"I thought I would find you here!"
Steve heard Seren's giggle long before he realized it was her. He held together the sandbag in front of him then glanced at the doorway. There stood Seren at the gym entrance waving at him, giggling which was very unlike her. Still, the joy Steve felt seeing her made him forget everything else.
"Seren!" he grinned. "You're back!"
She dashed for him, barely giving him time to turn completely from the sandbag when she threw herself on him for a hug. Steve was frozen in his spot for a second; no one ever did that with him, much less a woman. And Seren was actually tightening her arms around his neck. She wanted to hug him. As nervous as the whole thing made him, he moved his arms over her back to hug back. Seren hugged very nicely, and warmly too.
"Glad to have you back," he said. Seren couldn't even begin to understand the type of helplessness Steve felt when she hung up on him 2 weeks ago. He knew that she'd been in some type of danger and the fact he hadn't known what made things a thousand times worse. He had no way of contacting her other than the cellphone and she didn't answer it. He couldn't go to S.H.I.E.L.D. because he technically wasn't supposed to know about Seren's missions. He was left stuck. He dared to say it was worse than when he thought Bucky was dead. Back in that time, he thought Bucky was actually dead. This time around, Seren was alive and possibly hurt and he couldn't do a damn thing.
He may have hugged Seren tighter. "I'm so happy that you're okay." No sooner had he said those words did Seren pull away and reveal a big bruise on her cheek.
"What happened there?" He demanded immediately. This was the second time Seren returned from a mission with injuries. He could only imagine what other markings she may have that he couldn't see.
Seren had to jiggle a bit to get out of Steve's grip. "Oh, don't worry about it." She waved it off and moved around him. "You wouldn't believe the mission!"
"Yeah...I'm wondering right now..." Steve said, watching Seren worriedly. She fought and someone attacked her. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Seren said, laughing. Steve thought it was strange. "You didn't exactly call back, you know…"
"I know and I'm so sorry! There were just so many things that happened!"
"Did it have anything to do with what happened there…?" Steve pointed at the bruise on her cheek.
Seren clapped a hand on it, immediately regretting it. She winced, naturally, but laughed it off. "You wouldn't believe it!" She moved behind the sandbag, poking her head out. "Actually, I hope you do because if you don't then it means that you don't believe what I am!"
"Seren, are you okay?" Steve had to ask because she was simply too cheery and energetic. He'd never seen her like that before.
"Aha!" She nodded excitedly. "I've been running on 3 hours of sleep since Monday! We've had a lot of work in New Mexico!"
Steve raised an eyebrow at her. "Seren, it's Wednesday."
"Aha! And look at me!"
"I'm looking…" And Steve did not like it. He wouldn't mind Seren smiling and laughing if it wasn't because she hadn't slept in days. That wasn't healthy at all. "I'm really glad you came to see me. I was really worried from the last time we called but maybe you should go get some rest first. We can talk later." Knowing that Seren was back in the city, sleeping in her room was enough for Steve to be calm again. They could talk about this special mission later on.
"Why? I'm fine!" Seren came up to Steve with her big grin. "I came directly to find you because I have so many things to tell you!"
"And I'm touched but—"
"We could stay here if you want?" Seren looked around the gym. There were barely any people today. "We could practice, finally see which one of us would win in a fight."
"I'd rather not," Steve said, bringing a finger to point at her cheek, "Especially when you have that."
"Afraid?" she flashed a smirk at him.
"More like 'concerned'," he clarified to which she giggled. "Very."
"I may be on a few energy drinks," she decided to admit.
"Energy drinks?"
Seren chuckled. "Right, maybe I can give you a quick lesson on energy drinks. They are very helpful…"
"Do they come with side effects?" Steve meant it as a rhetorical question but Seren completely missed it.
She nodded at him with another "Aha!". "But being half Celessian means that I only get a little bit of the side effects. I'm just really excited!"
And the lack of sleep, thought Steve. He imagined that's what was making her loopy. "Can I take you home?" He asked her.
"Sure!" she shrugged. "We can order in!"
"I really think you should sleep, though."
"C'mon, I really want to tell you everything that happened in New Mexico." She genuinely pouted at him. "I made a new friend and he calls me Lady of the Stars!"
"He? He calls you what?" Before he knew it, Steve was frowning. "What are you talking about, Seren?"
