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It was nearing the end of the year, and for those in college it was the end of term so lots of tests going on. The Manhattan house was a mess of notebooks and text books scattered about the living room as everyone was cramming for exams. The six roommates were all sitting about the living room with faces buried in text books. Lily was sitting Indian style on the floor with Tommy’s head on her lap but neither looking at the other as both were reviewing their classes. Cora Lee was leaning against Malcolm’s side stretched out on the sofa as Malcolm sat at the end of the sofa. Both seemed deep in thought, though Malcolm had one arm around Cora Lee as she leaned against him. Malcolm had rather enjoyed the change of living in the same house as Cora Lee, even though her big brother was there too. Landon didn’t seem to give them any trouble about the fact they didn’t keep separate bedrooms. Though to keep up appearances for her father Malcolm and Cora Lee still kept their separate bedrooms for their things so if David stopped by it still looked like Cora Lee used her bedroom. Tommy and Lily kept the same amount of separation just for her parent’s sake though Tommy never slept in his own bed since they moved in. On the other sofa Ashley was stretched out looking over a text book tapping her feet and moving them to different ballet positions as she multitasked between her course work and being prepared for her dance classes. Landon sat at the end of the sofa not making a sound or saying a word about Ashley kicking him and essentially using his leg as her practice floor. No he was too busy going over his notes trying to make sure he had all the right dates and places correct for his exams.
The only thing that drew the six out of their studies was the sound of the doorbell. “Where we expecting anyone?”, Ashley questioned looking around. Everyone shook their heads. “I’ll go check.”, Landon sighed setting down his notebook heading for the door and checking the security camera and smiled shaking his head. “It’s Rachel and my band!”, Landon yelled. “Oh fun.”, Cora Lee called back rolling her eyes but smiling. “THEY HAVE FOOD!”, Landon yelled seeing bags from a Chinese place takeout place in their arms. “LET THEM IN!”, Cora Lee yelled. Landon laughed and opened the door. “Hey beautiful.”, Landon said stepping out giving Rachel a kiss before looking to his band. “Hey fellas. Come on in.”, Landon said giving a nod to the door. The guys smiled giving Landon a nod as they headed inside with the bags of Chinese food. “So this is a surprise.”, Landon said looking to Rachel. Rachel shrugged but smiled. “Figured that you guys were all cramming for finals for the semester and I know you guys, you don’t remember to eat when focused. So your band helped me out.”, Rachel explained giving Landon a quick kiss before ducking into the house to get out of the cold winter air.
“Hey guys. Rachel suggested that you six might not remember to eat. Apparently you lot get over focused.”, Mitch greeted setting down two bags of takeout on a coffee table. “We don’t even get that focused with our studies.”, Gavin joked setting down another bag of Chinese as the others did the same. “How much food did you bring?”, Lily asked looking at the seven bags placed down by Landon’s band mates. “We hope enough. We’ve seen how much Landon can pack away so…”, Jackson shrugged. “That’s probably a good gage.”, Malcolm said setting his book down and peeking into the bags. “My cousin and I can out eat Landon. Especially Tommy there.”, Malcolm teased. Tommy set his book aside and sat up from Lily’s lap and sniffed the bags. “Hey bite me Malcolm. I have an extremely high metabolism because of my power.”, Tommy defended. “Yeah well we got basically the whole menu.”, Rachel explained walking in carrying two more bags. Landon chuckled taking the bags from her setting them down. “Thanks babe. And thanks guys.”, Landon commented wrapping his arm around Rachel resting his chin on her shoulder. “You’re welcome. So eat up.”, Ben said sitting down on the floor. Everyone seemed to debate on it like they didn’t want to be the first one to dig in. Landon rolled his eyes and let Rachel go digging into a bag finding some chicken with broccoli and pulled out chopsticks starting to eat. He paused and looked at the others. “What am I going to be the only one eating?”, Landon asked. The others laughed and started digging into the bags getting out food starting to eat.
An ocean away Billy, Atif and Rose were all up late trying to study for their finals as well. Atif had been worried this semester about Rose. She was being so distant and all the wine drinking was really worrying him. He wanted to talk to her about it but she just clammed up and now with all the studying they were doing he couldn’t either. It was getting very late Atif looked to the recliner and saw Billy had fallen asleep sitting up with his textbook opened resting on his chest. Atif sighed and got up taken the book from Billy’s hands setting it down and covering Billy up with a blanket looking to Rose who was starting to go on the sofa. Atif smiled softly and walked over covering her up. “I’m not asleep…”, Rose muttered. Atif laughed a little sitting down on the floor and folded his arms on the edge of the sofa resting his chin on his arms to look at Rose’s face. “You’re fading my friend. But since you are awake, I want to talk to you about something I’ve been trying to find the right way to bring up for months.”, Atif said. Rose rolled a little and looked at Atif, his blue eyes locked unblinking on hers. “Alright. What’s up Atif?”, Rose questioned yawning. “Not your sprits for starters. I know leaving Bayville and everyone was hard. But you still have me and you have Billy. And if you left the house for more than work and classes you’d make other friends too. I’m worried about you Rose.”, Atif explained. Rose sighed. “I’ll be fine Atif. Just being here I don’t have some of my old distractions and so my mind has been doing too much thinking.”, Rose said not giving details on what her old distractions where.
Atif sighed and shook his head. “You can’t drink problems away. And remember you have a future psychologist at your disposal. I’m seriously worried. Talk to me, please. I’m here for you.”, Atif said placing a hand on her arm giving her a worried smile. Rose sighed. “I’m just dealing with facing the reality of what my life is going to be. You have Billy. You two are happy and in love. You’ll grow old together maybe via surrogacy or adoption have children together. I am my father’s daughter that kind of happiness, having a family, growing old with someone I love aren’t in the cards.”, Rose said. “Rose… I mean yes the growing old with someone is less likely because of your powers. But happiness and family are in your grasp.”, Atif said. Rose shook her head. “I’m a female Howlett, Atif. My healing factor won’t let me become pregnant and really what man will want someone who can’t give him children?”, Rose answered. Atif sighed and closed his eyes without really thinking or trying to get a vision, as he opened his eyes they were no longer blue but pure white and glowing. Rose blinked and went to pull her arm from his hand but his hand was holding firm. “A day will come. Someone will turn your life upside down and inside out. Love will find you. Happiness will find you. Family will find you.”, Atif spoke his voice a little off as it was from the vision. Rose blinked again at the prophesy being delivered. She didn’t dare to doubt Atif’s vision. He was never wrong even when they tried to make him wrong he wasn’t wrong. “Atif?”, Rose questioned.
Atif blinked and the white faded and his eyes returned to blue “What did you see?”, Rose questioned. “You said I someone would come into my life. Did you see him? What do you mean family would find me?”, Rose questioned sitting up. Atif rubbed his temples. “I couldn’t see his face. He was a blur. But he was there whoever he is. And you were smiling and there was a boy and someone else but I couldn’t see them they were a blur like the man.”, Atif explained.. Rose sighed. “Well love, happiness and family eventually found dad. Family found him first via Amiko. So maybe someday but it’ll probably end up like dad.”, Rose sighed. “Thanks for trying though.”, Rose said. Atif shook his head. “I wasn’t trying. Generally I can control when I get a vision. This one just hit me. And it actually hurt because I couldn’t get a clear of view.”, Atif answered. Rose blinked and laughed softly. “Are you alright?”, Rose asked. Atif nodded. “Yeah I’ll be alright. Nothing an aspirin can’t resolve. It’s just weird that I could clearly see you and the young boy but the other two figures were just blurs.”, Atif said shaking his head. “A young boy?”, Rose questioned. Atif nodded. “Yeah a boy with dirty blonde almost light brown hair with brown eyes. That’s why I said you’d have a family.”, Atif explained.
