Happy New Year's, guys! (A little late, but whatever) So this week marks the days the chapters might slow down again - I have to start prepping my syllabus for teaching next semester (classes start next week). So I thank you in advance for being patient with me :) And I'm super thankful for all of you who continue to read and review, and those who PM me to chat. Frenchyloop, OfficiallyNonOfficial, and (of course) Newsies73. You guys are fantastic and are def keeping me motivated!

Anyway, let's continue on, shall we? Thanks for sticking with me - you know my stories always start out a little slow so I can build a foundation. Things will pick up soon!

He was nervous, Jade noted, as he picked his cuticles absently. "I was trying to help your father, Jade. He was working on … I don't know if I should tell you, not now. Maybe in time. Just, please, trust me. He was not a Horseman."

"Stop dancing around the subject." She snipped; she had been waiting for his explanation for the better part of a decade. Her patience had long worn thin and dried up. "Just spit it out."

"He had just found out that Madison had killed your grandfather, and that he was still trying to hunt down his cyborg that had disappeared decades ago. Daniel found the virus they had created to draw her out of hiding… it was nasty. It would have completely overloaded her circuits, put her through excruciating pain. He came to me for help. He wanted to take down Compass."

Jade feigned a surprised, suspicious expression. So far his story lined up with Trina's, but she had to be sure. "Grandpa was mugged." She countered. "Who would have told him that?"

"Your aunt Trina."

"… She's dead, Sikowitz. She died a long time ago. She couldn't have told him anything." She studied him curiously; it was a complicated dance they were in right now – he was obviously trying to be delicate about the information he revealed, and she was hoping she could maintain the façade of ignorance.

"No, she's not!" He brushed his mug aside and fanned his fingers on the table, tapping them as he became more impassioned. "She's still alive. Compass hid her away all those years ago. She told Daniel about Patrick… told him secrets about her sister, the cyborg. He was hellbent on revenge and, after listening to his story, I wanted to help him anyway I could. We both started working on a counter-virus. With Compass out of the way, Daniel was convinced he could find Victoria. He was going to take the two of you and disappear."

Jade's throat tightened – that was news. She had really given it much thought what her father had planned on doing if his plans hadn't been foiled. She briefly imagined the three of them settling down somewhere far away from Las Angeles, growing up with a family, normal… happy. She shook the images from her mind; they were too bittersweet for her tastes. "So what happened?" She pushed.

"Myles. He's shrewd, just like his father. He noticed a change in our behavior, our routine. He began to suspect foul play. I was worried for your father – the Chases held a ridiculous grudge against your family. I didn't want to risk something happening to him before he got his revenge, before he was able to set everything right that had been screwed up decades ago." Sikowitz shook his head sadly, puffing his cheeks full of air as he prepared himself for the next part of his tale. "I led them on a wild goose chase, essentially. Started causing minor problems in the system – glitches here and there. I tried to keep them off your father's trail as long as I could. It didn't take them long to figure out who was behind it. That's when I disappeared."

"Where?" Was this a situation like Trina's? Put away and pumped for information? Or did he strike a deal – offer information willingly in exchange for his own life?

"They took me to one of their safe houses. I had to convince them that I was behind all the trouble. I told them I wanted to take down the company that had gotten too big for itself. They were growing too big too fast. Chase was releasing technology that the public wasn't ready for, God knew what the world could do with it if they could corrupt it."

"Sounds like the Horsemen manifesto to me."Jade interjected bluntly.

Sikowitz stared at her. "I guess you could look at it like that… There's a big difference between me and a Horseman, though."

"And what's that?"

"Horsemen wanted this world, wanted the destruction and death that came with it. I only wanted to help your father. He was like a brother to me. For months they kept me there, Jade. For months they demanded if I had any accomplices in the company. I never betrayed him. By the time they figured out what was going on it was too late to stop him… all they could do was try and deflect it. It worked… Kind of."

"Armageddon." She muttered. Sikowitz nodded. She recalled that moment at Phoenix months ago, when Myles and Madison had made their grand reveal about the truth of Armageddon and her father's death. They had blamed the world's flaming tail spin and ultimate crash on him. That had been a painful truth to accept, even if it was less painful than believing him to believe a Horseman.

She was relieved there seemed to be more to the truth than Chase had revealed.

