Third Time's The Charm???

[Argus Steele]

The news of the day seemed to center around the mysterious blaze that gutted the lower levels of Stonebridge Institution, with one fatality. "Long time director Dr. William Cromwell's body was discovered - "

Any attempt to hear more would be drowned out by the buzzing of the front door intercom; Jared making his usual morning visit. "Hey Elf, can you let them in?" Steele shouted from down the hall.

Upon opening the door, Eve would be greeted by Jared Van Rico, munching on an apple. And Jara, who waved at her before pointing out those subtle dark smudges under her eyes. "Mornin' luv. Feelin' better I hope?"

Jared walked by, messing up her morning bed head, and took his bag of freshly bought bagels and cream cheese into the media room. Both were dressed in the official agent attire: black from head to toe, sans the dark glasses, which were tucked inside the upper jacket pocket.


Eve had calmed down by this point, and some of her confusion had even sorted itself out. She'd been leaning against the kitchen counter, bottle of OJ in hand, trying to see what else was said about Stonebridge on the news. One casualty; Cromwell. No one had even questioned what he'd been doing down in those sub-levels, had they? She'd shrugged it off at the buzz of the intercom, and went to answer the door. Granted, she hadn't been up and about too long - just long enough that she'd started to shake the mental cobwebs - but she'd managed to complete the usual little daily necessities and get dressed. Black pants that sat low on her hips, and an off-white halter top; sleeveless, but all she had to do was pull on her jacket to look quite professional. She just hadn't managed to follow suit with the all black ensemble yet. "Yeah, getting there." A toss of her curls at Jared's muss, and she promptly stuck her tongue out at him, albeit briefly.

Jara's appearance gave her a little start, but she shook it quickly...except for a little hint of sadness. That just made her think of Evan, hard-headed as he was.


"Ignore my brother. I try to all the time." Spoken with a crooked little grin, she took the bottle of OJ from Eve's hand, "Thanks luv, you're a sweetie!" And off she went to join her brother in the media room.

Jared was watching the news report, with a slight tilt of his head. "Man, the media is havin' a field day wit' this."

Jara shook her head in-between swallows. "I'm nae sheddin' a tear fer tha' bugger. Though I wonder who ... You know."

Steele had made his way inside the room, catching a bagel on the fly. "Nothing we can do about it now. They'll build some statue of him, or rename a wing of the Institution in his honor, and life will go on. That's the short attention span of the masses for you." Glancing up at the two ladies, he pointed his index finger at Jara. "You two have a standing appointment with Darcy first thing, so don't keep her waiting because it's her okay that gives you two the green light to be back out on the field. Me and Pirate get to break in a new recruit. Did we get a name?"

Jared was still all into the news report, but slowly nodded. "Mmmm, Kohnar, with a K. He's going to meet us at the Coffee Shop. Good luck, both of ye." Yes, Jared spoke that dripping with sarcasm, because he knew the next four-to-six hours would be hxll for the pair; they would get to be evaluated to be determined if they were fit to return to duty.

Grabbing his jacket, Steele leaned into Eve, giving her a quick kiss on the check before heading out with Jared, leaving the two women on their on.


"That's not just the short attention span; it's also the blind eye." She'd wandered into the media room behind Jared and Jara, and dropped into a chair. Rather than sitting up straight, she'd sank forward, elbows on her knees, and gave her eyes a rub, suppressing a yawn. Eve felt like she'd been sleeping forever, but also felt like she hadn't gotten a wink at all. Peeking over her fingertips, she'd glanced between all present before dropping her hands and straightening up. With Darcy...? She wanted to ask, but held her tongue on the question. "Oh, lovely. More psychs." A looooong way from being her favorite thing in the world; she'd have rather had some more field work than go for an evaluation. Eve couldn't help being a little shaky in her belief, at the moment, that she might pass with flying colors. "Yeah, you guys take the fun stuff." She even managed a little grin with that, just to show that she was kidding - just in time to catch the kiss on the cheek. Kohnar? Didn't she know that name? Oh yeah... "Yeah, thanks. Have fun, guys." Jara probably wasn't looking forward to the exam anymore than she was, but Eve figured if it was a necessary evil, then she'd rather get it out of the way. She even went ahead and grabbed her jacket...along with another bottle of juice.