“Still doesn’t fix what I said. I’ll never grow old with someone so every day towards the end will be looming with that.”, Rose said shaking her head a little sitting up. “Seriously, stop. When you’re happy you don’t think about how much time you have with someone. You just think about the moment. Because nothing beyond that moment matters.”, Atif explained glancing to Billy sleeping in the recliner. “I won’t understand that until it happens. It was like that with Landon, but you see how ‘happy’ I am about that now. Goodnight Atif.”, Rose said getting up from the sofa to head to her bedroom. Atif sighed shaking his head. “You need to stop the self destruction. Try living. And you start tomorrow after we wrap up our exams. You are getting out that guitar our little Landon made you from your closest. And your arse is going to the pub for open mic night with us and my cousins.”, Atif stated. “You can’t destroy a Howlett Atif, you can just try.”, Rose deflected. “Physically you can’t, but mentally you can. So you are going to stop this crap. And you are going to listen to the one of us that is studying mental health.”, Atif stated. Rose sighed. “Fine.”, she conceded. “Good. Because I can be a stubborn Scot when I need to be.”, Atif said sticking out his tongue with a smile. Rose rolled her eyes a little and just headed up to her room to try and get some sleep.
Finals were completed and it was time to celebrate surviving the term. For Merrick he was glad to have only one semester of college left to finish up his associates in Liberal Arts. He’d been enjoying this last semester because he’d given up his little black book, having politely told each of the girls that he’d found someone he wanted to really date. Some understood and others didn’t but he didn’t care. He wanted to be with Leslie and only Leslie. And the last two months he’d done just that. They went out on over twenty dates before Leslie invited him upstairs to her apartment. And that first time and every time following had been different than really any other time he’d been with someone. It was good sex, but it was more than just that. There was more to it than sex. There was emotions in it. He’d never let himself have emotions let along bring them into the bedroom. But it was so much different with Leslie. He did care about her, he felt more for her than he’d felt for any girl he’d been with, with very few exceptions and none that he’d admit to. He held back in bed, only because he didn’t want to really claw her or bite too hard like he would with Rose. But she still brought that out of him, he did still bit and at least scratch but never anything that drew blood. It scared him what he felt for Leslie.
He was sitting in the living room of the Haven looking at his phone flipping through photos he’d taken, well mostly that were taken by Leslie. Merrick smiled as he looked at the pictures of Leslie with him making goofy faces or kissing his cheek. He sighed a little as he kept flipping through the photos. But he went too far back in his photos and stopped at a picture of Rose. He remembered taking the picture. It was before she left, not their last night together but a few weeks before. She was getting dressed and there was something about the way the fire lit up her skin and made her red hair look at ablaze as the fire itself that he wanted to capture that. Her hair was down and still a bit messy from sex but on her lips was that smile he’d been putting there. Merrick frowned a little as he looked at the picture and remembered that night. “Merrick?”, Kim questioned walking into the living room. Merrick blinked and quickly exited his gallery and pocketed his phone. “Yes mom?”, Merrick asked. “Something bothering you?”, Kim asked sitting down on the couch next to him. “You know you can talk to me right? About anything.”, Kim said with a sigh looking at her oldest son. Merrick smiled and looked at his mom and nodded. “I know I can mom. Just trying to figure out what I feel.”, Merrick answered.
Kim raised an eyebrow. Merrick never talked about feelings well other than rage. “What kind of feelings Merrick? This about the girl that you talk to all the time?”, Kim asked. Merrick smiled and nodded. “My girlfriend mom.”, Merrick explained. Kim blinked. “Girlfriend? Like actual girlfriend?”, Kim asked. This was the first she’d ever heard him say the word. Merrick nodded. “Yes. Girlfriend. Like Lily is Tommy’s girlfriend ect. Her name is Leslie and We’ve been dating a couple months now.”, Merrick explained. Kim hit his arm. “Ouch..What was that for mom?”, Merrick asked. “A couple months? My son has had a serious relationship, his first ever, for a couple months and I’m just now being told.”, Kim answered. Merrick laughed and shrugged. “Sorry I’m just not used to this. It’s weird. I’ve never been serious about someone. Leslie is different though. It’s not about sex, granted we do that, but I just like being around her talking to her or just silently holding her close.”, Merrick explained. Kim smiled and nodded. “It sounds like you might actually be falling in love Merrick.”, Kim explained. “Love? I…I don’t know. Only people I know for sure I love is my family.”, Merrick said shaking his head. “Loving someone isn’t the same as loving your family Merrick. If you feel this strong about her you should tell her though. I know you aren’t good with words. But you’ll find a way to express what you feel.”, Kim said patting his arm. “Thanks mom. I’ll take that under advisement.”, Merrick said standing up.
“Bring her to dinner tonight.”, Kim suggested. “Here? With this house of crazy?”, Merrick said shaking his head. “Not the whole Haven Merrick. College is out for the winter break. So Lily and Tommy are coming in from Manhattan, Josalyn and Robert are coming down from Boston and your father and Emma are coming over too. I’m sure we’d all like to meet your girlfriend.”, Kim explained. Merrick shook his head. “No mom.”, Merrick said sternly. “What? Why not?”, Kim questioned. Merrick sighed. “Look mom. Leslie is human and when she got to Bayville she met Josalyn and Emma and it wasn’t a friendly meeting.”, Merrick explained. “They attacked her? Oh alright. I understand sweetie. Then bring her tomorrow night when Emma and Josalyn won’t be here. But the Bryants will be so if you don’t mind that your cousins and their other halves will be here too.”, Kim suggested. Merrick sighed. “I’ll ask Leslie. That’s kind of a big step meeting my family. Even bigger when you want her to meet the cousins too. I better for to work. Bye mom.”, Merrick said giving his mom a kiss on the top of the head before heading out. “Bye Merrick.”, Kim waved and sighed picking up phone.
She called Josalyn first. “Hey mom. Just finishing getting packed. Robert and I will be on the road shortly.”, Josalyn greeted. “That’s good. I need to talk to you. Do you recall a woman named Leslie, someone you and your sister attacked when she got into Bayville?”, Kim asked. Josalyn raised an eyebrow. “Um name might be familiar I don’t know. Emma and I were part of the welcoming committee as it were from the Academy to new humans with FOH ties. Why?”, Josalyn asked putting the last bag in the trunk of Robert’s car. “Well your brother is dating her now. And I don’t really care if the name does or doesn’t ring a bell. If you run into this woman again weather she’s in the company of Merrick or not you will be polite and respectful or I’ll ring your bell. Am I understood young lady?”, Kim said. Josalyn blinked being told Merrick had a girlfriend. “Um. Yeah understood mom. If she’s Merrick’s girlfriend she’s off limits loud and clear.”, Josalyn nodded. “We’ll see you in a few hours mom.”, Josalyn said. “Alright drive safe.”, Kim said hanging up. Next she called Emma’s cell phone. “Hey mom.”, Emma greeted a smile in her voice. “Hi Emma dear. Need to asked you something.”, Kim greeted. “Sure what’s up mom?”, Emma asked. “Does the name Leslie mean anything to you?”, Kim asked. Emma thought and shrugged. “No clue. Why?”, Emma asked. “Apparently you and your sister Josalyn gave her an unfriendly welcome to Bayville.”, Kim explained. Emma shrugged. “Possible. Why?”, Emma asked. “Well she is Merrick’s girlfriend now.”, Kim stated. Emma dropped her phone in surprise. “Emma? Emma?!”, Kim questioned. Emma blinked and quickly picked up the phone. “Girlfriend? Merrick doesn’t do commitment he sleeps around.”, Emma said shaking her head. “Well not anymore. He really cares about this girl. So from this point forward she is off limits. You see her with him or by herself you are to be polite and respectful or I will discipline you severely. Am I understood?”, Kim explained. “Um..sure mom. Whatever you say.”, Emma said. “Good. I’ll see you tonight at dinner.”, Kim said hanging up.
