking swings. All the jokers dressing up as kings. They fade to nothing when she comes on in…
Deborah wasn't unaware of the (latest) scandal surrounding her name. After all, even though she felt like a changed woman, the rest of the world didn't know that. They were still hung up on the love triangle, rampage, getaway car, and family feud. The singer also thought of other people in her industry. Although her drama definitely eclipsed theirs in terms of collateral, at least she was no longer in the rat race.
Maybe they didn't mind still dressing up in gaudy finery, chasing after ever-fleeting attention and turning into monsters because of it, but Deborah did. And she pitied them. But they didn't want her back now that her legs were all mangled. She'd never be able to dance or model as well as she used to, so that made her less valuable in their eyes. But none of that mattered to Deborah now that she had someone who thought she was worth the world. It wasn't the fans or producers that came to her bedside, after all. It was Angela, Ambrose, and the three families… her family.
And I know I make the same mistakes every time. Bridges burn, I never learn, but at least I did one thing right.
Speak of the devil, her guardian angel was here. As always, she walked shyly, head down, but Deborah was still the one she was walking to.
I did one thing right… A genuine smile spread across Deborah's face as Angela drew closer. There was a smile on her face, too. Soon, though, the smiles were laughter as they made a pillow-and-blanket fort on Deborah's hospital bed. She trusted Angela like no other and four starry blue eyes sparkled through even the longest, coldest, darkest nights.
It was during one of these nights, Angela sneaking in, curling up beside Deborah, that Deborah realized something.
I want to wear her initial on a chain 'round my neck, not because she owns me, but because she really knows me, which is more than they can say.
The woman whose name she used to despise so much that she couldn't even speak it was now the same woman whose name Deborah wished she could take. Not just in a relationship sense, but she no longer wanted to be a Lavish.
She willingly surrendered the name back to her family not long after the crash. Originally, she offered to sign it over to Eleanor, but Eleanor was adamant that she not accept the position a day before she was properly due for it.
"I sure as Hell don't want to have to run this family full-time! I have novels to write!" she said. In the past, Deborah would've called her crazy and stupid for during down a free ticket to the top spot, but now, she understood.
So Deborah instead decided to turn it over to their mother, just for a change in leadership. Mr. Lavish hadn't been pleased, but he wasn't going to fight his wife on it. Besides, losing the family name to begin with did prove that he wasn't as strong a leader as he might've wanted to be, so perhaps it was for the best that Mrs. Lavish take over instead. At least for a while, until their reputation patched up.
Mrs. Lavish was surprised by the offer, but she understood Deborah's rationale. She and her father were just too aggressive, and they'd both already proven unworthy to carry the family name (although Deborah's choice to return the family name was perhaps the worthiest thing she'd done since stealing it from her father in the first place), and with Eleanor declining, that left Mrs. Lavish. She chose to accept. Her reputation was the cleanest of the family, and as a politician, she had leadership experience.
Now, Deborah was free. She turned her gaze to Angela. Holding her breath, slowly she said, "You don't need to save me… But would you run away with me?" My guardian angel, you don't need to try to save me anymore, but would you spread your wings and fly away with me? We'll find a Heaven no one else can touch, except for us…
For a second, Angela was surprised. She looked into those starry eyes with her own, though, and understood immediately. She smiled, touched Deborah's face, and gave her one breathless, "Yes!"
ooo
Deborah may have been the one in the hospital, but she wasn't the only one in recovery. Angela saw Deborah often, not just for Deborah's sake, but her own. Angela became anxious every time she was away from the singer, and, more than once, she'd tried to use her doctor status to sneak into the hospital or steal extra time. Sometimes it worked, other times, they realized she wasn't that type of doctor and would send her off.
"Well, I commend you for the effort, at least," a voice suddenly said. Angela whipped around in surprise to see…
"Eleanor?!" The elder Lavish sister nodded smugly. She may not have looked like Deborah, but that smile was definitely Lavish. "Oh! Were you hoping to—?" Angela pointed over her shoulder towards Deborah's room.
"I came to visit you, actually. I knew you'd be here," Eleanor said airily.
Angela was surprised by both sentences, and Eleanor gave her a dry laugh in return, then she pulled something from her pocket. It was a gold tie with an armor-pattern on the front. Angela's eyes widened in recognition as Eleanor held it out to her.
"Wh—what? But… why?"
"Well, you're part of the Lavish family now, aren't you?" Eleanor asked, still holding the tie out to Angela.
"I… I am?"
"Deborah seems to think so. As far as she's concerned, all that's left to do is for you to simply take up the Lavish name!"