"You okay, Eve? You look like ye been havin' those visions again. Hav' ye?" Jara followed her out of the media room. "Steele said ye been sleepin' more since the accident, an' he pulled some strings to get ye to stay here instead o' at Base." She snatched that bottle of OJ as well, and downed it within seconds. "I'm still havin' a random headache, but th' nightmares hav' stopped, finally. " Offering her friend a lazy smile, she followed her outside. "I'm verra impressed tha' Tohmaz is letting you drive his pride an' joy." She motioned at the sleek black SUV. "Guess tha' means you two are really a couple now? But tha' would mean you'd have to move in ... Right?" Giving her the eye.


What was it with this woman taking her OJ? Eve stared at her for a second, then went for a third, and didn't give her chance. She popped the top and downed it quick, then winced a little at the acid burn in her mouth and throat. Too quick! "Um.." Leaning her hip gently on the counter, Eve folded her arms, brows drawing together. She was trying to ignore the last couple questions, and having a hard time with it; the tell-tale blush had tinged her cheeks. "I've been...confused. I guess sleeping so much has screwed with my perception of things. Memories blur up, run together, especially after the kind of nightmares I have. So...I ask weird questions. Steele can tell you that much." She smiled and shook her head gently. He'd had a funny look when she'd asked him his name... "What do you mean by accident?" Her expression said she wasn't thrilled with having to ask, but she wanted to know for sure - *especially* if she was about to be dealing with a psychiatrist! Eve wanted to be found fit for duty, and only hoped she'd be able to BS her way through this. With her luck, she'd be dealing with a powerful Empath *and* mindreader..


Jara just looked at her, trying to see if she was pulling her leg or not. "Man, you hav' blocked it out. Not good, luv. Darcy won' let ye back in the group if ye don' come clean." Running a hand through her hair, she pulled it into a ponytail before leaning against the SUV. Her face slightly drained of its color. "There's only one way to break those blocks, girl." Slowly, Jara extended her hand towards Eve, palm out. "Do it before I be changin' my mind!"


This...this wasn't good, was it? Eve drew a deep breath, eyeing the outstretched hand hesitantly before glancing up at her, then back at the hand. Giving her shoulders a brief roll in an effort to relax, Eve reached out and pressed her hand to Jara's, palm-to-palm, mentally bracing herself.


"Whoo! By th' numbers, okay? Don' be puttin' me in rehab!" Okay, she cringed right then, and not because of the potential Contact but because that wasn't the right thing to say then. For either of them. Jara's eyes were growing lighter in color, and as their fingertips touched ...

The sensation was like slipping into a warm bath, and Eve would find herself sitting next to Jara. The pair were on assignment on a stretch of highway... Deja vu anyone? Everything that followed was just like before. Almost. Jara's possession happened. The two almost wrecked, but were saved by Eve's fast thinking. But this time? No Daemon creatures. There were the good samaritans, right on schedule, and this time, Jara and Eve would be pulled from the car and up the hill. The medical aid would arrive, and no one died. Eve visited Jara, who remained in a light coma for several weeks...

The next sensation felt like having ice cold water thrown into her face; the Contact had been broken. Jara was looking back at her. "Tohmaz be readin' me the riot act iffin' he knew we did tha'." A shrug as she looked up at the sky, reaching for her glasses. "Jared said ye never left me bed, until the whole Stonebridge thin' started up, an' ...I came out o' the coma right after tha'.


Finding herself blinking, returning to the here-and-now after that, Eve gave it a moment's consideration. "Steele would do that over a lot of things. It's not like I've really been trained too much in all of this." Pressing her hands together, the young woman bounced her forefingertips off her lower lip gently for a few seconds before nodding. "Yeah, I remember most of it. Some things just get...blurred. A lot of the things that have happened lately are like that." She gave a smile, slightly mischievous, slightly guilty. "I don't *forget,* not entirely, but details can get a bit lost. It's like I overloaded."


"Darcy said we must have hit a hot spot. This is my first day ... Outside." She nodded slowly. "We better get a move on. Darcy makes you take more tests for every five minutes you're late." Without warning, Jara suddenly took a running start. She leapt and slid bum and hip first over the hood of the SUV, only to land on her feet on the other side, and gave her friend a goofy grin. "Always wanted to try that."

Once they were enroute, Jara would give Eve glances while her focus was on driving. She was doing that nervous habit of biting her thumb nail when she wanted to talk about a touchy subject. A few minutes later, she spoke in a soft tone that was so *not* Jara. "Evie? Vegas."


She'd laughed at Jara's antics, and had to admit, privately, that she was kind of nervous about driving. Oh, she knew *how,* but she hadn't tried personally. Well, not that she remembered, anyway. Oh, look. She even had keys for the SUV in her jacket pocket...

