All recognizable Covenant characters, places, and events belong to Sony Pictures and its affiliates. I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.

A grateful thank you to Misty Glow for permission to use some of the plot devices in the initial chapter(s). Her fic, "Age of Temptation" is a great inspiration.

Unbeta'd, so all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if anyone wishes to Beta for me.

The next morning Evelyn Danvers came down the maple stairs and headed towards the atrium. For the first time in a really long time, years, she wasn't hung over and she wanted to have her breakfast in the early morning light. Something she wasn't able to do because the brightness had hurt her eyes and most of the time she never woke up in time for the morning meal. Seeing the remains of her departed husband stirred something in her. It was over. Truly over and she was the cause of it. She begged her husband to give up what little life he had in order to save their son. Evelyn had no shred of remorse because Caleb was the only good thing William had left in this world, only good thing she had left. She wasn't going to let some bastard Son take him from her or keep alive the withered shell her husband had become.

Staring at the pitiful form of her former spouse, she realized she had been wasting her life away and numbing herself to the reality that William chose the power over her and their son. Part of it wasn't his fault, she knew. The power was too seductive to ignore but he could have chosen to ration his use better. The other older generation Sons had done so with varying success. All men in the Legacy were self-centered egoists but William Danvers had written the book on abusing his powers for personal gain. The rich ornate house she lived in was the fruit of his abuse as was the billions he left her but Evelyn would have preferred a simple, less affluent life to the cold material things that were left behind.

She saw that the table in the sunlit room was full of inviting breakfast foods but not her son. Evelyn knew that Caleb was a morning person; he had helped her through many hazy day breaks, recovering from the night before; much to her shame. He would also always offer the chance at breakfast every other time, hopeful that she would bring herself out of bed before noon. Humiliation washed over her at her behavior.

"I haven't been a mother these past years," she admitted to herself sadly. She promised herself that things would be different and she only hoped that her relationship with her son wasn't beyond repair.

"Where's my son?" Evelyn asked the butler who began preparing a plate.

"He's in the library madam. I believe he fell asleep there; we weren't sure if we should wake him," the servant said respectfully with a tinge of fear, hoping he chose the proper course of action.

Evelyn frowned and wondered why he would fall asleep in the library. She left her food and the timid servant in search for her son. She found him where the servant said he would be. She crept softly on the plush carpet, not wanting to wake him. She knew that he had to be exhausted, not that she blamed him, for him to sleep in. He had papers in his lap and she surmised that he must have been studying them late into the night.

Mrs. Danvers took a moment to look at her son and a small ache appeared in her chest. He looked so worried, even in his sleep, and she felt guilty for all the things he justifiably had to be worried about. He fought a crazed warlock that wanted to kill him and his father had died to save him; all of that piled on top of an alcoholic mother, a heavy course load from school, and a rigorous training schedule for swim. She knew she had to make it up to him and idly wondered if he would be open to a vacation to a tropical locale during his winter break. The guilt ridden mother was so wracked with remorse that she thought of even extending the invitation to the pretty blonde he was dating. She didn't delight in the idea of bringing in an outsider that they barely knew but for some unfathomable reason, he chose to divulge their secret that had been held for centuries. She knew Caleb had an aversion to the numerous females the other families had to offer, she herself belonged to the Parry family once upon a time, but to reveal that he had power was the first time Evelyn ever thought her son foolish. She could only hope the girl was trustworthy and they wouldn't have to go to severe measures to rectify the situation if telling the blonde turned out to be unwise.

The Danvers matriarch understood why the butler didn't wake Caleb, her son deserved his sleep and it seemed a crime to wake him. So she took the files from him hands as carefully as she could and walked out of the library; intent on finding him a blanket and letting him rest as long as his body wanted.

Casually she looked at what Caleb had stayed up for to read and her steps slowed as she read the files. Eventually she came to a complete stop as the contents become crystal clear to her. The years of being numb were catching up to her as a rage she had never known filled her. She forgot about breakfast or getting Caleb a blanket; she forget about everything around her except to get to a phone and call "David Danvers, Ph.D." whose letterhead was embossed across the top of each page.

-

Caleb noticed two things when he woke up. One, he was exceedingly uncomfortable; and two, there was a lot of yelling. His sleep fogged mind couldn't process the two events simultaneously so he dealt with the immediate one of his uncomfortable position. The warlock stretched and rolled his neck, trying to alleviate the crick in his neck. He then brought his hand to his face to rub the sleep out of his eyes. Once he got his bearings he realized he was still in the library.