"Armageddon." He echoed. "Madison and Myles concocted the story about the Horsemen and threw their own employees to the gallows. They didn't even really exist until some weeks after the fact. Pathetic, terrified people joined a cause that wasn't even real because the "Horsemen" had made it clear that they were the strongest faction on the planet. With no one to confirm or deny membership the alliance formed by itself, giving form and bringing life to the spectre it had once been. I watched the world fall apart from the safety of their protected home. I saw the news about your dad and I wished I could be there for you, Jade. But they wouldn't let me go."

"Why not? It was game over. World was done-zo."

"I was your dad's closest confidant. I think they thought I knew where Victoria was… now that the world had gone to hell they had doubled their energies looking for her. They'd check in every few weeks and every move I made was monitored… up until a few months ago. Someone killed them."

"What? Who?" Jade was keenly interested in this part – since crossing the border none of them knew if they were being hunting or not back in the states. It was the main reason neither she nor Tori had contacted Trina yet; they were afraid her lines were still being tapped. "Wait… Them? Who them?" She realized she almost slipped up – Madison allegedly died years ago.

"Father and son. Madison's death was a ruse. He underwent surgeries and made himself into a cyborg… or at least the closest I could make him after the world almost ended." Jade narrowed her eyes suspiciously – so Sikowitz had a hand in creating that monster that had almost killed her in California. "But someone killed them both. The cleaning staff found them dead in their lab… leaked the whole story to the news. There's no security footage, no leads, no clue who would have killed the men who supposedly pulled the world away from the brink of destruction. Some are guessing Horsemen, but I didn't feel like sticking around to find out. I saw my opening and took it. And… well… here we are."

The dark-haired girl folded her hands together and leaned back over the table, narrowed eyes studying his face. He sensed her apparent distrust. "You don't believe me." He said plainly. "Why not?"

"No reason. Your story just seemed a little outrageous at times." She replied, forcing herself to maintain eye-contact.

"You're looking at me like I'm a threat to you… people don't give that look unless they've got a reason to feel threatened. What are you worried about?"

"… My own safety." She half-lied. "I ran too, you know. You're the only one here who recognizes me… and you worked for the man who made my life hell as a Banned-Red. I can't help but be suspicious. I'm sorry if that upsets you, but it's just how it is." She retreated to her side of the table and shrugged her shoulders.

Sikowitz tugged at the hair on his chin, frowning. "I understand your suspicion, but there's nothing else I can think to do to prove to you that I'm not going to betray you. Maybe time will convince you – I plan on sticking around. And, if you'll have me, I'd love to help you with your hand. You at least know that I know what I'm doing in that department." He flashed a small smile, one Jade remembered so well.

"Let me think about it." She said, rising to her feet. Too much time had passed – everyone would be wondering where she was. "I've gotta get going though. I'll come by and see you later." She fished a few bills out of her pocket and made move to toss them on the table. The older man put up a hand and shook his head.

"My treat, Jadelyn." She nodded in appreciate and made her way towards the door, pausing when he called out to her. "You know, I've spent every day wondering what happened to you after Daniel died. I'm glad you made it… I'm glad you're here."

Jade absently gripped her coat at the throat, no longer aware of the frost nipping at her bare hand. Darkness was settling in early tonight, bringing with it a drop in temperature that surely meant everything would be coated with a dangerous layer of ice tomorrow morning. She stared forward, her gaze unwavering and unseeing, as she operated on autopilot, allowing her unconscious to direct her home. The conversation with Sikowitz had left her rattled, upset. She needed to wander in the cold to sort through her thoughts.

She wanted to trust him, but the past few months had taught her that trust was not a commodity that she was often provided. Almost everyone in her life so far had deceived her, whether purposely (more often than not) or otherwise. The fact that he just appeared made her uneasy. What if Myles and Madison had partners that were looking for her? What if they knew Tori was with her? They were completely unprepared for any kind of attack here. I've already lost Tori once, she thought to herself, shuddering as she recalled the few moments where she thought the cyborg had died. I can't lose her again.