Eve managed not to be too nervous once she was in the driver's seat, and wasn't doing a bad job of driving - even if she *was* taking it easy. She'd noticed the nail biting though, and had even opened her mouth to speak when Jara had spoken instead - or rather, someone seemed to have *used* Jara. She'd never known Jara to be that soft-spoken. A quick glance at the other woman, then back to what she was doing. "Pardon?"


"Vegas. *Vegas.* V-E-G-A-S!"


Eve *really* wished she wasn't driving right now, just so she could stare at Jara. Instead, she had to settle with a glance or two, brows drawn together in a frown. "Vegas. What about it?" Was she missing something?


Slouching down inside her seat, Jara folded her arms across her chest and looked slightly frustrated. She didn't even look at Eve now. (m) "Gods, don't tell me you ... You don't remember, do you? Evie, what's my middle name?" She was now looking at the other woman with a wary expression. Ironic? It's the same look *someone* else would give when something wasn't right. And she went to biting her thumbnail again.


That was about all she could take. The confusion was clear, but she couldn't focus on Jara while she was driving. A quick check of her mirrors, and Eve pulled off to the side of the road and put the car in park. Everything Jara was doing was familiar..but who? She just couldn't pin it down. Now able to focus on the other woman, Eve turned to her, giving her a close, speculative look. "Okay...what is it? What am I missing?"


What were the odds that Eve would do what Jara hoped she would? In an instant, the seat belt was undone and she was out of the SUV, putting some distance between her and the pretender. The girl could run! Jumping the railing, she landed on loose gravel, and it sent her tumbling down the roadside. *Luckily,* it was mostly grass and weeds, so she wouldn't have too many bruises; only grass stains. Of course, all that rolling left her a tad bit dizzy.


"..The hxll?!" The words were out quick, and Eve unhooked her seat belt, snatched the keys out of the ignition, and was out of the car herself less than a heartbeat later. "Jara!" What the hell was she doing? Wow, but Jara could run! Eve was pretty quick on her feet too, and ended up taking much the same kind of path as Jara - sans the rolling. She didn't roll, but she did more than a fair bit of slipping and sliding, doing well not to do it face first. "What are you *doing?!*" This just made absolutely no sense to her. At this point, she was really wishing she could rewind. Start the morning over again and try to piece things together differently.


She could get up and run again, but to where? No, all this little stunt proved was that she wasn't ready to be back on the squad. Like she really cared right then! Pulling herself up, Jara sat upright, her arms draped over her knees, and her head lowered. Dark brown eyes were watery, but not quite on the verge of crying. Yet. She spoke again in those haunted, soft tones. "I ... don' belon' 'ere. I'm nae crazy. All 'o this. It is, but it's nae."

Looking back down at the grass, she knew Eve had no clue what she was talking about. Shaking her head slowly, the tears began to fall. "I don' belon' 'ere.."


Eve had slowed when she'd gotten closer to Jara, and had been looking at her warily - more worried that she might jump up and run again rather than fearing she might get violent. Her grey eyes narrowed a bit, and she crouched down at about arm's length from Jara. Giving her space, but still nearby. Funny, but what she was saying sounded familiar... "Help me understand, Jara."


Fighting back a serious sob attack, she continued to stare down at the grass between her legs. (w) "Vegas. That was our codeword fer secret talk. Y'know, whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Evie knew this. You're nae her. I'm nae talkin' crazy, but this is nae my world. Somethin' happen'd when we hit tha' hot spot. It's like I Shifted. Switched. Somethin'. Things just did nae feel right. I felt ... wrong."

She'd take a deep breath right then. "I keep tryin' to wake up, but I *can't!"* And that was the straw that broke the camel's back; all that pent-up pressure finally broke free, causing the young woman to break down, sobbing out of control.


Watching Jara closely, Eve found herself having to take a deep breath. What was it with tears? Seeing someone else cry - *especially* a friend - could set her off as well. Nevermind what she picked up Empathically! Clearing her throat softly, Eve nodded. "Yeah. I do know what you mean. That's...I've had that one a few times. I don't think you're crazy, and even if I'm *not* the Eve you're most familiar with...I am Eve." She shrugged, trying to ignore how lame that sounded. "So how long have you felt like that? Since you woke up, or before?" Maybe she *had* Shifted? Or maybe something about resetting the realities had screwed with Jara's perception of reality, too? Jara was 'gifted,' just as Eve was; maybe something about that made it a bit harder for their memories and minds to be toyed with? All speculation; Eve wished she had *answers.*


Taking another deep breath, Jara rolled up to her feet in one smooth fluid motion and brushed herself off. "Since I woke up from my coma. A lot o' things don' make sense, don' add up." She was now walking away from Eve, heading back up the hill towards the SUV. "I don' hav' a brother. An' here I am the younger sister." Stopping once again, Jara rested her hands on her knees, finally getting herself back together.