"Wh—what?! So soon?!" Angela started blushing furiously. "I mean, don't misunderstand me, I'm flattered! But… don't you think it's a little too soon for… marriage? I… I mean, we, still have so much left to—"
"Well, I wasn't implying marriage," Eleanor interrupted. "I wasn't speaking literally, but if that's where your mind went first…"
Too late did Angela realize she'd been "tricked". Her blush intensified and Eleanor laughed again. For a second time, Angela was struck by how uncannily Deborah she seemed. She was still holding out the tie. Angela finally took it, even though she was burning up with embarrassment.
"Welcome to the Serpent's Den," Eleanor joked, giving Angela an approving nod as she donned the tie despite her embarrassment. It was then that Angela realized that the tie didn't have an armor-plate pattern, they were snake scales.
"I thought the Lavish family animal was a lion?"
"The press preferred us as snakes," Eleanor shrugged. Angela felt a rush of sympathy. Ah, of course…
"Well, for the record, I don't think you're snakes," she promised.
"Well, that is very kind of you, Jekyll, but we do not mind," Eleanor shrugged again. "Snakes are only reviled in some cultures. In others, they're seen as wise protectors, and even healers…" She trailed off, giving the doctor a knowing smile. Ah yes! The caduceus!
Even more interesting, the caduceus was a symbol of Hermes, yet another Greek god. He was the traveler, bound to no one and no place. He lived on Olympus and Earth and the Underworld. Just like them now, there was no single place he called home, which was both blessing and curse, as Deborah and Angela and all the rest of them knew all too well.
"And even more than that," Eleanor continued, "much like a snake, Deborah only strikes out at the individuals who tread on her."
This was also true. Even in her worst times, Deborah only ever had a maximum of three people on her hit list: Lola, Angela, and Ambrose. Similarly, they were ordered in accordance with their "degree of guilt". Lola was at the top because Deborah saw her as the guiltiest. Angela was next, because she created Lola and gave Lola free reign to cause all the trouble that she did. Ambrose was last, the least guilty, yet still complicit in the affair. But more importantly, all three of them were still alive.
As Eleanor would explain, it was harder to kill than they thought. Maybe Deborah, and even Enyo, thought they were tough enough to actually take a life, but it was a much bigger deal than the movies made it out to be. Killing was not easy, hence why neither of them ever actually found themselves in a life-or-death situation. Enyo simply continued a rampage of property destruction, and even in the night in the getaway cars, Deborah hadn't wanted to kill Angela, even when Angela offered to let her.
This was also why Enyo spared Angela's rats, and why she destroyed Ambrose's mansion with fists rather than fire. It was a subconscious part of Deborah's sense of honor regarding combat. Collateral was unavoidable, but the Lavishes prided themselves on only striking out at an offending individual. Just like a snake, they struck hard and fast, but accurate and true.
But Eleanor wasn't just here to talk Greek myths, snakes, or ties. She confirmed that Deborah's decision to run away was actually her idea. It was not that Eleanor was a coward, or trying to sway Deborah from the path of darkness, it was just simple pragmatism and forethought.
"This was nothing but a love triangle spun out of control," Eleanor shrugged coldly. "Hardly worth murdering each other over." Because that was the thing, no matter if Deborah killed Angela, Lola, or both, unless she was also willing to kill Ambrose, it would be cruel to kill some of them and leave the others alive. So Eleanor suggested that Deborah take on a new "Greek persona" and travel far away and become "No One".
In a way, it was love that saved them all. Ambrose's love for Angela, and Deborah's love for Ambrose… And then Angela's love for Deborah brought it full circle. To bring it full circle again, that was why Eleanor was finally presenting Angela with a Lavish family tie.
"I know what you did on the bridge that night. Deborah told me, and I… pulled a few strings to check the traffic cameras," Eleanor said, giving Angela a wicked little smile as she said this. Once a Lavish, always a Lavish. "But I know you were trying to save her, even at the cost of your life," she continued, growing serious once more. "Someone like that…? Well, I shouldn't let her get away."
Now Eleanor's smile was a little more genuine. Like all Lavishes, there was a heart under her ferocity. As a big sister, of course she hated watching what her little sister became; but, she also knew that little sisters didn't often listen to big ones, so that was what made Angela so invaluable. She was one of the only people Deborah would listen to. And as Eleanor just said, Angela wasn't just someone Deborah listened to, she was someone willing to lay down her life for Deborah. Someone like that…? Well, I shouldn't let her get away. Hadn't Deborah once said similar of Ambrose, in regard to the statue of Aphrodite that he'd made using her as the model?
