Silent Fears And Breakfast

by Ana Lyssie Cotton and Persephone

Stryfe decided that Nathan and Aliya were entirely too complacent. After the several intervening months, they didn't exactly *trust* him, but they apparently expected him to be reasonably well behaved. At least, they were willing to have him in the same room as Tyler.

Complacence. Contempt. Something like that. He should be thrilled that they weren't all that suspicious; it should make it easier for him to plot a counterstrike. The only problem was he hadn't seen any opportunities, and he was so incredibly tired because six fairly young cats didn't get ANY easier to deal with once they got a bit bigger and started dashing around.....

And they were cooing over Tyler again.

Nathan and Aliya, not the cats.

That shouldn't bother him. It was the kind of silliness parents were supposed to engage in.

Right.

After all, he was the Chaos-Bringer, the man with the plan, the one who should rule the world. He wasn't some sappy uncle-type who would coo over a little baby. Nope.

He preffered babies dead, or maybe sauteed and served with some chianti.

Aliya looked over at him, eyebrow raised. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You look positively green, Stryfe."

"Coming down with the flu?" Nathan asked solicitously, a spark of mischief lurking in his eyes.

"Only if you two keep heaping sugar around here." He muttered.

Aliya nuzzled her infant's cheek tenderly in a gesture weirdly reminiscent of something Diamonde did. Stryfe shook his head very slightly and looked away. He was quite certain no one had ever been that fond of *him*, or snuggled and cooed at him. He thought he remembered parents once, vaguely. Nice ones. But they couldn't have been nice, must have been pretending, because they'd sent him away and let Apocalypse have him, through the Askani.

He wasn't even sure how much of that he really remembered and how much he only knew from stories. But that was what had happened.

Even his clone had gotten kind parents, of some sort. Askani recruits or some such. The Daysprings. And the Askani adored *him*, for some reason.

Nobody adored Stryfe, no. Respected him, feared him, yes, or at least they used to. His troops and his town had liked him well enough; he might sacrifice soldiers at need, but that was the necessity of war. It wasn't as if he didn't do any of the fighting himself, either, or send them into hopeless situations out of sheer stupidity. He preferred to win.

Nobody had ever been interested in taking care of him.

Not that he needed taking care of now, nor had for years. But when he had needed, when he'd been a small child as helpless as Tyler or the kittens, no one had cared.

Stryfe started when a hand touched his arm. He blinked at Aliya. Her eyes were shadowed with concern now, "Stryfe?" Little Tyler was perched on her hip watching everything around himself with avid curiosity.

He shrugged her hand off and shook his head.

"Have you ever held a baby before?"

"I--"

"Here." She held out Tyler, "Just put one hand here, then let him rest in the crook of your arm, and, voila! You're holding a baby."

Stryfe stared down at the child suddenly in his arms and wondered if it was terror he was feeling. Possibly. He hadn't resisted Aliya, but he didn't really want to hold Tyler. Especially not after his feelings of being neglected and--

"Baa-baha?"

Stryfe blinked. Tyler had spoken, and then latched a hand onto his shirt sleeve. The tiny hand was clenched around the bit of material in the same sort of possessiveness Dia had with him.

He gave Aliya an annoyed look. "What am I supposed to do with him? Take him back, you're out of your mind...."

What kind of mother handed her baby to her husband's worst enemy?

"One who isn't sure the enemy is really the enemy anymore." Aliya answered softly.

He must have spoken the last thought aloud. A sneer crossed his lips, "You're deluding yourself."

"Am I?" Aliya pointed to Tyler, now happily sucking on the piece of sleeve. "He's happy. Most babies can sense evil--but he's happy as can be."

"I don't believe that. Babies don't know any better." He was being slobbered on. "Here, take him back," Stryfe held out the child, trying desperately not to think how cuddly he was--like a kitten, but bigger. And he didn't scratch like Dia did.

Aliya rolled her eyes and settled Tyler comfortably back at her side. "He likes you, you know."

"He shouldn't."

"Is there a reason you're so convinced nobody has any business liking you?"

Stryfe looked away from her and tried *not* to pay any attention to Nate watching him like a hawk.

Aliya watched Stryfe trying not to appear human and wondered if there were a law out there in the Bad Guy Handbook which stated you must never be vulnerable, or regret anything you've done. He seemed very torn. Almost like he wanted to stay evil, but wasn't sure he could.

The kittens had done a good job, keeping him awake and forcing him to not kill them. Of course, part of that was probably because Diamonde would kill him if he touched them wrong. And he actually seemed to like her.

She'd been ignoring him when a surge of... jealousy? Had come from him, and she'd seen him staring at Tyler with loathing and something that reminded her of the children they occasionally saw in burned-out towns. And so she'd walked over and handed him Tyler.

All right, so it didn't, offhand, make a whole lot of sense. Except that the loathing was all tied in with the jealousy and that horrible lost resentful feeling she was picking up.

"You know," she said conversationally, "if I'd been thinking about it, I'd have thought you'd want to *try* to make us think you were nice, and liked kittens and babies and such. That would make sense. What I can't quite figure out is why you persist in behaving as if you're at least fond of the kittens, but keep denying it, and keep trying to convince us you're horrible."

She shifted Tyler a bit. "Now, either this is all a VERY complicated ploy -- which would be slightly more likely if I couldn't read you --" She watched him tense up, and felt a little bit guilty. "-- Or you really think for some reason that you have to make an effort to keep up that reputation. Why?"

#Because he's an idiot?# Nate suggested.

#Shut up.#

#Yes, boss.# She tossed a mental glare at him, then looked at Stryfe, waiting.

Stryfe looked like he would rather be anywhere, prefferably ruling the world with neither of them around. Unless their heads were on pikes. And he was studiously not looking at Tyler.

"I..." He wanted to say something cutting, scathing, that would get him out of here even if it meant being thrown back in the worst cell he had here. Which was probably stupid. But he couldn't think of anything right off hand, with Aliya's gaze pinning him and the knowledge that she COULD read his mind.

Although he still had some shields. But she was good. Although he wasn't thinking too clearly of anything true, either....

"Is that what Apocalypse taught you?" Gentle words, warm and cool like droplets of mint, falling into the air and making him almost shudder.

"It's what my parents taught me," He said harshly. He turned from her, looked at Dayspring with loathing, "What the Askani taught me when they allowed Apocalypse to take me as his own."

Aliya's eyes flashed. Nathan raised an eyebrow, coolly, and his left eye was gleaming, but the light was oddly soft. Aliya gave her husband a glance and decided that he was going to get to answer this time.

Nathan walked over and took Tyler very gently out of Aliya's arms, cradling him. "And my parents sent me away, because of this." He jerked his head to the left a little, indicating the T-O.

"But I was lucky, I got taken care of anyway, even if I still don't have a good explanation for why two mutants who probably could have outpowered half the Elite would pretend not to have powers, to look after a diseased kid. But I can imagine situations where they would've had to leave me behind, for instance. I don't know about letting Apocalypse take you. I can't see any advantage to the Askani in that. But maybe they did."

"Maybe?! I _know_, Nathan! They could have taken you, instead, but no. You were the special one. YOU were the Chosen One! I was merely some runty little brat, no good for anything but being given over to their worst enemy." Stryfe said bitterly.

"Which makes no sense," Nathan countered. "Even going on purely practical considerations -- and the Askani can be scarily practical sometimes -- what kind of idiot would deliberately hand over the healthy, more powerful kid to Apocalypse?"

Stryfe opened his mouth, then closed it as if uncertain there was a counter to that question.

"Look," Nathan went on more quietly, "I don't know what happened, exactly, or how, just where we both ended up."

He might have been influenced by a cat, these two humans, and several kittens to mellow over the last year, but Stryfe suddenly realised a part of him didn't want to accept the help and comfort they were offering. That wasn't the sort of thing a Scion of Apocalypse would do. Nothing a Ruler would do.

Aliya and Nate exchanged a look, sensing the change in tension. #Try again later? I think you made him think.#

#I still can't believe you handed Tyler to him.#

#He liked it. Sort of. No claws.#

Nate tried not to laugh but couldn't quite keep his face still.

"Having fun laughing at the telepathically crippled?" Stryfe inquired.

"No -- I'm taking unfair advantage and telling him stories of Tyler when he's trying to be serious," Aliya deadpanned. "It's great fun at conferences."

Nathan looked rueful, "I'll never explain to the Eurasian Ambassador why my face kept twitching during that last treaty conference. He'll be forever convinced it's a physical defect."

Stryfe found the thought somewhat amusing, but since Nathan and Aliya obviously did, he didn't want to. He didn't want to flinch when Aliya's voice spoke up inside his head, either, but he did anyway. #Apocalypse tried to keep you from ever making friends who might defend you, didn't he.#

He clamped down on his unravelling shields and turned away from her, fiercely concentrating on thinking of nothing. Breachable shields were a liability. If he'd been in charge, he would have had himself shot for being so weak.