"Sorry 'bout the breakdown. Too much to handle. Guess ye be takin' me back to Base an' find me a padded cell now, huh?"


"No, not at all. I know the feeling pretty well." Eve had stood back up, and followed Jara. "I thought that was a bit odd, too. You and Jared, I mean. I mean...I've Shifted, and in each reality, it was either you or him. Never both, before. Surprised me a little when you walked through the door." Shrugging gently, she nibbled her lower lip gently for a moment. "Made me think about one of my..um...alternates, too." More to the point, it made her think of the last things she'd said to Evan - which, naturally, she couldn't help feeling terrible about. She'd been hoping he'd pop up in one form or another, even if just long enough for her to apologize, but at the same time, she hoped he'd found *some* kind of peace.

She gave a little laugh, and shook her head. Tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Or maybe we *both* need padded cells, eh?"


Jara stopped right in her tracks, glancing back over her shoulder at her with slightly red, bloodshot eyes. "Y-you Shifted?" She was staring hard at Eve at this point, and remained silent for several moments. Then she nodded. "You're telling the truth." A *huge* sigh of relief came from her just then. "Gods be smilin' on me fer a change! I've had the whole coma thin' to be fallin' back on to explain why I don' recall some things. So, is this your ... Y'know?"

Now walking beside her, Jara continued the trek back up the side of the hill.


"Yeah, I did. Pretty scary, but also cool in a warped kind of way. If you can get past the not being sure if you're really home or not thing." A shrug, and she nudged Jara gently with her shoulder on the way back up the hill. "Oh God, but I hope it is. I don't think I can take much more. Besides, I kinda like it here - even if I'm kind of...confused." A little shake of her head, keys jingling softly in her hand. "I'm not really sure what everyone knows or remembers compared to what I do, you know? The lines are...blurred, and that makes me really nervous about talking to a psychiatrist."


"So ... Vegas?"


Giving a little laugh, Eve nodded, sobering up. "Yeah. Vegas. Big time." Nice code word. But where to even *start?*

[Argus Steele]

Darcy sat quietly across from the duo of Jara and Eve, just observing. She looked and acted exactly like the same doctor that Eve had met in Evan's realm.

"Well, you two, if either of you thought I was going to do the usual of filling out paperwork and going through the motions of you telling me what I want to hear, it's not going to happen." Darcy looked over the top of her glasses at them, and leaned back into her chair. "I'm an Empath, tried and true, so nix any thoughts of trying to bullshxt your way through this. Just don't. Be honest, okay? If you're not ready, and we give the green light, then you're not only endangering yourselves, but those around you. I, for one, don't want to spend the better part of my day here any more than either of you. So, I'll sum this up with a two part question: First, are you ready to go back out into the field? Secondly, tell me why I should believe you?"

-Thud!-

That was the sound of Jara's head hitting the table in defeat. So much for bxllnutstxng her way out of this! (m) "I am so bloody screwed. Had this whole speech ready an' everythin'." With her head still on the table, she pointed at Eve. "In that case, she can answer ye first then." With a slight twist of her executive chair, Eve found the
Empathic shrink now focused on her.

Eve had managed not to jump when Jara's head hit the table. She'd gotten good at keeping herself from being too surprised by anything, and hadn't been sure *what* to expect with this. Simply put? The young woman came in with no expectations. She didn't believe it would be simple, and though what the doctor said *sounded* simple, it really wasn't. Settling back in her chair, Eve drew her folded hands down into her lap, fingertips bouncing lightly together as she considered the questions. "The first question is easy for me to answer: Yes. The second part is a bit more difficult, seeing how I have to make a convincing argument for it." She'd calmed down, evened out a bit as she and Jara had talked before. Hope was predominant right now; she was hoping that she'd be found fit for duty, and that Jara would be as well. "Things have ... changed, Doc, I'm not going to even try to lie. I know how easy it can be to Feel it, and so does Jara." A shrug, lips pursing gently. She was eyeing the floor between them without really seeing it. "I don't know how Aware of it others are, but I think it's more clear to people like us - especially Jara and me. It's ... strange, hard to describe. I can only really relate it almost like having two different memories of the same events. Almost identical, except for a turn here or there that throws things off." That sounded batty, and she knew it. A smile curved her lips, part amusement, part wonder. Just shut up before you get *both* of you locked up! "And more to the point?
I really *will* go crazy if I don't have a way to focus my talents and put them to use." Another little shrug. "I'm sure it's probably much the same for Jara. Not exactly something that we can turn off with a switch."