The shouting became more apparent and he could decipher where it was coming from. He was puzzled to realize it was his mother screaming and it was before noon if the antique grandfather clock in the study was any indication. Caleb walked toward his father's old office, they had never touched it despite his father hadn't stepped foot in it for years, and was surprised at the scene unfolding before him.

"There is no excuse you could justify keeping this for so long!" his mother shouted on the phone. Caleb almost felt he entered the Twilight Zone because he had never seen his mother so worked up. She was flailing her arms with big motions as she bellowed to someone on the phone. He could only hear one part of the conversation but it soon became clear what they were talking about.

"Do NOT insult me by suggesting I would ever give over a young girl to my dying husband. I would have let him rot in the cottage for decades to come before I would ever do such a thing. But we could have done so much work by now to get her here, gain her trust. Endear her to the boys, to my SON! Now he's Ascended and has so much power, who knows what kind of damage the Power could do to him before we get her here."

Even in a rage Evelyn was shrewd enough to know she shouldn't reveal that Caleb not only had his Ascended powers but his father's as well. Willing ones powers was forbidden in the Covenant. It never did anyone good to be too powerful lest they earn the ire and paranoia of the other Sons. As far as anyone was concerned, William Danvers III had succumbed naturally to his using and that was how it was going to stay.

Caleb decided to intervene before his mother said anything drastic. He wrestled the phone away from her and said a succinct apology to David before hanging up.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked exasperatedly.

"I'm giving that pompous old man a piece of my mind for daring to think he knows what is best for you and this family. What the hell do you think you're doing by hesitating on this?"

"I only found out last night and I haven't decided what to do yet, mother."

The emphasis on her title was not missed by Evelyn and she held herself back from correcting his disrespect. She might not be winning mother of the year awards anytime soon but she was not going to allow him to throw away this chance at saving himself from his father's fate because he was mad at her.

"What is there to think about? You need her. Without her, you'll use until there's nothing left. Have you heard anything I've said these past three years? Have you learned nothing from your father?"

"Do not compare me to him." Caleb said darkly, doing his best to keep his cool. He did not need her to remind him what awaited him without the girl. He was still convinced he could beat the Legacy if he had enough willpower.

"I am not my father. I can control myself."

"You can't possibly be that naive. What makes you think you can do what generations of men before have failed to do? What is it going to take to make you see you can't fight it? The Power is a part of who you are and there's no denying its pull. Even if you ration your use, what is your life going to be like? The other fathers might still be alive but I wouldn't call what they're doing living. No matter what, these powers are going to sap your life and strength; the only way to have a normal healthy life is with this girl. Caleb, you're not like the other Sons, you have more power than anyone recorded in the Covenants three hundred year history. Who knows what having your father's powers as well as your own will do to you. You need this girl more than anything."

"Do you even know what we'd be doing to this girl?" he interrupted his mother, desperate for her to stop talking. His resolve was wavering with every word she spoke but he couldn't give up. He knew the pits and falls of bringing the girl into his life and he just needed to let his mother know them.

"You're asking me to take her away from everything she knows and do what? Sleep with strangers? Also, what about Sarah?"

"I'm asking you to come to your senses and save your life!" she yelled desperately. She needed him to fight for his life, to save himself.

"Are you seriously thinking of throwing this opportunity away for a girl you've known less than two months and probably won't work out?"

"It's my life and that's for me to find out!" Caleb shouted, finally raising his voice to his mother. They had had the discussions many times before, mostly in her drunken haze where she rambled on and on about how much he looked like William and how she wouldn't be able to bear losing him too. Now there was a possibility of a cure for the aging and it came with a price he wasn't comfortable with; his mother on the other hand seemed to have no problem forcing it onto him instead of asking if it was something he wanted.

Evelyn was so startled that her usually soft spoken son had actually yelled at her, it made her stop and rethink her approach. She knew her son, more than he probably thought she knew him, and his issue wasn't about Sarah. The blonde was very pretty and from what she's heard just as smart. But her son was not the type to fall in love easily and he wasn't foolish enough to put his life in danger for something that hadn't really begun. No, her son was a natural leader and charismatic; he demanded attention just by stepping into a room. It was no surprise that he became the de facto leader of his generation of Sons. He was like his father in more ways than just looks. William Danvers had the same regal air about him that led him far in the oil business before his decline into feebleness caused by power abuse. The Danvers family wasn't billionaires by mistake or even completely because of their powers. The men were strong leaders and were used to getting their way.