Seren smirked. "Come home with me and we'll talk!" She hurried towards the bench where his stuff was. "I'm thinking Japanese for tonight!" She grabbed his things like they were nothing, and to her they weren't.
With a sigh, Steve motioned the way out. "Look at me, handling a-a Celessian," he said and almost laughed when Seren came by his side with a smug grin on her face.
"Bet you never expected that, huh?"
Steve considered everything he'd gone through, easily concluding that he hadn't ever imagined himself doing something like this. He reached over Seren to take his duffel bag from her. "So, what exactly does Japanese food entail nowadays?"
Seren hummed as she began to lead the way. "Do you know how to use chopsticks?"
"Uuh…" Steve bobbed his head, unsure.
~ 0 ~
Seren would giggle each time she watched Steve fail to grab a california roll with a pair of chopsticks. "You know, actually—"
"I can do it," he insisted, shifting himself on the couch before trying to grab the roll again with the chopsticks.
"It's just—"
"Seren, let me save some of my dignity, alright? I can—" He stopped when the roll fell on his plate again.
"How about you let me save some of that dignity by telling you that you actually eat California Rolls with your hands?" Seren giggled all over again when Steve picked up the roll with his fingers.
Steve was outright embarrassed. "Well...that would've been nice to know…"
"I tried telling you," Seren defended herself. "I ordered sashimi so I can use my chopsticks but, uh, you'll have an easier time."
"Listen Soul," Steve purposely spat her name.
"I'm listening, Captain," Seren leaned back against the cushions. "With my chopsticks." She waved said chopsticks in the air before she used them to eat again.
"Why don't you keep telling me that story?" Steve suggested, if only to get some time to reclaim his dignity and finally eat. Plus, he was very curious with what Seren was telling him about New Mexico. He was also hoping he could help her fall asleep somehow.
"Right!" Seren was all too happy to keep going.
Having dinner was stabilizing her loopiness but not by much. She kept trying to tell her story but something always got in the way, whether it was her giggling fits or her excitement over a part she had yet to reach. He'd gotten her to settle down on the couch, though only when he agreed to come sit with her.
"This man, I knew he was the owner of that hammer—Mjolnir! Weird name but to each their own! Anyways, I got into a fight with Coulson about it and...I sort of spiraled, not going to lie." Seren chewed on her bottom lip, almost forgetting she had a chopstick waiting with food. "It was just so weird with this mission—it was different. I…" A smile crossed her face, "I finally met someone like...like me. And he looked like me. You've no idea what that means for me."
Steve could tell. As happy as he was for Seren, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of...bitterness? Is that what it was? He couldn't do for Seren what this other man had in such a short span of days.
"Thor looks human. I mean, he's well built, he has this rough voice — completely passing as a normal guy," Seren continued without noticing Steve's internal struggle. She was too excited to notice. "The armor and the hammer definitely sets him apart but you get what I mean. It felt surreal meeting him."
"Do you know where he was from?" Steve asked. It was still strange learning about aliens and yet Seren made it feel like it was just part of the world, and it technically was.
"Not directly but he said it once, um…" She snapped her fingers when it came to her. "Asgard. I've no idea where that is but my grandmother said it's a beautiful place. We didn't get to talk about that stuff before he left. It's strange," she chuckled, "He knew more about me and Celessia instead. You know, while I was interrogating him, it felt so easy to talk to him once we both knew what we were."
Steve only nodded silently.
"I must sound so stupid repeating myself but…" Seren lowered her plate on her lap, "I have never met another person who wasn't from Earth. All my life I grew up with stories that my grandmother would tell about the different alien races she knew of and with the stories my parents would tell me about their human experiences. I never once got a story about someone like me and I'll never get it either."
The lament in Seren's voice was so ingrained in her that Steve felt even more useless not knowing what to say in return.
"Don't say that, Seren." He set his plate on the coffee table and turned to face Seren. She was already shaking her head.
"It's true, Steve. I've thought about it all my life, ever since I was old enough to understand." She shrugged meekly. "It would only change if I had a child of my own because then they would be just like me." It was ridiculous to think like that and yet it wasn't the first time it crossed her mind. "I used to want a sibling just so that I would have someone like me around, someone I could lean on for help. These ideas are selfish, huh?"