#What a good thing you aren't, then,# Aliya responded to the thought he *really* hadn't wanted her to see. She didn't sound as taunting as she could have. Should have. #Here.#

Much to his shock, he felt an *extremely* tiny increase in the minuscule amount of his powers left to him. Very tiny. Aliya was stil watching him like a hawk to make sure he did nothing else, so he used the opportunity to knit up and lock down his shields again. She smiled at him, rather sadly, as the tantalizing bit of energy ebbed back away. #It's not a weakness to be able to lean on someone, Stryfe.#

"Yes. It is." He turned and strode from the room, confident that she wouldn't come after him. Confident that once in the corridor, once away from her, all the conflict would recede. Confident it wouldn't happen again once he built his shields higher.

#How high do they have to be to keep me out, Stryfe? I'm really beginning to dislike that name, actually. Maybe I should call you something else. Ian? Yes,# she continued, as he put more distance between their suite and himself. #I think that works. Ian.#

He tried to ignore her, but finally thought back, #You are not going to change my name!#

#Aren't I?#

#Get out of my mind.#

#I'm not in. Just talking.#

#Stop it.#

#Want me to put Nate on the line?#

#No.#

#Fine. I guess we can't psycho-analyse you all in one afternoon.#

#Leave me alone!#

#You sure about that?#

The tone of the thought was almost entirely innocent. Stryfe felt slightly chilled.

#YES.#

#OK.#

Stryfe turned the last corner and stepped towards his quarters, then blinked, frowning. The room was very quiet. Usually, if he'd been away for a while, the kittens would have been setting up a racket and scratching at the door. But there was silence.

He opened the door, carefuly to block any kittens planning on escape. No kittens tried to press past his ankles and he shut the door, still frowning.

A quick glance around the room showed his things were all still there.

Just one thing was missing.

Several things, really. The kittens.

***

He went to bed, deciding sleep was the better part of sulking. At least for now it was

They'd taken his kittens, dammit. Not that he liked them. Not that he wanted them. Heck, he could sleep now--all night, too! And they wouldn't jump on him, wouldn't play with his hair, wouldn't bite his twitching fingers, wouldn't snuggle up to him and purr.

Stryfe turned over in the cot and glared at the wall. They didn't have to take them.

It wasn't like he'd really irritated them, or something. He'd just felt frustrated that they were asking questions he shouldn't have to answer. Interfering busybody, that's what Aliya was.

And yet he was being punished. He was sure of it.

At least it wasn't dishes again.

Minutes--hours?--later, someone shook him roughly awake. It was a pair of Dayspring's Askani guards. They impassively dragged him to his feet and led him from his quarters.

Without saying a word they conveyed him down several of the back halls to a dusty, tiny room that had once probably held old furniture. One of them silently handed him a canteen filled with liquid, then they stepped out. He heard the lock fasten as he finished his perusal of the room.

It was as dismal as he'd thought. A pillow, a blanket, a half-door that led to the privy, no doubt. He set the canteen on the pillow and wondered when they served meals.

Now this was more like it, he reflected as he settled cross-legged to the floor. Of course, Apocalypse would never have actually given him water. He would have had to beg for it.

Not that he had ever been allowed to become really dangerously dehydrated. Oh, no. Couldn't damage the Heir, not if Apocalypse was going to take over the body. Had to be kept docile though. And that meant no water until he begged, and that wouldn't have been until he was almost too dry-mouthed to plead intelligibly.

Maybe this wasn't really water... he opened the canteen and sniffed cautiously. Smelled like water. Probably was. Nathan could be soft that way.

It wasn't until his mind was already shivering that he recognized the sensation.

He'd been telepathically cut off. Not just power-damped -- cut off, even from the surrounding psionic slosh that even the mindblind missed when it was gone.

For a moment, he felt deaf, dumb and blind. Lost in silence that shouldn't have been there. Surrounded by a white noise that did nothing but send his brain panicking as it tried to find what should be there.

And wasn't.

The feel of wood under his outstretched hand gave him something to cling to, focus on, as his mind tried to lose itself in its quest for completion. He dropped the canteen and grabbed the blanket, pulling, rolling it into a tight wad.

Control.

Apocalypse would have failed him back to digging ditches for losing it like this.

With a rush of concentration, everything came back into focus--except that it wasn't.

He shivered.

Silence.

Mental silence worse than physical silence. With physical silence, he could clap his hands, could sing badly, could smack someone and hear the sound of flesh on flesh and a muffled cry. Mental silence was stillness. Utter loneliness.

How could he be lonely? Ridiculous.

Loneliness was not for people who were in charge. Loneliness was a lie the weaklings used to make excuses for themselves.

He stepped back from the precipice, startled at how shaky his mental state was. Could it be that not using his telepathy to control his underlings was making him vulnerable?

The answer hit him like a ton of bricks.

Of course he was weak. His shields were already falling apart like so much burnt flesh when hit with a whip.

Just like any muscle grows soft with disuse, so did the mind. He felt disgusted with himself for not having realised it before.

Fool.

Apocalypse would have shut him up until he passed out from lack of water, for this.

Doubly foolish, to believe that anything Dayspring had to offer would be good for him. It had to be both of them, holding this blanket over his mind, shutting him off from everyone, from everything.

His lips twisted into a sneer and he released the blanket and floor, standing.

There wasn't room to pace.

He kicked the blanket and started as it seemed to change colour in front of his eyes.

Water dripped from the ceiling and he backed away, staring up at the red liquid as it fell in syncopated rhythm to just above the floor.

Stryfe reached out and caught a drop in his palm. Blood.

The ceiling was bleeding.

Another drop hit the floor, the sound echoing softly into the silence. Another followed it, and another, until there was a veritable rainstorm in one tiny section of the room. As if someone had turned on a faucet, allowing rivers of blood to flow through and fill up his box.

Oddly, the blood wasn't pooling as it hit the floor. It seemed to be disappearing.

Stryfe knelt and held his hand under the storm, right at floor-level. Nothing fell into his palm. The rain, as it were, was falling into nothing.

The racket it made seemed real, but it wasn't hitting anything physical.

Sound.

This must be akin to the sound he would hear mentally, he thought. The sound blood makes as it drains from a lifeless victim. The sound people make as they die in front of you. Watching impassively as another soul floats away to some god-forsaken hell.

A cat meowed.

The sound was incongruous, when faced with falling blood and deprivation only remembered as terror from a misbegotten childhood.

Dia meowed again, sounding irritated.

And then she was there, sitting to the side of the fall, fastidiously avoiding any falling blood.

Stryfe blinked at her. There was no way she could have gotten in. But there was no way that blood rained from ceilings, either. He shook his head, confused.

Diamonde growled softly and padded over to where he knelt. "Mrrrrr."

"What?"

She lashed out, her claws slicing into his hand. He yelped, suddenly shocked. It wasn't that she'd never clawed him--battle scars all over him proved she had--there was just something so real, so immediate about it.

He raised his hand to his lips and licked the blood off, surprised at the salty taste.

His cat butted him in the side, and he jumped, falling towards the floor--

It was cold. Concrete cold. Dia gave an impatient mutter, and he winced, rubbing a hand along his jaw as he raised himself to all fours. He was in his normal room, surrounded by his own walls, and his cot, and his cat--who was now happily curled in the very center of his bed.

Stryfe took a deep breath and a long look at Diamonde. Then he cautiously -- half expecting it to disappear -- sat down on the bed and reached over to bury his fingertips in silky-soft black fur on the back of her neck.

She purred.

This was real. Had to be. This was the real room; the other had been... a hallucination, a dream of some sort. Memories. He wouldn't have recovered this fast if it had been real.

Stryfe let the breath out and slowly inhaled again, more shakily than he would have liked, before picking the cat up and climbing the rest of the way onto the cot himself, settling on his side, half curled around the cat in his arms. He was distantly surprised she didn't claw him again.

Diamonde shortly started wriggling, and squirmed right out of his arms, climbing over him and springing down off the bed, headed for the door. Stryfe raised his head to look over his shoulder after her, feeling indignant, oddly bereft, and a very little bit irrationally panicked with the notion that if the cat were gone he'd be cut off again in the room with the bleeding ceiling....

But that had only been a hallucination, he reminded himself. Brought on by being shut away from all surrounding psionics that way -- which hadn't been real either. He didn't think.

Stryfe curled himself up further on the bed, hoping desperately but rather distantly that Dayspring wasn't monitoring him, and tried not to think about the fact that for all his irritation with her originally, it hurt for Diamonde to wander off like that when he --

A small head butted him in the back, and he blinked.

"Mrrow?"

Twisting around, he stared. One of the kittens was trying to climb on the cot with him--and failing, since Stryfe was on the edge of it.

