AN: Welcome to the mad house! *pauses* Well that will be true in just a few moments. Honestly, Otto's lost it. Although I suppose he does have the right to. Well, you'll see. And Z, he's playing messenger today. Isn't it nice having someone upstairs working for you? I think so, but then again Z and Sundown are my favorites so *shrugs* Alright I've rambled enough so sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Fie flung the door open to Grace and Savitar's house. She didn't care that her dad would have yelled at her for being so rude, she was pissed.

"Fie?" Ash asked as she came into the room.

Savitar and Otto turned to look at her.

"I'm going to kill her. Is she stupid or did she suddenly get a massive brain injury?" she snarled.

Otto moved to stand before her. "Why aren't you with Dara?"

Fie looked at him, fire in her eyes. "Because she took Nick and poofed out! I couldn't follow them!"

Otto grasped the tops of her arms. "Where did they go?"

"I don't-OW! Otto, you're hurting me!" Fie snapped.

Otto's grip tightened as he shook her slightly. "Why did you let her leave?"

Fie shoved at Otto's chest. Suddenly Fie was pulled out of Otto's grasp and standing behind Kyl.

"Don't you dare touch her." Kyl snarled.

Otto glared at them. "Your little bitch of a girlfriend is a suck-ass friend who's going to get Dara killed."

Kyl pulled his fist back and hit Otto in the face. "Pull your head out of your ass and see straight. Do you honestly think that Dara can't take care of herself or not know when to call you or her dad for help? As much as she means to you, she means as much to Fie, so don't you dare sit there and call her names and hurt her when this is no one's fault. Dara made her choice and we'll have to live with it. Now apologize to Fie and think of some way to help your girlfriend, adelphos."

Otto looked past Kyl to Fie. "I'm sorry, Fie. I'm-"

"Upset. It doesn't make what you did right, Otto. I love Dara and those girls too and I spent the last hour looking for them. I couldn't find them though." Fie stepped next to Kyl. "Nick won't hurt her and if he does, then you can blame me. But like Kyl said she's a big girl. All we can do is wait."

Kyl grabbed Fie's hand and pulled her past Otto, to where the others were sitting.

"What's the plan?" Grace said as she brought a bag of ice out for Otto. "Besides insult your girlfriend's best friend, which will get you couched for at least a month."

Otto took the bag and pressed it to the side of his face as he gave Fie a sheepish look. "Can we not mention that little welcome party to Dara?"

Kyl scoffed as he pulled Fie to sit on his lap. "You're lucky I'm not going to tell Valerius. Immortal or not, if he knew, he'd kill you."

Fie rolled her eyes. "Which I wouldn't let Dad do because he's your best friend and Dara's boyfriend and the father to my goddaughters." Fie cast Otto a look, which made him feel even more like crap. "Grace is right though, what's the plan?"

Savitar shared a look with Ash.

"We wait" they answered.

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Artemis watched the little human walk New Orleans with Nick. They were headed towards the cemetery. Perhaps she would get lucky and Nick would kill the girl. A smile covered the goddess' face. That would be highly entertaining to watch, and she wouldn't have to get her hands dirty.

"Everything is set." Artemis turned to the dark haired god, Ares. "I still can't believe I'm helping you and your psychotic brother. Must have a head injury."

"Hephaestus must have hit you too hard again." Artemis said.

Ares shrugged. "Probably. Let's get this moving. I'm not into waiting. I'm not the god of patience for a reason."

Artemis curled her lip at him, but said nothing. She needed him to make this work.

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Ash sat with Savitar, trying to keep his mind off the fact that Dara was alone with Nick, gods only know where. He frowned as Zarek appeared before them.

"Z, what's wrong?"

Zarek gulped before looking between them and Otto. "We have a slight problem."

Savitar and Otto stood.

"What's wrong, Psycho-ass?" Kyl asked as he and Fie walked over to them.

Zarek scratched the back of his neck.

"Artie and Apollo teamed with Ares to-" he trailed off.

Savitar growled.

"To what, Psycho-ass?" Otto snarled.

Zarek was about to make some smartass comment, but he knew he'd be the same way if it was Astrid.