Darcy would hold up her index finger to attract Eve's attention. "I need you to speak only for yourself Eve, though I admire the team player aspect." There was none of that dry detachment in her voice, and the smile was sincere enough.

The only other sound was Jara face palming herself. Darcy was very attentive during Eve's statement, letting the young woman have her complete say without interrupting. "Well spoken Eve, but I noticed that you avoided the main reason you're here."

-Thud!- That was the sound of Jara's head once again hitting the table. Darcy even cringed a little, because it did sound a little loud and hard. "You really need to stop doing that, Jara. No need to jar anything loose inside there, hmm?"

Jara would finally speak up, though the ball was still in Eve's court. She was still face-down on the table, voice muffled. "You kno' my story, Doc. I'm still adjustin' from the coma, an' I be feelin' like Goldy-bloody-locks, in someone has been sleepin' in me head." Raising her head enough to make eye contact with Darcy, she continued. "Unless ye hav' some *boring* desk job fer me, I be needin' to be gettin' me feet wet, love. Unless ye all wan' me gun shy out in the bloody field." A less subtle thud, as her forehead struck the wood once again, allowing either woman to speak.


"No, actually, I answered your questions." Eve's smile was polite, if not her eyes just a touch hard. While she wasn't exactly *bristling* at the remark, she was slightly annoyed. It was the main reason she disliked talking to shrinks, Emapathic or not; it seemed they always accused her of avoidance, even if she answered the question. "Maybe my phrasing is still off. Ah, well. My point is that unless I can put what's in here -" Here Eve tapped her temple with a fingertip, emphatically. " - To use in the field or in some other way, I'll lose it. I'm sure you've got files and seen my history and all; the point is that I almost *have* lost it before from sheer boredom and uncertainty. I *like* being in the field and being around people that get that there's a lot more than what's beneath the surface. I *like* helping people...even if, maybe, the vast majority of the population doesn't even know or understand what's really going on around them." A little brush away gesture with one hand, and she glanced at Jara, mostly hoping she'd stop whapping her head on the table.


Jara would kick Eve in ankle, muttering under her breath, "Wanna take it down a notch, love?"

Darcy, on the other hand, was jotting a few things down, while glancing up to listen to what Eve had to say. "And no, you have not answered the main reason as to why you were brought here to begin with. I'm hoping that you've finally come to terms with it, because we both agreed on your next visit that we'd see." And that was when Eve might notice the sheet-covered object off the left of the good doctor, against the wall. It looked like a huge portrait ... or like a full length mirror.

Darcy pushed away from the table, glancing at the covered object, then back to Eve. "I need to know if you're strong enough to try this, hon. In the last session, you kind of lost it. Jara, I agree with you, and I'm suggesting light duty with your brother supervising until your next session. "

Jara looked up, ready to plead her case again. "But I'm tellin' ye, if I don' get some bloody fresh air, I'm gonna pop like ... Wait. Did ye say I'm on light duty? Bloody alright then. Can I get a whoot whoot!?" Leaning back in her chair, she looked over at Eve, at the covered object in question, then back at Darcy.


Eve had glanced at Jara, then shrugged. "Take it down a notch? Why? I'm not riled up or anything. Just a bit annoyed when I'm told that I didn't touch on the main reason I'm here, but you know what, Doc? You didn't *ask* me about it. You asked us both to tell you if we think we're fit for duty, and why you should believe us." Giving a quiet sigh, the young woman shook her head gently. "I merely responded. If you wanted me to talk about the mirror or something, all you had to do was ask." She lost it last time? Well, it really sucked not to remember that...

Pushing away from the table, Eve rose and moved around it, away from the other two women, towards the covered object. Her steps didn't falter, but her pulse picked up a bit. She'd never liked what she'd seen there, but Eve was getting tired of the fear. It traced a cold fingertip down her spine, now. Stopping just to the side of it, she grasped the cover in her hand and tugged to pull it away. "I'm glad for you, Jara." And she was, though it sounded a bit distant, disconnected to her own ears.

The silvered surface seemed almost too bright to her eyes, but seemed almost...fluid. One slow step at a time, Eve stepped in front of it to view her own reflection. Progress, perhaps, as she'd kept her breathing slow, but she was still a generous distance away from the glass.


Darcy was really giving Eve a *look* now, before murmuring something about possible memory loss due to trauma, and added it to her notes.

