The sun was bright today, sending beams of light down on the city as clouds danced across it. She remembered a passage in a book she'd read a while back about the beams being called 'Jacob's Ladders.' She didn't really see the connection, but it was an interesting concept: being able to climb those trails of light to the sky above. Turning her gaze forward, Skylar went back to watch Zavala from across the way in the tower, leaning a shoulder against the wall into Shaxx's area.

The Titan was speaking with a fireteam – one of each class as it were – probably giving them a strike mission. Skylar could remember the last time he'd called upon her own team for something like that. Everyone had their own missions: her with The Hidden, Z with the Scout Core, Haar with his cartography jobs. Clan Hidden Wing was the raid squad, with her at the helm after Riven, and that was one of the only times she and Zavala really spoke anymore. As the team left, moving towards the shipyard, she watched the Awoken rub his eyes, a century-old state of fatigue lingering on his features. Behind him, stood the still partly destroyed Tower, the work on it slow enough that you could still see the gaping wounds of its insides.

It was oddly fitting.

She'd been friends with him once – not good friends, but friends all the same – and she'd respected him. Now, Skylar hardly felt like she could trust him.

"It's hard to watch, isn't it?" Shaxx's deep voice didn't surprise her, she'd barely said a word since stopping where she was. Glancing at the big man as he walked up to stand next to her, arms crossed, she pressed her lips into a thin line.

"I would think it's harder for you. You were close once upon a time."

"'Were' being the important word. That friendship had been strained since the Twilight Gap incident. Saladin and I don't talk much anymore either." He had gone against both of their wishes during that event. He'd believed in his choice strongly enough to risk losing ties with some of the closest people to him. Skylar admired him for it.

"Do you ever regret it at all?"

"No." Not a second of hesitation. "I helped save lives back then, even if I'd known what would happen, I wouldn't change it." He tilted his helmet towards her and Skylar wondered once more what the man really looked like. Despite all the poker games, despite feeling like they were good friends, she'd never seen his face. He didn't drink during the games. "Sometimes, to do what you believe is right, you have to risk what it might do to what people see you as."

That was… relatable. Too relatable. Like he knew what Skylar was thinking - what she'd decided to do. Maybe he'd figured it out. Maybe he knew she'd been working with the Drifter and working less with the Vanguard – Hidden not included, of course.

"One of Cayde's last wishes was to do what I felt was right for the people I cared about, no matter what it took. It was what he'd always done."

"Indeed." The Titan chuckled slightly. "He always tried to make it look like he was just screwing around, but we know the truth. Anyone who really knew him did."

"Yeah." Her heart ached, the wound still barely healed and the scarring in her soul left by the Exo's death pulled tight. She looked back to Zavala, he'd turned to look over the City again, his hand gripping the guardrail. "I can't trust him, Shaxx," she admitted. "He and Ikora are always arguing, the Vanguard isn't stable anymore. Without the Hunter Vanguard - without Cayde to keep them as such… I just can't follow him." At least Ikora had seemed to back off the idea of leaving her position in the Vanguard… at least for now. Skylar wasn't sure what was best but for now… they needed leaders. She knew that much, even if she didn't trust Zavala. Even if Ikora kept butting heads with him.

The big man hummed. "Is that why you refused the seat that was rightfully yours?" That again. Skylar sighed, shaking her head.

"Partly. You know he was against it too. Too young, or maybe he doesn't trust me much after the events at the Tangle Shore. Either way, it doesn't matter anymore. Some other Hunter will have to do, hopefully someone who's been around long enough to manage the job. I'm not sure I could." She could lead her clan, but that… no. it wasn't something she could do, not if she were to follow through with Cayde's wishes. Her hand clenched around the strap of the rifle.

"I don't think you made the wrong choice Skylar, and frankly I can't blame you for how you feel now." His words had her look back to him, but she didn't feel much shock over them. Shaxx wasn't a straight and narrow person. He was a Warlord, even if he was here in the Tower now. He knew what it was like to do what he believed in, no matter the cost. His approval was oddly comforting.