The little thing looked pathetically at him, "Mrrooow?"

Dia reappeared, gave him a look, and reached out a paw to her child. "Mrrr."

Stryfe moved back from the edge and watched with mild interest.

The kitten pounced its mama and looked hopeful, but was irritated when she picked him up by the scruff and deposited him on the cot.

She then turned and left the room again. The kitten contemplated Stryfe, then decided that the best thing to do was climb him, and perch on his side. Which meant Stryfe couldn't move, since any movement might send the tiny thing tumbling to the floor. He dimly remembered Diamonde using this trick on him when he was just settling in to being a prisoner.

Maybe the cats were *all* secretly in league with Dayspring. It bothered him that he still liked them.

Stryfe lay still, with a kitten sitting on him licking its paw. He felt the light impact when Diamonde arrived with another one. This one jumped up, scrabbled a bit -- he was surprised he didn't get clawed; maybe just his clothes -- and then tumbled over him and stretched out, then batted his nose lightly.

Quite unexpectedly, he sneezed.

The kitten started and rolled over onto her feet, then hissed at him.

****

Nathan and Aliya had been rather worried by the thoughts -- and more particularly emotions -- Stryfe started projecting some time after reaching his room. They had looked each other and then, by mutual consent, un-corralled the cats.

Nate had also headed for the hall to check on their longest-running prisoner here. He was now halted, transfixed, in the corridor some meters down from Stryfe's door, watching  as Diamonde scurried purposefully off and then reappeared with two of her half-grown kittens in tow.

Something bumped into his boot and he glanced down. "Meow?" demanded the kitten, disconcerted to have been halted in his stalk of his mother and siblings.

"I think," Nathan said as he moved his foot out of the way, "that you belong in there."

Diamonde nosed her way through the door, followed by the two kittens and, moments later, by a squirming dart from where Nathan's boot had been.

Nathan hesitated for a moment before walking almost as softly as the cats over to the door, preventing it from closing, and spying through.

Stryfe lay curled on his side, staring at the influx of kittens. Three of them were happily chasing each other across him, the cot, the floor, and their mother. One lay curled sleepily under his chin. And the fifth was stalking a dustball.

Diamonde had positioned herself firmly against his chest, pretty much where she'd initially decided to stake out Her Spot back when she'd been a tiny little fluffball, and an unwelcome one at that.

Stryfe was just starting to relax; he'd been trying ever since he woke up, but couldn't concentrate well enough to force it. But Diamonde and her kittens were back, and there was soft kitten-fur tickling his chin and a warm cat by his chest. The fact that this was helping as much as it was bothered him, but he was still glad they were there. Or relieved, at least. He wasn't quite up to "glad" yet.

It was obvious he hadn't noticed Nathan's presence. Nate found himself smiling just a little bit; it was rather an amusingly cute scene. He sent it to Aliya, who sent back cooings and some sympathy for Stryfe. #I hadn't thought taking away the cats for a few minute would upset him THAT badly.#

Maybe it hadn't. Maybe this was all a ploy on Stryfe's part to gain their sympathies. Nate pondered the feeling that Stryfe was controlling this situation and manipulating everything, then tossed it aside as a silly idea. Besides, if Stryfe wanted to do that, it would be easier if he stole their son. Not that he could.

#Don't even think something like that, Nathan.#

#Yes, ma'am.#

#Besides, I don't think he would do something like that. Not after the kittens.#

#I don't think he could have faked what he was projecting, either, even if he wouldn't be mortified for us to think he felt that way.#

#Well, if he were faking, he'd just be smug. But I think you're right.#

Nathan must have made some sound, or moved, or perhaps one of the kittens just moved in such a way that Stryfe's line of sight happened to fall across the door.

At any rate, Stryfe saw him, and promptly tensed all over again.

Diamonde looked up at Nathan, and hissed. Two of the kittens stopped their mad dashes around the room to start slinking towards his boots, intent on scarring them with their little claws.

"Uh... I was just going."

Something that would have been fear in someone else flashed through Stryfe as Dayspring began backing away. "...wait."

He cursed himself as Nathan hesitated, his face carefully blank so as to not show his contempt. For Stryfe assumed that's what it would be. Only those who are weak fall under the weight of nightmares and loneliness. He raged silently at himself.

"Want some hot cocoa?" From the sound of his voice, Nathan had been prompted by his lovely better half, and wasn't best pleased.

"What is it?"

"You've never had hot cocoa?"

Stryfe shrugged, "Apocalypse sort of frowned on pampering oneself, O Askani'Son."

"I'd argue that based on what little I ever saw of the court.... Apocalypse almost got rid of the tree it comes from, but it didn't quite go, O Chaos-Bringer," Nathan retorted. #Aliya, the things you let me in for....# "It's a drink." A kitten switched her tail and pounced gleefully on his boot; he glanced down with a slight grin. "You should try it."

For a moment a sense of near-cameraderie filled the small space. Then one of the kittens meeped and the feeling turned to normal antagonism and irritation. Diamonde gave Nate a reproachful look as he moved and almost stepped on a kitten.

The kitten didn't even notice, intent as she was on stalking the dustball that was trying to desperately elude her.

"I believe there was an order for hot cocoa?" Aliya peered around the door edge and gave an approving nod as another kitten began trying to climb the mountain that was Nathan.

"Did you bring Stryfe the little marshmallows, too?"

"Yes, dear. As if I'd forget your sugar." She patted him on the shoulder as she wheeled the cart by him.

Stryfe blinked, realized he was still half-curled-up lying on his side, and sat up in some embarrassment. More than some, actually. Just what he needed, to look like a scared child.... He couldn't believe he'd asked Nathan to wait like that, either.

Asked his jailer to *wait* like a child who was afraid to be left alone.... It wasn't as if Nathan was exactly likely to be a comforting presence, even if he needed comforting, which he didn't!

Sure he didn't. That was why he'd been so relieved to see Diamonde.

Nathan shrugged and followed Aliya into the room, drawing an indignant squeak from the kitten who had been stalking his boot.

Stryfe almost chuckled. It was an odd feeling, to want to laugh at his arch-nemesis, and not have it be maniacal laughter. More... sort of a warm laugh--like they were sharing a joke. He scowled. He wasn't supposed to have fellow feeling for Dayspring.

The nightmare had unsettled him more than it should have. It was time to stiffen his resolve.

Aliya handed him a steaming mug of something, and he sniffed at it. It was dark brown in colour, with little white lumps slowly melting into it. It smelled... Good.

He scowled and set the cup on the floor. He wasn't supposed to like things. Remember? He was supposed to be pushing people away and being arrogant and God-Like.

#God-Like? More, Child-Like, dear.# The voice flittered into his mind sounding sadly amused.

Stryfe flinched visibly, cursed himself for it at once, and tried to push the voice away. Of course it didn't work. Aliya gave him another sad look and withdrew after a moment, though.

Then Nathan picked the mug off the floor and handed it back to him. "Drink your cocoa. I promise we didn't poison it."

With a glare towards Nathan, Stryfe carefully took a sip of the brew.

It was sort of wood-flavoured, with sweetness and light. And it was one of the best things he'd ever tasted. Without thinking about it he closed his eyes savouring the taste and smell as it slid down his throat leaving behind a trail of sugary sweetness.

Aliya was hard-pressed not to laugh at the look on Stryfe's face as he took his first sip of hot chocolate. It was close to the one Diamonde got when Aliya snuck her bits of fish and cream.

#The cat who ate the canary.# Nate remarked, amused.

#Yes.# She glanced at him, #You get the same look, you know.#

#I do not.#

#You do.# Laughter flavoured her mindvoice, #Stop acting like a child, Nate, drink your hot cocoa.#

#Yes, ma'am.#

Nathan actually made an effort to keep his eyes open and not look quite that blissful. He still caught Stryfe watching him suspiciously when he did get his eyes back open. Oh well.

#Partial success,# Aliya informed him, still smiling behind her own mug.

#He probably thinks I was making fun of him.#

"You two can stop talking about me. Not, of course, that you will." Stryfe glared at them. "But you two could go away and discuss me somewhere else."

"But it's much more fun to do it in front of you," Nate protested.

"Especially since I can't hear you?" Stryfe inquired acidly.

He shouldn't have said that. It reminded him of not being able to hear, or feel, anything at all with his mind.... He shivered involuntarily.

As if they'd needed any more evidence that he'd become weak, he thought dismally.

"Well, I suppose we could do it out loud," Aliya deadpanned.

Stryfe took another sip of the cocoa and thought about that. It wouldn't be any different from the way Apocalypse had treated him at times. Any mistake was loudly and thoroughly discussed with anyone and everyone.

But neither of the pair in front of him were Apocalypse. In fact, both had worked hard to wipe their land of the taint of his Lord.