Open mic night at the local pub was upon Rose and all she wanted to do was pretend to be sick and stay in bed. But she knew she couldn’t do that. Atif would never believe she’s sick. So she sighed and opened her closet door taking out the leather case that Mikali had given her for graduation and unzipped it a little and looked at the handmade guitar her first crush, her first love, had made her at his present. She sighed and ran her finger over the iris that dawned the head of the guitar and smiled a little her mind not thinking of the guitar’s creator but his cousin…the man who sent her those special iris bouquet. “ROSE! Come on!”, Atif shouted up the stairs. Rose sighed and zipped the case and picked it up heading out of her room and down the stairs. “I’m coming take a breath Atif.”, Rose grumbled. Billy chuckled a little putting on his jacket and wrapping a scarf around Atif’s neck that slightly covered his mouth and nose. Rose chuckled at who bundled up Atif looked. “He wearing enough layers?”, Rose teased grabbing her jacket. “Probably not. You know Atif boy catches a cold at the drop of a dime. I am not having our first Christmas in Cambridge marred by him sniffling and coughing.”, Billy said zipping his jacket up. Rose nodded. “Fair enough Billy.”, Rose agreed. “Alright let’s go.”, Atif said his voice muffled slightly by the scarf. Rose sighed and pulled her guitar case over her shoulder and followed the pair out the door.
“So we are meeting with his cousins?”, Rose asked as they walked. “Yes Donovan and Skye. You’ll know them on sight because if they weren’t his cousins you’d swear they were clones of his mom and her twin Colin.”, Billy explained. Rose nodded and trudged through the snow alongside the two and into the small pub. And just as Billy described she looked around and in an instant knew which two people were the Kearney twins. It wasn’t even just how they looked but there was a familiar scent to them. Skye leaned up in her stool at a far table and waved leaning on her brother’s broad shoulders. “OVER ‘ERE!!”, Skye called. Billy waved as they made their way over. Atif was busy trying to remove all the layers that his boyfriend had wrapped him in. Skye giggled at her cousin. “Awe sweet lad. Yer boyfriend must really love ya to wrap ya up in so many layers, even knowing dat tonig’t he’ll ‘ave ta work ta get dem off ya.”, Skye teased. Donovan laughed shaking his head. “Oye leave our cousin alone. Poor lad got a sad immune system. Wat he gets fer not growin’ up in da highlands like us. And w’o is da pretty bird?”, Donovan asked his dark blue landing on Rose a smile spreading across his lips. Atif finally get out of the many layers. “This is Rose Howlett my best friend. And don’t look at her like that Donovan or I’ll not stop her from kicking your ass.”, Atif introduced.
Rose smiled a little, since she was supposed to try and have fun. “Nice to meet you.”, Rose said. “Kick mah arse? Ah’d like ta see dat.”, Donovan said with a smirk. Skye rolled her eyes and slapped her brother hard in the back of the head. “Skye Kearney and da pig is, sadly, mah twin Donovan. Pleasure to meet anot’er redhead.”. Sky greeted with a smile. Rose chuckled a little taking a seat carefully setting her guitar case down. But for anyone who really know her, like Atif and even Billy did knew she wasn’t on her game. Since usually she’d have a witty remark or brag about her fighting skills. Atif sighed and sat down next to Rose. “Actually I think seeing a Rose verses Donovan fight could be interesting even if it went nowhere.”, Billy commented sitting down next to Atif. “At least on my end.” Rose chuckled ordering a pint from the waiter. “Oh dat so? And wat makes ya so sure o dat Billy?”, Donovan asked. “Because your healing and hot ‘knives’ might be impressive, somehow I just think the Howlett gene can keep pace.”, Billy stated ordering a pint for him and Atif. “Howlett healing is some of the best.”, Rose stated. Donovan scoffed a little. “Mah ‘ealing aint’ shabby. Kept me alive and walkin’ away from a few scraps Ah wouldn’t ‘ave otherwise.”, Donovan commented taking a long drink from his pint. Rose shrugged. “About the same with me.”, she said taking her pint.
Atif rolled his eyes. “Didn’t bring Rose here to argue who’s healing is better.”, Atif stated. “Oh den wat da occasion dat yer mate left da cottage for?”, Donovan asked. Billy grinned. “To put your arrogant ass in its place on the stage.”, Billy said pointing to the guitar case Rose brought. Rose raised an eyebrow. “Am I being used in some battle of the bands or something, you two?”, Rose questioned. “Of course not Rose. Billy, love, you are better seen than heard sometimes.”, Atif commented. “I asked Rose to come out to have fun and to introduce my cousins. I asked her to bring the guitar because personally I have missed hearing her play and sing having grown up with the sound.”, Atif explained. Billy pouted playfully at Atif knowing it wasn’t said to be mean. “I haven’t played in months Atif. You’ve survived without it so far.”, Rose said sipping her pint. “I’ve missed you playing since junior year. Do not let hat beautiful guitar and your talent go to waste.”, Atif stated. “Landon and Cora Lee made the band, I just filled in.”, Rose chuckled but smiled a little. “But I’ll play.”, she added. “A bassist and drummer do not make a band. The three of you made the ban. Because when you and the Bryant siblings got on stage magic happened.”, Atif stated. Donovan and Skye both stayed quite but watched the back and forth. “Magic doesn’t exist.”, Rose chuckled. “Well at least not that kind.”, she teased looking at Billy. “Hey you know for a fact magic is real.”, Billy said sticking out his tongue. “Magic like that does exist. When Meddling Kids played you captivated the audience and held them in your spell with nothing more than the pure talent of your voices and instruments”, Atif countered.
Rose rolled her eyes. “We were a teenage band with lucky contacts.”, she stated. Atif rolled his eyes right back. “Contacts got you gigs. It didn’t keep people wanting to hear you play.”, Atif stated. “Meddling Kids is dead, Atif. You gotta accept that.”, Rose chuckled finishing off her pint. “I accept that I’ll probably never get my three best friends to play together again. Doesn’t mean I won’t argue till I’m blue in the face that together or apart you are each extremely gifted and talented musicians.”, Atif said firmly. “I’m an alright one. Cora Lee is the one that can go professional. And Landon has other gigs.”, Rose said. “Rose, he’s serious. He’ll just keep arguing. Take the compliment and go up on stage for open mic.”, Billy suggested “I think I’m more stubborn.”, Rose said standing up and picking up her guitar case to get in line for open mic night. Skye and Donovan both laughed. “More stubborn dan a Kearney?”, they laughed in unison. Donovan finished off his pint and picked up his guitar and getting in line behind Rose. Rose waited her turn and when called forward she took her guitar from its case and took a breath putting the strap over her head as she got onto the stage doing a quick test to ensure she was all in tune. “Hi I’m Rose. So guess I’ll just start.”, Rose said looking over the crowd.
Skye turned on her stool to watch and was smiling along with Billy and Atif. Rose focused on their smiles as she started strumming before she leaned to the mic and started to sing. “Once, once upon a time. Thought that you'd be mine. But then you let your colors shine. I wanted to believe. That you were right for me. Well how could I be so naïve. Now we're broken. Forget me not. I'm falling down and I can't stop. ”, She sang softly smiling a little as she kept her focus at her two friends. “Let's go down to the apple tree. Naive as Adam and Eve. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Let's go down to the apple tree. Fighting against gravity. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Falling too deep, so can you catch me.”, she moved into the chores. “Twice, twice I caught you out. My head was in the clouds. But I woke up and came around. To see you play stupid games. Temptation in your way. 'Cause I went so fast from love to hate. Now I'm broken. Was this your plan. I'm falling down and I don't understand.”, She sang her voice a little louder but still keeping softness made eerie by her rasp. “ Let's go down to the apple tree. As naive as Adam and Eve. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Let's go down to the apple tree. Fighting against gravity. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Falling too deep, So can you catch me.”, She sang on. “You keep playing, you keep playing. I keep praying, I keep praying. That we could have been us. You keep playing, you keep playing. I keep saying, I keep saying. That it should have been us.”, her voice carried across the pub as everyone was silent just listening to her. “So let's go down to the apple tree. As naive as Adam and Eve. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Let's go down to the apple tree. Fighting against gravity. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Falling too deep, can you catch me. Falling too deep, hm, can you catch me. Falling too deep, can you catch me, can you catch me. Falling too deep”, She sang her voice fading out near the end as the song came to an end and her fingers stopped strumming the strings of her guitar. After she fell silent Atif and Skye started whistling and applauding, Billy added to the applause and soon the pub had erupted with applause. Rose smiled a little finding that she could get applause and hold an audience on her own rather nice. “Thank you.”, Rose said grabbing her case and getting off the stage putting her guitar away.
