A.N. Well here we go, start of part 3, the final piece. It won't be longer than 10 chaps I know that, but I haven't worked out how few. This is tiny and wanted to get it up right after a last update because of that. It's deviating form the normal flow and because small set up, it's in 3rd person. That said...

Thank you all so much for the support, reviews, comments etc! Always love hearing your thoughts and concerns!

Pokie

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Part Three: Dawn of a New Age

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Lauren's Voice Over: The hardest part of becoming an adult, of being one is accepting that we

Make mistakes and that we can be wrong. I think when you're a parent, it becomes even harder.

It becomes harder because we are supposed to have all of the answers.

We are supposed to know every right and wrong and that isn't always the case.

I've made many mistakes in my life, many I've owned and some….

Well, some are harder admit because I cannot yet accept them.

But here and now…

I've never been prouder than to say these words; I was wrong.

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Deep breaths.

That's all he kept telling himself as he ran his fingertips over the navy blue tie draped over the golden upholstered chair that he hated. Next to it, a dark blood red one identical. Same style, same material, same ugly ass chair holding them up as he liked to call it. Same everything yet two very different meanings between the two.

Two very different choices laid out before him.

He had kept telling him to take it all one step at a time. Underwear, socks, undershirt. All black, no choice there. He was halfway done. Pants, shirt and jacket. All black, still no choice. Three-fourths done now. Belt and cufflinks, nearly there now…just one thing left now.

Snatching them both up, he walks back over to the mirror. He knew he didn't look like he was supposed to be considered serious. His scruffy five o'clock shadow hiding his boyish features, his hair longer in the middle, faded on the sides. He looked good, he knew it. He knew the girls loved him. He knew the boys wanted to be him. He knew it all and he never cared he didn't look the prim and proper way Ethan and Sean naturally did. But in this moment he considered changing. He considered what was waiting for him behind the doors and wondered if it would help.

Sighing, he glances down at his choices.

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Lauren's Voice Over: I think we…I had assumed that it would be Charlotte and Ethan next because…

I don't know.

Because they were naturally responsible. They were naturally well spoken.

They naturally enjoyed school and were naturally well mannered.

And…they looked like me.

It's an awful thing to say. I know that.

It's not that you look like Bo, it's that at some point you stopped looking like her,

And began looking like Dani.

Began exhibiting her early behavior.

It worried me, no…it scared me.

Victoria's Voice Over: You think we're capable of being what she is?

Lauren's Voice Over: Absolutely.

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"Now I'm out and wearing something low-cut. 'Bout to get attention from a grownup." Victoria sung shamelessly to the song, the music blaring to the point of causing ringing in her ears. The pain paled to the way the excessive base helped her relax in the weirdest of ways.

The multi-colored strobe lights on the other hand not so much, so she closed her eyes and let the music sway her. Bouncing around, bumping into nearly every body near her, several taking the opportunity to touch her, but she doesn't really feel it now. She's too wrapped up in the pulsing energy coming off of them in waves. She's too wrapped up in the wildfire ripping through her.

But the one thing she does feel, is Dani's eyes on her.

Michael had called her crazy, repeatedly. He insisted that he couldn't feel any of them when they were near, not even her, but for her it was just another ability in a long line of them. Whenever near she could feel him, their parents, Ethan and now her Little Miss. Psycho sister as she had dubbed her. She had found it to be frightening and exhilarating all at the same time. It brought upon this rush that she couldn't begin to describe.

She couldn't say if it was right or wrong to enjoy the exhilaration but to be fair she wasn't sure about a lot of things anymore.

Her eyes flying open as she felt Dani's hands spin her around.

"You don't look okay."

Smirking, Victoria draped her arms over her sister's shoulders, leaning in till her lips hovered over her ear. "You aren't our parents."

"I promised mother you would be okay."

"I never pictured you for uptight."

She sort of smirks, nodding. "Let me show you some real fun."

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Lauren's Voice Over: There is a darkness inside of her that lives inside of each of you.

It is there because it is inside of me.

It is there because in some small ways, it is inside of your mom.

It is there because at the end of the day, it is a part of our nature.

Succubi and incubi live off of life and whether or not that is controlled is dependent on the person.

On the determination and will within themselves.

But it all starts with a single thing.

A choice.

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Sighing to himself, he weighed his options one last time.

The truth was he had been weighing them for a long time now, silently to himself every option that they had thrown out to him he had already thought of. He had already been contemplating. He didn't have mental breakdowns like Ethan or whine like Charlie. He didn't even get overly aggressive and then passive-aggressive like Sean. No, he kept going and in those rare moments when he found himself alone he'd take a breath and weigh it all.

