Author's note: Thank you all for reading. And even though I am very disappointed in the crap job of refereeing of the NBA championship tourney, I felt what better way to get some frustration than by posting an update. So here you go, hope you like it. If you like send me some feedback/reviews.

_xxxx_

19

He could not believe he was doing this, and if it was for anyone other than her he would have said no. But he told her he would and so he was coming to help Gaia for someone that was in need of healing of the mind. But it was one of the many gifts that he had mastered over his time in this realm. But it had been a long time since he had walked been in this area, he just had to find this place called the Dal Riatta. As he walked around the corner he saw a young woman walking towards her car, maybe she could help him.

"Excuse me young lady," the man hollered for the young woman. Seeing her turn towards him he caught the scent of her. 'Damn a fae, of course this place was crawling with them but no matter' the man thought. "Could you direct me to the Dal Riatta?"

Looking towards the man, she noticed he was large about 6'6 and as thick as bodybulder. She would swear his eyes glowed for a brief second, but she could not be sure. She went on alert from this strange man, but did not get any bad feelings for him. "Its down the block and to the right, you can't miss it if you know what you are looking for." Knowing that if he was fae, he would be able to see the waystation for what it was, and if not then he probally should not be there in the first place.

"Thank you young lady, I appreciate the help." As he turned to walk away from her towards the direction she had pointed. Bo watched the man walk down the street and sizing him up the thoughts of everything that had happened tonight starting to overwhelm her. Just as he was about to turn the corner, he looked back at her and smiled to her indicating he had seen the waystation ahead of him. And for the first time Bo noticed his aura, it was blazing a golden color and that made her breath hitch. She only knew of two people that had aura's like that, and that was something she realized meant something significant. As she opened her car door, and headed for the Ash's compound.

_x_

Inside the Dal, Trick had called in some favors about the opening of Marcus tomb hoping to get any information he could of a child found there in case Bo's lead did not pan out. Everything was coming together it would seem for the Sister, and for that he was glad. As he waited for the information to come in he made his way down to the lower rooms in the Dal to where Aife was staying. He had many regrets in his life, and the things that had happened to his daughter was one of them. He hoped that she could be brought back from the madness that had set in, he knew that he had brought this on her. As he came to her door, he quietly opened it and went inside to see his daughter asleep on the bed.

"Hello sunshine," addressing his daughter with a nickname he had given her when she was still a child. "I am sorry for everything I did to you. And I promise I will try and help you. I have tried to watch out for your daughter though, to watch out for her like I should have watched out for you. She is an amazing woman, she reminds me of your mother actually. Headstrong and helps out anyone who needs it even if it is something she really shouldn't do. But I see a lot of you in her also, she doesn't care about the rules even if it hurt herself. I was such a fool, to turn my back on you but I promise never to do that again. We will talk again later, my little sunshine." As Trick got up and placed a kiss on his daughter's forehead and drawing up the cover up over her shoulders. He walked out of the door, never seeing the small smile or single tear on the succubus's sleeping face.

_x_

Kenzi and Gaia sat at the table that they had been sitting at for awhile now, engaging in small talk. Kenzi was nervous, she had seen the look on her best friend's face and knew Bo knew who it was they were looking for. But she trusted Bo, like no one else and trusted her judgement except when it came to relationshiop stuff and then she was as hopeless as a nerd at prom. Turning towards the Ancient next to her, she asked something that she had been wondering about.

"So when you find your daughter, how can she lift this curse thing you got going on? It sounds to me like she is going to be new to all this also."

"I honestly don't know little one. I am not sure what she is suppose to do really." Gaia answered honestly. She was still unsure what her daughter was suppose to do. The Fae Seer that had told her all this never really said how she was suppose to break the curse. "I guess that is something that we will have to find out together. But little one let me tell you something, you are an amazing person and a good friend. And if there is anything you ever need know that I will be forever in your debt. But this is sounding too much like a good-bye and I am not leaving yet."

"Damn straight your not, we still got a job to finish and then of course there is the after job celebratory celebration." Kenzi stated to her friend, and was a little overwhelmed knowing that she was friends with a being that the Fae feared. And wanting to get the mood back to happier one asked "So have you ever been to the pyramids?"

"Been there? Let me tell you me and my sister Isis we watched the first brick being laid. We were amazed that humans were capable to building something so grand and something so complex. We had a bet that the whole thing would crumble the first few weeks, and probally would have if Isis had not mentioned in passing to one of the arcitects of a minor miscalcalution. After that it was amazing to watch it progress, I would come by and watch it every few years just to see if it was still being built and I was so amazed at it."