Leslie had agreed to coming to dinner, the idea of meeting Merrick’s family to her was a sign he really was serious about her. “So wait Merrick has a girlfriend? Like someone he’s seriously dating? And she’s coming to dinner?”, Cora Lee questioned sitting in the living room of the Haven next to Malcolm with the others. “Yes and you will be on your best behavior Cora Lee Bernice. All of you kids will be.”, David warned. “Don’t worry Mister Bryant. Merrick is my best friend I want to see him happy.”, Malcolm said. “Yeah dad don’t worry. None of us are going to do anything bad. Merrick’s family.”, Landon said leaning against the wall with Rachel leaning back against him. “Good because Kim will probably go ballistic.”, David warned looking at the group of kids. “Hey I’m all for my brother having a girlfriend and not being a male whore.”, Lily stated. “Yeah well leave comments like that in your head and not speak them.”, David stated. David turned his attention to the door hearing it open. “So best behaviors or else.”, David gave a final warning.
Merrick walked into the Haven hold Leslie’s hand. “Alright so this would be it. Welcome to the Haven.”, Merrick said. Leslie looked around the large space. “Holy crap Merrick. Your family lives here?”, Leslie asked. Merrick laughed a little. “Sort of. I explained to you the institute and academy. Well the Haven is the middle ground. Neutral territory. Those of us that live here are considered neutral. We aren’t supposed to get involved in the fights between institute and academy and they aren’t supposed to fight with us. For the most part the people that live here are related to me. Just two residents are blood relatives.”, Merrick explained escorting her to the living room. And there in the living room Lily, Tommy, Cora Lee, Malcolm, Landon, Rachel and David looked at her. “And welcome to the first level of hell.”, Merrick whispered. Leslie giggled and elbowed him in the ribs. Landon raised an eyebrow. Merrick smiled. “Leslie Andrews this is my cousin David Bryant, he runs the Haven. His son, my cousin, Landon Bryant and his girlfriend Rachel Howlett. My best friend Malcolm Durvo and his girlfriend, my cousin, Cora Lee Bryant. My triplet Lily Bryant-Frost and her boyfriend Thomas Maximoff. Wait where is Bastian?”, Merrick introduced realizing his younger brother was missing. Leslie looked at Lily and blinked reminding herself this wasn’t the same girl who’d attacked her just her identical twin. “Nice to meet you.”, David said before leaning out of the living room. Leslie smiled and looked around the room giving a nod to each name. “Nice to meet you all.”, she said softly.
“SEBASTIAN! YOU’RE BROHTER IS HERE WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND!”, David called up stairs. A faint rumble could be heard. Leslie raised an eyebrow and turned to see who was coming. She smiled seeing a preteen blonde haired boy racing down the stairs and skidding to a stop. Merrick rolled his eyes. “Leslie this is my little brother Sebastian Bryant-Frost.”, Merrick said messing up Sebastian’s hair. Leslie smiled. “Now your name I have heard often. Merrick brags about you all the time. You take 11th grade level AP Math and you’re only in 6th grade.”, Leslie said. Sebastian batted Merrick’s hand away but smiled. “He talks about me?”, Sebastian questioned. “Oh yes. Merrick talks about his little brother as if you were his own kid. I think you are his favorite person.”, Leslie nodded. Merrick rolled his eyes. “He’s not my favorite person, you are.”, Merrick stated. The room kind of went silent the kids looking at each other each with a look on their face of ‘what the fuck’. None of them had ever seen Merrick being sweet. Without warning there was a caw and from a perch near the ceiling a raven swooped down and landed on Leslie’s shoulder trying to get at her dangling silver earrings. Leslie jumped a little but just a little. She was after a vet so animals were her thing. “And who are you handsome? Do you like my earrings? Merrick got them for my birthday last week.”, Leslie said her voice soft and sweet . Morpheus fluffed his feather knowing better than to really pull at jewelry. “Mor-fus!”, he cawed. “Wow and he speaks. I’ve heard of raven’s being taught to speak just never seen for myself.”, Leslie said in astonishment.
Aislinn walked in from the kitchen where she’d been helping Kim and smiled, her light lavender eyes looking in the direction of Leslie. “Morpheus, come here you silly brat.”, she called. Morpheus flew onto her shoulder and nuzzled her. “My father is a vat in Ravenscar, Scotland. Morpheus has been with me since he was an egg.”, Aislinn explained. “How long ago was that?”, Leslie asked intrigued turning her attention to the woman with the straight hair and eyes. “Oh. I was ten I believe when I found him. He’d an old raven. But the ones that lived in the London tower reached over forty.”, Aislinn answered. “That’s incredible. Though of course there are documented cases of captive ravens living into their seventies.”, Leslie said with a smile. Aislinn smiled. “Wouldn’t know what to do in life without him.”, She said petting the raven a little under the beak. Leslie nudged Merrick a little since she’d not been introduced. “Right. Leslie this is my cousin Aislinn. She’s David’s wife.”, Merrick explained. “Mmmhmm. He’s terrible at introducing people.”, Aislinn commented.”How am I terrible at introducing people? Leslie is the only person I’ve ever brought home to introduce.”, Merrick defended. “And that’s why you’re terrible at it.”, Aislinn teased. She offered a hand to Leslie and smiled. “It is wonderful to meet you.”, she said. “It’s nice to meet some of Merrick’s family.”, Leslie said shaking her hand. “And that doesn’t make him terrible at introductions. It makes him selective about who he introduces.”, Leslie said leaning up and kissing his cheek. Aislinn smiled watching through Morpheus’ eyes. “Aw, look at that small smile he’s trying to hide. You’re adorable, fuzz-butt.”, Aislinn teased. Merrick rolled his eyes. “Not exactly hiding it.”, Merrick stated.
“Now if you’ll excuse me there is a final most important person for her to meet.”, Merrick added. “I’m going to guess that’s me?”, Kim said walking out of the kitchen having washed her hands from making dinner. Leslie turned her attention to the next person who walked in and she could see some similar features and smiled. “Yes mom, you are the most important person.”, Merrick smiled. “Leslie Andrews this is my mother Kimberly Bryant-Frost.”, Merrick said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Misses Bryant-Frost. Merrick has told me about you, he thinks very highly of you.”, Leslie said offering her hand. Kim walked over and looked Leslie over assessing her. She looked at Merrick who was still smiling. Kim nodded and shook Leslie’s hands. “Very nice to meet you. Wish I could say my son has told me more than your name. But he likes to keep his personal life private. Though now that you are here you can tell me about yourself.”, Kim said. “Come on then Aislinn and I have finished dinner.”, Kim said leading the way to the dining room. Everyone followed along after her taking seats at the long table. During the meal Merrick kept his left hand in Leslie’s right, thankfully Leslie being a lefty so neither were impeded in eating beyond cutting their food. There was simple conversation, mostly talk about college and people asking Leslie things about herself. But everyone did notice that during the dinner Merrick kept smiling and glancing to his left at Leslie when he did smile. For that meal they got to see the man he could be.