Jara wasn't sure why she was present during this, and when she looked over at Darcy to ask why, Darcy seemed to sense this, and mouthed a single word. "Support." Jara nodded, scooting back from the table, then stood. Just in case. All eyes were now focused on one Eve N. Lizt.


For a long minute, there was nothing. Her own reflection, and the items behind her. That cold line was still drawn along her spine, from the nape to the base. Eve rolled her shoulders slowly, trying to ease some of the tension from them. There was nothing there. It was just her nerves; maybe she'd just been scaring herse-

The hand shot up quickly to press against the inside of the glass; sickly pallid with the tendon and muscle clearly visible around the joints of the fingers. The hand was still for a moment before the fingers twitched, splayed wide as if searching for something. A second came into view quickly, higher than the second; Eve was never sure how, but she'd swear the thing inside was *climbing* the glass. The dark stream of her hair came into view, as did the grey-pale face and empty sockets. This mirror was larger than most; Eve was getting a better look at her than usual, almost full body. She wore a plain gown that might have been white at one time, but now was discolored, ragged and torn. The strangest thing? Though she'd fallen back a step, they would have been standing eye-to-eye...well, if the creature in the mirror had *had* eyes that was.

She was doing well, she thought distantly. Her entire body had chilled over - whether from fear or the effect of the spectre, she wasn't sure - but she hadn't ran yet, or covered the mirror back up. "... And what is it you propose I do here, Doc?" The voice didn't really sound like her own; too level, too even, distant from the situation.


"That's why we're here, Eve. What do you want to do?" Jara was looking back and forth between as if she were watching a tennis match. "Do you want to cover it back up? Go ahead. I've seen what I needed to see."

Jara's head was tipped to one side. She had never seen the Doc's eyes that color before.


"And what was that, Doc?" Eve hadn't moved yet, hadn't made a move to retreat or cover it up. The spectre's hands were fluttering along the inside of the glass, searching for a defect or crack, Eve could only suppose. Slowly, so slowly, she took a step closer, eyeing the girl inside. She had delicate features that were familiar, so familiar, but she couldn't place them ...


"Jara?" Darcy didn't need to say anything more; the girl was already in the process of picking up the sheet, and covering the mirror. Darcy was out of her chair as well, and at Eve's side. She was trying to pull her back, slowly guide her into her seat, while offering positive words of reassurance. "Eve, I'm not sure what you had for breakfast this morning, but this new mindset of yours .... Take a deep breath now." Darcy would say nothing more, only returned to her own seat, reaching for her bottle water.

Jara still noted that Doc's eyes still maintained that funky tint to them. Was it her imagination, or did the room temperature drop a few degrees?


She gave a twist one time to shake Darcy off her arm; nothing violent, but it was firm. The bare skin was cold, and even the deep breath she took felt cold; Eve had the feeling that her breath should have been fogging the air. Once the mirror was covered again, Eve looked at Darcy, her expression quite empty. No one else could see the spectre there, could they? Glancing to Jara, Eve arched a brow just slightly, and touched the other woman, almost pointedly.

This wasn't just fear, not just the fight-or-flight response or a case of cold hands; every inch of her skin was icy, and it was all she could do to suppress a shiver as she settled back into her chair, slid her jacket on again. Not that it would do much good. "You didn't answer me. What did you need to see?" Even voice, even expression, but she knew that it was still close; waiting behind the cover, behind the glass...


Darcy did something totally unexpected: She suddenly excused herself from the room, moving rather quickly at that. It left Eve and Jara to their own devices.

Jara murmured, "Oookay. Wha' did I jus' miss? Wha' is goin' on, luv? Wha' did ye do to Doc?" Sitting beside Eve now, she offered the bottle of water that Darcy had left
behind. Jara didn't back away, nor offer any strange looks to Eve. Something happened as soon as the sheet had been pulled from the mirror. Something that the doctor had Felt through Eve, and something that made the room feel chilly. "Eve luv, wha' did ye see?"


The woman ducking out left Eve a bit confused. She'd arched a brow, and had found herself a bit more unsettled by that than she liked. "I don't know. I don't know what she expected me to do, Jara. I don't even remember she previous session she was talking about." She'd dropped her voice to a whisper, looking from the door to the other woman. "There's someone else *in* the mirror. I know how it sounds, but it's true. I've always been afraid of her and usually avoid mirrors like the plague, but this time ... I looked." Eve shrugged. "And she came in it, standing there as large as life. I didn't..." A soft shake of her head. "I was afraid, Jara, but it wasn't like ... screaming terror. I wasn't going to lose my mind or anything. I just ... Gods, but I wish someone else would *See* her for once!" Eve was half-expecting Darcy to come back in with the men in the white coats, or for something else untoward to happen. "... But it got cold, didn't it? Or am I the only one that feels that, too?"