Steve shook his head at Seren. "There is literally nothing selfish about you, Seren. You grew up hiding yourself. It was only natural that you'd want a companion whom you could identify with. They're just ideas that come to you when you're at your lowest. Trust me, I've been there a couple times myself."
Seren half smiled at him. She could always count on Steve to make her feel better. "I know that biologically Thor and I are nothing alike. He's Asgardian, I'm Celessian. But the fact that he was someone off planet made me remember that somewhere off this planet, there are other people who can be like me. And you know, Thor knew of my family on Celessia."
"He did?" Steve blinked, genuinely shocked.
Seren nodded slowly. "Suddenly, the stories that my grandmother told me about our planet became real. They weren't just stories because someone else confirmed them."
"Did he meet them?"
"Not personally, but apparently my family was well known. We had a matriarch, we were powerful…" Seren's grin stretched even wider, "He called me…" she giggled, "Lady of the Stars! That's what the women in my family were called! I never knew that! I'm a Lady of the Stars!"
Steve chuckled with her only because she looked so happy repeating that, exclaiming it. Who could ever have the heart to bring her down? Not him. "That's fitting." He had yet to see Seren in action with her powers but he knew that title was all hers. She was a star. Period.
Seren shrugged timidly all of a sudden. "I know it must seem really odd to talk about this stuff but..." How could she put 'I don't have anyone else to talk about this stuff with' nicely and without sounding desperate?
Steve seemed to have read her mind and smiled softly at her. "I'm always going to listen to you, Seren."
"I know, but...you're not used to this stuff and—"
"I'm not used to a lot of stuff but this isn't the same. You're my friend — you're my only friend in this new world. If it's important to you, then I'm all ears. I can't promise to understand everything but I'll listen."
Seren couldn't help her small laugh — Steve was still trying very hard to understand some concepts of the 21st century — but in all, she truly appreciated his words. His intentions were there and that's all she could want from him. "Thank you," she whispered.
Steve nodded. "So," he gestured, "What else was there to this title of yours?"
Seren's smile was back. "Well, my grandmother finally told me something she hadn't yet." Her gaze lowered slightly. She bit on her bottom lip.
"Whatever you want to say, Seren," Steve said gently, sensing her hesitance, "It's okay."
Seren nodded. She knew he was right. If there was anywhere she could be safe, it was probably with Steve. "Okay, well, when I finally got to talk to my grandmother about New Mexico and I told her everything that happened, she told me something that she said she'd been holding onto ever since I was born." She pulled the collar of her shirt to give full view of her star tattoo on the side of her neck. "You know about this one right?"
Steve vividly remembered seeing the tattoo the first time he woke up. It was part of made him doubt her story in the first place. "Yeah, that's a tattoo right?"
"It's actually a birthmark," Seren admitted, "I was born with it. Everyone in my family, well my mother's side anyways, are born with a birthmark like this. It sets us apart, apparently. I've always known that, for better or for worse it's always been a mark that reminds me that I can never be at ease around people. I have to hide it." Seren let out a heavy sigh. "And guess what? I don't just have one...I have two."
"You have two of the same birthmark?" Steve blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah. Look." Seren put her plate on the table, dusting her hands and scooting closer to Steve. She pulled on her right sleeve until her shoulder popped out, an innocent act that Steve wasn't used to.
His first instinct was to look away, flustered.
"It's a second one, see?" Seren said all too calmly. She didn't get it and Steve wasn't sure if he should point it out or not. The idea of telling her made a stronger flush take him over.
Eventually, the idea of Seren thinking he was rude won out and so he forced his gaze back on Seren, on her shoulder. Sure enough, there was a second identical star birthmark right where her arm and shoulder connected.
"It's weird, isn't it?" Seren's question broke Steve's concentration.
He realized he had been staring too long. Pink dusted his cheeks as he looked away. In doing so, however, Seren presumed his answer. He heard her sigh and from the corner of his eye he saw her pulling her sleeve over her shoulder.
"No!" he exclaimed. "No! Of course not!" This is what would happen to him for focusing on the wrong thing.
Seren glumly put her hands on her lap, teeth coming out to chew on her bottom lip again. "It's alright. It's a lot, I get it."
"Seren — that's not — out of everything, those birthmarks are the least strange things I have seen so far," Steve sighed, bringing a hand to rub his forehead. "I'm really sorry. I'm not...I didn't have many friends before. I definitely didn't have a lot of women as friends. I don't know a lot of things..."