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It was nearing the end of the year, and for those in college it was the end of term so lots of tests going on. The Manhattan house was a mess of notebooks and text books scattered about the living room as everyone was cramming for exams. The six roommates were all sitting about the living room with faces buried in text books. Lily was sitting Indian style on the floor with Tommy’s head on her lap but neither looking at the other as both were reviewing their classes. Cora Lee was leaning against Malcolm’s side stretched out on the sofa as Malcolm sat at the end of the sofa. Both seemed deep in thought, though Malcolm had one arm around Cora Lee as she leaned against him. Malcolm had rather enjoyed the change of living in the same house as Cora Lee, even though her big brother was there too. Landon didn’t seem to give them any trouble about the fact they didn’t keep separate bedrooms. Though to keep up appearances for her father Malcolm and Cora Lee still kept their separate bedrooms for their things so if David stopped by it still looked like Cora Lee used her bedroom. Tommy and Lily kept the same amount of separation just for her parent’s sake though Tommy never slept in his own bed since they moved in. On the other sofa Ashley was stretched out looking over a text book tapping her feet and moving them to different ballet positions as she multitasked between her course work and being prepared for her dance classes. Landon sat at the end of the sofa not making a sound or saying a word about Ashley kicking him and essentially using his leg as her practice floor. No he was too busy going over his notes trying to make sure he had all the right dates and places correct for his exams.
The only thing that drew the six out of their studies was the sound of the doorbell. “Where we expecting anyone?”, Ashley questioned looking around. Everyone shook their heads. “I’ll go check.”, Landon sighed setting down his notebook heading for the door and checking the security camera and smiled shaking his head. “It’s Rachel and my band!”, Landon yelled. “Oh fun.”, Cora Lee called back rolling her eyes but smiling. “THEY HAVE FOOD!”, Landon yelled seeing bags from a Chinese place takeout place in their arms. “LET THEM IN!”, Cora Lee yelled. Landon laughed and opened the door. “Hey beautiful.”, Landon said stepping out giving Rachel a kiss before looking to his band. “Hey fellas. Come on in.”, Landon said giving a nod to the door. The guys smiled giving Landon a nod as they headed inside with the bags of Chinese food. “So this is a surprise.”, Landon said looking to Rachel. Rachel shrugged but smiled. “Figured that you guys were all cramming for finals for the semester and I know you guys, you don’t remember to eat when focused. So your band helped me out.”, Rachel explained giving Landon a quick kiss before ducking into the house to get out of the cold winter air.
“Hey guys. Rachel suggested that you six might not remember to eat. Apparently you lot get over focused.”, Mitch greeted setting down two bags of takeout on a coffee table. “We don’t even get that focused with our studies.”, Gavin joked setting down another bag of Chinese as the others did the same. “How much food did you bring?”, Lily asked looking at the seven bags placed down by Landon’s band mates. “We hope enough. We’ve seen how much Landon can pack away so…”, Jackson shrugged. “That’s probably a good gage.”, Malcolm said setting his book down and peeking into the bags. “My cousin and I can out eat Landon. Especially Tommy there.”, Malcolm teased. Tommy set his book aside and sat up from Lily’s lap and sniffed the bags. “Hey bite me Malcolm. I have an extremely high metabolism because of my power.”, Tommy defended. “Yeah well we got basically the whole menu.”, Rachel explained walking in carrying two more bags. Landon chuckled taking the bags from her setting them down. “Thanks babe. And thanks guys.”, Landon commented wrapping his arm around Rachel resting his chin on her shoulder. “You’re welcome. So eat up.”, Ben said sitting down on the floor. Everyone seemed to debate on it like they didn’t want to be the first one to dig in. Landon rolled his eyes and let Rachel go digging into a bag finding some chicken with broccoli and pulled out chopsticks starting to eat. He paused and looked at the others. “What am I going to be the only one eating?”, Landon asked. The others laughed and started digging into the bags getting out food starting to eat.
An ocean away Billy, Atif and Rose were all up late trying to study for their finals as well. Atif had been worried this semester about Rose. She was being so distant and all the wine drinking was really worrying him. He wanted to talk to her about it but she just clammed up and now with all the studying they were doing he couldn’t either. It was getting very late Atif looked to the recliner and saw Billy had fallen asleep sitting up with his textbook opened resting on his chest. Atif sighed and got up taken the book from Billy’s hands setting it down and covering Billy up with a blanket looking to Rose who was starting to go on the sofa. Atif smiled softly and walked over covering her up. “I’m not asleep…”, Rose muttered. Atif laughed a little sitting down on the floor and folded his arms on the edge of the sofa resting his chin on his arms to look at Rose’s face. “You’re fading my friend. But since you are awake, I want to talk to you about something I’ve been trying to find the right way to bring up for months.”, Atif said. Rose rolled a little and looked at Atif, his blue eyes locked unblinking on hers. “Alright. What’s up Atif?”, Rose questioned yawning. “Not your sprits for starters. I know leaving Bayville and everyone was hard. But you still have me and you have Billy. And if you left the house for more than work and classes you’d make other friends too. I’m worried about you Rose.”, Atif explained. Rose sighed. “I’ll be fine Atif. Just being here I don’t have some of my old distractions and so my mind has been doing too much thinking.”, Rose said not giving details on what her old distractions where.
Atif sighed and shook his head. “You can’t drink problems away. And remember you have a future psychologist at your disposal. I’m seriously worried. Talk to me, please. I’m here for you.”, Atif said placing a hand on her arm giving her a worried smile. Rose sighed. “I’m just dealing with facing the reality of what my life is going to be. You have Billy. You two are happy and in love. You’ll grow old together maybe via surrogacy or adoption have children together. I am my father’s daughter that kind of happiness, having a family, growing old with someone I love aren’t in the cards.”, Rose said. “Rose… I mean yes the growing old with someone is less likely because of your powers. But happiness and family are in your grasp.”, Atif said. Rose shook her head. “I’m a female Howlett, Atif. My healing factor won’t let me become pregnant and really what man will want someone who can’t give him children?”, Rose answered. Atif sighed and closed his eyes without really thinking or trying to get a vision, as he opened his eyes they were no longer blue but pure white and glowing. Rose blinked and went to pull her arm from his hand but his hand was holding firm. “A day will come. Someone will turn your life upside down and inside out. Love will find you. Happiness will find you. Family will find you.”, Atif spoke his voice a little off as it was from the vision. Rose blinked again at the prophesy being delivered. She didn’t dare to doubt Atif’s vision. He was never wrong even when they tried to make him wrong he wasn’t wrong. “Atif?”, Rose questioned.
Atif blinked and the white faded and his eyes returned to blue “What did you see?”, Rose questioned. “You said I someone would come into my life. Did you see him? What do you mean family would find me?”, Rose questioned sitting up. Atif rubbed his temples. “I couldn’t see his face. He was a blur. But he was there whoever he is. And you were smiling and there was a boy and someone else but I couldn’t see them they were a blur like the man.”, Atif explained.. Rose sighed. “Well love, happiness and family eventually found dad. Family found him first via Amiko. So maybe someday but it’ll probably end up like dad.”, Rose sighed. “Thanks for trying though.”, Rose said. Atif shook his head. “I wasn’t trying. Generally I can control when I get a vision. This one just hit me. And it actually hurt because I couldn’t get a clear of view.”, Atif answered. Rose blinked and laughed softly. “Are you alright?”, Rose asked. Atif nodded. “Yeah I’ll be alright. Nothing an aspirin can’t resolve. It’s just weird that I could clearly see you and the young boy but the other two figures were just blurs.”, Atif said shaking his head. “A young boy?”, Rose questioned. Atif nodded. “Yeah a boy with dirty blonde almost light brown hair with brown eyes. That’s why I said you’d have a family.”, Atif explained.