The stubbornness seemed to be their downfall as well. William thought he would be able to control himself and Caleb was following in the same folly. She loved her son too much to risk his life on the small chance that he could refrain from using. He was in an even more precarious situation than a normal Son. He had his Ascended powers and the powers from his father. A part of her was terrified that not only would she lose her son to the Legacy but lose him at an accelerated rate. She knew they shouldn't hesitate on getting to the girl. The witch was the answer to her prayers and just because the cure involved something out of his control, he was refusing it.

Well Evelyn Danvers didn't snatch one of the most wanted bachelors in Ipswich by being some insipid socialite; she had her own pragmatic talents and she was also used to get her way. She wasn't going to give up on getting the girl with her son but she did need to persuade her hardheaded offspring into thinking pursuing the witch regardless was a worthwhile endeavor.

"Fine, you're right," she said softly, surprising Caleb by her submission.

"It's your life and you're free to choose what you want. Maybe you can control yourself. You've certainly proven yourself to be more in control than your father was at your age but what about the others? Do you think they can resist the powers?"

The question caused Caleb's jaw to tense and he fisted his hands. His mother was appealing to the side of Caleb that felt the others were part of his responsibility as the eldest and their sort of leader; and it was working.

Evelyn went on, knowing her son's silence meant that she was getting to him.

"The others aren't as strong as you Caleb; don't they deserve a chance to live a normal lifespan? A life without fear of doing something that comes so natural to them?"

His mother had a way with words and with expressing exactly how he was feeling, even if he wouldn't admit those feelings to himself. The powers were addictive and it wasn't just the thrill of using that called to him. It was an instinct; it was something that felt as normal as breathing. He had always wondered why his family would be blessed, or cursed as he usually saw his gifts, with powers only to have such dire consequences. He assumed that it was some sort of tradeoff; a life of luxury and wealth with only half a life to enjoy it. But now with the new information it seemed like it wasn't supposed to be a tradeoff. The whole time they were just missing a key component and it was currently residing in the nation's capitol.

He strengthened his resolve; he wasn't going to pursue the girl, he still wanted to live his own life and see where things with Sarah went. He was sure he was strong enough to beat the demon of power addiction. He had been successful so far, his mother even admitted it. The others were not so good at resisting the allure of power. He couldn't keep the information about the witch away from his brothers with a clear conscience. He'd be no better than his mother trying to make decisions for him. He would present them with the findings and see how they wanted to tackle the issue. He knew Reid would be all for getting the girl. The blonde warlock was one of the most obnoxious people he had ever met but Reid was still his brother and Caleb wanted him to be safe. Above all else he wanted their safety so he knew he had to think of a way for them to court the witch and have her come on her own volition.

"Fine. I'll tell them. You're right, they deserve to know. It's their life they should be able to choose for themselves. But I won't allow them to force or trick the girl to comply in any way. If she wants to be with any of them then it'll be completely her decision. I know Reid will be all for using his powers without limit…he's probably using now," He said the last part under his breath and tinged with derision.

Evelyn didn't miss the subtle message her son was sending besides the sardonic remark about his Covenant brother; he still wasn't going after the girl but he wasn't going to allow the others to manipulate her unfairly either. Mrs. Danvers didn't think the boys would go as far as using magic on the witch to get their way but they definitely weren't above using their wealth and natural charm to seduce females.

"Of course dear, I wouldn't expect anything less from you," she said coyly, taking small victories when she could.

"I'm going to meet the guys then, no point in delaying things," he said as he walked out the study and to the garage where his dark gray Mustang was kept.

Evelyn didn't move as she waited to hear the hum of the Ford's engine leave the premise and she was certain he wasn't coming back.

"Wheatley," she called out. The butler was at her side at once, never very far from his mistress.

"Yes, madam?"

"Please get Mrs. Garwin, Parry, and Simms on conference call in the library in fifteen minutes. I have a private call to make in the meantime."

"Yes madam."

As the butler scurried to do as Evelyn commanded, she quickly dialed a number she had come to know by heart the last week.

"Law Offices of Parry, Simms, and Stoltz; how may I help you?" a perky voice on the other end of the phone chirped out.