(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: Greetings and salutations my fellow readers and fans. smcandy here once again speaking with you tachi.

1# On Sept. 27th is my birthday not brag or boast but I got this chapter in earlier the other day and so far this best birthday gift I got so far. Thanks so much my dear friend and ongoing writing partner and editor dragonwriter24cmf. She says she'll have chapter 36 ready sometime this weekend lets cross our fingers that she can make in time. I was beginning to have cyber cobwebs in my brain since it was taking longer than necessary once again for chapter 35 to come but once again my only excuse to say its du' to some more priorities that were highly important on my editors end that needed attending to.

* I remind all again whom are not aware of this, there is fan arts done by me and others on my Deviantart page for most of the outfits Esther and Seth are wearing along with some others. All you need to do it looking my DA gallery and faves to find them. My deviantart page is located on my main profile page just scroll down to find the link there for you to click on.

BTW: This chapter is not one of the longer ones but I think you guys might be happy for what is in store in this one so take care and enjoy reading and leaving your positive and constructive comments/critiques again.

(*) As always many special thanks to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner dragonwriter24cmf. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

DISCLAIMER: All rights to Trinity Blood was created and by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Warning: This fan fiction is rated (M) AKA Lemon. This story is ABSOULTLY NOT suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter.

This story contains strong explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in hand sex, one-sided love, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. If this disturbs you, do not read any further.

Notice: TBWC takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (RAM), Reborn on the Mars (ROM). In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you in any form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - Chapter: Thirty-Five: Returned in Time

Esther had no idea how long her 'fall' was. As before, light and impressions washed past her in a dizzying whirl. It was all she could do to hold on to her sense of self.

Finally, she became aware that the light was fading, more the glow of afterimages, rather than blinding glare. Then she became aware that the air was rasping in her mask, that her hands were pressed against something hard, and that she was kneeling, or sitting, on a hard surface.

She opened her eyes cautiously, then blinked as spots danced in front of her vision. She blinked a few more times, and gradually, the room came into focus. She slipped the oxygen mask off and stood, feeling shaky, then focused on the wall in front of her.

She was in the ARK, in the same cylinder. She looked around. The command bridge looked...battered, deserted, yet the lights were functioning, and some of the panels were blinking. The temperature was reasonable, not as cold as when Cain had dragged her to the ARK in her own time. She could see soot stains and damaged paneling on the wall in front of her, but nothing to tell her when she'd arrived.

A creak sounded, from the direction of the door. Esther spun around, losing her balance as a wave of dizziness crashed over her. Firm, slightly cool hands caught her, and she looked up.

Virgil stood there, half in, half out of the cylinder, his hands gentle on her arms. Blue eyes met hers. "Majesty?"

Esther blinked. "Lord Walsh?"

Relief washed over his features, a smile lighting up the normally taciturn visage. "Majesty. It worked." He drew her out of the transportation tube, onto the deck, and flung his jacket around her shoulders. "By the blessed stars...it worked. You've come back." The relief and raw emotion, the joy in his voice, was shocking in one usually so well controlled.

Esther followed him, feeling dazed. The heady mix of relief and happiness, combined with the emotions she'd felt before and the difficulty of the transition made her head spin. Her legs felt rubbery, and she found herself leaning into Virgil's support more than she'd thought she needed to.

"Here. This will help." He braced her with one hand, and held a flask to her lips with the other. Esther sipped and tea, hot and strong and with just the right amount of sugar and cream, flowed down her throat. It warmed her, and steadied her. After the first few swallows, she could hold it on her own, and she didn't feel quite so much like fainting.

She drank half the flask, then looked up at him. "How...how did you know?"

"Well, as to that, we didn't precisely know, but we were rather hopeful." A deep, familiar voice caused her to turn around. The Professor was standing by one of the panels, a wide smile on his face, and a pipe in one hand. "Welcome back Esther."

"No kidding. It's good to see you back safe and sound, Esther." Esther felt her heart hammer into her throat. She blinked again, looking at the figure standing by the Professor's side.

Seth grinned at her, wide green eyes shining with amusement. Esther swallowed hard, memories of a broken body lying in a crater warring with memories of a child she'd seen run down a corridor, what felt like only a few hours ago. She swallowed. "Seth?"

"Of course." Seth grinned. "It's good to see you again. You know, I was afraid this might not work, even though I knew it was supposed to."

Esther swallowed again, feeling close to tears. "But...how? I saw...after what Cain did to you..."

Seth blinked, then a sad sort of smile touched her face. "Sorry. I'd forgotten about that. But...I'm perfectly all right now. It's a bit of a long story, but Abel stepped in to save me." Her gaze shifted past Esther's shoulder. "Speaking of Abel...aren't you even going to say anything, my dear brother?"

"Esther..." The word was so hoarse, so soft, it was barely audible, and yet, somehow, it rang through the room. Esther turned.

Abel stood by the charging panel, his hand on the panel itself. The dark crosses that marked his human form after use of the Crusnik stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin. He was staring at her, his expression that of a drowning man seeing safety, a dying man seeing salvation.

Esther stared at him, her eyes taking in the black cassock, battered from the activation of his powers. Lilith's crucifix, hanging from his neck to just past his waist. Silver hair and blue eyes, and the shocked look of mixed sorrow and desperate hope on his face. Her Abel. Not the Abel of nine hundred years past, but hers.

She was barely conscious of moving forward, of Virgil letting her go. Barely conscious of the roughness of the deck, the shakiness of her legs. All she could see was that slender black-clad form. "Abel..."

She took two more stumbling steps forward, reaching for him, and then he was there, so fast she didn't even see him move. He caught her in his arms, embracing her fiercely, wrapping her in a cocoon of black fabric, scented of ozone, incense and earth. Abel's scent. Abel's warmth. Without thought, her own hands came up to grip the black fabric, wrapping themselves in his shirt as she buried her face in his chest. "Abel!"

"Esther." His voice cracked on the word, overflowing with a wealth of emotions. Love, relief, joy...and more. She could hear the tears breaking in his voice, feel them dripping on her head, but it didn't matter. Her own face was tear-streaked, her heart too full to do anything more than hold on to him like a lifeline. All that mattered was the warmth of his embrace, the love he surrounded her with.

How long they remained like that, Esther couldn't tell. But gradually, she became aware that Abel's cross was digging into her ribcage. And Abel...Abel was shaking, his body trembling against hers. The realization startled her, and set off warning bells in her head. She leaned back, tilting her head back to look into his face.

Abel's face was streaked with tear tracks, though he was no longer weeping. But he was paler than normal. His eyes were closed, his jaw clenched, as if he were in pain. Concerned, Esther reached up to lay a hand on his cheek. "Abel?"

Abel almost flinched from the contact, then the blue eyes blinked open. She saw pain in the crystalline depths, but then he smiled weakly, hiding it from her. "I am...all right." He winced, eyes closing again, as if the very act of speaking had hurt him.

Esther's concern sharpened to worry, and fear. "Abel, please, don't lie to me." She lowered her hand to touch his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat. Abel shuddered again, his arms tightening around her, though not enough to be uncomfortable. She saw him flinch again. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Abel shook his head. "It's all right." The words came slowly, and he sounded as if he were having trouble catching his breath. "It's just...a side effect. I'm sure..." He broke off as another wave of trembling, almost a convulsion, passed through him. He folded his arms around her, embracing her gently. "It's all right. It will...end soon."

Another shudder rocked through him. Then, abruptly, Abel's knees buckled. Esther staggered, caught off balance, trying awkwardly to catch him as he collapsed against her. She managed to keep him from crashing to the floor, but she was too shaky to hold him. She just managed to get her arms around him, then stumbled to her knees, then backward to sit on the floor. "Abel?"

Virgil was beside her in a moment. "Majesty, are you all right?"

Esther nodded. She'd banged a knee going down, and the bruises she'd picked up in the other time were reminding her of their presence. But she had other things to worry about. She looked down at Abel. His head was resting in her lap, the rest of his body sprawled on the floor. He was shaking, his eyes closed and his lower lip caught between his teeth. "Abel..."

Seth and the Professor joined them. Seth stared at her brother in dismay. "Abel, I thought I told you not to push it too far!" She sat down beside her brother, taking one of his hands in hers. There were tears glittering in her eyes. "You idiot...why must you always be so stubborn.?"