“Still doesn’t fix what I said. I’ll never grow old with someone so every day towards the end will be looming with that.”, Rose said shaking her head a little sitting up. “Seriously, stop. When you’re happy you don’t think about how much time you have with someone. You just think about the moment. Because nothing beyond that moment matters.”, Atif explained glancing to Billy sleeping in the recliner. “I won’t understand that until it happens. It was like that with Landon, but you see how ‘happy’ I am about that now. Goodnight Atif.”, Rose said getting up from the sofa to head to her bedroom. Atif sighed shaking his head. “You need to stop the self destruction. Try living. And you start tomorrow after we wrap up our exams. You are getting out that guitar our little Landon made you from your closest. And your arse is going to the pub for open mic night with us and my cousins.”, Atif stated. “You can’t destroy a Howlett Atif, you can just try.”, Rose deflected. “Physically you can’t, but mentally you can. So you are going to stop this crap. And you are going to listen to the one of us that is studying mental health.”, Atif stated. Rose sighed. “Fine.”, she conceded. “Good. Because I can be a stubborn Scot when I need to be.”, Atif said sticking out his tongue with a smile. Rose rolled her eyes a little and just headed up to her room to try and get some sleep.
Finals were completed and it was time to celebrate surviving the term. For Merrick he was glad to have only one semester of college left to finish up his associates in Liberal Arts. He’d been enjoying this last semester because he’d given up his little black book, having politely told each of the girls that he’d found someone he wanted to really date. Some understood and others didn’t but he didn’t care. He wanted to be with Leslie and only Leslie. And the last two months he’d done just that. They went out on over twenty dates before Leslie invited him upstairs to her apartment. And that first time and every time following had been different than really any other time he’d been with someone. It was good sex, but it was more than just that. There was more to it than sex. There was emotions in it. He’d never let himself have emotions let along bring them into the bedroom. But it was so much different with Leslie. He did care about her, he felt more for her than he’d felt for any girl he’d been with, with very few exceptions and none that he’d admit to. He held back in bed, only because he didn’t want to really claw her or bite too hard like he would with Rose. But she still brought that out of him, he did still bit and at least scratch but never anything that drew blood. It scared him what he felt for Leslie.
He was sitting in the living room of the Haven looking at his phone flipping through photos he’d taken, well mostly that were taken by Leslie. Merrick smiled as he looked at the pictures of Leslie with him making goofy faces or kissing his cheek. He sighed a little as he kept flipping through the photos. But he went too far back in his photos and stopped at a picture of Rose. He remembered taking the picture. It was before she left, not their last night together but a few weeks before. She was getting dressed and there was something about the way the fire lit up her skin and made her red hair look at ablaze as the fire itself that he wanted to capture that. Her hair was down and still a bit messy from sex but on her lips was that smile he’d been putting there. Merrick frowned a little as he looked at the picture and remembered that night. “Merrick?”, Kim questioned walking into the living room. Merrick blinked and quickly exited his gallery and pocketed his phone. “Yes mom?”, Merrick asked. “Something bothering you?”, Kim asked sitting down on the couch next to him. “You know you can talk to me right? About anything.”, Kim said with a sigh looking at her oldest son. Merrick smiled and looked at his mom and nodded. “I know I can mom. Just trying to figure out what I feel.”, Merrick answered.
Kim raised an eyebrow. Merrick never talked about feelings well other than rage. “What kind of feelings Merrick? This about the girl that you talk to all the time?”, Kim asked. Merrick smiled and nodded. “My girlfriend mom.”, Merrick explained. Kim blinked. “Girlfriend? Like actual girlfriend?”, Kim asked. This was the first she’d ever heard him say the word. Merrick nodded. “Yes. Girlfriend. Like Lily is Tommy’s girlfriend ect. Her name is Leslie and We’ve been dating a couple months now.”, Merrick explained. Kim hit his arm. “Ouch..What was that for mom?”, Merrick asked. “A couple months? My son has had a serious relationship, his first ever, for a couple months and I’m just now being told.”, Kim answered. Merrick laughed and shrugged. “Sorry I’m just not used to this. It’s weird. I’ve never been serious about someone. Leslie is different though. It’s not about sex, granted we do that, but I just like being around her talking to her or just silently holding her close.”, Merrick explained. Kim smiled and nodded. “It sounds like you might actually be falling in love Merrick.”, Kim explained. “Love? I…I don’t know. Only people I know for sure I love is my family.”, Merrick said shaking his head. “Loving someone isn’t the same as loving your family Merrick. If you feel this strong about her you should tell her though. I know you aren’t good with words. But you’ll find a way to express what you feel.”, Kim said patting his arm. “Thanks mom. I’ll take that under advisement.”, Merrick said standing up.
“Bring her to dinner tonight.”, Kim suggested. “Here? With this house of crazy?”, Merrick said shaking his head. “Not the whole Haven Merrick. College is out for the winter break. So Lily and Tommy are coming in from Manhattan, Josalyn and Robert are coming down from Boston and your father and Emma are coming over too. I’m sure we’d all like to meet your girlfriend.”, Kim explained. Merrick shook his head. “No mom.”, Merrick said sternly. “What? Why not?”, Kim questioned. Merrick sighed. “Look mom. Leslie is human and when she got to Bayville she met Josalyn and Emma and it wasn’t a friendly meeting.”, Merrick explained. “They attacked her? Oh alright. I understand sweetie. Then bring her tomorrow night when Emma and Josalyn won’t be here. But the Bryants will be so if you don’t mind that your cousins and their other halves will be here too.”, Kim suggested. Merrick sighed. “I’ll ask Leslie. That’s kind of a big step meeting my family. Even bigger when you want her to meet the cousins too. I better for to work. Bye mom.”, Merrick said giving his mom a kiss on the top of the head before heading out. “Bye Merrick.”, Kim waved and sighed picking up phone.
She called Josalyn first. “Hey mom. Just finishing getting packed. Robert and I will be on the road shortly.”, Josalyn greeted. “That’s good. I need to talk to you. Do you recall a woman named Leslie, someone you and your sister attacked when she got into Bayville?”, Kim asked. Josalyn raised an eyebrow. “Um name might be familiar I don’t know. Emma and I were part of the welcoming committee as it were from the Academy to new humans with FOH ties. Why?”, Josalyn asked putting the last bag in the trunk of Robert’s car. “Well your brother is dating her now. And I don’t really care if the name does or doesn’t ring a bell. If you run into this woman again weather she’s in the company of Merrick or not you will be polite and respectful or I’ll ring your bell. Am I understood young lady?”, Kim said. Josalyn blinked being told Merrick had a girlfriend. “Um. Yeah understood mom. If she’s Merrick’s girlfriend she’s off limits loud and clear.”, Josalyn nodded. “We’ll see you in a few hours mom.”, Josalyn said. “Alright drive safe.”, Kim said hanging up. Next she called Emma’s cell phone. “Hey mom.”, Emma greeted a smile in her voice. “Hi Emma dear. Need to asked you something.”, Kim greeted. “Sure what’s up mom?”, Emma asked. “Does the name Leslie mean anything to you?”, Kim asked. Emma thought and shrugged. “No clue. Why?”, Emma asked. “Apparently you and your sister Josalyn gave her an unfriendly welcome to Bayville.”, Kim explained. Emma shrugged. “Possible. Why?”, Emma asked. “Well she is Merrick’s girlfriend now.”, Kim stated. Emma dropped her phone in surprise. “Emma? Emma?!”, Kim questioned. Emma blinked and quickly picked up the phone. “Girlfriend? Merrick doesn’t do commitment he sleeps around.”, Emma said shaking her head. “Well not anymore. He really cares about this girl. So from this point forward she is off limits. You see her with him or by herself you are to be polite and respectful or I will discipline you severely. Am I understood?”, Kim explained. “Um..sure mom. Whatever you say.”, Emma said. “Good. I’ll see you tonight at dinner.”, Kim said hanging up.