On the other hand – it was Sikowitz, her dad's best friend. There was a very real chance that he had been abducted and put away like Trina had. His prison-keepers had been murdered by her hand, so he would have just been freed to run. He would have falsified his name for safety as well… "Ugh. What do I do?" She kicked a garbage can on the corner, watching as it tumbled and rolled away in the stiff wind that was still blowing. Choosing to trust him could mean being reunited with a life-long friend, or it could put her and Tori's lives at risk again. It wasn't an easy decision to make. She needed advice.

She stomped past the very phone-booth Sinjin had been earlier and paused, chewing her chapped bottom lip as she thought. She couldn't seek advice from anyone here – she didn't want Tori knowing she was seeing a doctor behind her back. She needed someone wiser than a group of kids... more importantly, she needed someone in the know. They were in the dark in Sanctum – they rarely got any State-side reports about anything. Maybe Trina could confirm or deny Sikowitz's story. Jade ripped open the glass doors and shuffled inside, hesitantly contemplating the keypad. They'd left only one message for Trina since they arrived: Across the border. Wait. They wanted to make sure they were safely settled in before making plans to get her up there. Now they wanted to wait for winter to pass – no one had expected it to be this harsh so soon.

She slipped a few coins into the slot and punched in the Latina's number. It rang twice before a sleepy voice answered. "Trina?" She ventured cautiously.

"Jade West! Where the hell have you been! It's been two months! What the chiz, child?"

The pale girl yanked the receiver from her ear and cringed, glancing to the houses nearby and wondering if the inhabitants could hear her shrill screaming. "Trina! Shut up!" Jade barked into the phone. "I need to ask you a question."

"Oh, sure. Leave me here to rot in California – I went through all that trouble to lead you to my little sister and you sweep her off her feet and run to Canada of all places – "

"What's the news down there on Chase? Any leads?" She interrupted again, knowing the older woman could rant for hours.

"What? No. Not a one. There's fliers up in every store asking anyone with any information to come forward. Phoenix seems to be struggling as well… it looks like there's a vacuum for a power struggle. They've only just released a statement about the incident about a month ago."

"So… no one's been to check on you since we left?" Jade was cautiously optimistic. If Trina wasn't being harassed anymore then maybe Sikowitz hadn't been lying.

"Not a soul. Thank God, too. I was worried another little weasel would come track mud through my clean house talking gibberish about conspiracy theories and Tori… Why do you ask? Does this mean you're getting ready to move me up there?" The scientist heard the hope in her voice and frowned – she hadn't realized she might be getting her hopes up.

"Someone showed up here… an old friend. I was worried he might have been sent after us. He gave me his story tonight and I was calling hoping you could confirm some of it. It looks like he was telling the truth about at least some of it…" She glanced to her left and realized her body heat was fogging up the glass; with her free hand she traced patterns in the condensation and spied a body crossing the street. She narrowed her eyes and studied the stranger who wandered just out of the glow of the streetlights, wondering who (besides her) would be crazy enough to be out in this weather.

"Jade? You still there?" Trina's nagging voice cut through her concentration. "Who showed up? What did he say?"

"Sikowitz. He used to work with dad – "

"Erwin? Erwin made it up there? I'll be damned." She sounded amused.

"… I'm going to need you to use more words." Jade wiped the glass with her whole hand, noting that whoever it was had disappeared.

"Of course I know Erwin. He's practically the only human contact I've been allowed all these years. He lived a few houses down. Myles put him here specifically so he could keep an eye on the both of us." Jade felt her jaw go slack as she lost propensity to speak; she'd been all of a block away from the man when they had visited Trina.

"So… he's safe? I can trust him?"

"Chiz yes. He was your dad's best friend, Jade, and been a prisoner just like I have. He's hated the men with a passion once I caught him up to speed. He told me he was going to try and make a run for it a few weeks after Madison and Myles died. I can't believe he actually made it… Fantastic. You have fun with him. How's Tori? When are you coming to get me?"

"Um… soon." Jade lied, a smile spreading across her face. She desperately wanted to run back through the storm to Crenshaw's house and spill the details of her past few months. She wanted to boast about her projects, gloat about being the one who had finally gotten revenge for her family, introduce him to the long-lost cyborg she knew her father had told him about.

"Oh, that was convincing. Seriously, Jade, I need out of this town. I want to be with my family." Jade could tell the older woman was laying on the guilt but knew she had a point. They all wanted Trina up there soon to make sure she was completely out of harm's way.