"Steve, I don't need you to 'know' things to be my friend," Seren said, her small smile allowing Steve to breathe a little easier. She wasn't upset anymore.
"I just don't want you to think that I don't care or that I'm freaked out by what you tell me. I mean, yeah, some things are going to be startling but it's not like I'll be afraid of you."
"You promise?"
"Swear it." Steve raised his hand. The way Seren smiled at him was strangely different to Steve. It was sparkling, warm. She always smiled — it was part of her usual personality — and he liked it but right now it brought a different feeling to him. She was relieved, bemused (she always was with him), and best of all it looked like she was comfortable with him. It was elating.
He could cause all those emotions in one person? And especially someone who was just so brilliant and kind?
"My grandmother told me that everyone in my family has one of these birthmarks but only certain ones have two," Seren said, looking like she was still surprised herself with the news. Her eyes were half widened. "When someone in the Despina family is born with two of the same birthmark, it means that their powers will be great. Strong...and powerful."
"I haven't seen you in action yet but I assume you're already there," said Steve, eliciting a small smile from Seren.
"My grandmother's a seer, remember? Her powers manifested in a more psychological way. My mother can draw power from her eyes — beams, rays. Me?" Seren raised her hands in front of her. "Now I get why I had so many accidents growing up. My powers didn't come little by little — they just came. They were strong and scary and now I know why."
And she was still scared. Steve could see it all in her eyes. She was always more expressive but for some reason her eyes always told one everything she felt. He wondered if she knew about that.
"You've trained for a long time, I imagine," he said, "You've got a hold on it now."
"I still work on it though," Seren said, bringing her hands down to her lap, "Sometimes, things still slip." Her admission was a guilty one, and a shameful one too.
"No one is perfect," Steve reminded her. "You are allowed to make mistakes just like everyone else."
Seren smiled slightly at him but Steve was no fool, she wasn't quite believing him. "I think quicker," she started saying, her voice lowering each time she spoke, "I'm stronger than all of my co-workers. I learn and move quicker. I should not make mistakes. That is why I'm trained."
"You may be all of those things but that does not mean you need to hold yourself to a higher standard that harms you."
"So you never did the same before you went under?"
Steve pursed his lips together. He was smart enough to know that Seren knew what she had done. "I...may have, yeah..."
Whether it was putting himself in front of another to save them from something that would kill them immediately but only lightly harm him or purposely staying behind to deal with something of the same caliber — he'd done it. He had no doubt that Seren did the same thing over and over for S.H.I.E.L.D. too. Getting upset with her for it would be more than hypocritical from his part.
"I see your point," he conceded with a sigh, "But it's because of where I ended up that I'm telling you why you shouldn't do it."
Seren tilted her head at him. "If we're stronger, why shouldn't we do what we can to help others?"
Steve couldn't help his smile. For a moment, he knew exactly what Bucky felt when he himself got on that plan. It was ironic how Seren mimicked his past without even knowing it. "I'm not saying don't. I'm just saying...know when to pull back. If your powers are strong like you say they are, then you need to be careful not only for the others but for yourself. You deserve to be safe too."
Seren seemed satisfied with the answer although still rather considerate of her options. "Well, in any case, if there was ever a situation that I couldn't handle on my own..." Her smile was coming back with full force, "I'll have Thor as back up. He told me he'll always come if I call. He's coming back to Earth. I don't know when but he is." She laughed suddenly. "I have a friend that's like me."
"He's deciding to stay on Earth?" Steve asked curiously. The blatant 'why' almost slipped out.
"For Jane, of course. She's the astrophysicist I told you about. I actually stayed behind after the mission to help her and her team set up again."
"I thought S.H.I.E.L.D. confiscated all her things...?" Steve vividly remembered how upset Seren had been when she told him that over the phone.
"Yeah, but after everything that happened, S.H.I.E.L.D. is now funding her work. She, Dr. Selvig and their intern Darcy Lewis are all working on the theory that we could potentially go through a portal to visit another world."
"A portal…" Steve felt like he would need at least another decade before things like these felt natural to talk about.
Seren nodded. "Aha! Isn't that wonderful? Theoretically, we would be able to visit other worlds. It's amazing and I'm going to bring you over there so you can meet them. Something tells me Darcy might like you a lot."
