"...I say we change the rule. I say my power, should be our power. Tomorrow, Willow will use the essence of the Scythe to change our destiny. For now on, every girl in the world who might be a slayer will be a slayer. Every girl who could have the power will have the power. Can stand up, will stand up. Slayers. Every single one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?"

…..

It happened so fast. One minute, Rose Dewitt Bukater stood there, bracing herself for yet another slap from her abusive boyfriend Caledon Hockley, then the next thing she knows, her hand automatically catches his arm and she punches him with the other hand, sending him flying at least ten feet away from her. She frowned as she looked at her fist, feeling some kind of energy rushing through her, all the while noting that she hadn't even broken a nail.

"What the hell, Rose?" Cal glared at her, wincing as he got back upon his feet, wondering if it was such a good idea to try to punish Rose again. He had not expected her to fight back.

Rose took a step back, despite the distance she had already put between Cal and herself. She had no idea where this new strength was coming from, she didn't know how long it would even last, but she did know one thing. This relationship with Cal was over, even if she had to put a literal knife through it. She didn't care how unhappy her mother would be with her.

"Stay where you are, Cal, or I swear I'll do worse!" Rose warned.

Cal laughed, deciding that what had happened had been some kind of fluke. He had always been able to beat Rose into submission in some way or another, whether by word or by fist. Now should not be any different. "Now sweet pea, I doubt very much that could ever happen again. Let's not risk it. Just say that you're sorry for not coming to my event and all will be forgiven. Even this recent bit of...violence."

"I had already apologized about that. I told you that I couldn't make it. That I had to work, but you were still ready to hit me...until I stopped you. Come near me again and I will do more than punch you," Rose snarled, pushing back her fear as she felt the energy that had flooded her system begin to settle into a more...permanent state. She didn't know how she knew, but that hadn't been a fluke. She could take Cal...she could probably take ten Cals if she had to! "This is your last warning. Leave. Now. Whatever we had, it's over!"

"No, it's not. You see, your mother and my father made a deal. He paid off your father's debt, as long as it was clear that you belonged to me, my pet. You are to be my fiancee, my wife as soon as it's appropriate. Let's see, we've been dating for a year...and father wants to announce our engagement...this weekend. How splendid," Cal's eyes flashed with a malicious glee that Rose had become all too familiar with. "Isn't that just wonderful news, sweet pea?"

"Stop calling me that," Rose grounded out, wishing that she could erase that nickname out of existence. She abhorred that name. Especially when he used it.

"Why? It's my pet name for you, sweet pea," Cal smirked, slowly approaching her. "Now, apologize for your atrocious behavior and maybe I'll forget all about this."

Rose had about enough for one day. She just wanted to go home and maybe find out why she felt so...strong. How was it that one punch that she barely even put any weight behind had sent Cal flying ten feet away from her? Maybe a talk with her mother would clear all this up, especially about Cal's assumption that he somehow owned her.

"Fine. I'll leave," Rose simply stated, turning around to walk away just to find her way blocked by Cal once again. She frowned, wondering how he had moved so fast. She looked up at him, into his dark eyes, which seemed to flash red. She shook her head, swearing that her mind was playing tricks on her.

"Not so fast sweet pea. We have to get an understanding of how things will be once we're married," He reached out to grab her, but Rose was faster, grabbing his arm and twisting it so that she was behind him, twisting his arm behind his back.

"I said I am leaving. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave me alone," She then pushed him away from her.

Angry, Cal turned around ready to come at her but found himself flying back another ten feet as she did a roundhouse kick, knocking him away. "How…?"

Rose didn't answer. She used his confused pause to run away, not only wanting to put as much distance between herself and Cal, but to also find out why she suddenly found herself infused with super strength. What was going on? Was this normal? Well, of course, it wasn't normal, but what could explain what had just happened?

Maybe her mother would know something about this. Or her cousin Madeliene. One way or another, Rose was going to find out the truth, not only about her super strength but also about why Caledon Hockley was under the impression that he somehow owned her.

…..

It was five hours after sunset. A black 1967 Chevrolet Impala made its way into the Philadelphia city limits. Its riders, Jack Dawson and Fabrizio Derossi were on a mission. One that shouldn't take a day or two to complete. Three days at the most. Find the Hockley demons and do away with them and quickly. This demon family already had its claws deep into Philadelphia society since the 1910s, but they were their most dangerous this decade and it was time to take them down!

"Are you sure the Hockleys are here? Molly said they would be in Pittsburgh, but they weren't. It was a wasted trip," Jack ranted as he steered the car down the main street, being sure to keep the speed limit this time. The last thing they needed was another speeding ticket. They already had accumulated...well Jack didn't really keep track of the number of speeding tickets that they had been slapped with. There was no point, they never stayed in one place long enough to actually pay them anyway. They didn't even have money to pay them, to be honest. That was an expense that Molly had absolutely refused to pay, saying that such tickets were avoidable. All the boys had to do was keep the speed limit.

"She's sure. The Hockley son has found another virgin bride here. We find her, and we find him. We find him, we find the family," Fabrizio nodded, also keeping his eyes on the road.

"Do we even have a name?"

"No."

"A location of where she might live? What she may look like?"

"Nope."

"So we have nothing."

"Of course."

Jack sighed and shook his head. "Classic Molly. So how are we to find this bride of Frankenstein? Luck?"

"When has luck ever failed us, amico?" Fabrizio grinned, as Jack pulled up in front of a cheap motel, their home for the next few days.