Esther's stomach clenched. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's feedback." On Abel's other side, Professor Wordsworth was staring at his friends' body, frowning slightly. At Esther's look of incomprehension, he continued. "In an ordinary Methuselah, if you drain them of too much blood or energy, it produces the Thirst. While Crusniks can suffer a similar phenomenon, the relationship between the human host and the Crusnik is far more...independent. Rather more like a split personality. This makes it possible for Abel to force his Crusnik into activation, even if he technically isn't strong enough. It also allows him, under most circumstances, to control the blood lust. However, this..." He gestured to Abel's body. "This is the result of trying to use too much power, without compensation. It's a sort of biofeedback, or backlash. Rather like stretching a rubber band too far, and having it snap against your fingers, but a great deal worse."

Esther winced. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"There is." Virgil was already unbuttoning one sleeve and rolling it up. "It's possible this will pass on its own. But a blood donation will calm him more quickly, and ease his pain."

Seth frowned. "That's a bit risky. With Abel in this state...besides, you've already been his donor recently, and you know Abel's rules about that."

Virgil frowned, ever so slightly. "Nonetheless..."

Esther looked back down at Abel's pale, drawn face. Lines of weariness and pain drew furrows on his countenance. Absently, she brushed his hair back from his face, running her fingers across his brow. At her touch, Abel blinked, and opened his eyes again. Chagrin and shame swept over his face, and he raised one shaking hand. "I'm sorry, Esther. Sorry about this." He winced again. "I...this isn't..."

"I know. Shh...it's all right." She took his trembling fingers in her hand, smiling gently. The smile pulled in the place where she'd split her lip, but she didn't mind. Then she froze, blinking as a thought occurred to her. She ran her tongue across the inside of her mouth, wincing as she found the place where she'd bitten the inside of her cheek bloody, those final hours in the past. Experimentally, she bit down lightly, and was rewarded with a sting and the coppery taste of blood in her mouth.

"Esther?" Abel was looking at her in concern. "Esther?" He made a move as if to sit up, and she touched his shoulder, pushing him back down.

"Shh...it's all right." She bit the inside of her cheek a little harder, feeling the blood pooling in her mouth, then she cupped the side of his face gently with one hand and leaned forward to kiss him.

They were both in awkward positions, but she managed. She felt Abel's hand trembling in hers, deepened the kiss, then parted her lips and let the blood flow from her mouth to his. Abel stiffened, but she felt him swallow convulsively, too shocked to do anything else. His hand tightened over hers. She thought he would have pulled away, if he could have.

The cut in her cheek sealed over fairly quickly. Esther held the kiss for a few more seconds, then sat up. Abel met he gaze, a stricken expression on his face. "Esther...I..."

She smiled and put one finger to his lips to stop the apology. "I know. But I wanted to help you, all right."

He shivered. "I...you shouldn't have to...you just returned to us and I..." He shivered again, then pulled free of her hands and Seth's to sit up. Virgil moved out of the way. Abel pushed himself shakily to upright, then to his feet. "I...I...if it were possible, I would have preferred your homecoming to be different. I would have liked...not to ask that of you at all, let alone when just after you came home to us." His head bowed. "I'm sorry, Esther."

She shook her head, still smiling, then got to her feet and moved forward to lay a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right. There's no need to apologize, Abel." She looked up into his haunted eyes. "It's all right, really. I wanted to help you." She leaned into him, glad he didn't pull away. "You've always been there for me. And...you kept your promise, didn't you? That you would find me, even if it took you till the end of time, you promised you would come for me. And you did. So...you shouldn't be unhappy about needing help."

For a moment, she thought he wasn't listening. Then, slowly, his shoulders relaxed. "Well, if you insist...I suppose I'll just have to let it go." He turned to face her, his arm around her shoulder. "Thank you, Esther, love."

The last word warmed her better than Virgil's tea. She smiled, leaning into the warmth of his arms once more as exhaustion swept over her.

Abel caught her gently in his arms, then shifted his grip and lifted her, picking her up and cradling her to his chest. Esther blinked, at him, her mind suddenly hazy with sleepiness. "You...you shouldn't be..." She swallowed, trying to clear her head, and made a movement to stand. "You're so..."

Abel's soft laugh cut her off. "It's fine. Trust me. Even if my nano-machines are somewhat depleted, I still have more than enough energy to carry you to our ship." The gentle laughter, the hint of amusement in his voice, reassured her more than anything he could say. She relaxed, feeling the firmness of his grip. His hands were steady, no longer shaking. Esther sighed, and let herself settle into his arms.

She heard a soft chuckle, the Professor's baritone. "Well, I can safely say the mission was a success. However, I'd recommend leaving, before we attract unwanted attention."

"Rigiht. I'll shut everything down." Esther closed her eyes, but she heard the quick light tap of Seth's boots, and a slightly more distinctive tread that she thought was Virgil. She cracked her eyes open to see Seth and Virgil working at panels on opposite sides of the deck, flipping switches methodically. All around the bridge, the lights dimmed, flickered, and went out. Seth tapped one last console, then turned away. "It's shut down for now. I'll key in the final locking sequence as we leave."

"All right." Abel's voice was soft, but Esther felt it vibrate through her shoulder where she was curled against him. She felt Abel shift slightly, settling her weight a little more firmly in his arms. Then they were moving, Abel's strides smooth and even as he carried her through the darkened passageways. Esther snuggled into his chest. The adrenalin of her experiences was fading, and though she wasn't quite asleep, she did allow herself to relax and close her eyes again, listening to the click of boot heels on metal, and the gentle sounds of Abel's steady breathing and heartbeat.

They stopped for a moment, and Esther heard a deep, vibrating rumble that she vaguely recognized as the outside doors. A blast of colder air hit her, and she shivered, fingers going automatically to the edges of the long coat Virgil had wrapped around her. Abel's arms tightened, drawing her closer to his warmth. "It's all right, Esther. We'll be on board the ship soon."

She heard the crunch of footsteps on stone as Abel moved quickly away from the door. Then a hiss, and the click of metal, and the angle of his grip changed. Esther cracked her eyes open to see. They were ascending a ramp into a mid-sized craft, apparently of Vatican design. Abel carried her briskly up the ramp, into the hatch. The others followed them seconds later, and Virgil closed the doorway. Instantly, the air felt warmer. Esther relaxed, feeling Abel do the same.

Seth spoke softly from Abel's right. "You might as well take her to your quarters, Abel. Esther looks pretty worn out, and you aren't far behind, after all. I'm sure Lord Walsh and I can take care of launching the ship. You should just relax, okay?"

Abel sighed. "I suppose you're right." His voice was rueful. "If you're sure..."

"Abel, if you don't head for your quarters, within the next ten seconds, I shall tranquilize you myself." There was no heat, no tension in Williams voice, but Esther thought he sounded oddly serious.

"All right." Abel settled Esther into his arms a little more firmly, then turned. Esther felt him walking, heard the echo of his boots. She opened her eyes a little further, to see the narrow hallway they were striding through. Then Abel stopped, shifting her weight slightly toward his shoulder as he freed one hand to tap a door panel. The door slid open, revealing a modest chamber housing a small desk and a reasonably sized bed.

Abel slipped inside, then moved forward. Esther thought he might set her on the bed, but instead, he settled onto the mattress, still holding her, sliding back until he was leaning against the pillows. Esther felt him settle in, then blinked hazily at him. "Abel?"

Abel smiled at her, and one hand moved to stroke her hair. He folded his arms loosely around her, arranging his position so that she was settled in his lap, curled against his chest. Then he leaned forward and kissed her gently. "Just rest love."

Those words, spoken with that voice, were all the encouragement she needed. Esther relaxed and settled against Abel's chest. A part of her wanted to know how long she'd been gone from her own time, and what had happened. But the aftermath of the tumult she'd experienced in the other time, and the relief she felt at being home, being in Abel's arms, was overwhelming. In spite of her questions, Esther felt her eyes closing, as Abel's warm embrace, and the gentle beat of his heart lulled and soothed her. She let her head rest against Abel's chest, and within moments, she was asleep.

8888888888

Esther woke sometime later, aware of a slight crick in her shoulder, and a need to use the restroom. She felt warmer, though, and much more alert. Her stomach rumbled, and she opened her eyes cautiously.

She was still curled in Abel's embrace. He had wrapped his arms loosely around her, and she was settled in his lap, his knees to either side of her. Esther stretched carefully within the circle of his arms, to let him know she was awake, but Abel didn't move. She blinked, then tilted her head gently back to look up into his face.