He wondered if that was a bad thing, now. How might this world have once been? Full of laughter and light--the kind of trust that had Aliya handing him her son, even though he had once been her mortal enemy.

A shiver passed through him again. The world was a better place without Apocalypse. Was *he* a better person?

"What are we supposed to say?" Nathan inquired of his wife. "You've already teased me about our reactions to hot cocoa...."

"It's cute!"

Stryfe raised an eyebrow. He would never have considered Dayspring cute. Much less being enamored of something so simple as hot cocoa. Of course, he never would have thought HE would be, either.

Nathan shrugged and sipped carefully at his drink. The key was not to drink it so quickly that the metal parts of his face overheated and burned the rest of him.

They sat in silence for a little while. Aliya finally looked at Stryfe thoughtfully and inquired, very gently, "Feel better now?"

Stryfe looked at the empty mug in his hand, then at Diamonde. She purrburped at him. "I was fine before. I'm fine now." He held out the mug and couldn't resist, "Another cup, please?"

"I see we have a new addict." She chuckled. "Very well. Do you want marshmallows, too?"

"Um..." It was such a childish thing, wanting marshmallows. He ducked his head and nodded, feeling a blush steal over his cheeks. He hadn't blushed for years. Dia was studying him, her eyes glowing with... something that might have been approval.

"Good. I don't want Nathan eating them all himself, he'll get fat."

"I will not." Nathan protested.

"Yes you will." She shot back.

He humphed. "No, I won't."

She grinned at him, "You'll rival me at full term, m'love."

"Don't be silly. Hard as a rock." Nathan whacked himself lightly in the abdomen to prove it. He clanged.

Aliya laughed and plopped marshmallows in Stryfe's cocoa.

Neither of them had commented on the blush. Stryfe thought it rather pathetic that he was relieved about this.

Things went quiet again for a while, though it wasn't a hostile silence. It was rather warm, actually.

Maybe that was the cocoa.

Stryfe tried to decide if he was enjoying himself and concluded that he actually almost was.

A kitten came out from under the cot and began stalking Nathan's boot. There were already numerous kitten scratches covering the once immaculately polished surface. Not that battle wouldn't have scarred them. But the kittens looked infinitely cuter as they attempted to climb them.

The other four were in various states of awake and asleep. One had somehow crawled into Aliya's lap, where she was currently being snuggled and scritched to her purry content. Two were curled on the cot next to Stryfe. And one was happily draped on his shoulder, occasionally batting at stray locks of hair.

He didn't remember the kitten climbing him to get there, but assumed it had happened while he sipped the cocoa.

Aliya looked up at the one on his shoulder and laughed. "That's adorable."

"He's the Chaos-Bringer, he's not supposed to be adorable." Nathan pointed out.

Stryfe gave in to an inner prompting and threw the pillow at him.

If there hadn't been two (active) telekinetics in the room, this probably would have resulted in spilled cocoa. As it was, it didn't. Nathan caught the pillow and set down his mug, standing up with a maniacal grin.

Aliya looked at Stryfe, laughter in her eyes, "I'd grab that other pillow and prepare to defend yourself, Stryfe."

The kitten on his shoulder protested as he quickly removed it, grabbing the other pillow and diving under Nathan's first strike. He almost rolled over Dia, but avoided getting clawed to come up into Nathan's second strike.

It knocked him off-balance, and Nathan was able to take advantage of that, driving home another bap with the pillow before Stryfe got his own up and battered a hit into Dayspring's side.

Aliya was leaning against the wall laughing and carefully moving suddenly interested kittens out of the way of the two men as they battered at each other with the fluffy pillows.

They finally stopped, panting, and simultaneously glanced at Aliya, who was half-doubled over with laughter and had accumulated all six cats. "You two...."

Identical looks of guilty schoolboyness crossed their faces, and they hastily set the pillows down.

Aliya shook her head, still grinning, and offered them the rescued cocoa. "That was about the most entertaining show I've seen lately. What happened, you both suddenly got fed up with not whaling on each other?"

"Couldn't take it for another minute," Nate replied cheerfully. "And I think Stryfe was still ticked about the kittens being hidden."

"Yeah." Stryfe looked down at Diamonde, who had decided to twine around his legs, purring in contentment. "Something like that." He had forgotten he was a captive here.

These people weren't his friends. They didn't actually care about him--

As if sensing his thoughts, Dia hissed and dug a set of claws into his shin.

He gritted his teeth rather than yelp in pain.

Aliya was looking at him, concern in her eyes. #We... We could be your friends.#

He wanted them to be. It was a very frightening thought. These two Askani who had once been his enemies--had hounded him, then destroyed his hold over this world. Wanted to be his friends. A shiver ran through him.

"You need some sleep, Stryfe." Aliya yawned. "I do, too, actually."

"You? Sleep?" Nate scoffed.

She reached over and rapped her knuckles on his metal arm, "Your son is almost as energetic as you, dear."

"Good."

"Besides, I think he's making up for all your pampering while I was pregnant." She packed the three mugs into the cart and stooped to pick up a kitten. The fluffy thing mreeped and climbed onto her shoulder. "Nate, why don't you go get another blanket for Stryfe. I think he may need one."

Nathan blinked, then nodded. "A blanket. Right. Sure." And went.

Stryfe was confused for a second, then realized why she'd suggested it. But she probably knew perfectly well he wasn't that cold... and she didn't have any reason to let him save face, did she?

#We do care,# Aliya thought at him, very delicately, barely audible, and very gentle. #Why? That's a good question. We do, though.# Even more gently. #I know that's very hard for you to believe.#

"Yeah." He picked up a kitten and looked at it. "Sleep sounds good."

"Will you be able to?"

He shrugged. "I need...." Need. Something he'd never thought he'd admit to. He snorted. "Sleep. And another blanket."

"Blanket procured." Nate tossed it to him. "Sorry about the colour."

"It's... bright."

"Yeah."

Aliya chuckled, "Wasn't that a gift from the Eskimo ambassador?"

The blanket was a lemon yellow, criss-crossed with a bright and cheery green. Red and green polka-dots added a less than tasteful accent. Stryfe decided it must be more punishment--along with the cat and five kittens, and Dayspring making daily fun of him, and, and--

#Good night. Sleep tight.# Aliya interjected, her mental voice sounding mildly amused.

Stryfe yawned in spite of himself. At least it was warm.

***

Stryfe woke up as an interesting smell penetrated his consciousness enough to provoke his digestive system into waking him up with its pleas. He blinked and sat up warily. Why was Nathan standing in his cell holding a tray that smelled that good? Was this some sort of new method of torment?

"Good morning," Nathan said calmly. "I'd have sent somebody else with this, or had it left, but I suspected the cats might try to steal it."

"What... *is* it?"

"Your breakfast. There's also the fact I thought you might need to be checked up on." He grinned and nodded towards the blanket. "I didn't think it was really all *that* chilly in here, after all."

Stryfe reflected grimly that he should have known Nathan wouldn't be inclined to let him save face....

A kitten peeped out from under a section of blanket and squeaked. Stryfe patted her and looked up at Nathan, determined. "Breakfast. Ah." he stood and reached for the tray.

"Ah-ah-ah. Not so fast. What're the magic words?"

"Magic words?" Stryfe raised an eyebrow.

Dayspring levitated the tray with telekinesis and crossed his arms. "Yes."

"Thank you." He growled, snatching at the tray and missing as it sailed higher. "Try not to hit the ceiling."

Nathan grinned. "Not quite the right ones. I suppose I should have said word."

Stryfe gritted his teeth. "Please." He hated that....

Nathan presented him with the tray and then patted his shoulder. Stryfe jerked away and nearly spilled the bowl. "Relax. You're the one who was being creeped out that we were being too nice to you."

"Why were you?" Stryfe demanded, curiosity spilling over.

Dayspring shrugged and tried to back away. A kitten tripped him and he caught himself before hitting the floor. The kitten gave an offended squeak and pounced the boot of Dayspring, intending it much harm. Since she was very small with teeny-tiny claws, she only succeeded in scratching the finish. Again.

"They're never going to stay shiny," Nathan said with a sigh as he picked up the ball of fluff. "Not with you creatures around. My valet is going to quit, one of these days."

"You didn't answer my question." Stryfe pointed out, not crossing his arms, since he was still holding the tray, and that would have been difficult. He fought not to ask the other question that was suddenly uppermost in his mind.

"I don't think I'm planning to." He turned towards the door, then remembered and deposited the squeaking kitten onto the floor. "You might ask Aliya. She's just enough of a soft touch to tell you."

"But--" Stryfe muttered a curse at the rapidly closing door. The kitten squeaked again and stalked back towards him, nose in the air. "--I was asking you." He finished, muttering. "And since when do you have a valet?"

