"That was a nice trip", Reno said as the Turks were walking out of the elevator and into Kandi's apartment.
"I'm glad you loved meeting my family", Ram replied and pulled back from the crowd, "I need to get something from upstairs. I'll be right back."
"That's what she said the last time", Trina informed the others, "You're not going anywhere alone. Not until you've restocked the cabinets."
"Are you still complaining about that?" Ram bridled at her redheaded sister.
"I'll go with her", Sage promised and added to Ram, "we need to talk."
"Is that what they call it these days?" Kandi laughed at the two as Rude simply pushed her into the apartment.
"Take all the time you need", Vincent promised and watched the elevator doors close.
"What's wrong?" Trina asked and hung herself around him.
"I don't know", was his reply.
"I'm sorry", Ram said when the doors were closed.
"Sorry about what? For leaving without telling anyone or for simply not telling me anything?" Sage asked quietly.
"For everything", Ram said and searched for Sage's eyes in vain. He was avoiding to look at her.
"I'm sure are. I know you are", the man said submissively, "That's what makes it worse."
"I'm so sorry Sage, I didn't think I would be gone that long and I didn't think you would have time to miss me", she said again.
"I know you didn't think. But that's not the problem", he replied.
"Then what is?" Ram moved little closer to Sage and took his face between her hands. She looked him into the eyes. He looked sad and all she wanted to do was to turn that sadness into happiness but something was holding her back. Sage pulled her closer and kissed her quickly.
"I love you", Sage said and waited. She still couldn't say the words he wanted to hear.
"I know you do", Ram replied just as the doors opened to her floor, "come inside and we'll talk more there." She was pulling away from him.
"What's wrong with you?" Sage asked suddenly with disgust in his voice, "I tell you that I love you and all you can say is 'I know'?"
"Sage, please."
"No don't try to placate me. I've been waiting for you to say you love me for a long time, but you always find a way to slither away and redirect my focus. I should have accepted it by now."
"You should have accepted what?"
"That you don't love me and you never will." Ram flinched back and shook her head:
"Don't say that."
"Why not? It's the truth. You can't say the words nor do you tell me anything important about yourself. I had to find out from your mother that you have the Sight!"
"My mother told you? She had no right to do that!" Ram shouted.
"No she didn't. You should have been the one to tell me", Sage shouted back.
"I know, I know. But you don't know what it was like for me to grow up with the gift. It's not something I wish to reminiscent daily."
"All you needed to do was to tell me about it once. Just once", Sage said and stopped the elevator doors from closing.
"Should I tell you now about everything I went through? Would that make you happy?" Ram asked with anger flaming in her eyes.
"No", Sage shook his head, "Just tell me what you want form the future."
Her face turned white. The runes flashed in front of Ram's eyes and she asked:
"Do you mean for us? What I want for us?"
"Just you. Do you want to go back to that place?" Sage asked and to his horror she nodded.
"Someday yes. I loved that place when my father was alive. It's a great place for children to grow up and the people, most of the them are nice. With all their faults, they are my family. You want a family don't you?" Ram asked.
"I don't know", he said.
"I don't want to start a family right away either. Just come in and-"
"No I can't", Sage shook his head. All the things Aquamarine had said echoed in his head. He didn't know which was worse: Walking away from Ram now or risking losing her to her evil mother if she would get pregnant.
"I can't keep this up. I have to get out while I still can. It's over between us." Sage let go of the doors and let them close as Ram had frozen at the penthouse door.
An hour later Ram walked into Kandi's apartment only to find Kandi and Trina taking tequila shots.
"There she is", Trina said and reached for more tequila.
"What kept you for so long? Or should I say who?" Kandi laughed, "Where is he? Can he walk still?"
"He can walk just fine. He walked out on me", Ram said and took the bottle Trina offered her.
"What happened?"
"My mother, or me, or both", Ram said and took a long swig of tequila.
"Should we take her out now? You're mother I mean? It's no trouble at all", Kandi asked already stretching her fingers.
"There's no need for that. She's my problem and I'll deal with her later. Right now we have more pressing matters at hand."
"Like castrating Sage?"
"No Trina", Ram shook her head, "He did nothing wrong. It's probably better if Sage and I are apart for a while. You two remember the death I spoke about at the mothers circle?" The other Amazons nodded and Ram continued:
"I need you to promise me that you wont tell anyone else what you heard there. Changing someone's fate, saving them from a certain death is a delicate thing and I don't want to risk causing more harm. One of the Turks will die if I wont stop it. Will you help me?"
"What are sisters for?"
"Hell yeah."
"Thank you. Is there any more of this tequila", Ram asked as she finished the bottle, "I really need to get drunk right now."
"Welcome home sis."
A/N And that was it. I have some more ideas but they aren't part of this story and I plan on forwarding them to AmazonTurk. She can either use them part of her Operation Assassination story or discard them. Should I find more time and inspiration I might end up writing a one shot or two. But as I said before, this spring is busy. Thank you for your interest.