"Though, we always pretended to be Ares and Athena, Deborah and I," Eleanor smirked. Deborah was always so hotheaded, always itching for a fight. That left Eleanor to be the brains of their operations. As she would say, if the Lavishes were snakes, Deborah liked to strike and spit while Eleanor slithered and strangled. Although Eleanor was proud to say that all of Deborah's "living dangerous" attitudes had come from her (she supplied Deborah with her first fake ID, after all). She may have been the quiet, pragmatic, strategizing sister, but she no pansy, coward, or fool.
That was why she pulled strings to check the traffic cameras. She wanted to confirm Angela's motives on the bridge before making any big decisions. Counterpoint to Deborah, whose rages rose and fell like the tides, Eleanor was much slower and steadier. She was slower to anger, but unlike Deborah, if a name was ever on her hit list, it would be struck out eventually.
Now, though, Eleanor had her confirmation. Angela was on their side. Now both Lavish sisters were in support of making Jekyll a third. Eleanor even offhandedly mentioned another contract between her and Deborah. It wasn't that the Lavishes were incapable of keeping promises without them, it just made rules and roles clearer than trusting word or memory alone. The illicit affair was proof of how little words actually meant. Contracts forced accountability and helped maintain order and organization; at least, that was how the Lavishes saw it.
In this contract, the sisters agreed to never betray each other, no matter what life threw at them. They also had names of other high-value people in their lives. Ambrose's name was under Deborah's, and there were a few under Eleanor's that Angela did not know. But where was she?
"We didn't think it necessary to add you," Eleanor shrugged, and for a second, Angela looked hurt, but then Eleanor gave her another mischievous smile. "Because Deborah and I already both agree that we would never want to hurt you anyway."
ooo
Their conversation came to a close not long after that, Eleanor giving Angela one short farewell nod before finally turning away.
"Wait! I… have one more question!" Angela cried quickly. Eleanor paused. "Have you ever had a hit list before?" She heard Eleanor chuckle.
"Would you believe me either way?" Good point.
"Well, regardless, I trust that you care for Deborah, so, thank you…"
"Be careful how you comment on my relationship with my sister, Jekyll," Eleanor's voice was suddenly unusually stern. Not angry or cold, but firm. Once again, she surprised Angela, but a second later, Angela understood. Right, the Lavishes were not a soft bunch.
The doctor was respectful in her apology, and then Eleanor apologized for being so curt, but Angela shook her head.
Don't worry, Eleanor, your secret is safe with me. I know you DO care about her, even if you aren't comfortable talking about it.
And it was true, like all Lavishes, Eleanor wasn't very good at being affectionate, and her relationship with Deborah was… interesting. But at the end of the day, she did want to see her sister taken care of. Now thanks to Angela, Eleanor's wish was granted, and she could go back to writing her novels in peace and solitude, no longer losing sleep wondering if her sister was hurting or not.
She's finally found a genuinely good influence in Jekyll, I don't have to worry about her anymore. She would be forever grateful that Deborah broke her legs and not her neck, and even though everything below the waistline was a mess, her femoral arteries remained intact.
"Actually, one more question!" Angela added. "Does Ambrose have a tie, too?"
"He has not yet proved his worth."
"What? But he helped—!"
"He spent the entire feud stuck in a prison cell."
"Well, it was hardly his fault!"
"Perhaps not, but Lavishes are slow to trust and allow people in. Call it what you want to, but I still have my reserves as an older sibling."
No big sister likes watching her little sister dating a man a decade older than she is, especially when she, herself, is still very young…
Ambrose seemed a good man, Eleanor would grant him that, and she did trust him to care for Deborah just as Angela did, but it took more than just being a decent person to be stand-out in the eyes of a Lavish. But again, with Jekyll there, Eleanor felt she could rest easy. Even from the beginning of Deborah's music career, Eleanor hadn't always approved of her choices. She hadn't said anything, but now, she knew Deborah would be ok.
ooo
Further along in the recovery process, it was finally decided that although Deborah was still not well enough to try turning into Enyo again, maybe Lola could take a shot at clearing the air with the young heiress. With things looking up for Dr. Jekyll, she had a new lab and was able to recreate some of her serum while still working on a cure.
"Debbie?" Lola poked her head into the room with more forwardness than Angela ever had.
So reckless, especially given that she's kind of a wanted woman right now. She doesn't seem to have a care in the world! No, if anything, she likes the attention… Deborah's hands clenched her bedsheets. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Her heart monitor was beeping faster already.
"Jesus Christ, Debbie, don't get so aroused to see me!" Lola snickered.
"Hyde!" Deborah snapped; the monitor sped up a little bit more.