Sterling flashed into existence a moment later, hovering close to her and nudged her in a silent 'it's time' manner. She sighed once again, feeling so, so tired these days. Pushing away from the wall she poked her Ghost in thanks. "I need to meet someone, it was nice talking with you Shaxx and… thanks."

He chuckled and a big hand patted her shoulder.

"Come to the games again soon. You've been improving lately, I would hate to see you stop."

Skylar huffed, nodding her head, and giving a small wave as she started towards the other section of the tower, waving at Banshee as she went. As she crossed the steel bridge, passing under the shadow of the Tower that stretched even farther up, a figure appeared and began to walk beside her. He'd started appearing only a few days after the gun had been made. It had scared the shit out of her, and she'd thought she was going crazy. Seeing a dead Vanguard… but no, it was just a Hive god. As if that made it any less jarring.

It's interesting that he'd be okay with what you're planning – if he truly knows. that is. Andal rolled a shoulder and Skylar glanced at him as he floated down the stairs she was descending, the motion of walking was there but unneeded. She looked at her Ghost like she often did when she was around other people to try and make the fact that she was talking to Andal seem less weird. She still didn't know how to really deal with him, but she was stuck with him, no reason to avoid that truth.

"He has his own set of morals, as I'm sure you know. He may not like that Gambit is unsanctioned, but he knows it's being done for a reason."

And he trusts you. Knows you wouldn't just switch sides for no reason. You've made some powerful friends, Phantom.

Maybe, maybe not. The game master was still a mystery to her and probably to most of the Tower in the long run. Skylar did trust him though. "It doesn't matter," she said finally. "I've made my choice." She avoided Ikora, not wanting to bother her, and started down the stairs into the area where the Drifter had set up shop. No one was in the room with him as she walked in, meeting his gaze instantly. She tried to ignore Andal as he walked around her and peered at the rogue Lightbearer.

"Was wondering where you were. Wasn't sure if you'd come to a decision, but from the look in your eyes… I'd say you have."

"I wouldn't have come here if I hadn't."

He chuckled, pushing away from where he was leaning on the guardrail, walking the few feet it took to be in front of her.

"You sure about this, Hero? You and your team, you're agreeing to work with a monster."

"As long as we remain as equals as we discussed…"

He waved a hand at her, stopping her words.

"Yeah, yeah, we have an agreement. Besides, you're too powerful to be a lacky, I'd rather have you as a partner." He smirked at her. "That doesn't answer my question though."

A monster. Skylar frowned at him.

She'd known for a while that in a lot of ways he was . Working with the Taken, using them as he was, she could see why people thought that. But often, just as Shaxx had said, you do what you have too. Glancing at Andal, she found him watching her, his eyes flickering green for a moment. It wasn't like she was much different. Looking back at the Drifter, she steeled herself.

"Then I guess I'm a monster too. Now, what's our next move?"

He didn't look surprised; he hardly ever did. Instead, he nodded his head in understanding, flipping a green coin as he did so.

"Have your team meet me on my ship tomorrow night, we have some things to discuss."

That could mean a whole lot of things, and they were probably anything but good. She'd made her choice, she reminded herself, and her clan - the founding members - had agreed with her. To keep the City safe, it was time they walked the line between Light and Dark, if that's what it took to do so.

-Cayde-

The first thing he registered was that he was cold.

Which probably meant he'd gotten himself way too wasted or partied too hard or something of the like and passed out on his balcony in the Tower. It must have been something, seeing as he couldn't remember a damn thing about it. Shit. Ikora was going to kill him if he was late to work again. There was a shushing sound and then a sudden blast of air around him, pulling at his clothes and that finally got Cayde to peel his eyelids open.