"To kill Dara."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Nick stared at his mother's grave, trying to keep a scowl off his face. He wouldn't disrespect her by glaring at her grave. So he turned his glare on Dara.

"Why are we here?" he growled.

Dara shrugged. "What better place to start remembering who you are?" she looked at Cherise's grave. "Tell me about her."

"Dara-"

"Tell me about your mother, Nick." Dara repeated with force.

Nick stared at her. The last time anyone had spoken to him like that, he'd killed them without a second thought. But there was something about Dara, something different and no matter how much she irritated him, he couldn't kill her.

Nick sighed and sat down on the bench near his mother's grave. "My mother was the best woman you could ever meet. She was so sweet but if you sassed her, she put you in your place, fast. She was my whole world. She danced on Bourbon Street to keep a roof over our head." he laughed a bit, thought it sounded hollow to Dara. "I got into so many fights in school because people would make fun of her. You could say anything about me but one word against her and I made you eat those words." he shook his head. "She would get so mad at me. She always thought Kyrian had me selling drugs. Said no man paid a kid that kind of money for legal work."

Dara smiled. "She sounds like the type of person I would have liked."

Nick nodded. "I can't think of one person who didn't like her." he paused. "Well maybe Remi but he hates everyone."

Dara shook her head. "Not since he found his mate."

Nick blinked. "What?"

Dara laughed. "About ten years ago, Remi finally met his mate and the asshole thing kinda went away. Not completely, of course but for the most part. Now," she snapped her fingers as she sat beside him. "get off Remi and back to your mom. And," she held up a finger. "do not make that dirty."

Nick held up his hands. "I wasn't going to say anything."

Dara gave a disbelieving nod. "Uh huh, sure. I told you Nick, I've heard stories."

"Otto was lying." was Nick's only comeback.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Dara flashed herself home and was met by three very pissed faces and two sympathetic ones. Oh crap. Trying to deflect before they came down on her, Dara focused on what she saw on her best friend.

"Fie, why are you bruised?" Dara asked.

"Your idiot boyfriend got pissed when I came back without you and took it out on me." Fie growled at both Dara and Otto.

Otto paled as Dara felt a glare of her own crossing her face.

"You did what?" Dara asked.

Otto swallowed. "I was scared."

"So you abused my best friend?" Dara shouted. "You are either at your own place tonight or the patio swing outside!"

Kyl let out a low whistle. "Damn, she skipped right over the couch."

Dara turned her glare on Kyl. "Do you want to join him?"

Kyl gulped. "Nope, I'm good. I'm quiet. Consider me mute."

Ash cocked a brow. "Awfully chatty for a mute."

Fie rushed forward and hugged Dara. "I'm glad you're okay."

Dara sighed but hugged Fie back. "I was never in any danger."

Otto snorted. "That's a matter of opinion." Dara's glare came back to him. He pointed at Kyl. "I'm mimicking his muteness."

"Dara," Ash stood up before the vein in Savitar's temple could blow. "Can we talk outside?"

Dara nodded and followed her uncle out to the backyard. Savitar huffed.

"I didn't get to yell!" he complained.

Grace cuffed him upside the head while Tory snorted.

"Shut up, Sav." they chorused.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Ash sat beside Dara on the swing she'd banished Otto to. "Where'd you take him?"

Dara looked out over the back yard. "Cherise's grave. I figured the two biggest things I have to work on are what happened to his mother and you. And his mother seemed safest."

Ash nodded. "You're probably right there." he exhaled. "We had a visit from Zarek while you were gone."

Dara frowned, picking up on a nervous feeling coming from her uncle. "What's wrong?"

"It appears Artie's not happy about you trying to help Nick." Ash said. "She's actually working with her brother for once, along with Ares and they've come up with a plan."

Dara cocked a brow. "Why should I care if Miss Bitch is unhappy?"

Ash laughed. "Nice, make sure to tell Simi that one." he coughed. "No, you should care because the plan," he sighed. "the plan is to kill you, Dara."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

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So, just as things take a sorta positive turn with Nick, Artie's gotta go and get her panties in a twist. *pauses* Does she wea-*shakes head* I don't wanna know. Either way! Things are gonna get interesting from here. Let us know what you think, flame policy stands and thanks for reading!

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