***

#Soft touch?!# Aliya's mind-voice ripped into Nathan's brain angrily.

#Um....#

#Nathan Dayspring... You are so on night-duty for the next week.#

#Yes, ma'am.# He said meekly as he made his way towards his office.

#Don't yes, ma'am me, buster.#

He sent a mental wordless reply, and stepped into his office.

***

Stryfe glowered at the door again and sat down with the tray. Three bananas. A small dish of blueberries, which seemed vaguely misplaced for some reason. Juice, which was also blue. And a bowl of stew.

Warm, sweetened breakfast stew. With meat in it.

Classic comfort foods. Unfortunately he had the feeling the kittens were going to want to take it instead. Maybe he should have somehow gotten Nathan to stay....

As if Nathan would have helped.

Two curious kittens were already crawling up into his lap, intent on the delicious smells. A third was rolling around on the floor in preparation of a stealthy sneak to the food bowl on the tray. Diamonde was awake, and watching him lazily.

"My breakfast." He informed the kittens, before picking them up and placing them on the floor. While distracted with that, a fourth kitten pounced the tray, nearly upsetting it to the floor. He growled at her. She squeaked back innocently, then began licking the top of the stew bowl.

He removed her and picked up the bowl, wincing from the heat. Well, a little burn never hurt anyone he thought before digging out a spoonful and nibbling at it. Neither had a little bit of kitten spit.

He hoped.

A kitten began climbing his shirt, heading for his shoulders where it began batting at his mouth and the spoon. He held the bowl in one hand and removed him.

Two more began climbing him. One from behind, the other from the side. He removed the one at his side and managed another bite of breakfast before a third kitten climbed him.

Frustrated, he thought very loudly exasperated thoughts at Nathan. Probably wouldn't do any good; they likely had the room shielded --

--No.

They'd 'heard' him earlier, hadn't they. Having nightmarish hallucinations about what they could -- should? -- have done to him instead.

Stryfe shuddered slightly.

He stopped trying to remove the kittens, and stood, holding the bowl above his head. "DOWN."

They all squeaked at him from their various perches.

"Fine." He got another spoonful in his mouth, then had to remove a kitten appendage from the spoon. "I can see you're not happy until you get some."

Dia began winding around his ankles. He looked down at her, disgusted.

"Mrooorrw?"

"No."

She hissed and sunk a pawfull of claws into his shin.

He gritted his teeth and ignored her as he pulled a kitten off his shoulder. He dropped it onto the bed, then removed the other three. The fifth kitten finally woke up and came lazily out from her curl to look up at him in expectation. Stryfe backed away from all six and ate another spoonful of his breakfast.

This was ridiculous. He was retreating from half a dozen small creatures he could kill with almost no trouble at all, even *without* his powers.

Of course, the problem was restraining them *without* killing them.

And he wanted this stew.  He *liked* breakfast stew. It was the only thing that made some prospective days bearable.

"This is MY breakfast." He informed them again as he dodged two scouts and ended up letting another gain a claw-hold on his knee. He shook her off and she tumbled to the floor, mewing in distress.

Dia gave him another hiss and went to tend to her baby.

"Fine. Yeah. I'm the bad guy." He muttered. Breakfast was supposed to be the relaxing first meal of the day. Instead he was fighting off incursions of kittens, and standing, and tense. And not relaxing, at all. He downed another spoonful.

It was time for some creative thinking.

He discovered he was very close to the wall, and leaned on it, for a start. That was at least marginally more comfortable, even if the wall was cold. Maybe he should've taken the blanket with him somehow. #Stab your eyes, Nathan....#

A kitten cried pitifully up at him. He ignored her and concentrated on swallowing the stew before they renewed their attack. As he did so, he noticed that two kittens had wandered off to investigate the bananas and blueberries. One of them batted at a banana slice, and seemed intrigued when it bounced off the plate.

The other kitten pounced the slice and they both ended up rolling off the tray, landing in the middle of the cot covered in banana. Dia gave them both disgusted looks, as if to say, "You went after that, and not the meat? Doofuses." But they meowed pitifully until she began cleaning the banana from their fur--an arduous task only mother was good for.

Stryfe sighed. He did want a banana. Maybe not *three* of them, but he did want a banana.

He was however more interested in his stew. Although he couldn't quite blame the kittens for wanting it. Maybe he'd let them have a little bit -- WHAT was he thinking?

He thought more irritated thoughts at Nathan.

To his astonishment, he finally got an answer.

#You all right in there?#

#I'm being marauded.# He replied in irritation. #What do you think?#

#By kittens.#

#They're unstoppable!# He blinked as a kitten scampered up his leg and clung to his waist. #They're like slime, only you can wash slime off.#

#Mmhm.#

Stryfe gritted his teeth at the smug amusement radiating from Nathan. #This is your fault.#

#Aliya keeps telling me that.# Nathan sounded distracted now.

#I'm sure she does.# Stryfe blinked, realising he'd finished the bowl of stew. The kitten on his shoulder meowed in his ear. He restrained himself from jumping by an act of will.

#You'll live,# Nathan told him.

Stryfe muttered uncomplimentary things under his breath and set the bowl on the ground. Time to rescue his bananas and blueberries. Three kittens pounced the bowl, tails waving in the air.

The kittens had been disinterested in the fruit, merely giving it a sniff, then passing on to the banana slices. They were still relatively intact, although a few strands of cat-hair decorated them. Stryfe de-haired them and popped one in his mouth.

#Going bananas down there, Stryfe?# Nathan asked pleasantly.

#Maybe I liked you better when you were being nice after all.#

#I thought it scared you.#

Stryfe didn't answer Dayspring as he picked up another slice.

#Think about it, Stryfe. All things considered, this IS nice.#

Stryfe picked up a blueberry and dropped cross-legged onto the bed. Immediately, Dia curled onto his lap and sighed. #Yes. How long is it going to last, though?#

#Last?#

#When are you going to decide I'm not any use and just kill me? Or, better yet, mindwipe me and turn me into some useless chamberslave.#

Nathan snorted at him. #Don't be ridiculous.#

#Why not? You are. House arrest, I think it's termed. How long am I going to remain some useless, housed prisoner. Pampered, even.# If Stryfe had been in charge, Nathan would have been tortured to death a hundred times over by now--unless he'd been feeling really vindictive. Then it might have taken him nine months to torture him to death.

#I said don't be ridiculous.# Nathan sounded a bit bemused.

Stryfe licked a drop of blueberry juice from his index finger. #It's not that ridiculous. If you were really trying to torture me by having me around to see how you'd taken over, you'd chain me somewhere and make me actually *watch* things. If you're looking to get anything useful out of me, I'm at a loss what it is. Do you have any idea what I'd have done to *you*?#

#A fairly good one, actually.#

#And yet, you don't have me in chains, I have free rein around the palace, and you let me see you going all goo-goo over your son. How sane is that, Dayspring?#

#Did you just use the term goo-goo?#

#Nathan....#

#Not very, on the face of it. On the other hand... You haven't tried anything. And the cats like you.#

#I do NOT understand why you're using the cats as some sort of barometer!#

#Because the fact that you put up with them indicates that there's something more to you than I would otherwise have thought.# Nathan was quiet for a moment. #And I wouldn't care for your methods, really. Gutting Haight was one thing. Can't see myself chaining you up to watch while I had your town brutally massacred -- not to mention I wasn't formerly under the impression that that would actually bother you too much.#

#It wouldn't.#

#And Diamonde isn't your cat.#

#...# Stryfe replied intelligently as he stopped petting his not-cat. Dia hissed at him, so he resumed.

Nathan made little effort not to laugh, but he did shield it kindly from Stryfe. His next question wasn't so kind.

#What was it you thought was going on yesterday?#

Stryfe could almost smell the blood that had been falling in his dream. Dia gave a purry burp, and he blinked. #Not going to just read my mind?#

#I thought I'd leave you that much dignity.#

#How kind.#

#It was Apocalypse, wasn't it.#

#Memories.# Stryfe pondered for a moment. Elaborating would allow Dayspring a piece of his soul. But it... nothing could be worse than that empty blank nothing. #Blood.# Nothing could be... #I don't think I can explain it, just... Something from my childhood.# He gave a mental half-laugh. #There are still monsters under the bed for me.#

#I don't doubt it.#

Stryfe sighed, freed one hand from Diamonde to eat a few blueberries, and examined Nathan's reply from every angle he could find. There seemed to be something wrong with it.

There wasn't any... dryness. Or sarcasm. Or scorn. It had been a very simple comment. Almost sympathetic. Maybe not almost.

#I thought you would have done something worse than you did.# He shouldn't say this. #Just taking the cats away -- didn't make sense.# He really shouldn't. #So I came up with something.#

#You wanted to be alone.#

#So I was. Shut in a room, with no food, and only a small canteen of water. And no mental contact anywhere. No way of touching anything or anyone, not even the ants that were eating the woodwork in a corner.# Stryfe shivered.