Abel's eyes were closed, his head bowed slightly over hers, his long bangs tickling her face. His breathing was slow, but steady and even. Esther called his name softly, but he didn't stir. Esther smiled, realizing he'd fallen asleep holding her. She worked one arm free, and gently brushed the silver hair back from his face.

Abel didn't respond, too deeply asleep. Esther studied his face for a moment, noting the lines of weariness that slashed across it. Then, moving carefully, she worked her arm out from underneath his and gently worked her way free of his embrace, moving slowly so she wouldn't startle him awake. She half expected Abel to rouse at every movement, but there was no sign of awareness.

Finally, Esther worked herself free and scooted off his lap. As she did, Abel frowned in his sleep, pain crossing his expression. Esther froze, then reached out and took his hand. "It's all right. I'll be right back."

"Esther..." It was barely a breath, hardly a word, but the pain and sorrow in it made her heart ache. She reached back her other hand and brushed his face again. "It's all right. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Abel relaxed, his lean frame leaning awkwardly to one side. Esther continued to soothe him a moment longer, then rose carefully from the bed. She waited a moment, to be sure he was all right, then turned away, toward a small door she hadn't had the presence of mind to notice before.

The door proved to lead to a small bathroom. Esther relieved herself, then took a moment to splash some cold water over her face. She toweled away the moisture on her face, then paused a moment, looking into the small mirror over the sink.

Her hair was longer than she'd ever worn it before, past the shoulders. With everything that had happened, she couldn't remember the last time she'd had it even trimmed. She thought it might have been while she was on the station, but there had been no time for things like that when she'd been helping Lilith. Not that she remembered, anyway. Aside from that, her face was pale, except for the fading bruise on her cheek, and a few scrapes she'd received in the fighting. The angles of her chin and the hollows of her cheeks looked more pronounced than she thought she remembered. She sighed, and pushed the thoughts away, remembering Abel's loving smile as he embraced her. She patted the last droplets of water away, then returned to the other room.

Abel was still sprawled against the pillows, but his face was tense, as if he were having troubling dreams. Esther hesitated, then settled back on the bed. Abel looked so uncomfortable, his body tilted at an angle, his head hanging sideways and forwards. She thought a moment, then settled herself against the pillows and embraced him, drawing him to her until Abel was lying with his head in her lap, the rest of him sprawled in a tangled heap over the covers, a slightly more comfortable version of the way she'd held him on the bridge of the ARK. She started to lean forward, perhaps throw a blanket over him, but Abel stirred and moaned softly, so she settled back, brushing her fingers gently over his face. His right hand shifted, flung up near his head, and she touched his wrist softly. Abel's fingers curled around hers, and the tension went out of his face.

Esther smiled as Abel relaxed, glad she could bring him some peace. Her finger stroked idly over his brow, pushing back his disordered hair. He hadn't tied it back, so it fell over his shoulders and back in wild abandon. She brushed it away, noting how his cheekbones stood out sharply in his face, even in profile. He was thinner than she remembered as well, nearly gaunt, his cassock looser on him than it should have been. The hand that curled in hers was leaner than it should have been, and she could feel the bones of his hand under the skin and muscle. It worried her, but there was nothing she could do about it. She wondered again, how long she'd been absent, and what had happened during that time. What he'd endured. Her eyes went again to the lines drawn in his countenance, lines of strain that even sleep couldn't erase.

The door hissed open, startling her from her thoughts. She looked up as Seth and William stepped into the room. Both of them stopped at the sight of her, cradling Abel's head. Then Seth leaned down to take off her boots. To her surprise, William did the same, then put his hand on Seth's shoulder, tucking the cane in his left hand under his arm.

Seth settled moved forward until she was at the edge of the bed, then leaned carefully onto her elbows. "Well, it looks like Abel really is asleep." Her voice was a low whisper, but Abel didn't even twitch.

"Yes. And I don't think you need to be quite so careful." Esther smiled. "I've already been moving around quite a bit, and he hasn't woken yet."

"That's excellent news." William smiled, then leaned forward to look at Abel's hand, resting on the sheets. "I see his marks have gone as well."

"Have they?" Seth bounced up onto her toes, then leaned forward to examine her brother's face. She studied him a moment, then a broad smile crossed her face. "Well, that's certainly a relief. Abel's finally really relaxed then."

"It appears he has." William pulled a case from his pocket, then withdrew a hypodermic kit from his other pocket and placed it inside. "I suppose that means that this won't be necessary. Thank goodness, I was getting a little nervous about the dosage, even with Abel's unique metabolism."

Esther swallowed hard, her nearly forgotten unease coiling in her stomach. "Father Wordsworth...what is that?"

"Oh, this?" He glanced down at the needle in his hands, the blinked. "Oh, yes, silly me. Of course, you wouldn't know." He glanced at Abel, then at Esther and finally at Seth. Seth gave him a small nod. "This is a sleeping medication we've had Abel on for some time. Why don't I let Seth tell you all about it, while I go fetch you some food, and something to drink?"

Esther nodded. "Thank you, Father."

"Nonsense. It's nothing. And you're quite free to call me William, you know." He smiled and went to the door, then looked back over his shoulder. "I'll be back in just a few moments." Then he leaned against the door, slipped his shoes on, and vanished down the hall.

Seth smiled after him, then settled herself on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb her brother. "I imagine, now that you're awake, that you have quite a number of questions."

"Yes." Esther looked down at Abel's face. "Father Wordsworth...he said...that was sleeping medication?" She had so many other questions she wanted to ask, but that was the only one she could seem to force to her tongue.

Seth nodded. "Abel was...well, he was very distressed when we lost you." She reached out to brush her brother's brow. "It's been over half a year, since I've seen Abel without Lilith's brands on him." She ran her fingers through Abel's silver hair, love and concern on her young face. "Abel...he's been fighting so hard...after you vanished, we nearly lost him. Abel wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep...he barely even spoke to anyone. It took all our efforts to get him to respond. Honestly, if Rosenkreutz hadn't kicked up a fuss, and Lord Walsh hadn't needed him in Albion, I rather think we might have failed. But...even after Abel emerged from his shell...he was still...in very poor condition. I wasn't sure we could hold him, but we finally convinced him to at least try to remain functional. I'm afraid we told him that we needed him to be strong, if we ever managed to get you back."

Esther nodded. "And the medication...?"

Seth sighed. "Abel couldn't sleep. Even he noticed how severe it was, what it was doing to him. Six months ago, he allowed us to start sedating him, to prevent him from losing too much control."

"I see." Esther swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat. Her mind went back to the conversation she'd heard on the ship. "You said...when Lord Walsh offered Abel his blood...something about Abel's rules?"

Seth grimaced. "Abel's control has been...rather tenuous. There's been a lot of fighting, so it hasn't been too bad, but...as I said, his power has been continually active for over six months. I know my brother tried to control it, but his emotions..." She looked up at Esther, a sad smile on her face. "It really did break his heart, when you vanished. He was afraid you were dead. Honestly, I don't think he's been quite sane since then." She sighed again. "Abel's needed a lot more blood to control himself. He fought it for a while, but about the same time he started permitting us to sedate him, he started accepting people's help. But he's rather insistent on making sure no one is harmed. He won't let anyone help him more than once a month. He hasn't really needed it, actually, but still..."

Esther nodded, looking down at the silver-haired man. "Well, I can't say I'm not worried for him, but I'm glad he's let everyone help him. And even if it puts him at risk, or gives him trouble...if he's made rules like that...it's a good thing, isn't it? It means he's still...still himself."

Seth nodded. "That's what we thought. That's why no one's protested, so far. And His Holiness has been keeping Cardinal di Medici away from him." Esther blinked. Seth caught her questioning look and made another face. "Abel had to reveal a bit of his connection to Cain, and to the past, in order to get the Council to listen to him. Di Medici's been trying to corner my brother ever since."

Esther swallowed hard. She knew what Cardinal di Medici was like, and what he'd likely do to Abel. And given the condition Seth had described Abel being in...She felt another lump in her throat.

Seth reached across and patted her hand. "Sorry. I know this is all rather hard to take. You've had a bit of a shock. Probably a fair number of them, and not just now, either."

Esther shook her head, feeling tears sting her eyes. "No. I was..." The words threatened to choke her.