"Wow that is so cool." Kenzi was amazed at all the stories she had heard. "I would have loved to have seen that, I have always wanted to see them."

"Would you like me to show you what I saw?" The Ancient asked the woman next to her clearly seeing excitement and wonder of it.

"Are you kidding that would be awesome, as long as it doesn't hurt."

"Never childe, just relax." As the Ancient put her hands to goths temples and remembered the everything she had seen of the pyramids being built from the first brick being laid to the tip of it being place. And the memories of the sights, smells, sounds, and touch all flowed into the young girl and she saw everything as if it was her own memory. She knew she would remember this as if it was hers and she cried tears of joy at being shared this. As the final tip was placed, she felt the memory stop and the Ancients hands leave her temple. Seeing the tears on the young girls face she was concerend, "Are you okay, little one?"

"That was fucking awesome with a capitol A. Is that what you saw?" The amazement in her voice could not express the thrill of seeing that bit of history unfold in front of her very eyes.

"Of course you got the faster version of it, trust me as amazing as that was to see it was also boring to see them place brick after brick." The Ancient smiled remembering the days she and Isis would have to walk away for a weeks or months to see something new.

As they heard the fax machine start printing out something they both turned to see a large man in the doorway. Kenzi let out a strangled yelp as this was Trick's private office. "Yo Trickster, your needed up here."

As Trick arrived just in time to see the man who stood in shadow at the doorway to his office. "I am afraid this is private office, the bar is back that way good sir. If you need to sign in, let me take you to the book and I will witness for you."

"I am not here to sign your little book, I am here to see Gaia." the man took a step into the room leaving the shadows, his eyes glowing a bright gold for a brief moment. "She asked that I would come to help her with something."

"Thomas, you came. Please be civil, they are my friends and they could use your help." The Ancient stated she knew this was going to be difficult under the circumstance but she still had an ace up her sleeve. As she saw the looming man look around the room seeing the young goth and the diminutive waykeeper and his eyes flared brightly when he saw Trick.

"You want me to help him? Not a chance in hell." Thomas glared at the waykeeper, the resentment and anger flowing off him in waves. "I would rather die and kill everyone I love before I help any Fae, especially him."

"Thomas you said you would come and help. The Fae are not your enemy now, you need to let the past go my old friend." Gaia interjected, knowing that Thomas would not have come if she had said who he would be helping. "Do this for me, they are helping me and this was the only way I could repay them."

Turning to the only human in the room, "my advice little human, never trust the Fae especially those that say they are your friends or allies it is safer that way."

"Yeah will no one asked your opinion did they. And I trust them more than I know you. So you can take your high and mighty self-righteousness and stick it where the sun don't shine buddy." Kenzi replied before she thought, she thought she really needed to learn to censor herself more. And she could not decide if she should be scared or upset, as the man started to laugh.

"I like you human, it is refreshing to see someone who speaks their mind. But don't push your luck." Turning to Gaia, "Now that I have wasted my time coming here, I shall take my leave now."

"Please Thomas, do this and I will never ask you for a favor again." Gaia pleaded, she had not expected this much resistance from her old friend. "I thought you liked to help others when they needed help."

"Oh I don't mind helping others humans and such, but not Fae. Never will I help the Fae again, not after what his grandfather did" Looking towards Trick who had taken a seat by Kenzi and watched the exchange, and sudden realization hit them both.

"OMG your a Dragon," Kenzi blurted out. And then she felt herself being lifted up by Thomas' hand around her throat.

"What do you know? I could snap your neck right now little human."

"Thomas PUT HER DOWN NOW." The fury in her eyes gleamed brightly, a white glow appearing in her hands. "She did not know about your kind until today, and she will not tell anyone. Do not make me do something we will both regret."

"If you ever mention anything about Dragons again, little human I will snap your neck so fast you won't even have time to blink." As Thomas put the human down gently, turning to Gaia. "I think my business here is done. I would rather help the Garuda than help any Fae, especially any of them attached to him." As he turned to Kenzi to make sure he understood his warning, and then looking at the former Blood King. "May you rot in hell."

"I am sorry for what my grandfather did to your people, I was young and I did not understand what was going on fully. I know my father went against him, and was punished for it. If there was anything I could do to change things, I would. I ask that you don't punish my daughter for something that happened before she was born." Trick implored, the guilt of his grandfather betrayal coming back to haunt him once again.

