I knocked softly on the door.

"Come in," came the muffled reply. I turned the handle and entered.

Disregarding the plush furnishings, I focused on the weary pose of the figure sat on the bed, swathed in her white-blonde hair. She glanced up listlessly for a second, then, recognising me, shifted ever so slightly. I knew this pose; Phee had used it, still used it when she was on edge. It sent out a signal; I am ready to flee, it seemed to say. Sera's eyes narrowed, her voice was cold.

"Hello," she said stiffly. Her eyes followed my every move.

"Hi," I said softly. "I wanted to apologise for being so abrupt with you. Sky had bad experiences with Maria Toscana Kelly, and I thought you might be associated with her…" my voice trailed off as Sera's face contorted with fury.

"How dare she take my family's name to deceive Sky? That – that WITCH!" she concluded, panting heavily. I gave her a flicker of a smile.

"So you see why I was wary at first. However, I'd love for us to be friends?" my uncertainty turned my statement into a question. Sera relaxed and smiled.

"Friends."

Sera's POV

Sky invited me to go to the Benedict's' for the night with her. She aid she was going to see her friend, and Zed's brother's wife, Phoenix. I agreed, and Ren said she was going to take my bags and talk to Victor's mother, Karla. I smiled gratefully, and she winked back at me.

Next thing I knew I was faced with a dilemma. Go with Sky and Zed in Vic's Prius, or go with Vic on Zed's bike. I knew Sky was hoping for the latter, and the need to please her far outweighed any lingering doubts I had about Victor. I grinned at Sky.

"I'll go with Victor on the bike." Zed gave me a discreet thumbs up, before leading Sky to the Prius.

I heard Vic swallow loudly. "Err, right, if you get on behind and – and hold on to my waist, and then…" he trailed off, and I wondered at his nervous attitude. He got onto the bike, and I swung my leg over the bike saddle. When I wrapped my arms around his waist, I heard his breath catch. Suddenly he revved the engine and we were off. It was exciting, then exhilarating, and then it was – over. Vic came over to help me down, and I gave him a dazzling smile. "That was amazing!" I gasped. Just then the Prius drew up, and Sky shot out of it like a cannon, dragging me down the drive. Before I left I heard Zed ask, "How was it?" and Vic's husky but excited reply, "Better than I ever imagined."

Then Sky dragged me into the house, calling out, "Phee, Phee! Bloody hell, Phee, where are you?" she ran into a room, allowing me to trail behind. Two women were in the room, talking to Renee. Ren heard us enter, and smiled briefly at us. The other two did not hear us, and so were completely unprepared for Sky. "Phee!" she shrieked delightedly, tackling the taller of the two. Phee was nearly bowled over with the force of the hug, and the other woman – Karla, I assumed – chuckled to herself as a man – slightly shorter than Zed and Vic, but tall nonetheless – entered and attempted to pry Sky off Phee. Sky was not amused in the slightest. Surreptitiously I stepped back, into a wall of flesh. I looked up into Vic's grinning face and smiled sheepishly. He made an amused noise in the back of his throat. "Don't worry, I'll protect you. But Yves is gonna get it!" he was practically skipping with the prospect of his brother's doom. Meanwhile, Sky was refusing point blank to release Phee, despite the best efforts of Yves and Zed. "NO!" she was yelling, "You had her for TWO WEEKS, Yves! It's MY TURN!" suddenly an image came into my mind, and I glanced around frantically. I needed pen and paper, stat. Vic tapped me on the shoulder and handed me the things I needed. I thanked him and set my hand to work, still avidly watching the scuffle in the centre of the room. Phee was giggling maniacally at her husband's attempts to calm down an irate Sky. I looked down, realising that my work was done, and barely stifled a laugh. Vic looked over curiously, seemed to struggle internally, and then burst into laughter. Everyone stopped what they were doing. Even Sky let go of Phee to stare at him.

Vic bent double, and Phee stealthily snuck over and took my picture from him. She stared at it, then up at me, incredulously. I shrugged. "Just what went through my mind," I told her. She looked down at it again, before she, too, cracked up. By this time Vic had calmed down enough to share the picture with his family, who began to laugh too. I apologised to Sky in advance before I let her see it. "I have to draw whatever I have in mind, else I start to panic. Sky, I didn't mean for anyone else to see!" she took the paper from me and stared at it; a bulldog with curly hair holding onto a bone. It was clearly her and Phee, albeit in a different context. She laughed, finding it hilarious. Ren, bemused, gave a whispered goodbye and disappeared with a pop.