Jack grabbed the one thing he kept with him at all times before exiting the car. His art portfolio. His savior when hours of boredom were ahead.

"You should be taking your laptop, amico. We have research to do."

"That's your job, remember? You are the brains and I am the brawn," Jack chuckled.

Fabrizio just rolled his eyes as he grabbed his own laptop. It didn't surprise him that Jack was trying to skip out on the research part of the job. Yes, it was boring but necessary when in a hurry, and in this case, time was of the essence. Two heads would definitely be better than one. "If we are to find the girl quickly, we must both be looking. Not just me."

Jack simply rolled his eyes and retrieved his own laptop from the backseat as well. Research definitely wasn't his favorite thing to do, but he'll do it. If nothing else then to find this poor girl and rescue her from her fate. "Let's go get checked in. The sooner we crack this case the better."

…..

Rose returned to find her mother in the sitting room, sipping on a cup of tea. It was a nightly ritual for Ruth Dewitt Bukater. It would calm her always frazzled nerves and give her a chance to ruminate on her decisions and choices of the day. She usually liked to have this time to herself and be unbothered by anyone in the household, especially her daughter. Unfortunately for her, Rose was not willing to give her that peace. There were too many things happening. Too many questions that Rose needed to have answered.

"Mother, I need to talk to you," Rose entered the room, not giving Ruth warning of her interruption of the nightly quiet time.

"Now, Rose? You know that I like to have this time of the evening to myself," Ruth frowned, taken aback by her daughter's intrusion. "Besides, why aren't you with Caledon. You were supposed to have a date tonight. Did he not have a question for you? I do hope the answer was yes."

Rose's heart sank into her stomach like a rock. So what Cal said had been true after all. Her mother had just given her away like she was a piece of jewelry.

"So it's true. You told Cal I would marry him," Rose stated, the hurt she felt clear in her voice.

"Of course. I figured it was a way to save us both. You marry Cal and he pays off the debt that your low-life father had saddled us with. I get to remain in the lap of luxury while you, my dear will be well taken care of. Just as long as you fulfill your duties, which I have assured the Hockleys that you will. Of course, you have to be a virgin, which I know you are. I haven't had Trudy keep a close eye on you for nothing."

"Mother!" Rose gasped in shocked outrage.

"What? It was one of the conditions. The Hockleys were wanting a bride for their eldest son and she had to be a virgin, which you are. I do not see the problem."

"You don't see the problem? The problem is that you sold me off to the highest bidder with archaic conditions! This is not the seventeen hundreds!"

"Oh Rose, stop being so melodramatic. Caledon is a fine young man who will take care of you. Give you a good life. I did well by you."

Rose snorted, not able to believe the audacity of her mother to make such an arrangement. It's like she didn't even matter at all!

"You did well by me? If you consider getting punched and hit daily by the man that's supposed to care about you well!"

Ruth sighed and rolled her eyes. "Cal only behaved like that when you were being disobedient and impossible! All other times, he was nice to you!"

Rose looked at her mother as if she was seeing her for the first time. She didn't understand. How could she have come from such a person? It was like they were born in two different centuries, far removed from each other! Rose couldn't understand her and she certainly didn't trust her! Not enough to tell about the recent change that came over her!

"Speaking of which," Ruth continued, ignoring the clear disbelief and horror in her daughter's eyes. "You will stop misbehaving starting immediately. You need to be on your best behavior this weekend. The whole Hockley clan will be arriving for the engagement gala, where Cal will announce the engagement. You will be the well-brought-up girl that I raised you to be. Is this in any way unclear?"

"No. No, I'm not doing it," Rose shook her head, backing away from her mother, realizing the kind of woman she really was.

Ruth reached out and roughly grabbed her daughter. "This is not a game. Our situation is precarious. You know the money is gone."

"Of course I know it's gone. You remind me every day."

"Your father left us nothing but a legacy of bad debts covered by a good name. That name is the only card we have left to play. I don't understand you. It's a fine match with Hockley. It will ensure our survival."

"How could you put this on my shoulders?"

"Why are you being so selfish?!"

"I'm being selfish?!" Rose stared at her mother, wishing that she could make the woman see how much she was hurting her! How she was taking all of her choices away as if she had no agency of her own!

Ruth looked at her daughter with cold penetrating eyes that seemed to bore into her daughter's very soul. "Do you want to see me working in a factory? Is that what you want?"

Guilt began to seep into Rose, melting away the resistance that had filled her just a few minutes ago. It made her begin to wonder what kind of daughter was she? Why was she making it so hard for her mother when she should be doing all she could to make things easier.

"To see our fine things auctioned off? Our memories scattered to the wind?" Ruth's voice broke at the last part as she turned away, covering her mouth with a trembling hand, fear flashing in her eyes.

All resistance faded as Rose heard the tears in her mother's voice. Yes, Cal was awful. Yes, she detested him, but she couldn't let her mother down. She sighed and crossed her arms. "It's so unfair."

Ruth turned around to look at her daughter. "Of course it's unfair. We're women. Our choices are never easy."

Seeing all resistance melt from her daughter, Ruth simply kissed her cheek. "Now be a good girl and go up to bed. We have to be up early tomorrow to shop for the gala."

Feeling more trapped now than ever before, the super strength she had experienced earlier forgotten, for the time being, Rose made her way upstairs. All hope of escaping her fate was now extinguished...at least for the time being.