#Mental isolation.#

#And blood. I don't know where it came from. It was just there. Dripping on me, off me, around me...# He'd stopped scritching Dia, the memory wrapping around his mental eye, and she bumped his hand with her head. When that failed to get a response, she scratched him. He jumped, finding the memory sliding away again.

#Try not to get those scratches infected again,# Nathan admonished him gently. Too gently. #We didn't know it would bring that up, Stryfe. We meant to give you what you'd asked for instead of what you meant -- but not like that.#

#I know. I still don't understand why it bothered you.#

#Your reaction was so extreme. You're very loud when you want to be--even if you're not doing it deliberately.#

#Did I disturb your beauty sleep?#

#Yes.#

#So sorry.# The thought was snapped, to the point of having sharp broken ends. It was *humiliating* to think how loudly he must have been projecting, how intense it must have been for him to wake them up even with his powers damped -- and his mind utterly convinced it couldn't be heard.

#Stryfe. Relax. I know enough about those things that I'd have been scared too.#

#I guess that's comforting.#

#I hope so. Stryfe, you may be a prisoner, but we're not out to kill you, maim you, torture you, or anything else in that line.#

#That's all very nice, but what the flonq is the matter with you?!#

#Nothing.#

#Nathan. Nobody treats a mortal enemy like this! You have to be planning something... else. Either that or you're both mad.#

#Must be crazy then.#

#What the flonq does that make me? I know. I'm already insane. This is just icing on the cookie.#

#Stryfe... what is it you really want now? Still to destroy us all?#

#You've kept me prisoner for how long now and you have to ask that? Have you ever heard of revenge, Nathan?#

#Not to sound over-smug, but don't you think we're prepared for that?#

#It's a little hard to tell! I'm half surprised a kitten hasn't clawed out the inhibitor at some point....#

A chuckle. #We took care of that possibility too.#

Stryfe sighed. #Great. I'm not sure whether it's comforting that you actually still accord me some sort of respect as an opponent, or darkly comedic.#

#I'd go with comedic. With a dash of respect thrown in.#

#How comforting.#

#Well, now that we've settled THAT....# Nathan was trying not to laugh again. He finally sobered and shook his head, though he knew Stryfe couldn't see him. #I'm serious, Stryfe. That's actually why we can't let you go, I suppose.#

#Because I'll seek revenge for being held captive? Well, Nathan, that's simply brilliant reasoning. I bow before it in awe and blindness. IN THAT CASE WHY DIDN'T YOU KILL ME TO BEGIN WITH?#

#Because Dia liked you.#

Stryfe opened his eyes, which he didn't remember closing, to stare at the cat calmly washing her offspring's ears. #You decided to keep me as a permanent prisoner because a cat liked me. That's either idiotic or sadistic or both.#

#Aliya says it's both.#

#Round and round in circles.# Stryfe muttered. #Both?#

#Yes. We're taking a dangerous and unnecessary risk and making you miserable in the process.# Nathan sighed. #On the other hand... you're apparently a relative, the cats like you, and there's this very interesting point that apparently the people you were in charge of actually rather liked you.#

#Liked? Hah. I used to torture at least one underling a week.# Stryfe snorted, and Dia glanced at him.

#Yes. But you'll note that none of them have tried to kill you, have they? You're defenseless and locked up. And you're alive.#

Stryfe pondered that for a moment. #Maybe because those who hated me the most were probably killed, or ran away when you took over.#

#...Why would the people who hated you most be the most likely to flee or get themselves killed when *I* took over?#

#Self-preservation. Most of them were my top aides and assistants. Stands to reason they'd be the first to die.... Er. You didn't kill anyone, did you. Damned charismatic Askani boy.#

#Thank you.# Nathan was amused again. #It wasn't all me, though.#

#No. It was *her* too.# Stryfe glared at Dia as she slept. #Irritating cat.#

#I did kill Haight,# Nathan pointed out. #Your top aides and assistants all hated you the most? Oath, Stryfe, your administrative skills needed work....#

#Some of us have to rule through fear.#

#You can't get no respect?#

#Well... Some.# Stryfe shifted, suddenly feeling oddly philosphical. #There were one or two who thought I was doing a great job. They seemed to actually feel... loyal.#

#Oh,# Nathan said brightly. #Like Harrold and Fred.#

Stryfe winced. #Don't remind me. Please.#

#They were actually doing disturbingly well until you caught them.#

#Yes.#

#Why did you capture them, anyway? You could have gone with them.#

#They woke me up.#

#Ah. And that was reason enough to not escape with them.# Nathan sounded unconvinced.

#I wasn't expecting a rescue committee! I... caught one of them before I realized they were on my side.#

#That was brilliant. Well, I suppose they *could* theoretically have been coming in to assassinate you....#

Stryfe groaned quietly and was rewarded with an inquisitive cat on his shoulder. #I wouldn't actually have been surprised.#

#Most of your people here -- I mean in the town -- don't seem to have objected to you. They were a little afraid of you, and I think they were too wary of what I might do to try actively to get you back -- I've been there; I understand the 'don't rock the boat' survival policy even if I tend to defy it -- but they weren't relieved to get rid of you, either.#

#How nice,# Stryfe growled. He thought he heard Nathan sigh.

#It's hard to think of you as an enemy now, strangely enough. I know, you still hate us, but we've gotten used to you, or something. Dangerously so, maybe. We'd rather be able to let you loose.#

Stryfe absently scratched the kitten on his shoulder. #Loose? I feel like a pet.#

#Also, it's sort of weird seeing my own face locked up.#

#You would...trust me?#

#I'd like to do more than that. But I'll settle for not having to worry you'll kick me out of the palace anytime soon.#

Stryfe snorted. He could almost taste the prospect of freedom, but it all had to be a joke of some sort, because... #You know perfectly well you'd never believe I wouldn't.# And with good reason. #Besides, what exactly WOULD you want me to do instead? Leave what used to be *my* place? Or stay around with you in control of it? Oath, then I really would feel like some sort of pet.#

#Not a pet. Uncle Stryfe.#

#Uncle? I'm not--#

Aliya came striding into the room, interrupting Stryfe. She was carrying baby Tyler, who was currently sounding fussy. Behind her trooped the normal retinue of nursemaid, secretary, and personal assistant. "Stryfe! Good. Great. Here."

Stryfe stared at her. "What?"

She shoved the baby into his arms. "Kyrin will stay and help, but I am *so* busy. There's a bunch of delegates who *must* be greeted personally, and Tyler is not cooperating. I'll be back later to pick them up."

Before Stryfe could answer, she swept out, leaving him gripping one baby, who was suddenly deciding to giggle. And a nursemaid who was sort of glowering at him. "Um... hi?"

"Why," the nursemaid asked severely, although she was rather pale, "did milady just hand YOU her child?"

"I... have... absolutely no idea." #NATHAN! What the flonq is going on here?#

#Aliya has to meet with these delegates. Besides, she knows you won't do anything to him.#

#What, she doesn't think I'll drown him?# It was the first thing Stryfe thought as the nursemaid continued to glare at him.

#Neither of us do. Besides, Kyrin's a trained Askani warrior. She just also happens to be good with children.#

#So she'll kick me in the head if I do anything.# Stryfe blinked. The kitten on his shoulder was peering down at the giggling baby. It meowed.

Tyler giggled back.

Diamonde woke up and stretched before sauntering over and inspecting the room's newest occupant.

#Something like that.#

Kyrin chose that moment to try and remove Tyler from Stryfe's careful grip.

Stryfe jumped and was caught between trying to hold on (so Tyler couldn't be dropped) and trying to hand him over (so he wasn't holding a baby anymore). Tyler, slightly jostled, opened his mouth and wailed. Diamonde jumped back with a hiss.

Kyrin hissed in an alarmingly similar manner and steadied the infant, then glared up at Stryfe again. "Be careful!"

"I--you startled me." Stryfe explained as he reached out and scritched Dia under her chin. She gave him a look and came back to curl in his lap.

"Pay more attention." The woman chided before perching on the cot at the other end and bouncing the baby gently on her knee. "There, there, Tyler. The bad man is gone."

Stryfe glared at her and consoled himself by knowing that his cat didn't like her.

Tyler said "Vaaah!" with great emphasis, and reached in Stryfe's general direction, frowning slightly when his hand came back empty.

"I wasn't hurting him," Stryfe muttered.

"You looked as if you might drop him at any moment," she retorted, in the same half-cooing tone of voice with which she addressed Tyler. It was a strange juxtaposition. "Apparently he thinks you're amusing, though."

"I was just getting used to holding him." Stryfe replied.

She looked unconvinced.