"You were in the past." Seth's voice was quiet. Esther's head shot up. Seth gave her a small smile. "I do remember you, you know. But I couldn't be sure that it was you, not when I first met you. To be honest, I'd mostly forgotten, over nine hundred years, until Abel gave you that locket. I wondered then, if it was you. And after I heard how you disappeared in the machine, and William told me what had happened, I was sure. But it took rather more effort than I was expecting, to get you back. Even with the notes and hints I had."

Esther swallowed hard, again. Her mind felt frozen, trying to catch up with all the implications of what Seth had said. She couldn't seem to find any words, not for the questions she wanted to ask, or the things she needed to say. Finally, she managed two words. "I'm sorry."

Seth blinked. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I left you there, to take care of everything on your own. Back then..." The lump in her throat choked off all her words.

Seth shook her head. "It's all right. After all, you couldn't have done much if you'd stayed. Actually, my followers, and those loyal to my brothers probably would have assumed you did everything, betrayed Lilith and hurt Cain and Abel, and they would have killed you. It was difficult enough as it was. And in a situation like that, I don't think even you could have reached Brother Abel. After all, he simply didn't know you that well, back then." She patted Esther's hand again. "And if you hadn't gone when you did, who knows if we would have been able to retrieve you?" She smiled. "I much prefer having you here, to save my brother, than I would seeing you die back then."

Esther found a tremulous smile of her own to return. "I suppose you're right. But still...I feel like I ought to apologize. Everything you went through..."

Seth sighed. "Well, I don't think it would have improved matters if you'd tried to change them. Besides...it creates a bit of a paradox, you know, and that's really not safe, when you're messing around with time. You can apologize to Abel, if it makes you feel better, but I'm pretty sure he'll say the same thing."

That much she knew was true. Abel had always forgiven her, for everything. Any pain she caused him, even to his own death. She stroked the silver hair, smiling sadly at him. She still wanted to apologize.

The thought about death reminded her, and she looked up. "When I...before, when Cain took me...you were..." Her throat closed up around the words. It had been a year, more or less, for her, but the wounds remained fresh.

Seth grimaced. "Well, I was in pretty bad shape. Cain really did come close to killing me, that's for sure. But I'm a bit stubborn, you know, and so is Brother Abel. Although...I'm afraid I gave him a bad time of it."

Esther blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Abel really was worried. I'm a lot younger than he and Cain, after all. Astha told me he was pretty frightened that I'd go crazy, like Cain did." She reached out to brush her brother's face. "I don't know if I could have done it in his place, although...I suppose telling Caterina exactly what to do for him might count."

Esther felt the pieces click into place. "Abel...did he give you a transfusion?"

Seth nodded. "Abel gave me his blood, and his powers. Of course, that means he also gave me Lilith's strength as well. It's a bit frightening, when I think about it. But Abel made me like him." Seth sighed, and rocked back in her seat on the bed, bringing one foot up to wrap her small hands around her knees. "I rather think I gave Baibars a bit of a start, when I bit him. But he keeps insisting it's quite all right. If this is how Brother Abel feels when he has to drink, then I'm not surprised he's so reluctant."

Esther felt relief flooding through her. "Well, I'm glad you're all right. And that the Duke of Khartoum was there to care for you."

Seth grinned. "Not just the Duke of Khartoum, actually. Astha helped Abel with the original fusion. Abel told me that himself, when he explained what happened. She actually hit him for telling me, she was so embarrassed. And that's to say nothing of Alessandro."

Esther blinked, confused. "His Holiness?"

Seth's grin widened. "You know, I had him figured as the shy, quiet type, rather a bit like Abel pretends to be. But that kid's got quite a bit of spunk, even if he does twitch around loud noises."

Esther blinked again. "I don't understand...what did His Holiness do?"

Seth smirked. "After the fighting died down, Abel took us all back to the Vatican. Even with Baibar's blood, I was in pretty bad shape. They weren't sure it would be safe to take me to the Empire in that condition. So they contacted Mirka and took me to the Vatican, to Caterina, and began taking care of things from there. I was asleep at the time." She made a face. "Abel's the only one I know of who went from fusion into battle mode. Even Cain slept a few days." Her green eyes met Esther's. "I guess it's because Abel really had something to fight for, that night."

Esther nodded, her fingers twining involuntarily with his. "Yes."

Seth sighed, then the smile reappeared. "Well, Caterina took fairly good care of us, got my people and I settled in the visitor's wing, and Abel. He wasn't doing much at that point, but I understand that she at least made him sit down. But anyway, the Professor decided to tell the Council I'd been injured and suffered severe blood loss, and was in a coma until I could recover." Seth shrugged. "That was actually pretty close to the truth. But that kid..." She smiled. "That kid came down to see me, the second or third night, I guess. Honestly, I don't know how he got his guards or mine to leave him alone. I think that knight, Brother Petros, picked a fight with Baibars. But Alessandro, he came to see me, and then he did something rather brave."

Esther frowned in curiosity. "What did he do?"

Seth grinned. "He gave me his blood. Just sliced open his hand and gave it to me." She rocked backward thoughtfully. "I think Alessandro must be like you, a bit. Normally, a human's blood wouldn't make much difference for me, but I was well the next evening."

Esther stared at the small girl, her mind reeling. "His Holiness...gave you blood."

"Yes he did. It caused quite an upset in the Vatican." Esther turned at the sound of Williams voice, watching as he elbowed the door open, a tray in his hands. Seth jumped up from her seat and grabbed it. William steadied himself against the door frame, then removed his shoes once more and stepped into the room. "Lady Caterina was rather proud of His Holiness. Cardinal di Medici was incensed, of course, and the rest of the Council was rather shocked." He chuckled softly. "To be honest, I found it rather touching. It even shook Abel out of his shock, for a day or two."

Seth grinned. "Well, I'm rather grateful to him. And really, as gestures go, it did a lot for us, especially the Alliance. I mean, with an action like that...there wasn't anyone who could really talk about Methuselah-Terran hatreds with a straight face. Well, aside from that Cardinal. And then, after Virgil offered his assistance to Caterina, and all that..."

William smiled as he settled himself on the edge of the bed. "Yes. There's no denying it turned out well." He took the teapot, and deftly poured three teas, then handed one cup and a plate to Esther. "Here you go. The supplies are rather limited, I'm afraid, but this will tie you over until we return to the Vatican."

Esther nodded and took a long sip of the tea, more of Virgil's hot, sweet brew. She took a few more drinks, then began to eat the food the Professor had given her. It was only a few sandwiches, thick roast beef, but it was good. And given that she hadn't eaten in nearly a day, she suspected she wouldn't have cared if it had been three-day old soup and crackers, or porridge and stale bread. As it was, the warmth of the tea, the food in her stomach, and the presence of her companions served to take the last cold knots out of her gut, and clear the fog from her mind. She let her thoughts drift as she ate, going over everything Seth had told her, the comments William had made before, and on the station.

She was relieved Seth was all right, relieved beyond words. She'd been terrified that she'd return, only to find the Empress, Abel's sister, dead. Likewise, she'd been afraid he'd be lost to madness. From the sound of it, he had come terribly close, and her heart ached for the suffering he must have endured, worrying and grieving for her.

She wanted nothing more to curl up with Abel, to sit with him till he woke, then reassure him. To hold his hand and apologize, for all his anguish. To relax and forget everything but them. But here, in this time, she was the Queen of Albion, a leader of the Alliance, a member of the AX. Much though she wished otherwise, there were other concerns she had to deal with.

Seth and William had both mentioned that there had been fighting. And that Rosenkreutz had kicked up a fuss. And Abel had been unstable enough to be sedated for over six months. She'd been gone quite some time then. Which meant that Albion was most likely in trouble, though she knew she'd given Mary and Virgil powers to govern in her absence, in her letter when she'd gone out hunting the Order. Both her advisers were capable and skilled, but she knew that the country's morale would be damaged at the loss of a monarch, no matter how good her advisers were.

Esther finished the last bite of her sandwich and washed it down with another swallow of tea. Seth and the Professor had both been quiet while she ate. William reached forward and topped off her cup with a smile. "Feeling better?"

"Yes. Thank you." Esther swallowed again. "If you don't mind..."

Seth grinned. "Of course we don't. I know you asked about Abel first, but we know you probably have lots of questions. So then, what do you want to know?"