Open mic night at the local pub was upon Rose and all she wanted to do was pretend to be sick and stay in bed. But she knew she couldn’t do that. Atif would never believe she’s sick. So she sighed and opened her closet door taking out the leather case that Mikali had given her for graduation and unzipped it a little and looked at the handmade guitar her first crush, her first love, had made her at his present. She sighed and ran her finger over the iris that dawned the head of the guitar and smiled a little her mind not thinking of the guitar’s creator but his cousin…the man who sent her those special iris bouquet. “ROSE! Come on!”, Atif shouted up the stairs. Rose sighed and zipped the case and picked it up heading out of her room and down the stairs. “I’m coming take a breath Atif.”, Rose grumbled. Billy chuckled a little putting on his jacket and wrapping a scarf around Atif’s neck that slightly covered his mouth and nose. Rose chuckled at who bundled up Atif looked. “He wearing enough layers?”, Rose teased grabbing her jacket. “Probably not. You know Atif boy catches a cold at the drop of a dime. I am not having our first Christmas in Cambridge marred by him sniffling and coughing.”, Billy said zipping his jacket up. Rose nodded. “Fair enough Billy.”, Rose agreed. “Alright let’s go.”, Atif said his voice muffled slightly by the scarf. Rose sighed and pulled her guitar case over her shoulder and followed the pair out the door.
“So we are meeting with his cousins?”, Rose asked as they walked. “Yes Donovan and Skye. You’ll know them on sight because if they weren’t his cousins you’d swear they were clones of his mom and her twin Colin.”, Billy explained. Rose nodded and trudged through the snow alongside the two and into the small pub. And just as Billy described she looked around and in an instant knew which two people were the Kearney twins. It wasn’t even just how they looked but there was a familiar scent to them. Skye leaned up in her stool at a far table and waved leaning on her brother’s broad shoulders. “OVER ‘ERE!!”, Skye called. Billy waved as they made their way over. Atif was busy trying to remove all the layers that his boyfriend had wrapped him in. Skye giggled at her cousin. “Awe sweet lad. Yer boyfriend must really love ya to wrap ya up in so many layers, even knowing dat tonig’t he’ll ‘ave ta work ta get dem off ya.”, Skye teased. Donovan laughed shaking his head. “Oye leave our cousin alone. Poor lad got a sad immune system. Wat he gets fer not growin’ up in da highlands like us. And w’o is da pretty bird?”, Donovan asked his dark blue landing on Rose a smile spreading across his lips. Atif finally get out of the many layers. “This is Rose Howlett my best friend. And don’t look at her like that Donovan or I’ll not stop her from kicking your ass.”, Atif introduced.
Rose smiled a little, since she was supposed to try and have fun. “Nice to meet you.”, Rose said. “Kick mah arse? Ah’d like ta see dat.”, Donovan said with a smirk. Skye rolled her eyes and slapped her brother hard in the back of the head. “Skye Kearney and da pig is, sadly, mah twin Donovan. Pleasure to meet anot’er redhead.”. Sky greeted with a smile. Rose chuckled a little taking a seat carefully setting her guitar case down. But for anyone who really know her, like Atif and even Billy did knew she wasn’t on her game. Since usually she’d have a witty remark or brag about her fighting skills. Atif sighed and sat down next to Rose. “Actually I think seeing a Rose verses Donovan fight could be interesting even if it went nowhere.”, Billy commented sitting down next to Atif. “At least on my end.” Rose chuckled ordering a pint from the waiter. “Oh dat so? And wat makes ya so sure o dat Billy?”, Donovan asked. “Because your healing and hot ‘knives’ might be impressive, somehow I just think the Howlett gene can keep pace.”, Billy stated ordering a pint for him and Atif. “Howlett healing is some of the best.”, Rose stated. Donovan scoffed a little. “Mah ‘ealing aint’ shabby. Kept me alive and walkin’ away from a few scraps Ah wouldn’t ‘ave otherwise.”, Donovan commented taking a long drink from his pint. Rose shrugged. “About the same with me.”, she said taking her pint.
Atif rolled his eyes. “Didn’t bring Rose here to argue who’s healing is better.”, Atif stated. “Oh den wat da occasion dat yer mate left da cottage for?”, Donovan asked. Billy grinned. “To put your arrogant ass in its place on the stage.”, Billy said pointing to the guitar case Rose brought. Rose raised an eyebrow. “Am I being used in some battle of the bands or something, you two?”, Rose questioned. “Of course not Rose. Billy, love, you are better seen than heard sometimes.”, Atif commented. “I asked Rose to come out to have fun and to introduce my cousins. I asked her to bring the guitar because personally I have missed hearing her play and sing having grown up with the sound.”, Atif explained. Billy pouted playfully at Atif knowing it wasn’t said to be mean. “I haven’t played in months Atif. You’ve survived without it so far.”, Rose said sipping her pint. “I’ve missed you playing since junior year. Do not let hat beautiful guitar and your talent go to waste.”, Atif stated. “Landon and Cora Lee made the band, I just filled in.”, Rose chuckled but smiled a little. “But I’ll play.”, she added. “A bassist and drummer do not make a band. The three of you made the ban. Because when you and the Bryant siblings got on stage magic happened.”, Atif stated. Donovan and Skye both stayed quite but watched the back and forth. “Magic doesn’t exist.”, Rose chuckled. “Well at least not that kind.”, she teased looking at Billy. “Hey you know for a fact magic is real.”, Billy said sticking out his tongue. “Magic like that does exist. When Meddling Kids played you captivated the audience and held them in your spell with nothing more than the pure talent of your voices and instruments”, Atif countered.
Rose rolled her eyes. “We were a teenage band with lucky contacts.”, she stated. Atif rolled his eyes right back. “Contacts got you gigs. It didn’t keep people wanting to hear you play.”, Atif stated. “Meddling Kids is dead, Atif. You gotta accept that.”, Rose chuckled finishing off her pint. “I accept that I’ll probably never get my three best friends to play together again. Doesn’t mean I won’t argue till I’m blue in the face that together or apart you are each extremely gifted and talented musicians.”, Atif said firmly. “I’m an alright one. Cora Lee is the one that can go professional. And Landon has other gigs.”, Rose said. “Rose, he’s serious. He’ll just keep arguing. Take the compliment and go up on stage for open mic.”, Billy suggested “I think I’m more stubborn.”, Rose said standing up and picking up her guitar case to get in line for open mic night. Skye and Donovan both laughed. “More stubborn dan a Kearney?”, they laughed in unison. Donovan finished off his pint and picked up his guitar and getting in line behind Rose. Rose waited her turn and when called forward she took her guitar from its case and took a breath putting the strap over her head as she got onto the stage doing a quick test to ensure she was all in tune. “Hi I’m Rose. So guess I’ll just start.”, Rose said looking over the crowd.
Skye turned on her stool to watch and was smiling along with Billy and Atif. Rose focused on their smiles as she started strumming before she leaned to the mic and started to sing. “Once, once upon a time. Thought that you'd be mine. But then you let your colors shine. I wanted to believe. That you were right for me. Well how could I be so naïve. Now we're broken. Forget me not. I'm falling down and I can't stop. ”, She sang softly smiling a little as she kept her focus at her two friends. “Let's go down to the apple tree. Naive as Adam and Eve. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Let's go down to the apple tree. Fighting against gravity. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Falling too deep, so can you catch me.”, she moved into the chores. “Twice, twice I caught you out. My head was in the clouds. But I woke up and came around. To see you play stupid games. Temptation in your way. 'Cause I went so fast from love to hate. Now I'm broken. Was this your plan. I'm falling down and I don't understand.”, She sang her voice a little louder but still keeping softness made eerie by her rasp. “ Let's go down to the apple tree. As naive as Adam and Eve. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Let's go down to the apple tree. Fighting against gravity. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Falling too deep, So can you catch me.”, She sang on. “You keep playing, you keep playing. I keep praying, I keep praying. That we could have been us. You keep playing, you keep playing. I keep saying, I keep saying. That it should have been us.”, her voice carried across the pub as everyone was silent just listening to her. “So let's go down to the apple tree. As naive as Adam and Eve. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Let's go down to the apple tree. Fighting against gravity. Oh oh oh, oh oh oh. Falling too deep, can you catch me. Falling too deep, hm, can you catch me. Falling too deep, can you catch me, can you catch me. Falling too deep”, She sang her voice fading out near the end as the song came to an end and her fingers stopped strumming the strings of her guitar. After she fell silent Atif and Skye started whistling and applauding, Billy added to the applause and soon the pub had erupted with applause. Rose smiled a little finding that she could get applause and hold an audience on her own rather nice. “Thank you.”, Rose said grabbing her case and getting off the stage putting her guitar away.