"I'm just saying, you should probably calm your tits before your heart bursts out of them," Lola shrugged, taking a casual seat by Deborah's bed.
Deborah hated seeing her sitting where Angela belonged, but she refrained from addressing it. "Why are you here?"
"Angela wanted me to talk to you. I don't know what about. Apparently, you had some stuff you wanted to say to me?" She raised an eyebrow and smirked. She was having such fun taunting the downtrodden debutante. Oh, Deb, you taunt!
Deborah had more than just "some stuff" to say, though… But she knew that now was not the time to jumpstart another family feud. Instead, through grit teeth, she managed to speak as calmly as possible about how angry Hyde made her. Lola listened with amusement, but was quieter than usual, holding back quips to instead allow Deborah to speak uninhibited. Deborah didn't necessarily appreciate it, believing that Hyde should've listened to her regardless. That made some of their exchanged words into barbs, but nothing ever crossed a dangerous line.
"Honestly, Debbie, I don't know why you care so much for that little Dr. Do Nothing," Lola rolled her eyes. "Enyo sounds far more fun!"
"She wouldn't be here if not for Angela," Deborah growled through her teeth. This was not an insult to Angela, but a warning and reminder to Lola. If not for Angela, I may not be here right now, and if not for that, Enyo wouldn't still be alive either…
If Lola wanted Enyo, she needed Deborah. And if she wanted Deborah, she needed Angela.
Although, it was funny, Deborah was so caught up in trying to gain an upper hand over Lola that she completely missed the one Lola was unintentionally giving her. The mere fact that she'd come to see Deborah just because "Angela wanted her to" should've clued Deborah in. So should've Lola's fascination with Enyo, her increased playfulness with Deborah, and even her willingness to hear Deborah out (somewhat).
The serum was the same, but because Angela's mindset was evolving, so was Lola's. She was still a remnant of Angela's past, but her new "fondness" for Deborah, and her potential desire for Enyo, were only due to the fact that Angela was back in Deborah's good graces (and vice versa). In other words, Lola was soft for Deborah and Enyo because Angela was soft for Deborah and Enyo.
But as it stood, Deborah was too irritated by Hyde to realize this. "I hate things that hate her," Deborah continued to growl. Yes, that included herself, but that also definitely included Hyde. This much surprised Lola. She'd never met a single soul that would've chosen Angela over her. Not even Ambrose, not anyone else at the studios, no one!
"Except me," Deborah insisted stubbornly. "I only want Angela! She loves me like I'm brand new, which is more than you can say. You may call yourself Aphrodite, but you don't really understand love, only sex."
When Lola finally departed, her reverse transformation had never gone smoother, and she didn't even remember the moment she started feeling like Angela again. She'd been so shellshocked by Deborah's admission that she'd barely even noticed the transformation until she was gone. Angela wouldn't remember what was said, but she would remember a warm feeling in her chest.
ooo
At long, long last, there finally came a day when the thought of running away was a possibility rather than only just a dream. Of course, Deborah meant it metaphorically, having no more plans to run anywhere… except maybe to Angela.
At present, they were headed to Vine and Vinyl Recording Studios. Deborah had a lot to answer for and she knew this first day back would be a long one. That was why Angela was with her, for support. Ambrose was already inside at work. Deborah wasn't looking forward to it, but she was done running and hiding.
As the two reached the studio, Deborah briefly paused and leaned her crutches against the wall, reaching for Angela's hand. Angela was surprised, but she gave it willingly. Deborah then brought the back of the doctor's hand to her lips. Angela's eyes and mouth went wide. She covered her mouth with her free hand and felt her heartbeat skyrocket. Deborah laughed softly.
"Do I still fluster you so?"
Angela couldn't even speak. She could only nod and make a slightly strangled sound that made Deborah laugh again.
"Well, I'm flattered," she said. "I just wanted to thank you for being—"
They were interrupted by a camera flashing and a bulb hissing. Deborah's face immediately went cold.
"Seriously?! We're not even inside yet!" she snarled.
"Yes, that was rather rude of you," Angela agreed, also looking indignant. That seemed to draw Deborah out of her anger, though, and she turned to Angela with a tender smile.
"Actually, never mind. Let them call it what they want. As long as I have you by my side, that's all that matters."
This is a love so strong that, for once, all I care about is the feeling and effect, not the name or "classification". So let them call it what they want. Angela's still the one I'm walking to. She loves me like I'm brand new, that's all I know and that's all I care about. So let us call it what we want. The word "girlfriend" feels weird, I admit, but there is love here, I can feel it! And at the end of the day, that's all that matters. That's all I care about. So yeah, call it what you want to.