"Well, first off...how long was I gone?"

"Just over a year." Williams voice was soft, as if he was trying to soften the blow. "It's just now March, the year after you vanished."

"I see." She thought she'd feel more disoriented, but she'd been in the past with the children for a few months, and as Lilith's aide for several more. "And Albion?"

"Albion has survived relatively intact, though not without problems." William sighed. "It's been rather difficult, I'm afraid."

Esther nodded. "I was afraid it would be."

Seth sighed. "It's rather lucky, you know, that you wrote them that letter when you went off hunting Abel that one time. Otherwise, they might have had a riot on their hands. Fortunately, Lord Walsh still had that. We had to blank out the part saying where you were going, but at least it gave them some support."

"Quite right." William pulled out a pipe, though he made no attempt to light it, or even to stick it in his mouth. "And in a way, Rosenkreutz coming into the open has also done us a favor in that regard." He glanced at Esther. "The official story given to the court is that you were targeted by the Order, for foiling several of their schemes, both as a Sister and as the Queen of Albion, and that we removed you to a safe location under guard, while we attempted to get a handle on the situation. We've let slip rumors that you're in a secluded location guarded both by the Empire and the Vatican. And that, in order to protect you, we've been changing your guards regularly, to prevent anyone from knowing our exact schedule, or who's with you."

Esther felt a surge of relief. "That's good."

Seth grinned. "It's pretty clever. I'm rather surprised I never thought of that. Although, it really is easier simply to slip out in disguise, at least for me." She sighed, and her amusement slipped away. "Unfortunately, Rosenkreutz is good at spreading rumors as well."

Esther felt ice go down her spine. "What do you mean?"

William sighed. "There have been several ugly rumors floating around. They haven't come to much, quite yet, but it's getting worse all the time."

Esther swallowed. "What rumors?"

"The first was that you had defected to the Vatican, or the Empire, and were intending to sell Albion to the highest bidder. However, too many people witnessed the Alliance proceedings. Besides, with the uneven footing that would create, even the densest lord on either side realized there would be a great deal of fighting. Unfortunately, the other rumors are much harder to dispel."

Seth nodded. "There's one that you were captured by Rosenkreutz because you're secretly their agent, and you wanted to be taken. And one that Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer were actually traitors, and allowed you to be taken so they could control the government. There was even one that you'd died, and the church was trying to cover it up, to gain power in Albion."

Esther swallowed hard, feeling her shoulders tense with mingled outrage and hurt. "I see." She set her tea down, suddenly too upset to drink any more.

Seth reached across and patted her hand gently. "I know it sounds bad, Esther, but it's not as bad as it could be, you know. Certainly not quite as bad as that hardliner plot we had to take care of, when I first met you." Her eyes glittered with warmth and understanding, and Esther relaxed a little.

"She's right." William smiled encouragingly. "There's been some trouble, but we've been remarkably fortunate. Especially since you happen to have two stewards, rather than one, and of rather diverse natures."

Esther blinked. "What do you mean?"

Seth grinned. "Well, we worked a bit of misdirection, to make them think you were still around. Mirka's rather good at forging signatures, you know, with all the practice I've given her. She's been meeting with your Colonel Spencer every so often, to sign things that have to have a monarch's signature. I don't think your advisers were too happy with that, and I know Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer kept records in triplicate for you to go over, but it's at least kept the illusion that you were around."

Esther nodded. She wasn't too fond of the idea of someone forging her signature either, but she knew that neither Mary or Virgil would have even taken something before her, or Mirka, if they hadn't been sure it was a worthy prospect. And she knew Mirka was absolutely trustworthy as well. Despite the Duchess's penchant for teasing people, she was very level-headed, intelligent, and well-versed in playing the role of a sovereign's double. "And...the other rumors?"

"We've had a bit of trouble with those." William sighed. "Colonel Spencer is, unfortunately, a known supporter of the church, and a friend to His Holiness, after her part as his escort in Albion. And, while we've tried to prevent the information from spreading, it is a fact that Lady Walsh did have some rather unfortunate dealings with Rosenkreutz, though at the time she was unaware of their identity or their purpose. And, of course, there is the fact that both she and the Count of Manchester are Methuselah." He shook his head, then smiled grimly. "However, I think we've managed to at least stem the concerns of your people, for the most part."

Seth nodded. "We switched their envoy positions. Colonel Spencer agreed to work with Mirka, and Lord Walsh has been a guest of the Vatican for months now." She grinned. "The Colonel is well known for her skill against rogue vampires, and the Cardinal di Medici threw a rather public fit when Cardinal Sforza and that kid, the pope, invited Virgil into the Vatican the first time. No one thinks that Colonel Spencer would sell out to the Empire, or that Lord Walsh would sell them out to the Church, if he even could. And with both of them so closely involved with the Alliance, they could hardly betray anyone to Rosenkreutz."

Esther nodded. She could see the wisdom in that. "And...the rumor that I..defected to sell the country to the Order?"

"Well, we've managed to dispel part of it with the documents you've supposedly signed. For the rest of it...well, Abel's been our best advocate for that." William looked at the silver-haired man lying between them. "His concern for you, and his rather violent reaction to Rosenkreutz...well, there aren't many who would believe that you were a traitor, not after watching him."

Esther swallowed another lump in her throat. "I see." She looked down at Abel's still face, and ran her fingers through the soft silver hair. Even when he mourned for me, he was doing so much, to make sure I came home, and to a place of safety. She leaned over, and placed a gentle kiss on Abel's brow. Thank you, love.

They sat in silence for a moment, as Esther tried to gather her thoughts. "You said...Rosenkreutz came out into the open?"

"Quite." William grimaced. "We've fielded several attacks in different cities, either by members of the Order, or by terrorists we know to be their allies. Aside from the rumors we've been facing, there's been several vicious assaults. Even with our combined forces, we're spread a bit thin. And with all the uncertainty in Albion, we've been forced to keep most of those troops out of the fighting."

Seth nodded. "We've had at least one attack in every country, to say nothing of the rumors. And there's a lot of civil unrest. Even among the people who haven't lost a ruler. With the terrorist attacks, no one really feels safe, you know. Abel's been our best weapon, with his abilities, but he can't do everything."

"Quite true." William sighed. "We've been mostly fighting on the defensive. Caterina doesn't have enough agents to keep an eye on everything. And, of course, there are rulers such as Ludwig of Germanicus, who simply refuse to cooperate."

Seth nodded. "We had a real problem in the Amsterdam area for a while, as well. I understand that everything's been a bit chaotic over there anyway, but it was fairly tense." She sighed. "Fortunately, Caterina got that Sword Dancer guy, and a couple of the locals, to start working together. It's tense, but we haven't had any major eruptions there for a few months. Which is lucky, considering what else happened."

Esther felt her muscles tense. "What else happened?"

William grimaced. "The Order of Rosenkreutz made a direct attempt on Lady Caterina."

Esther froze, a sick feeling hitting her stomach. "They did? Is Lady Caterina..."

William held up a hand. "Not to worry. Lady Caterina is quite all right. She did suffer some minor injuries, however, she's fully recovered."

Seth snorted. "That's rather more than can be said for you, Professor. Honestly, if I didn't need your help with the repairs, from where Abel and I blew the systems to stop Cain, then I would have left you in the Infirmary. And once we get back..."

William shook his head. "I know, I know. I promise I'll submit to the Doctor's orders, and let Havel keep an eye on me. Though you've done a wonderful job, I must admit." He smiled. "I've hardly felt anything, even when I went to get the tray."

Esther listened to the older man speaking, her heart heavy. "Professor...are you all right? What happened?"

"What...oh, sorry about that." He smiled and reached across to pat her hand comfortingly. "I'm fine, honestly. A bit sore I suppose, but nothing that won't mend. As to what happened...well, as I said, the Order decided to try and get Lady Caterina out of the way. The fact that they didn't succeed is something we owe you our deepest thanks for."

Esther blinked. "Me? But I..."

"You warned us about all the Order members we didn't know of. Admittedly, the Ice Witch is rather distinctive, and I know enough about Isaac's signature to detect him fairly well. But as it happens, neither of those were the person chosen to attack us." The Professor sighed.

Esther swallowed. "Was it Dietrich?"

"No." Seth grimaced. "Actually, it was one of the ones even I've never seen."

William nodded. "Kaspar von Neumann."