"Uuh, let's take it slow," Steve meant to be casual about that request but by the way Seren laughed, he presumed it still came out in a more pleasing kind of way. He'd been very cautious about talking to other people so far, never really going past a polite greeting. He didn't really feel like he was ready for that stuff yet. If he started anything more than that, it would inevitably lead to the explanation of who he was and why he was there when he should be dead. He wasn't quite ready for the world to know that yet.
Seren came off her happy high when she noticed the grimness that'd fallen over Steve's face. "Hey," she whispered, "Are you alright?" She was hesitant to touch his hand; a hug was one thing but it was another to hold his hand. Given the time period he was from, it might seem more forwards. "Am I too much right now?"
You're talking about alien birthmarks and powers and portal — of course you're too much! Seren knew she had to reel it back by a lot.
Steve could hear the concern in her tone. He looked up to meet her big green eyes that were waiting for him to say something. "No," he said, offering her a smile as support. "I'm okay."
Seren wouldn't believe him straightaway. "My story's too out there for you, huh?" She should know better than to dump everything on him like this. It was just so exciting to keep it a secret! "I'll dial it back, especially when I get all my bearings back, I promise."
"Don't worry, Seren. It's good that you tell me this stuff. Gives me a chance to acclimatize myself to what's out there. Because, there's a lot out there that wasn't there before." Steve could only wonder how much more he was yet to learn but he was sure that Seren would fill him in with time.
She'd been right about one thing in the midst of all her rambles. She found someone who made her feel a little less lonely in that alien man. And even though Steve was aware of the bitter feeling towards that, he also knew that Seren had made him feel less lonely in this new world too. How could he be upset that someone else had done the same for her?
Because it wasn't you.
It was a startling thought and one that Steve didn't really want to think about a lot. It was beyond unfair that he would feel some kind of resentment towards this man when, according to Seren, he was nothing but a hero.
"Seren, I'm happy that you found someone who could help you," Steve finally said. "And I'm good, trust me."
Seren beamed. "Yes, of course I trust you." The words flowed easily from her lips. She'd accidentally told him the same thing 2 weeks — 'trust me' — and he'd agreed so quickly, so easily, then. It brought her over the moon that he trusted her. Now he told her to trust him? She'd be going over the moon twice!
"But you know what is bothering me?" The sudden sharpness on Steve's face startled Seren.
"Wh-what is?"
Steve pointed at something on her face. "That bruise. Where'd it come from?"
"Oh," she sighed with relief, something Steve really questioned. "I fought a creature from Asgard. It would've looked like a robot to the rest of us but it had a really nasty fire to it."
"You fought an alien robot?"
"Hey—you fought in World War 2!" she pointed. "To each their own battles!"
"Seren—"
"No, no, no!" She flapped her hands, pushing his finger down in the process. "Listen, it was amazing! It was going to hurt Thor and his friend and I had my powers right there so I just...I just fired! And it fired back and I may have gotten hurt but—"
"Seren!" Because that made it sound better. For a moment there, Steve felt like this is what he put Bucky through in the past with his own questionable choices.
"I had to!"
Yeah, this was exactly what he put Bucky through. Steve frowned. At least back then Bucky would give him his help. Right now, he could do nothing to help Seren. She was off in other states for her missions. Plus, what kind of help could he offer her? She was presumably as strong as he was and she had a set of spacey abilities. She may be better off without him, honestly.
She and Thor. That thought wasn't any better.
"I'm going to heal, Steve. I always do," Seren assured him. "You saw last time. Nobody can take away what happened in New Mexico and I'd rather they didn't try."
"No," sighed Steve, "I would never do that to you. I just worry about you."
"You don't have to. Didn't you hear? I'm a—" she started giggling, "—Lady of the Stars!" Steve playfully rolled his eyes while her giggle turned into a full-fledged laugh. He suspected that name would never wear off, especially if that new friend of hers kept to his promise and came back.
Seren would continue to tell him all the other details of the mission. She was all into her story, flapping arms and describing what she saw. Steve wasn't at all surprised that she eventually tired herself out. Whatever those energy drinks contained had finally taken its toll on her, along with her lack of sleep, and soon enough she began talking slower with less gestures.
"Tell you what," Steve managed to cut her off when she yawned unexpectedly. "Why don't we start cleaning up? That way you can go to sleep."
