Colin's posts

Hal just chuckled.

"That paperwork and sorting did not get done, no." he told her.

"It got pushed aside because of the world ending and all." he said further.

"But, regardless, if you want to get that paperwork done... let's." he finished.

He smirked internally, as he started to get things ready.

'Looks like she's already showing that she's a fitting successor to Hollie.' he thought.

"Guess your guest left an impression on you." Hal commented.

"Hardly surprising, given who it was." he reasoned.

"Though, you say 'weird'..." he then said. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"Your mana DID spike when you took the limiters off, but it seems to be at your usual levels now." he went on.

"How, exactly, do you feel weird?"

"Ah." Hal replied.

"No, I shouldn't think so." he said.

"Seems future you was a LOT more powerful, so she wore those to stop your body from falling apart." he explained.

"Seeing as she seems to be gone now, should be all right for you to remove those." he reasoned.

'...should be interesting as well.' he then thought.

'She has nowhere near the levels of Vic's mana, but... she's definitely stronger than I remember her being before all this.'

Hal sighed deeply.

"It's a long story." he said.

"And a complicated one as well." he told her.

"...that who soul joint possession? Yeah, that was you. From the future." he said.

"Seems future you decided to come to this point in time to stop the world from ending." he told her further, calmness in his tone.

"I'm not even joking."

Hal could tell that this wasn't Vic.

However... he could tell that something was... off... about Vicki.

He knew it was her, though.

"Hello." he greeted her.

"Have a seat." he said.

"Want something to drink?" he asked.

"Water, pop, juice, coffee?" he offered.

Jake raised an eyebrow and darted his tongue out.

"No... no, it's you." he said.

"I can tell." he told her.

"....sooo..." he then mumbled.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, pressing the button and allowing her entry.

"You doing all right?"

"Indeed." Nico said.

"Would not have been nice for the one that did it." he muttered further.

---

Hal looked at the text that he received, was silent for a moment, before sighing and shaking his head.

Come to my office. he sent.

Or would you prefer I go there? he then asked.

As he sent the texts, he looked around, and wondered if this was what he thought it was.

There was only one way to know, though... and that was to meet with her in person.

Nico just smirked.

"Tell me I'm wrong, though." he said.

Darrell, meanwhile, just sighed and nodded.

"That's good." he commented.

"I'm glad Mom and Dad are both all right." he said further.

"We both are." Nico said, now serious.

"Don't think either myself or Marcus would have taken too kindly to it working out any other way." he muttered.

Darrell just narrowed his eyes a bit.

"Oh, I dunno..." he said.

"How do I know you won't try to REALLY get rid of me now?" he asked.

"Because if she did, you'd be gone already." Nico chimed in.

"Disappeared. Gone. Without a trace." he continued.

"And your poor grandmother would be 'distraught' over it." he went on.

"Threatening to kill anyone she suspected of being involved." he added, taking a drink from his glass.

Nico merely looked away, false shame in his expression.

"Shame is my name!" he declared.

Darrell looked at Nico, then Sydney, then back to Nico, and then Sydney again.

"...grandma?" he said.

"News... about Mom and Dad?" he asked.

"And... and it's good, right?" he asked further, hope in his tone.

"...well, at least there's that." Jaden replied.

"Anyway... just... wanted to let you know that I'm okay. And so is Desiree." he told her.

"Be sure to tell Dad and Darrell, okay?" he asked her.

Nico, meanwhile, just smiled.

"I can guess who that is." he mumbled.

"And seems like it's good news." he whispered to his grandson.

"A lot better." Jaden replied.

"Seems me and Desiree rallied at the last moment." he told her.

"Desiree's still asleep, but she's stable. As am I." he assured her.

"So yeah, I'm fine." he said.

"We're both fine." he continued.

"...really want to get my hands on the one that attacked us, though." he then growled.

"We shall!" Hal declared, as they continued eating.

---

Sydney, Darrell and Nico were sitting at the table, eating dinner, when suddenly Sydney's cell phone rang. When she looked at the caller I.D, she saw it was the hospital calling her.

And that was either really good, or really bad, given that it was still 50/50 for both Jaden and Desiree.

She answered it quickly, but the one on the other side was NOT who she was expecting.

"Hey, Mom." Jaden greeted her.

"......." Hal was silent as he heard that.

"Yes." he said.

"I am grateful for that." he told her, a hint of sadness to his tone.

"...I do not look forward to the day where I grieve because of... well..." he then stammered, before sighing.

He would live for a very long time.

Lunet would, as well.

But Hollie... wouldn't.