He wasn't lying down, no. In fact, he was standing up and, as his brain really turned on, he realized he wasn't on his balcony, or anywhere in the Tower at all. The room was silver and white, with faded out blue lettering on the wall in front of him that he couldn't quite make out. Rubbing his neck – it was stiff as a board – he took a step forward and half stumbled out of something, his foot catching on the lip of it. He cursed, catching himself and glancing at whatever it was he'd been stuffed in. A pod?

Okay, that's it – the guys were totally gagging him weren't they? He'd gotten wasted, passed out and they dragged him to some place somewhere and set this all up. Shaking his head to clear it he felt something brush against his forehead, tickling it and moved to brush whatever it was away.

Only for something to dart into his vision and slam into him. Or some one , as it were. The warmth of a body was instantly recognized because of the chill on his skin. He felt arms around him, pulling him tight and reflexively he did the same as his balance failed him. Blinking, he cocked his head down and saw a head of black hair, the owner of it pressing their face into his neck.

"Cayde," a female voice whispered, her breath brushing across his sensors and he almost shivered. It was kind of nice, but it was also awkward as hell too. Pulling his arms away, he grabbed her shoulders and yanked her back, forcing her arms to fall away as he looked at her.

She was a Hunter, he knew that much from the cloak and the minimal blue, gold and silver armor. Her hair was pulled back into a tail, the left half of it braided along the scalp while bangs hung over the other side of her face. Pale skin, amber eyes and a striking crimson mark across them. He spotted some scars on her face, small ones that must have been from before she'd been brought back.

She was pretty, no doubt about that.

"Hey now, Hunter," he mused, smirking. "At least ask me to dinner first. Unless… I already did? Are you part of this prank?" If so, the guys were really pulling out all the stops. She stared at him, bewildered.

"I… prank? What prank Cayde? It's me."

"Yeah… uh… look if I did something last night with you, I'm sorry but I don't remember."

She stared at him, what looked like dread starting to creep into her expression.

"He might not recognize you, Sky," another voice said, and Cayde finally turned his gaze from the Hunter to the rest of the room. There were quite a few people there but none of them were the guys he knew had put him in this situation. The one who'd spoken was…. Z? Yeah that definitely the tripmine-happy Hunter, and next to him was his Titan buddy. His eyes skimmed over a few faces before landing on Ikora.

"Uh… Ikora? What are you doing here? Okay this is getting weird because I know Shiro and Tev wouldn't involve you so why…" he paused, movement to the side of the Warlock catching his focus, nearly missing the way his friend's face changed to shock and the way the female Hunter tensed. Standing next to Ikora was another Hunter… a Hunter he'd once known. "Ana?" he said flatly, surprise and confusion flooding through him even harder. "What in the Traveler's asscrack? You're supposed to be dead!"

His exclamation was met with silence as everyone in the room stared at him, expressions differing from surprise to horror. Weight dropped from his hands - the ones that had loosened on the female Hunter - and suddenly he's not holding anything and there's a sharp thud in front of him. Cracking his head back around, he found said Hunter on the ground a foot or away from him, half laying on her back, elbows catching her. It looked like she'd tripped over her own feet while stepping backwards. How very un-Hunter of her. Forgetting the fact that he'd just seen a ghost, he focused on her for the moment.

Meeting her eyes…Cayde wasn't sure he'd ever seen the look on her face before, but the sudden mix of what looked like pain and horror had him flinching. She looked like she might be sick, in all honesty, and suddenly he felt kind of guilty about it – even if he didn't know why.

Taking a small step forward he reached out a hand, intending to help her up. "Hey, uh you alright there-" He cut himself off abruptly and froze. That… that was not his hand. Gone was the thick leather and cloth of his gloves and hoodie. Gone were the metal and wires and synth skin of his arm. No, what he was staring at was some kind of skintight blue and silver undersuit and tanned, worn skin stretched over bone that made a hand. A human hand – not an Exo.

What?

No, no, no. This wasn't right.

He was dreaming, or he was high or something.