Seren languidly waved him off. "I'm good for a few more hours."
Steve almost scoffed at her when she rested her head against the couch. Who was she trying to kid? Still, he got up and took their plates to the kitchen. When he returned, she was just like he left her only asleep.
Hardly surprising. He decided to clear off the mess anyways, wanting her to wake up to a clean living room (whenever she woke up). He was pretty sure she would be sleeping well into tomorrow. He actually hoped she did because everything he learned about that mission, she deserved it.
Looking around her living room, he saw no blanket to cover her with. He didn't feel right leaving her like this and he certainly didn't feel better about going through her things to find a blanket. Whether or not it stemmed from his customs, it just didn't feel right.
He got an ounce of courage with a new idea. He moved around the coffee table and stopped beside Seren. "Sorry," was all he could offer in case she woke up upset about it. He slid an arm under her legs then moved his other arm across her back. She was warm and actually quite easy to lift. No surprise there either.
Her head lulled against his chest once he stood up with her. He headed for the hallway, straight for the last door on the left. He only knew that because he'd seen her come out of there a few times.
But you've never been in. No, no he hadn't. He gently knee-d the door open (last thing he wanted was to owe Seren a full door) and walked in. Her bedroom was neat and clean, just the way she liked her things.
He made a beeline for her bed. As easily as he'd picked her up, he was able to lay her down. She very quickly felt the familiar comfortableness of her own bed. She turned away from Steve, digging both her arms under her pillow.
Steve found a tossed blanket near her closet and brought it over. Later in the night she would pull the covers over herself. "Goodnight Seren," he said. He turned to leave when he heard her shift again. He looked back in case she'd woken up disoriented. She'd only kicked her shoes off.
Steve smiled at her. She would definitely make herself more comfortable later in the night. He started heading out when a few pictures caught his eyes. He shouldn't be that nosy.
He should just leave.
But his curiosity got the best of him.
Seren only told him the most important details of her life so far and while he was grateful for that trust she had in him, he wondered what she was like away from S.H.I.E.L.D.? Who was Seren Soul when she wasn't "Agent Soul"?
Well, he saw one portrait standing on her dresser, he just wasn't sure if he was guessing it right. There was a man and a woman — parents — with a little girl who couldn't be more than seven years old sitting between them. It seemed like they were in some field because there were a lot of trees behind them.
It had to be Seren's parents because the woman there had some similar features that Seren had today. She was a golden brunette with dark eyes and plump cheeks. The man on the left had dark brown hair that swirled into curls. Steve recognized the man's eyes. They were exactly like Seren's. And that little girl...she had the same eyes. She had the same golden brunette hair like her mother, but pulled into high pigtails. It had to be Seren.
I guess she's not a natural redhead, he laughed to himself.
Seren smiled impossibly wide at the camera. All in all, they seemed like a lovely family. A normal family.
Another portrait stood beside it, this one with a slightly older Seren standing beside the one and only Atria Despina. Seren had to be around 13, maybe 14, years old. It was startling to see a mischievous glint in her eyes. Seren didn't own one drop of mischief, as far as Steve knew.
It was bittersweet getting to see what her family looked like. It was a reminder that his own family was gone, both his parents and Bucky. They were all gone.
But life moved on.
Time moved on.
He fought HYDRA to the point that it cost him his own life. He fought so that others could keep living, and they had.
Seren's family was proof enough.
Time moved further along, allowing new people into the world such as Seren. She was a from the 80s, an allegedly nice time. She was able to live, just like many others because of what he helped do in the past. And she had done a lot in her life.
Steve glanced back at Seren. She was fast asleep, overly tired from her overwhelming mission; a mission in which she got to save many lives, a whole town's worth.
Steve smiled. For a moment, the pride he felt in Seren was strong enough to make him forget about the past. He did something good, and though it gave him many painful memories, it wasn't all that bad.
A/N:
Startling fact that when Seren is high off energy drinks, she is a talker. Usually, she's more reserved and prudent but this is basically her getting drunk in some way ;)
For the reviews:
Wonderwomanbatmanfan: Oh yes! Seren and Thor will be besties throughout these series! So Seren came back to New York for a while (hint, hint, she's not there to stay ;)).
Kat: Thank youu! Hope you liked the new chapter too!