Leslie had agreed to coming to dinner, the idea of meeting Merrick’s family to her was a sign he really was serious about her. “So wait Merrick has a girlfriend? Like someone he’s seriously dating? And she’s coming to dinner?”, Cora Lee questioned sitting in the living room of the Haven next to Malcolm with the others. “Yes and you will be on your best behavior Cora Lee Bernice. All of you kids will be.”, David warned. “Don’t worry Mister Bryant. Merrick is my best friend I want to see him happy.”, Malcolm said. “Yeah dad don’t worry. None of us are going to do anything bad. Merrick’s family.”, Landon said leaning against the wall with Rachel leaning back against him. “Good because Kim will probably go ballistic.”, David warned looking at the group of kids. “Hey I’m all for my brother having a girlfriend and not being a male whore.”, Lily stated. “Yeah well leave comments like that in your head and not speak them.”, David stated. David turned his attention to the door hearing it open. “So best behaviors or else.”, David gave a final warning.
Merrick walked into the Haven hold Leslie’s hand. “Alright so this would be it. Welcome to the Haven.”, Merrick said. Leslie looked around the large space. “Holy crap Merrick. Your family lives here?”, Leslie asked. Merrick laughed a little. “Sort of. I explained to you the institute and academy. Well the Haven is the middle ground. Neutral territory. Those of us that live here are considered neutral. We aren’t supposed to get involved in the fights between institute and academy and they aren’t supposed to fight with us. For the most part the people that live here are related to me. Just two residents are blood relatives.”, Merrick explained escorting her to the living room. And there in the living room Lily, Tommy, Cora Lee, Malcolm, Landon, Rachel and David looked at her. “And welcome to the first level of hell.”, Merrick whispered. Leslie giggled and elbowed him in the ribs. Landon raised an eyebrow. Merrick smiled. “Leslie Andrews this is my cousin David Bryant, he runs the Haven. His son, my cousin, Landon Bryant and his girlfriend Rachel Howlett. My best friend Malcolm Durvo and his girlfriend, my cousin, Cora Lee Bryant. My triplet Lily Bryant-Frost and her boyfriend Thomas Maximoff. Wait where is Bastian?”, Merrick introduced realizing his younger brother was missing. Leslie looked at Lily and blinked reminding herself this wasn’t the same girl who’d attacked her just her identical twin. “Nice to meet you.”, David said before leaning out of the living room. Leslie smiled and looked around the room giving a nod to each name. “Nice to meet you all.”, she said softly.
“SEBASTIAN! YOU’RE BROHTER IS HERE WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND!”, David called up stairs. A faint rumble could be heard. Leslie raised an eyebrow and turned to see who was coming. She smiled seeing a preteen blonde haired boy racing down the stairs and skidding to a stop. Merrick rolled his eyes. “Leslie this is my little brother Sebastian Bryant-Frost.”, Merrick said messing up Sebastian’s hair. Leslie smiled. “Now your name I have heard often. Merrick brags about you all the time. You take 11th grade level AP Math and you’re only in 6th grade.”, Leslie said. Sebastian batted Merrick’s hand away but smiled. “He talks about me?”, Sebastian questioned. “Oh yes. Merrick talks about his little brother as if you were his own kid. I think you are his favorite person.”, Leslie nodded. Merrick rolled his eyes. “He’s not my favorite person, you are.”, Merrick stated. The room kind of went silent the kids looking at each other each with a look on their face of ‘what the fuck’. None of them had ever seen Merrick being sweet. Without warning there was a caw and from a perch near the ceiling a raven swooped down and landed on Leslie’s shoulder trying to get at her dangling silver earrings. Leslie jumped a little but just a little. She was after a vet so animals were her thing. “And who are you handsome? Do you like my earrings? Merrick got them for my birthday last week.”, Leslie said her voice soft and sweet . Morpheus fluffed his feather knowing better than to really pull at jewelry. “Mor-fus!”, he cawed. “Wow and he speaks. I’ve heard of raven’s being taught to speak just never seen for myself.”, Leslie said in astonishment.
Aislinn walked in from the kitchen where she’d been helping Kim and smiled, her light lavender eyes looking in the direction of Leslie. “Morpheus, come here you silly brat.”, she called. Morpheus flew onto her shoulder and nuzzled her. “My father is a vat in Ravenscar, Scotland. Morpheus has been with me since he was an egg.”, Aislinn explained. “How long ago was that?”, Leslie asked intrigued turning her attention to the woman with the straight hair and eyes. “Oh. I was ten I believe when I found him. He’d an old raven. But the ones that lived in the London tower reached over forty.”, Aislinn answered. “That’s incredible. Though of course there are documented cases of captive ravens living into their seventies.”, Leslie said with a smile. Aislinn smiled. “Wouldn’t know what to do in life without him.”, She said petting the raven a little under the beak. Leslie nudged Merrick a little since she’d not been introduced. “Right. Leslie this is my cousin Aislinn. She’s David’s wife.”, Merrick explained. “Mmmhmm. He’s terrible at introducing people.”, Aislinn commented.”How am I terrible at introducing people? Leslie is the only person I’ve ever brought home to introduce.”, Merrick defended. “And that’s why you’re terrible at it.”, Aislinn teased. She offered a hand to Leslie and smiled. “It is wonderful to meet you.”, she said. “It’s nice to meet some of Merrick’s family.”, Leslie said shaking her hand. “And that doesn’t make him terrible at introductions. It makes him selective about who he introduces.”, Leslie said leaning up and kissing his cheek. Aislinn smiled watching through Morpheus’ eyes. “Aw, look at that small smile he’s trying to hide. You’re adorable, fuzz-butt.”, Aislinn teased. Merrick rolled his eyes. “Not exactly hiding it.”, Merrick stated.
“Now if you’ll excuse me there is a final most important person for her to meet.”, Merrick added. “I’m going to guess that’s me?”, Kim said walking out of the kitchen having washed her hands from making dinner. Leslie turned her attention to the next person who walked in and she could see some similar features and smiled. “Yes mom, you are the most important person.”, Merrick smiled. “Leslie Andrews this is my mother Kimberly Bryant-Frost.”, Merrick said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Misses Bryant-Frost. Merrick has told me about you, he thinks very highly of you.”, Leslie said offering her hand. Kim walked over and looked Leslie over assessing her. She looked at Merrick who was still smiling. Kim nodded and shook Leslie’s hands. “Very nice to meet you. Wish I could say my son has told me more than your name. But he likes to keep his personal life private. Though now that you are here you can tell me about yourself.”, Kim said. “Come on then Aislinn and I have finished dinner.”, Kim said leading the way to the dining room. Everyone followed along after her taking seats at the long table. During the meal Merrick kept his left hand in Leslie’s right, thankfully Leslie being a lefty so neither were impeded in eating beyond cutting their food. There was simple conversation, mostly talk about college and people asking Leslie things about herself. But everyone did notice that during the dinner Merrick kept smiling and glancing to his left at Leslie when he did smile. For that meal they got to see the man he could be.