Esther's stomach did a slow, nauseating flip. "The one...the one they said could...could disguise himself as anyone."

"Quite right." Williams face was grim. "Apparently, he inserted himself into the Inquisition troops returning from battle. Once he'd arrived at the Vatican, he killed two novices, in order to heighten the security." Williams hand tightened on the pipe. "A rather ingenious strategy, I have to admit. With heightened security, the Inquisition would be deployed all over the Vatican, and every major official in the building is assigned more guards. All he had to do was wait until his path crossed Caterina's."

Seth made a face. "I wondered why he didn't go after anyone else. Both His Holiness and I were at the Vatican as well."

William shook his head. "It's my guess that he didn't attack you because there wasn't much chance he could have overpowered both you and your guards. Your powers alone would have stopped him before he even made an attempt. As for His Holiness...while he is indeed a powerful figure, it's a well-known fact that he did not spearhead the Alliance, and that, despite the growth he's shown over the past two years, he's still likely to bend to his older siblings more forceful personalities. And if Caterina dies, Francesco would tear the Alliance apart in a heartbeat. Not to mention, Caterina's guards are AX members, and therefore, mostly human. He probably thought Abel was the only one he had to worry about."

Esther swallowed a lump in her throat, remembering the Methuselah. "That's true. He would think like that. Most of the Order would."

William nodded. "And Abel spent a great deal of time either fighting or incapacitated entirely."

Seth nodded. "I borrowed brother Abel, to see if I could help him out a little bit, and to get his help on getting you back. Williams very smart, but Abel has more practice with the computers and the equations I needed. Not to mention, we had to shut down the ARK so Cain couldn't try to sneak on board and use it as a weapon. I can't do that without Abel's clearances."

"Precisely." William frowned and shifted, as if slightly uncomfortable. "About a week after the murders, von Neumann made his move. He gained entry to the Cardinal's wing by claiming he had some reports to deliver, then attacked Caterina in her office. Fortunately for her Grace, both Havel and I were already there, working with her on our own reports." He grimaced. "As it was, we barely had any time to respond. Havel managed to get Caterina to safety, then returned to aid me. I took a few wounds during the initial scuffle."

Seth snorted. "You're worse than Abel. At least when he says three cracked ribs and a nicked artery is minor, it's because he has the Crusnik to heal the wounds. Not to mention the damage he did to that one leg."

William shifted his right leg, wincing as he did so. "I hardly need you to remind me of that." He sighed. "Be that as it may, Havel and I managed to drive him off, although Havel was too concerned with getting me to treatment to capture him."

Esther nodded. "I think I'm rather glad about that. I think...well, I know I'd miss your company, and I think a lot of other people would too. And I know Abel's always considered you a very good friend."

"Thank you." William smiled warmly. "As it happens, I'm not really complaining. Sister Kate gave me a very stern lecture as well." He sighed, the smile slipping away. "Unfortunately, due to that little scuffle, von Neumann apparently decided I was more of a barrier to his assignment than anyone else."

Esther felt her breath nearly stop in her throat. "He came after you? While you were injured?"

"Quite." The Professor smiled, a grim, tight smile. "The man really is quite a master of disguises. Fortunately for me, he made one rather grievous error." He bit on his pipe stem for a moment. "He guessed, correctly I might add, that I would be suspicious of anyone I didn't know well, so he chose to approach me in Lady Caterina's form. Unfortunately, he assumed we had a rather closer relationship than we actually do."

Esther blinked. "I beg your pardon, Father?"

Seth snorted. "He means that von Neumann assumed he and Lady Caterina were lovers, or something like that."

Esther blushed, and William smirked. "Exactly. Lady Caterina and I have been close friends for many years, I'll grant you, but neither one of us has ever expressed, or even felt, the slightest inclination to take it any further than that."

Esther flushed further. "So when...when he came to attack you..."

"I'll confess he got a bit closer than I would have preferred. However...he showed his hand too soon. I was able to dodge, though just barely, and trigger the emergency alarm." The Professor grimaced again.

Esther nodded. "So what happened?"

"Havel was attending to something else, but Lady Caterina came to my rescue." Williams grim smile reappeared on his face. "As often as she tends to dress up, it's rather easy to forget, but Lady Caterina is known as the 'Lady of Steel' with good reason."

"No kidding." Seth grinned. "I've seen her fight, and I'm pretty sure brother Abel had a hand in her training, even if he didn't teach her directly."

"Quite. Of course, she can't be seen sparring, as it's not a fit occupation for a lady, nor can she be seen associating too often with the normal clergy. But Abel has been closer than her shadow for years, and one of the first things he taught all of us in the AX, was how to look out for our Lady, and how to teach her to protect herself." William smiled. "I honestly can't say which is more amazing, how well he handled it, or how few of our number ever realized that he was doing so."

Esther knew what they meant, but she was still worried. "Father..."

William made a rueful face. "Yes, yes, I do beg your pardon. We do seem to keep getting off the topic." He stopped a moment, collecting his thoughts. "As I said, Lady Caterina came to my rescue. I took a glancing blow to one temple, another wound to both shoulder and leg, and a rather severe slash to the abdomen." His hand not holding the pipe moved to cover his midsection with a grimace of remembered pain. "That one was nearly fatal, but I managed to deflect the worst of it, and Lady Caterina distracted him from finishing the job. I managed to throw a large bottle of rubbing alcohol in his face and over top of him, and while he was clearing his eyes, Caterina and I put three separate blades into him, before I collapsed."

Esther nodded, unsure whether she felt horrified at what had happened, or relieved that everyone survived. "Did he escape?"

The Professor shook his head. "Not at all." The grim smile washed once more over his features. "Lady Caterina was defending me, trying to get me to a place of safety, when he attempted to come after us. However, seeing that he was covered in more than one rather volatile liquid..." He paused, then held up his pipe. "I always carry matches, you know, even when I'm not smoking. Lady Caterina managed to disable him again, and I set him on fire before he recovered enough to stop me."

Esther swallowed hard, remembering the burning she'd seen on the walls of Carthage. She felt sick for a moment, then forced the memory back. "So then...von Neumann...he's..."

"Dead. There wasn't anything left but ashes." Seth rocked back in her seat. "Cardinal di Medici was a bit upset over the lack of prisoners, but even he didn't complain about it."

Esther felt a surge of relief, remembering the crazy Methuselah she'd met. Remembering his voice and his tongue, licking her blood, the weird aura of perversion that surrounded him. She shuddered. "I'm glad."

"So are we. That man was one of the more considerable weapons the Order had. His ability to imitate anyone was extremely dangerous. We're fortunate that he overplayed his hand." William stuck his pipe between his teeth once more. "I've honestly never been more glad in my life that I took up smoking, to be honest."

"No kidding. But you'd better not be smoking yet." Seth gave him a half-hearted glare. "Honestly, you haven't been out of the hospital all that long, you know. Give those wounds time to finish healing, before you start inhaling a lot of smoke."

Esther swallowed. "You will be all right, won't you Father? You didn't push yourself too hard, coming to get me?"

William smiled and reached back to pat her shoulder once more. "Never fear. I've been watched closely by everyone else aboard the ship, so I don't strain myself, and I assure you, I was taken excellent care of. Though I'll concede, I am a bit more tired than I should be. Her Majesty is probably right, that I'll need a few days more recovery time when we return."

"I told you, it's Seth. We're not in the Empire, and you aren't my subject, just my friend. Honestly, I swear, no one ever gets that right." Seth huffed, but her eyes were shining with good humor.

Esther felt a small answering smile touch her own face. The Professor chuckled. Esther looked at him. "You will be all right, Professor?"

William shrugged. "Well, I'll probably always have a bit of a limp, I suppose, and an ache in one arm. On the other hand, that's hardly new, at my age." He smiled warmly at her. "There's no need to worry, Esther. I'm sure I'll be just fine. And honestly, when you consider what we were up against, it's not that high a price to pay." His gaze slipped to Abel, who hadn't moved at all during their conversation. "To tell you the truth, Abel has endured far more than I have."

Esther nodded, her throat tightening as she ran her fingers through the long silver hair. "Seth told me. He couldn't sleep, that he's been fighting a lot. That he needed to have people helping him, to control the Crusnik. She said...that Cardinal di Medici was after him."