#Dayspring, if this is supposed to convince me you trust me...#

#It's not working? Except I don't think anyone's going to think of looking for our most vulnerable asset in the room of our most irritating prisoner.#

#I am not irritating.#

A mental snort echoed to him.

Kyrin sighed as Tyler demanded, nonverbally but clearly, to be reintroduced to the stranger who looked and felt sort of like Daddy, if not quite as confident. "Does that mean you wish to try it again?" she inquired a bit reluctantly.

"Um... Yes." Stryfe decided it wouldn't hurt. He'd held Tyler before after all. And nothing had come of it, except odd feelings of discontentedness and the sense that all was Not Right with the world. But then nothing was Right with the world, and hadn't been for months and months.

Ever since Diamonde had arrived. He glanced down at her, his hand still absently scritching through her silky fur. She had... changed him.

The baby was handed to him, Kyrin fussing to make sure he held him right. "There. Now. I shall prepare this section of cot for his nap."

"I'm, uh, sorry about the lack of a chair."

She shrugged and began folding the huge yellow blanket into a pad. "No matter."

He was surprised she hadn't spouted "Sorry has no meaning" or perhaps "What is, is." He decided at that point, rather illogically, that he liked her.

Kyrin finished preparing the blanket and held out her hands for Tyler again. "He's beginning to get sleepy; he should be put down for his nap."

Stryfe reluctantly handed her the sleepy baby, then watched as she settled him into the yellow blanket and covered him with another.

The nursemaid then settled onto her heels, back against the wall. She studied Stryfe. He stared back at her.

Silence passed for a time, the only sound breathing and the occasional meep from a tumbling kitten.

The lack of chair became still more pronounced, as Stryfe sat on the bed and Kyrin kept a watchful eye on everything from the edge of the floor. The staring at one another grew less scrutinous and took on a slightly awkward air.

"Is there something unusually alarming about the current... guests?" Stryfe finally asked, in a low voice so as not to wake Tyler.

"Should there be?"

"Nathan said something about no one looking for the baby here."

"Ah." She shifted, crossing her legs and sitting down fully. "He says they're new allies. Possible enemies. M'lady is just being cautious."

Stryfe nodded. It was something he would have done, and made sense.

#Why thank you for your approval.# Aliya's mindvoice was flavoured with amusement.

He jumped. #Don't do that.#

#Sorry. Anyway. Just... keep Tyler safe.#

He shrugged his shoulders. This was getting irritating. As Apocalypse's Heir, he'd learned mind-control of the finest extent. Apparently, he'd forgotten it all in the last year. He frowned. It was... nice to be able to chat with Dayspring and Aliya. But very disconcerting that they could read him without his noticing.

It was probably that he'd been power-damped for so long. He grimaced. He still had the discipline -- at least he thought he did -- but it was a little like maintaining hand-eye coordination blindfolded.

"You could sit up here if you like," he suggested abruptly. Since when did it bother him for someone else to be sitting in a less comfortable position? Especially an Askani? He should be enjoying it.

Kyrin tilted her head, then unfolded herself smoothly from the floor and came to sit on the cot between him and Tyler. Stryfe wondered if she were being that dignified on purpose, or if she wasn't comfortable being dumped in a prisoner's cell with a baby. And the prisoner.

Unfortunately, scanning her wasn't really an option.

They sat in silence, which rapidly began to get on Stryfe's nerves. It wasn't the fact that they weren't talking so much as the fact that the Askani was sitting in perfect serenity on his bed and alternately inspecting him coolly or ignoring him. And she had her powers. He couldn't even tell if she decided to scan *him*.

Of course, she didn't seem to be bothered in the least.

He tried a smile, and failed. A kitten padded across the cot, gave Tyler a cursory sniff, then flopped full-length across Kyrin's legs. She looked startled, but seemed to understand the request for a scratch, and proceeded to start the kitten's rumbling purr.

He was thinking about this, rather resentfully, when she surprised him by speaking. "I was, for some reason, under the impression you *did* have a chair."

"I did."

She didn't stop petting his -- the kitten. "What happened to it?"

"I smashed it." He replied, trying not to let the resentment show--or the slight shame that came from that memory.

"Why?" She turned pale green eyes to him, evaluating what she saw.

"I was angry."

Kyrin snorted faintly. "While that's hardly a surprising emotion under the circumstances, my imagination fails to supply a method by which the chair could have given offense."

He mumbled.

"Repeat, please."

"It was there."

"I see." She looked away from him. "That was always His way. I'm not surprised you follow His footsteps."

"I am NOT Apocalypse," he said savagely. "Not that he didn't *try*."

He didn't know why he'd said that. It was important, yes, but why say it to some haughty Askani? Why say it to anyone?

She looked amused, suddenly. "I wouldn't have believed it. The Chaos-Bringer trapped in his own mind. My mother..." She stopped and looked down at the cat in her lap, gently stroking his fur.

Diamonde decided it was time to inspect the room's new occupants. In the silence that had fallen, the two watched her pad around her kitten and Kyrin, and then the baby. She finally settled near Tyler's head, her body topping it like a long hat. Stryfe felt somewhat abandoned. First one of the kittens, and now his cat. Who was going to abandon him next?

"Tyler doesn't cry much." Kyrin said softly. "Mother says you were very fractious as a child."

"I don't exactly remember being Tyler's age." He remarked dryly.

"You wouldn't."

"How would you know?" He scowled, more in Diamonde's direction than Kyrin's. "What would your mother know about it?"

"She was one of the servants who had to take care of you."

"So enthusiastic about her job, I can tell," he snapped.

"You were something of a hazardous assignment."

"I don't think I killed anybody until I was five."

"I didn't mean by your own doing."

He raised an eyebrow, "Do tell."

"Even you got colic as a child." She half-grinned at him, "Like any normal child, His Chosen Heir got sick a few times in his life."

He shrugged, "I was never perfect."

"You tried to be."

"I didn't have a choice."

"Neither did my mother. Do you know the sort of punishment the servants were given--as a sort of due course if they slightly mis-stepped in their duties?"

Stryfe shifted uncomfortably. He did know the sort of things that could happen. He'd done quite a few himself in recent years. From turning the women over to the animals in the slave pits to crippling or flaying someone who displeased him. Or Apocalypse.

"It wasn't actually anyone's fault, I imagine. You were ill, or fretful -- people had begun complaining about the noise; some daring soul had even hinted something to Apocalypse about it. No one really wanted to be the one to go pick you up, of course. Mother was the one who did."

Kyrin smiled thinly. "Therefore, she was the one whose palm Apocalypse sliced open for not being able to keep you quiet."

He winced.

Kyrin looked a little surprised. "I wouldn't have thought it would bother you."

"How much motion did she lose?" Knowing Apocalypse, it had been just enough to cripple her for life, but not enough to make her unfit to still be a menial somewhere.

"Some. She got by. As do all of us." The Askani straightened imperceptibly. "I'm surprised you put up with all of these... animals in here."

"Cats."

"Yes. Cats."

Having established the variety of organism involved, they both fell silent again. Stryfe was expecting Kyrin to make some further comment until he realized she was waiting for him to do so. Perhaps to explain himself.

He didn't have to explain himself to her.

"It's a long story." And he was sure Dayspring had told her at least some of the beginning of it, he thought sourly. "It wasn't my fault."

"What wasn't?"

"Your mother."

"I already said it was no one's fault. You were a baby; screaming your head off when you were uncomfortable was the natural thing to do."

"Oh. Well..."

She looked amused. "You're avoiding the question."

"I'm sure Dayspring has already told you the whole story. Probably talked your ear off about Stryfe, his pet prisoner, and Stryfe's pet kittens." He gave a disgruntled shake of his head and leaned over the cot to scoop up the cat walking past.

"He explained about Diamonde. I'm not sure how much of his tale to believe, however, and you seemed a more reasonable source for an explanation of why you actually keep them around."

Stryfe shifted his weight on the bed again, uneasily, and scratched the half-grown cat's ears.

He caught Kyrin watching him with a slightly bemused smile, and to his further mortification, blushed furiously. His only consolation was that she looked a bit sheepish instead of laughing at him.

"They're... they're cuddly."

"Cuddly?" Her eyebrow was raised again as she looked at him.

He blinked, suddenly putting her age much younger than he'd thought, then shook his head. "And they scratch and bite and claw and meow. And purr."

"Well... cats are like that, yes."

"They are."

"I just somehow never would have expected the word 'cuddly' to come out of your mouth, except possibly accompanied by a sneer."

Stryfe glanced at the sleeping baby, sort of hoping he'd wake up and need attention, but he slumbered on, oblivious to the needs of his "uncle".

Kyrin was watching him again, something that could have been amusement in her eyes. He tried to glare, and found he couldn't. It wasn't her fault she was curious. Everyone except Dayspring and Aliya had to be curious about him and his roommates.