He twitched his fingers and sure enough he watched the hand make that movement. He clenched said hand and felt the bite of nails in his palm. You didn't feel pain when you were asleep. He snapped his hand up out of his view and touched his face, feeling features that should have been Exo and weren't. His horn was gone, and he felt the texture of hair brushing his forehead instead.

Holy fucking-

The floor dropped out from under him and then slammed right back up and he stumbled back from the female Hunter staring at him in frozen disbelief. His hand caught on the edge of the door to the pod as he stared at the other one again, the sound of his own breathing elevating higher and higher.

"What is this?" he snapped, panic entering his voice, as he tried to understand what was going on. "I… Ikora what's happening? This isn't…" He couldn't think straight, all he could do was stare at his hand. His friend was there instantly, putting a hand on his shoulder. Her face was smooth, the shock in it gone and calm replacing it.

"Breathe, Cayde. It's alright, you're fine-"

"I am not fine!" he shouted, his chest tightening his throat constricting, the sound of an actual heartbeat in his ears. "I'm an Exo, Ikora, and this is clearly not my body."

"But it is, Cayde," she replied calmly, causing another ripple of shock to run through him. "This is your human body." Human… body.

"I… what? I don't…"

Human. He was… human.

What?

Ikora made a shushing sound, rubbing his arm and then gently tugging him away from the pod. "Try to breathe, Cayde, okay? Come over here and sit down. We'll explain, I promise." Oh, they better explain because clearly this wasn't a prank anymore and Cayde, really – really needed answers. His brain caught somewhere between sheer panic and numbness. Nodding silently, he let the warlock lead him across the room, his eyes catching on the Hunter still on the ground.

She was shaking so hard he was surprised she hadn't collapsed completely onto the floor, her eyes locked on the pod. Z and his friend… Haar-2? Yeah, Haar, rushed over to her, saying her name as he knelt in front of her, the two of them blocking his view of her. Whatever idle curiosity he might have had about her reaction was taken over by the fact that Cayde – EXO Hunter Vanguard – was human and as he turned inward for just a moment, he realized he couldn't feel the Solar Light that had always run under his skin.

Sitting heavily in the chair near what looked like a computer console, he looked from Ikora to Ana – bloody back from the dead Ana – to a strange female Exo, and then back to his friend. Ikora took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, and he realized for the first time that everyone – not just him – had been shocked about something. Had his being human been a surprise too? No, Ikora's statement hadn't sounded like she was surprised about that.

"Cayde?" she asked quietly.

"…yeah?"

"What's the date today?"

He paused, frowning at her. "Why?"

"Just humor me."

"Uh…" he paused, trying to think backward. He couldn't remember the night before, but he could remember the day before that. Doing some easy mental math, he stated the date back to her, cocking his head and watching her smooth brown skin lose some of its color. He heard Ana curse.

"Something went wrong," she murmured. "But what?"

He heard the Exo reply to her, but his attention shifted back to his teammate. She was looking at him like she was trying to come up with words. Ikora - the one person he knew that always had a witty remark to shoot back right at him. She looked horrible, as if him stating his answer had triggered some kind of bomb.

"Why does the date matter?" he grumbled finally. "I would think me being human would be a tad more important." He wasn't sure anything could be more important to that, but his friend apparently thought otherwise. Her gaze flicked behind him to where the Hunter and her friends were and she took in a small breath.

"No, you're right, that can wait. We need to tell you what's going on right now and then we can come back to that." She didn't look like she felt any better about her words either and Cayde just frowned at her before nodding his head slightly. "This will be a lot to take in." Her words were the understatement of the century, and it forced a single humorless laugh from him.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that."

Except, as she started talking, he realized he hadn't even begun to grasp what she meant.

N/A: And we finally get to the first chapter with a Cayde POV. It will be jumping back and forth between the two in the parent timeline as the story needs it. there's won't always be a defined pattern to them.

Thank you for reading!