Nodding, Jara would look back at the door, waiting for Darcy to return. "Ya-huh, it 'twas a bit chilly. Wha' ever ye Saw, Doc must hav' Felt it off th' charts because I never seen her eyes turn tha' color before. It was like a crystal black ..." Jara knew why Darcy wanted her there to offer *support.* She'd overheard Jared talking to Steele right after her release from the infirmary, when they'd assumed she was still sleeping off the meds. She had picked up on bits and pieces of the conversation, but after witnessing what she did, things were sliding into place.

The door would finally open, with an intern stepping inside, reading from a chart. "Um, Dr. Jasyn left forms for you both to sign. They're your release forms, upgrading both of you to a light active status. It could be promoted to full status on your next visit. Just sign the yellow and blue copies. "


"Is she alright?" Eve didn't particularly like the doctor, but she didn't want to freak her out or cause a breakdown of some sort, either. It was just another reason she preferred to try and work out things for herself; Empaths had it very rough in some ways.


The intern half shrugged and collected the forms. "She didn't look too hot when they asked me to bring these down to you. I think she was headed to the infirmary. Okay, you're both good to go." Smiling at them both, they were let out of the room.

Several men entered the room right behind them with interesting looking gadgets, locking and sealing it tight. Jara looked quite bemused. "Wha' the hxll was tha' all about?"


She'd watched the men entering the room, then drew the jacket closer around her. "Looking for evidence, probably." Shrugging, Eve looked at Jara. "I don't know how many other people bring things with them that travel or manifest by mirror." For better or worse, she was glad to be out, and with an okay for light duty. Speaking of which... "What does that mean, anyway? Light active status?"

Yeah, she didn't like Darcy much, but she already knew that she'd have to call her later to make sure she was okay. Guilt was a powerful thing.


She gave a small crooked grin, "It means we get to sit in the bloody car while the boys be havin' all the fun! An' you can bet yer bottom dollar tha' we'll get more than our fair share o' paper work to boot."

Letting out a deep breath once they were back outside, Jara glanced back at the building. She noticed Darcy was watching them leave. If Eve happened to look back, she'd catch the curtains closing.


"Oh, so we get to sit where it's presumably safe and look pretty. Sounds like a blast. Not." Note the hint of sarcasm in her voice? She had glanced back, only to see the curtains closing. Eve let a quiet sigh hiss out. "Well, score one for me. I freaked out a psychiatrist. Not bad, but not the one I'd always *wanted* to scare the daylights out of." She rolled her shoulders, trying to shrug off the guilt, shake the tension. Change the subject! "Soo ... I wonder how the guys are doing with the new recruit?" Fishing in her jacket pocket, Eve found the keys for the SUV.


"Hey, cut the Doc some slack. She's not much older then we are, ye kno'. If I was stuck wit' a bunch o' old farts 24-7, I'd be a little prissy too." Hip nudge, as they neared the SUV. Jara took off once again, getting to get a good slide; she did, so good she ended up going clear off the other side of the vehicle! "*Ow!*"


Naturally, Eve made a break for it, running to make sure Jara was okay. She'd expected another of those maneuvers, but *hadn't* expected that! Once she got to the other side, Eve offered the other woman a hand up, or would have...if she could have stopped laughing! She was almost breathless with it, even as she tried to get the other woman on her feet. Not that she was much help, or anything. She'd needed that though; every time she thought the giggling fit had passed, she'd see Jara do it all over again in her mind's eye ... and commence to laughing all over! For a long minute, she couldn't do anything but lean on the car, almost in tears, her sides aching.


"Vegas. Vegas ... V-E-G-A-S! Don' ye dare be tellin' the others! Or ye be findin' out wha' other talents I have, luv!" Her face was flushed, not with anger but with total embarrassment! "Jus' open the bloody door, ye git!"


She'd recovered. Mostly. Her cheeks were flushed from laughing, but she'd sobered up. "Yeah, yeah, Vegas. I can laugh, though!" Unlocking the car, Eve got in and belted up, then started it. "Soo ... where to? I don't think we were expected to be done this soon."