Everything in him had screamed to pick the red one. He kept telling himself pick the blue, pick the blue that was the right choice…but it was going to always the hard choice. Blue meant a lot more pain and honestly these past couple of months had dealt him more pain than he ever thought he'd experience. Red on the other hand was easy. It would be another way of life, but it would be easy. No more fighting, no more secrets, no more hiding and more importantly no more replaying the conversation with his mother over and over antagonizing on every word.

He wanted desperately to be able to pick red.

But when he came to stare himself in the eyes, he knew it was never really a choice to make at all. Because while this darkness may have been deep within himself just as it was within everyone else in his family, the thought standing by as innocent people died by his hand or not was something he couldn't reconcile with.

Right?

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Lauren's Voice Over: By now, you know the game.

You know the players, the stakes and rules.

You're young, but unfortunately that means nothing now.

Me and your mom had a horrible habit of making choices for each other.

Sometimes it worked out and other times, we had to pay a price.

While your mom isn't here, I am deciding to give you the choice.

Sean made his. Charlotte made hers. And Ethan, well Ethan is something different entirely.

Now it's your turn.

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Victoria's eyes fluttered open to the sound of a weakened scream. Her entire body an unusual mixture of sore and buzzing. She had experimented in a lot of ways since coming into her nature, but she would easily admit that since running around with Dani, she knew nothing.

Glancing to her right, the two girls she had brought lay perfectly still beside her. And for a moment her heart began to race as her mind jolted fully wake. But her eyes caught the slight rise and fall of their chests. Sighing in relief she remembered what had woken her, her eyes moving across the room to Dani kneeled over another young girl, mouth buried in her neck.

"Mother said no killing." Her words ignored. "You agreed."

"Fine!" Dani yells, jumping up, letting her meal fall to the ground with a thud. "You need to live a little."

"I am."

"Noooo." She laughs, blood falling from her lips and as repulsed by the sigh as Victoria found herself, she was equally intrigued by how Dani was able to do such things. For everything that had come as a second nature to her, this aspect of her abilities seemed to be missing. "You're still clinging to rules."

"I told you I won't kill."

"Yes, yes." Walking over to the bed, Dani without hesitation pulled her sister up by the arm. "You want to know how I do it?" Laughing, her free hand pulls the sheet from her sister's body who had never particularly been modest or bashful. After all she had walked around naked in front of Ethan and Michael before without batting an eye, they were family, but it was something about Dani that made her uncomfortable. "Let go."

"I could say the same thing." She jerks her hand attempting to get away to no avail.

"You have to let go and let nature take it's course. You have to let it all in little sister." She leans in slightly, Victoria's heart pounding painfully beneath her chest but she refused to show fear. "Focus on all the anger and all that hate within yourself. Hold onto it. And then focus on all that desire, the dark little thoughts you keep to yourself. Hold onto it. And when you have them both…give in."

She stared her sister in the eyes and as much as she hated to admit it, she contemplated it. There was a natural allure to it all, wasn't there? There was something that intrigued her as much as she hated it. And after all, her parents kept telling her…warning her what was inside.

Would it have been so bad to indulge just a little bit?

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Lauren's Voice Over: There's downsides to both.

Prices you have to be willing to pay either way.

Sacrifices you have to be willing to make.

I will make the choice as simple as possible.

Red…we move forward in this life. What's become of it.

I can keep Dani under control, for the most part. We adopt a new way of life.

Bo, Kenzi they will eventually fall into line if this is what you choose. I know this because

Her family is everything and if this is where all of us are then…

Blue…you take your final step from innocence.

Because if this is your choice, understand that you will not be the same when it's over.

If you survive.

Blue…we do what's necessary…whatever is necessary to buy Bo enough time

Blue…means you have to be willing to sacrifice yourself, each other and me.

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Michael walked down the side of the crowded room, camera flashes coming from every direction. The sound of the reporters yelling in languages he hadn't known existed. The small stage seeming vast as for the first time in his life he would have to stand there not only front and center, but completely alone.

Taking the three steps up, he took a deep breath walking exactly to the middle. Every etiquette lesson he had been forced to sit through rushing back to him. Every speech from his mother to his godfather to Mila rushing back. Swallowing at the dryness in his throat he turned to face the ravenous crowd who he knew what they undoubtedly thought of him.

His choice not yet made, but his time run out all the same.

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Lauren's Voice Over: Just know this,

Whatever you choose, I have always and will always love you.

Despite my faults, my failings, the two of you are two of my greatest joys.

Watching you grow, watching you become who you are has been an honor.

And no matter your choice,

I will protect you until my dying breath.

You are my children, the very few best parts of me and all of your mom,

I love you.