"Tell that to my daughter, who was murdered by the very guards she was training under his orders. Tell that to my three sons that were butchered while sitting at a banquet in honor of your mother's birthday. Tell that to my wife who lost all but one of her children, and most of her grandchildren on that night. No I would rather see every fae, human, or being indicating towards Gaia, die before I help any fae. If I could go back to that night, I would make what I did to your grandfather last for days instead of the quick death I gave him."

"Do this one thing Thomas, if not for the fae, if not for me then do it for Marcus." As she saw Thomas stop suddenly and turn to face her quickly. "Do not speak of my last son, you got him killed with your damn quest. And for what...nothing."

Resigned to the fact that she knew she had to use her Ace, and that would just leave more complications she did not need. But she had given her word to Bo to help her, and gotten Bo's help in finding her daughter and she felt Bo had already solved her problem.

"Then do it for his daughter." She saw his eyes flare with anger thinking she was lying and she saw him look in to her eyes and felt his mind probe hers for deceit and finding none. She could not deceipher the look he had now. "We had a child Marcus and I, that is why I owe these people here. They are helping me look for her, Thomas. Without them, she is lost."

"I can not tell if you are not lying, so I need to see proof." Thomas stated more subdued than he had been before, he would do anything to have another of his grandchildren alive. His only other grandchild was back beyond the Realm safe. "If what you say is true, then yes I will help you this one time. But if you are lying to me or trying to deceive me into helping you, I will kill you and you know I can."

Gaia knew she had no choice now, as she reached into her pocket she grabbed the red glowing crystal and pulled it out. As she held it aloft, she could see the confusion in Thomas' eyes at this. "This is her essence, it was drawn out of her for her safety my friend. Once I find her, I can give it back to her and she will be whole again. Here hold it for a moment, I know you will be able see I am speaking the truth." As she handed the crystal to him, and watched as a tear flowed down his cheek as he took a seat. Gaia, Kenzi, and Trick watched as he gently spoke to the crystal in a language none of them recognized and watched as the crystal surged and ebbed at the voice. Standing quickly he gave the crystal back to Gaia, "Show me this person that needs healed, and I will see what I can do."

"Thank you Thomas, I promise you will see your grandchild again. The patient is this way if you please, I am not familiar with healing the mind as you are. But she seems to be suffering from a type of madness." As Gaia lead the man down towards the lower levels. Both passing beyond hearing.

"Are you okay, Kenzi?" Looking at the handprint that was still on her neck and grabbing a bottle of the really good stuff and two large glasses and pouring them each one. "I can't believe, that there are Dragons around again. I have not seen one in four thousand years, and to learn that two have been around all this time. You must not ever speak of them to anyone, including Bo. They have reason not to trust the Fae and any that align themselves with us."

"Yeah, I kinda got that message." Kenzi deadpanned and took the offered glass. "So your granddad really did a number on them I see. But what was he talking about the killing?"

"In my grandfather's paranoia, he thought that the Dragons would overthrow him and put themselves up as rulers. They were stronger and more powerful than you could imagine. He used his magic to make them more vulnerable, and before they realized what was happening he ordered them killed. When they started to be killed they started to fight back and before it was over they made the fae pay dearly for the treachery. Every clan of the Dragons united to wage a war on the fae that nearly wiped us out. Only the intervention of the Sisters Isis and Kali, stopped them from killing us all. They returned back to their ancestral home between the world and the realm of shadows." Trick related the brief history of his grandfather's reign. "Many of my grandfather's generals and nobles, were against it since they were great friends and allies to the Dragons. And so they were arrested for treason. Not only were the fae devasted, but the generals, nobles, and other fae that protested my grandfather, they started to question the rules. And a division had started to grow among the fae. Eventually the fae would became even more divided which would eventually lead to the light and dark fae divide, but that would happen much later but its roots started there with the consequences of blood magic."

"Don't take this personally, but your granddad was a douche." Kenzi stated bluntly.

"I know, but he was still my grandfather." Trick answered in an almost whisper, indicating to her bruised neck. "Are you alright?"

"Oh just peachy, nothing like getting hung by a powerful being. So just out of curiosity but why was he not destroyed by Gaia protection mojo?" Kenzi asked while taking a long drink from her glass, the evening was beginning to get a little heavy for her.

"Dragons are very powerful, and far older than the Sisters. There very magical essence makes them immune to most magics and such. But I tell you this and you must keep it guarded, if a Dragon gives you his word it is more binding than a Sisters. Just don't break their deal with you, the consequences will be fatal." Trick adviced the young woman. "Now lets see what came over the fax machine."

As Trick walked over to the fax machine to pull the paper off it, he heard Kenzi pour herself another drink. The fax was printing out another item, so he was left waiting for a moment for it to finish.