[Argus Steele]

-The following events happened at the same EXACT time as Eve's encounter with the spectre ... -


......One story tells of how a daughter of Lilith dwelling in a mirror came to possess a narcissistic young girl. A wife had bought a mirror and hung it in a room of her daughter. The mirror had been hung in a den of demons and a daughter of Lilith resided in it. Whenever the mirror was moved from the haunted house, the demoness within went with it. The girl spent a lot of time gazing at herself in the mirror, each time drawing closer and closer into Lilith's web. The daughter of Lilith watched the young girl's every movement. Biding her time, one day Lilith's daughter slipped out and possessed the girl through the eyes. Seizing control of the girl, Lilith's daughter dominated the girl's every move. Driven by the evil of Lilith's daughter's wishes and desires, the girl became promiscuous and ran around with many men.

It is said that every mirror is a passage into the Other world and leads to the cave that Lilith went to after she had abandoned Adam and Eden for all time. In this cave Lilith takes up demon lovers, who father upon her multitudes of demons who flock from the cave and infest the world. When these demons want to return they simply enter the nearest mirror.

Eve X would stare at what she had read for long moments before placing the lab top off to one side, the sounds of naked feet padding across black marble tile as she entered the bathroom, where a sheet remained covered/fastened over the mirror, place there by the owner as a *subtle* favor to Eve. (Along with a promised evening of unrestrained passion).

The whisperings now made more sense to her, for they were not a sign of insanity, or some deep rooted fear, as the *First* would have made herself to believe. Fear makes one weak, it poison's the meat. With a determined gleam inside those gray eyes, the sheet was firmly grasped, the pulled away from the mirror. The following silence was almost deafening, Eve X swore she could hear her own beating heart.

The silvered surface seemed almost too bright to her eyes, but seemed almost...fluid. One slow step at a time, Eve X stepped in front of it to view her own reflection. Progress, perhaps, as she'd kept her breathing slow, but she was still a generous distance away from the glass.

For a long minute, there was nothing. Her own reflection, and the items behind her. That cold line was still drawn along her spine, from the nape to the base. Eve X rolled her shoulders slowly, trying to ease some of the tension from them. There was nothing there. It was just her nerves; maybe she'd just been scaring herse-

The hand shot up quickly to press against the inside of the glass; sickly pallid with the tendon and muscle clearly visible around the joints of the fingers. The hand was still for a moment before the fingers twitched, splayed wide as if searching for something. A second came into view quickly, higher than the second; Eve X was never sure how, but she'd swear the thing inside was *climbing* the glass.

The dark stream of her hair came into view, as did the gray-pale face and empty sockets. This mirror was larger than most; Eve X was getting a better look at her than usual, almost full body. She wore a plain gown that might have been white at one time, but now was discolored, ragged and torn. The strangest thing? Though she'd fallen back a step, they would have been standing eye-to-eye...well, if the creature in the mirror had *had* eyes that was.

She was doing well, she thought distantly. Her entire body had chilled over - whether from fear or the effect of the spectre, she wasn't sure - but she hadn't ran yet, or covered the mirror back up.

Eve X hadn't moved yet, hadn't made a move to retreat or cover it up. The spectre's hands were fluttering along the inside of the glass, searching for a defect or crack, Eve X could only suppose. Slowly, so slowly, she took a step closer, eyeing the girl inside. She had delicate features that were familiar, so familiar, but she couldn't place them ...

The bare skin was cold, and even the deep breath she took felt cold; Eve X had the feeling that her breath should have been fogging the air. This wasn't just fear, not just the fight-or-flight response or a case of cold hands; every inch of her skin was icy, and it was all she could do to suppress a shiver as she reached out to touch the surface of the mirror, as while the spectre was mimicking her exact movements ...

-CONTACT-

Obsidian energy exploded from the spectre, wrapping itself around Eve X's body, swirling about her like a thing alive. Her mouth would open to scream but no noise would be heard, save for the ripping away of clothing that Eve X wore, until nothing was left. The energy then began to pass through her, causing her body to convulse uncontrollably, as the bathroom shook from the loudest scream her mouth that had ever released. The swirling then went faster and faster.

Eve X shook from the violent spectre that was joining her soul and mind. Her body moved to and fro from the mystical assault she was enduring. Just as the last wave receded, another one replaced in with new vigor. Her body helpless to the excitement she endured, holding onto the sink for dear life, watching her body in the mirror. It went on, and didn't let up for seemed like forever.

Excited beyond her wildest imagination. Over and over again she felt it wash over ever core of her being. Eve X became a wanton animal, with the desire to just give into her basic instincts. Until it was over, she screamed as the final burst of dark energy faded about her. Numb with pleasure, she collapsed to the floor, her hair and body soaked with sweat. Slowly pulling herself back up, she caught the reelection of only herself within the mirror, as a delicious evil grin slowly appeared ...

Eve X was gone, in her place stood ....

LILITH!!!

She looked upon at what had been created ...

And saw that it was good.