"Soon. I promise, okay? I'll get the guys together tonight. We'll start planning. I have to go though, okay? We'll contact you again soon." She replaced the receiver and hurriedly ripped the door back open, keen on getting away from phone-booth; she felt bad for dodging the older woman – they really had dropped the ball where she was concerned.

Despite her guilt she felt a lightness in her heart; she was thankful Trina was able to confirm Sikowitz's story. As soon as she was able she'd bring him to the house and introduce him to Tori, to her friends, and let him see how she had fared on her own all those years as a street-rat. It was almost too good to be true.

Her smile faltered as her home came into view. Wait… What would Tori think if she brought a doctor home? One who specialized in such a narrow field of cyber-prostheses? That would just start another fight she was in no mood to deal with. No. Introductions would have to wait. She'd see Sikowitz again tomorrow to explain the situation. Until then she'd have to act like nothing had happened today. She climbed the steps to the front door and wiped the smile off her face, replacing it with a more appropriate scowl before turning the knob and stepping inside.

The pale girl had just finished stripping off her wet clothes when she heard the bedroom door open behind her, a faint padding of socks on hardwood alerting her to the fact that Tori was creeping up behind her. As their most recent conversation came trickling back her good mood faded and her once forced scowl became a very real one. "I'm not in the mood, Tori." She said, spinning to face the cyborg.

The girl in question shook a white towel in her extended hand and Jade eyed it suspiciously. "Truce? And… I figured you might want a hot bath after being out in the cold. I did laundry today." The Latina explained, a small smile spreading her face when Jade accepted it. "Can we please talk?"

"I'm still mad at you." Jade replied, wrapping the towel around her bare shoulders.

"I didn't expect otherwise. I just wanted to apologize, okay? Hear me out." She held up a hand to silence what was surely to be a rude remark. "I've been saying no a lot. I'm scared, Jade. I don't want you to take any unnecessary risks because if something happened to you … I can't even imagine. As much as I love Trina, you're really all I've got to make sense of this world. I love you, Jade." The pale girl could see how Tori yearned to close the gap between them, to pull her into her warm arms and melt away the icy exterior she'd been wearing the past few days. "But I know you're hurting… and I know I would want to take the surgery if I was in your place." She bit her lip, unsure as to how to continue.

"What are you saying?"

"I don't know… I know I'm not saying let's go crazy and cut your arm off tonight. But let's explore options maybe? I'd like to talk to more doctors than just Crenshaw. Maybe we can find someone who knows what they're doing. But if we're going to do this, we need to make sure we're doing it right… doing it safe. Maybe we can find an actual doctor who can do a regular surgery and fix your hand, then we can avoid the cyborg route entirely."

Jade studied her carefully, wondering what incited change in her so quickly. "Are you up to something?"

"I'm just tired of fighting. With this whole silent treatment thing you've been giving me time to think about everything you've said the past few months. I'm willing to consider the cyborg treatment if you'll consider it as only one option, maybe not the best one. Sound fair?" She took a hesitant step forward.

She cocked her head slightly as she considered the brunette's words, dripping hair falling across her shoulder blades and making her shiver. Now that Sikowitz was in town she felt safe in saying she was probably going to accept any suggestion he made for her. She was sure they could convince Tori to go along with it, especially once she found out he was a friend of Daniel's and could do her own research on his work. "Fair enough." She shrugged, eyes flashing with amusement as she watched the older girl take another small step forward.

"I've missed you." Her voice was low, cautious. It was as if any wrong move would ruin the moment.

"And I've missed… having that much of the bed to myself. It was so nice to spread out." Jade sauntered past her towards the bathroom, intent on soaking in the tub until she was pruned like an old raisin. "And I know you've missed my ass. I've noticed you staring." She glanced over her shoulder and hiked the towel up, swaying her hips clad in green lace panties.

"You're so full of yourself, West." Tori rolled her eyes, blush spreading across her perfect cheeks.

Jade didn't reply. She stood in the doorway and reached behind her back, unclasping her bra and allowing it to fall to the ground. She blew her girlfriend a kiss as she stepped back, shutting the door behind her and locking it quietly. Moments later the door rattled and she smirked triumphantly. "No… I'm just so right."