"He has been. However, with the heightened defense, and the help of His Holiness, Abel has been safe. And once we've returned with you, I'm fairly certain Abel will insist on remaining by your side, which will get him far away from Di Medici." William looked at his friend's sleeping face. "To be perfectly truthful, Abel is a far braver man than I could ever hope to be. Though he would most likely insist that it isn't true."

"Yes." Esther smiled softly at the man sleeping in her lap. Her Abel, not the angry child of the past, nor the torn and violent warrior of the Dark Times. Her Abel. Hurt, and torn, but loving and gentle, brave and kind. Father Nightroad. She stroked her hand across his brow, and his other hand, entwined with hers, tightened softly, even as his expression relaxed a fraction more. His lips moved, barely more than an exhalation, but it sounded like her name.

The three of them sat in silence for several moments, watching the sleeping man with similar expressions of tenderness. Esther stroked the silver hair. Seth, sitting next to her brother, reached across and gently took his free hand, holding it in a loving grip. William said and did nothing, watching Abel with a kind expression on his face. Finally, Esther looked up at them. "What are we going to do now?"

William sighed, as if a train of thought had been broken, and took his pipe from his teeth. "First off, we're going to return to the Vatican. Since we've spread the rumors that you were hiding in a safe house known to the Vatican, it's a logical step. Lady Caterina will be waiting to meet us, along with a few others, though not too many. Colonel Spencer is still in Albion at this time, so you can meet her when we send you back. Lady Caterina should have already started the plans for that."

Esther nodded. That seemed the most sensible thing to do. "And then?"

Seth shrugged. "First off, you've got to get things settled in your kingdom. I'd recommend doing a short tour in Albion, just to let the people see you. You'll have to be careful, of course, and it needn't be a long one, just enough for people to know you've returned. And you'll have to think of something to tell your Court. A full Court, I think, rather like when my Nobles gather." She pulled her knees up. "I won't tell you what to say, but I'll give you one piece of advice, Esther." She looked up, and Esther nodded to show she was listening. "It's best that you make it very clear that you trust the fealty of your two Stewards. You might even want to make a formal presentation of thanks, or something like that." A small smile ghosted her features. "Though I'm pretty sure that Lord Walsh won't thank me for suggesting it."

Esther smiled as well, knowing she was right. Virgil was a very reserved person, and a public ceremony would make him uncomfortable. Still...she remembered her time in the past, when Queen Vivian had done something similar for Alexander. Perhaps she could use some of the same techniques, so he'd not feel too embarrassed. Or throw in something for the entire Underground, in keeping with his position as its Governor. She'd find out from Mary and Vanessa if there was anything appropriate.

She nodded again. "I'll take that advice. But after Albion is settled..."

"Well, technically, that will be up to you, Caterina, and Seth, as the leaders of the Alliance. However, if you want the truth..." William hesitated.

"It will be up to Abel." Seth spoke softly. "Abel is the only one who can handle this, who can stop Cain. They've been at a stalemate, more or less, ever since you disappeared, and Cain's only come to the field of battle once. But Abel is the only one who can truly say what will happen now." Her face was sad.

Esther understood. This wasn't a decision Abel should have to make. No one should. But they were right. Abel was the only one who could end Cain's madness. Even if they could find a way to defeat Cain without him, she suspected he would have refused. He believed too much in his own responsibility toward his brother.

There was another long moment of silence, then William spoke again. "We should be arriving at the Vatican in a few hours. However, there's plenty of time for you to rest some more, you and Abel both."

Esther felt tired, but she also felt sticky, and dirty, and her clothing...she knew it would create more questions than they could answer. "I really..."

"You really should rest some more." Seth bounced carefully to her feet. "Don't worry. I'll wake you and Abel both in time for you to clean up, okay?"

Esther nodded gratefully. "In that case...I am feeling a bit tired."

"All to be expected." William levered himself to his feet while Seth grabbed the dishes. "We'll tell Lord Walsh you're resting, and to notify you when we get to Rome. In the meantime, just concentrate on making the most of your time to relax. I suspect things will be rather hectic after we actually land."

Esther nodded, and returned his kind smile with one of her own, then watched as the two of them left the room. As soon as they were gone, she shifted, so that she was leaning partially against the pillows, Abel still lying across her legs. Within seconds, she slipped back into sleep.

8888888888

Esther woke to a gentle hand on her shoulder. She blinked her eyes to find Virgil standing over her, his face impassive, though his eyes were concerned. She blinked away the rest of the sleepiness and sat up. "Lord Walsh."

"Majesty." He bowed his head slightly. "Lady Nightroad informed me you wished to be awakened before our arrival."

"Yes." Esther stretched. Her shoulder was a bit stiff, and a few of her bruises ached, but nothing too serious. "How soon?"

"Within the hour, Majesty." Virgil's voice was still soft. With a start, Esther realized that Abel was no longer sleeping across her lap. She looked at the bed, but he was gone. Virgil spoke from beside her. "Father Nightroad had already awakened when I came in. I believe he has gone to get himself cleaned up as well."

"Oh. Of course." Esther relaxed, her panic subsiding. "Thank you." She stretched again, then rose to her feet.

Virgil backed out of her way. "I fear we have no proper bathing facilities on board, however, the sink has both hot and cold water, as well as soap, and I have a washcloth and towel for you here, and some toiletries. I've also brought you a change of clothing." He set down the bundle of cloth he'd had folded under one arm.

"Thank you. I'd like to wash up a little." Esther grimaced at her dirty clothing, and the her hands scraped and bloodstained, though little of the blood was her own. Her hair felt slightly greasy, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"Of course." Virgil held out the towel and washcloth for her, and a bag with a hairbrush and few other items, then laid the clothing neatly on the bed. "I will assist you, if you wish, or I will wait outside the room for you."

Esther flushed. She'd almost forgotten, over the months, what it felt like to have servants waiting on her. "I think I can manage on my own, if you don't mind."

Virgil nodded. "As you wish." He executed a bow, then his eyes came up to meet hers. "Majesty...allow me to say once more...I am relieved you have returned to us."

Esther nodded, thinking of his dark-haired, kind ancestor. "So am I. Very much so." Virgil watched her a moment more, then a small smile curled his mouth. He bowed once more, then took his leave.

Esther went into the bathroom and turned both taps on. The hot water felt wonderful. She removed her clothing from the past and set it to the side, then rinsed her face and arms, then the rest of her. It felt a bit odd, but not much different than some of the baths she'd taken under battlefield conditions, and it was a relief to be at least moderately clean again. She had no shampoo, but she did run her brush under the warm water and brush her hair thoroughly, which helped a bit. Once she felt clean enough, she wrapped the towel around her and stepped back into the bedroom. The clothing Virgil had left her was simple, but well made in fine linen and silk, the type a noble might wear in casual situations, and certainly comfortable. Esther pulled it on and settled it into place, then smoothed out the last of the creases. She took a few moments to re-arm herself, and adjust her locket, then slipped on her stockings and boots, and opened the door.

Virgil was standing across the hall from the door, relaxed but upright. Esther opened her mouth to thank him again, when the door beside him opened, and Abel emerged, tying his hair back. Esther stopped, and so did Abel.

The stared at each other for a moment, then Abel moved forward, eyes wide. One gentle hand came up to brush her cheek, lightly. His fingers were trembling. Then he pulled her to him, enveloping her in his arms. "Esther..." His grip tightened, though it was still gentle. "I was almost afraid I dreamed you. Or that you'd be gone when I came back."

"No. Of course not." Esther embraced him as well.

Abel held her a moment, then spoke softly. "I'm sorry, Esther. What happened...with Cain... I am..."

"No. You don't have to apologize." Esther pulled back enough to reach up and lay her hand on his lips. "It's all right. I know you did your best. Besides..." Her hand dropped to touch her locket and ring. "You did keep your promise. You promised me you'd come for me, even if it took you to the end of time. And you did." She smiled at him. "That's all that really matters, Abel."

He stared at her a moment. Then his head bowed, to kiss her forehead. "Thank you, Esther." He held her a moment longer, then stepped back, a slightly sheepish smile on his face. "We should probably get going. We'll be landing soon, and Seth will tease us if we aren't at the airlock before we dock."

Esther nodded, her smile matching his. "Of course." She turned. "Thank you, Lord Walsh."

He bowed, hand over his heart. "It is my pleasure to serve you, Majesty." He gestured down the hall. "If you would, I will escort you and Father Nightroad to the bay."

