A/N: Second to last chapter!

Althea barely remembered what happened afterwards when she arrived at the Pit. Joes came up and congratulated her for a successful mission. The Terror Dome was destroyed, Cobra was severely weakened, and—best of all—General Hawk came out of the coma Vlad's attack had put him in, alive and well. It was a victory.

Or so she was told. It was about at this point that she started crying and everyone assumed it was out of sheer relief.

They were wrong.

The only person as inconsolable as Althea was Amira, who was placed under arrest the second they returned to the Pit and put in the stockades. She didn't offer any resistance. She couldn't.

That was about a week ago.

"Hey Al, you feeling any better?" Todd asked. Althea was sitting on her bed, her knees tucked under her chin.

"After a fashion." She answered.

"Wanna talk about it?" Todd suggested. "I mean I know that seeing someone die like that must be rough…"

"It's more than that." Althea groaned. "Vlad was the first friend I ever made! And now I'm…I'm probably responsible for his death."

"No way!" Todd protested. "Not in a million years, yo! I'm sorry about what happened to the guy, but Vlad made his own choices! It ain't your fault!"

"That's easy for you to say!" Althea challenged. "You only knew Vlad—the real Vlad—for a few minutes! I knew Vlad since I was three! When we were kids he…" Althea sniffed. "…he made me a seashell necklace because he said I was like the Little Mermiad…He promised that he would show me Moscow and I promised him that I'd take him to New York…Now I never will."

"Aww, Al…" Todd hugged Althea as she sobbed. Althea didn't cry often, but this was a deep hurt. "I may not have known Vlad but I don't think he'd want you beating himself up over him. Not when there's still stuff to do for the living." Althea looked at him in amazement. He had seen something she'd completely missed.

"You're right Toddles. Vlady might be gone, but I think he'd want me to show someone he cared about very much the same respect I'd show Vlad himself." Althea said with determination. "I'm going to meet Amira."

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Despite Lina's stringent protests, Amira had been locked in the stockades while General Hawk recovered and decided what to do with the last of the Omega Hellions. Lina visited her everyday so when Althea decided to visit her, Lina came too. Cover Girl insisted on watching the two of them, so she tagged along.

"Thanks for coming with me." Althea said to Lina as they walked into the stockades.

"I thought it best that Amira have someone she knew to come with you." Lina answered as they approached her cell. "How long is she going to be kept in here?"

"Hopefully, not much longer at all." Altha said hopefully. "Amira?" She called as they stood outside her cell. "You awake?"

Amira sat on her cot, her legs hugged close to her chest. She didn't even look up at their approach. Her hair seemed matted and longer than when Althea last saw her. More disheveled. As if she stopped caring about her appearance. As if she stopped caring whether she lived or died.

Althea winced and wished she hadn't thought of it like that.

"Amira?" Lina asked. "Althea wants to talk to you."

"I heard her." Amira muttered as she raised her head. "What do you want to do to me now?"

"I don't understand." Althea said in confusion. Amira looked at her stonily.

"You took away my freedom, my purpose, my—Vlad…I just want to know what else you're planning to take away from me." Althea turned to Lina and Cover Girl.

"Can I have a moment alone with her?" She asked. Lina looked to Cover Girl, who nodded.

"Let's take a walk." Cover Girl suggested as she led Lina away.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Lina promised Amira. Amira nodded vaguely as she was left alone with Althea.

"So…let's talk." Althea said to Amira.

"About?" She asked skeptically.

"You asked me what I was going to take away from you." Althea said. "I actually want to offer you something. A way out." She took a deep breath. "Amira, I want you to join the Misfits."

Amira just looked at her. "You're joking." Althea shook her head.

"No. I'm not."

"Why are you doing this?" Amira demanded.

"Because Vlad cared about you." Althea told her. "I owe you the same respect I'd show Vlad if he were still…" She trailed off. "I would have offered him a position here too. Since he isn't, I'd like to offer you a spot on the team."

"Vlad's dead. You don't owe me anything because of him." Amira said, her voice creaky. "He liked you better anyway." Althea shook her head.

"No, he didn't. He loved you. I know he did. So do you. You're just telling yourself that he loved me so it doesn't hurt so much that he's dead." Amira turned her head away. Althea just regarded her. "Or will you tell me I'm wrong?" Amira shook her head.

"No…" She croaked as tears silently ran down her face. Althea opened the cell door with they key and stepped in.

"Amira, I am so sorry that this had to happen to Vlad—and to you. I wish I could've done more. I can do more, if you want me to." Althea paused. "I think you can avoid being deportation—or prison—if you sign up with the Misfits. What do you say?"

Amira looked at Althea and then stared at the cell around her. She paused then nodded once as she came to a decision.

"Prison."

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