"Thank you." Virgil inclined his head once, then started down the hall. Esther followed behind, Abel just beside her, like a shadow. He was close enough that Esther could feel the warmth radiating off of him, but she didn't mind. It was comforting.

Seth met them at the doors, with the information that William was landing the ship. Esther felt a pang of concern, but Seth smiled. "You needn't worry. It's mostly automatic, and there's a Captain's chair in there. Honestly, if I thought he'd be straining himself at all, I'd have done it myself."

Esther nodded, her concern vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. She glanced out the window, to see the lights of sunset, then turned to Virgil. She remembered that he took silver nitrate solution, but she couldn't help being concerned. She watched as the sun played over him from the window, as they descended, but he didn't show any signs of reacting badly. She sighed, and released those fears as well.

Soon, though it felt like far too long for Esther, the ship settled to the ground. The faint vibrations of the engines faded. Moments later, William joined them. "Shall we?" He gave Esther a broad smile. "Ready Your Majesty?"

Esther straightened her shoulders. "Absolutely, Father."

Williams smile widened. "That's the spirit." He tapped the buttons by the side of the hatch, and the doors slid open.

The ramp was already fully extended. At the other end, a group of people were waiting. Esther's heart rose as she saw Caterina's familiar robes, right alongside the pope's, though Alessandro was wearing his informal clothing. Behind them Havel and Petros were sharing guard duty. And next to them stood two figures with Ion's short blond hair and Astha's distinctive red streak. Her friends, the people she'd returned through 900 years worth of time to see.

She didn't quite run down the ramp, but her steps were faster than normal, and Seth grinned as she skipped beside her. Behind her she could hear Virgil's quick, light footsteps, and the tap of the Professor's cane, and the whisper of Abel's almost noiseless tread.

Caterina smiled warmly as she reached the end of the ramp, and held out a hand to shake. "Welcome back, Lady Esther. It's been a while."

Esther nodded, her throat tight, and tears of joy dampening her eyes. "It has." She shook Caterina's hand firmly, then turned to the young man beside her. "Holiness, it's good to see you."

Alessandro blushed. "You as well, Esther." A shy smile touched his features. "It's been...it's been a long time. I missed you."

"I missed you as well." Her gaze slipped to the two guards. Havel gave her a friendly smile and a bow, Petros saluted her, his habitual scowl somehow more respectful than menacing. Esther returned the gesture, then turned to the two Methuselah.

She'd barely gotten turned when Ion took two steps forward and embraced her fiercely. "Esther!" He held her a moment, then released her, regaining some of his composure. "It's good to see you. I'm glad you've finally returned." His eyes were shining, even with the smile on his face.

Astha moved forward as well, though she delivered a noble's bow, rather than an embrace. "Welcome back, Majesty. It's good to see you." A small smile creased her face. "My tovarish has been almost impossible without you. Hopefully, you'll manage to restore some decent sense to him." There was laughter in her dry tones by the end of the sentence.

"Really now. Astha..." Abel spluttered to a halt as Seth and the rest of them laughed softly. Esther turned to look at him. Despite the exasperation in his voice, he was smiling, and the careworn face looked far more like she remembered it. Then his eyes met hers and his smile widened, warm and loving. Abel's smile. Her Abel's smile.

Esther returned it, feeling the warmth of his love, and the kindness of her friends sweeping around her, banishing the cold of the memories that still lingered.

She was home, at last, in her own time with the people she loved.

* FACT – In the cannon spoilers, either in the novels on later chapters in the ongoing manga Kaspar von Neumann under Balthasar's orders disguises himself as Caterina Sforza to stab Professor Wordsworth. Against his brothers' approval, he travels alone to Rome to finish off the injured Wordsworth. He ends up dueling with Wordsworth, who leaves his hospital bed to defend Caterina Sforza. Sister Kaya uses the distraction of the battle to burn Kaspar to death. Some facts where changed and altered in this chapter to loosely portrayed this known cannon fact. There is also a thores art work picture depicting the real cardinal Caterina holding a still injured William in the medial wing I assume somewhere in the Vatican or in Rome hospital. I'm sure everyone whom seen many of thores TB arts works knows which one I am talking about.

* FACT – Kaspar is a polymorph, his vampire ability can allow him to change his appearance very well. For this reason he is known as Hundert Gesicht (A Hundred Face). He has similar ability to what Naraku possessed in Inuyasha series. I can assume he can change his voice as well when help hide that he's a shape shifter. Otherwise he would not have been so successful in getting close enough to injuring William if he did sound like the real thing ^^

[+] - Alas it's been revealed that the Pope Alessandro might possibly be a pure blood like Esther. Now I will not officially state this fact until the polls results come in chapter 40. But to do take note my readers that Esther will not be the only 'Pure Blood', there will be a small handful more of them but I will not say who they are. I cannot make all cannon human cast characters immune to the Bacillus virus. If TBAS becomes the next story that we are chosen to work on you'll find out for sure by 100% if Pope Alessandro is one of those pure bloods along with a few others.

smcandy (AN): Some readers that have been asking me this reoccurring question one again since this the last update:

Q1# - "Are the Crusniks infertile? Are they capable at all of having or making children? If so then will those children they be alike their Crusnik patent inheriting their nano-machines/powers?'

Q2# - 'Are Abel and Esther are going to have any children or a family?'

A1#- Truth be told it was never really officially stated in the cannon that the Crusniks we infertile or not but since Abel and Lilith had a non-sexual relationship it might be safe to say that they might not wanted to have kids during the time the Armageddon war was going on. Or they might not have been able to have children there are many reasons why they these guys might have had any offspring or kin from long ago in their hay days when the red mars project was still going on.

Abel was still part of the Countra Mundi during that time. I have seen few fan arts and stories portraying Abel with a son or daughter but not stating if they are like him in having any type of new found inhumanly strength or powers. If the Crusniks did have kids the chances of them are in my POV most likely might become 50/50% of the fallowing.

How? I'll tell you why since there are many possibilities:

1= The child or children in question might just be born plan normal if mixed with pure blood's blood and DNA what pure bloods do for a Crusnik it might leave their Crusnik side dormant permanently so the child or children might never experience this type of problem when they come of age or at puberty or even when they are still very young before adolescence. They might remain normal humans for most of their lives.

2 = The child or children in question will most likely be born a Hybrid(s) of inheriting part of their Crusniks parent strength and powers so they might be able to access their Crusnik but not to full extent like their parent do. The might have a longer lifespan then a human but maybe not as long as a crusnick. Remember Cain, Abel, Seth and Lilith are genetically made humans they were not born naturally like normal humans.

3= There might be an instance that one child would inherit and become hybrid like their Crusnik parent while another child might not might then there the case of another child or children having inherit of their Crusnik parents agility and strength by a wee fraction, it all depends on whom the Crusnik mate/couples with in sexual intercourse. If the child or children had both Crusniks for a father and mother the changes are more likely the kid(s) would become 100% blood born Crusnik from bother their parents DNA and blood of the nano's forming inside when they are born.

There are so many possibilities depending on the writers POV and what they can see becoming in their stories if Cain, Abel, Seth and Lilith ever had children in their lifetime. These are just my theories and suggestions I made above. Another is such good examples to keep in mind about these are - Inuyasha a hanyo, Blade a dhamphire, Sabrina Spellman a half-witch ,Van Fanel he's 1/2 human 1/2 draconian, Hercules a Demi-god the list goes on. Some to all have a verity in strengths and weaknesses while others none at all.

A2# - Now officially right now in the story it's still very and I mean very soon for me and editor to say if Abel and Esther will l have any kids in the future after they are married, this something of spoiler that is going be stated more in the sequel TBAS but it's still very soon to say. We are not done with TBWC's story line yet, so one step at a time please everyone. Allot of you already know that these two are going to get married– "(sings) first comes love then comes marriage…. We are not going to say if they'll be a baby carriage yet.

Those kinds of questions will not be answered officially. Anything that has to do with spoilers that have yet to appear in this story and on its sequel will not confirmed until they are shown in the next update or newest chapter. For this story because we are not done with TBWC story line it kind of jumping the gun way too soon. My best advice to my readers whom have these types of lingering questions is to just place your vote on my poll on my front profile page and wait for the results in chapter 40. Depending on which story is chosen the most next you'll get your answers when the next story project is announced. So until then have a great weekend I'll see you the next time in the next update cheers.

Sincerely,

Authoress smcandy