"Well... I wouldn't have expected you to... carry on a civil conversation with me."

"Why not?"

"You're Askani?"

"I have more reason to hate you than many others. Yet, I find myself intrigued. The Askani'Son should have killed you in the beginning, yet he did not. And you have cats." She smiled. "Somehow, the puzzle of that is something I want to figure out."

He tilted his head to one side and regarded her with surprise, "An Askani with an open mind. I start to think Dayspring taught you well."

"Neither here nor there."

"True. I like them." He said simply.

"Also something rather unexpected." She smiled wryly. "And to tell you the truth, my mother did have some fondness for you despite the dangers. I personally prefer babysitting children whose parents do not maim on a whim."

"Stay away from the kittens, then."

Kyrin blinked. Then her lips twitched, and she let out a soft chuckle. "The Chaos-Bringer makes a joke. I find my world suddenly ending."

"I think the days when I had a chance of ending the world are past."

Kyrin raised an eyebrow at the suddenly brooding tone. "Well, there are better goals...."

Stryfe shrugged a bit irritably and looked away.

The Askani sighed. "I can't blame you for not liking to be kept prisoner, but I didn't think *that* was one of your goals...."

"Don't patronize me," Stryfe snapped.

"I didn't intend to."

Stryfe eyed her somewhat balefully. "What are you trying to do?"

"Make conversation. Get to know you."

"Why? I'm an enemy, remember? And a prisoner on top of that. It's not as if it would do you any good. You have to have *some* reason."

She smiled. "I'm curious. I already told you, you're something of a puzzle."

Stryfe regarded her warily. "I still think there has to be an ulterior motive in there somewhere."

"Fine." She pondered for a moment, her eyes sparkling. "I like shiny helmets."

Stryfe snorted. "Which I don't actually have any more," he pointed out. "Try again."

It was her turn to look at the baby, in hopes he might awaken and stop this line of questioning. She didn't have any luck either. "Um... "

"Well, out with it."

"...you're cute."

"I'm cute? And that's the reason you're interested in me?"

"Well, you're also intriguing--I'm repeating myself."

"*Cute*?" He wasn't sure whether to be incredulous or offended. The kittens, embarrassing as it was to admit, were 'cute.'

"Yes. Especially when you look irritated, frustrated, or embarrassed." She chuckled. "Like now."

"I'm supposed to be terrifying under those circumstances," he growled. Unfortunately, it was rather difficult to terrify someone when they had even moderately good psi-powers and you didn't, unless either you were impervious (which he wasn't; he was sure his shields would break under a concerted attack if he couldn't reinforce them) or they suffered from a severe lack of self-confidence (which he didn't think was even POSSIBLE for an Askani.)

"Well, you're not. But I guess you can't help that." She considered him for a moment, then shrugged, "Anyway. It doesn't matter what I think of you, does it."

"As it's not likely to result in any material change in my circumstances, not really." He glared at her again after a moment. "Except that it's *annoying*."

"That I'm not afraid of you?"

"*Yes,*" he snarled. "And don't remind me of *why* nobody's likely to be afraid of me now; I already know."

"Very well."

"And cute is... for kittens." Not *him*.

"Shall I call you adorable, then?"

"*Don't mock me.*"

"Fine." She stood, stiff again, and walked over to stand by the door. "You might follow Tyler's example. I'm sure a nap would do you good."

Stryfe stared at her. "...I'm not sleeping with you in here."

"What do you think I'm going to do to you? I don't bite."

"You've also put Tyler on part of my bed. I don't feel like lying on the floor, and I don't even want to know what you'd do to me if I kicked him off."

"No. You don't."

He folded his arms, "There's nowhere for me to sleep."

"Try the floor." She suggested.

"Did that already. Not fond of it."

She raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"The kittens." He muttered, glaring at the frolicking felines.

"Let me guess, they climb on you."

Tyler woke up briefly, made what Stryfe assumed were baby-noises, and dozed off.

"Doesn't he need to be fed, or something?"

Kyrin shrugged, allowing the change in subject, "He'll let us know. Didn't the kittens cry when they were hungry?"

"Well... they mewled."

"That sounds about right."

"They also usually crawled to their mother. Aliya's not here."

"And Tyler's not hungry yet, or he wouldn't have just gone back to sleep like that." Kyrin leaned over the small person and smiled fondly at him.

Stryfe was willing to swear nobody had ever given *him* that look.

Of course, he wasn't used to seeing anyone other than Aliya and Nate respond to the baby like that. It made sense, though. If she was his nursemaid, she'd have to love him. He fought a sneer down. Love didn't necessarily mean weakness--look at Dayspring. He loved Aliya and Tyler, and he'd defeated Stryfe. Albeit with a little help. But still...

"Something amusing?"

He blinked at her, "Nothing."

"Ah." She knelt next to the cot and smoothed a hand across Tyler's forehead.

"What would have been?" He frowned at her.

"No idea. That's why I was asking," Kyrin explained. Logical enough, he supposed. "Hm. Your floor's cold."

"I notice this doesn't seem to bother you enough to remove yourself from it."

"I'm warm enough. I'm only kneeling on it." She looked up at him and grinned. An Askani on her knees, and she was still in charge. He hated that. "I somehow suspect that's a reason not to want to sleep on it, though."

"I've slept on worse."

"I'm certain you have."

He glared, "What, you think I was always exiled to sleep with the Hell hounds?"

"Probably."

"That only happened in extreme circumstances." He sniffed.

"Oh? Like when?"

Stryfe sighed. "Never mind."

"I'm not allowed to be curious?"

"I'm not allowed not to answer?"

To his surprise, she grinned. "Fair enough, but I can always nag."

"Great, just what I wanted. My own Aliya."

He realized as soon as he said it that he could probably get in serious trouble for that.

Kyrin stared at him for a moment and then put her head down on his mattress, shoulders shaking and the occasional squeak escaping.

He stared at her, trying to decide if she was injured, or just laughing at his expense. He decided on the latter as the most likely reaction, and grumbled under his breath.

The kittens decided this must be a new game, and began stalking strands of Kyrin's hair as they wriggled on the mattress.

This did at least have the effect of extracting her giggles from it, as she lifted her head and captured one of the kittens to cuddle for a moment. It made a surprised chirping noise and then purred as she apparently found the exact right way to pet it.

Another one pounced on her shoulder and, judging from her expression, sank claws in to keep its balance. She sighed, turned to eye it for a moment, and then peeled that one off and plopped it in Stryfe's lap as he started to smirk.

It meeped at him, and began stalking a trailing thread from his shirt.

Tyler woke up again and started experimentally waving his arms around. Kyrin deposited the other kitten on Stryfe and scooped up her own charge, who made an interested noise but didn't start crying.

Stryfe eyed them. "He's not crying."

"Why should he be?"

He shrugged, "Because?"

She eyed him, laughter in her eyes, "Babies don't cry all the time--not even you, Stryfe."

He hrmphed, "For an Askani, you have a twisted sense of humour."

"I've been complimented by the Chaos-Bringer! My life is complete!"

"Unfortunately, I somehow doubt that means you'll let me out of here."

"Well, no, but I could come visit you more often," she said sweetly.

Stryfe gave her a look.

Kyrin shrugged and looked down at Tyler. "I suppose I should offer to let you hold the baby again. Or were you as appalled as I was when Aliya handed him to you in the first place?"

"I wasn't appalled. I was... startled." He huffed out a breath. "He's like a great big kitten--without the claws."

She raised an eyebrow, "And that had nothing to do with the rather alarmed look on your face."

"I... thought I might break him."

"I suppose I should be encouraged that this idea would actually bother you."

"Thank you, Askani, but I think I'm in quite enough trouble with the Askani'Son as it is."

"Gone all formal, I see."

"How else should I behave with one of my captors?" There was a knock on the door, interrupting them. Stryfe blinked, and raised his voice, "Come in."

Aliya peeked her head in and grinned, "Oh good. I was afraid I'd come back to a corpse or two." She came in fully, and nodded to Kyrin, "And how is the little squirt?"

"Doing fine, milady." Kyrin stood and held him out, "Would you like him back, or is this just a quick visit?"

Aliya accepted her offspring and cooed at him a little. "We're done, I believe. All clear and all that."

"Good." Kyrin nodded to Stryfe, "Shall I stay, or did you want to be alone with the Chaos-Bringer?"

Stryfe glowered, irritated, but unsure as to why.

Aliya chuckled. "I was going, actually. You do what you like."

Kyrin glanced at Stryfe again, "I have other duties to attend to, then, if you don't need me."

"Take the rest of the day off from Tyler duty," Aliya suggested, "I'm done for the day. And any crises that occur are Nate's to deal with."

"I'll be off, then." Kyrin grinned at Stryfe, "I'll visit."

"I'm sure I'll be holding my breath in anticipation," he muttered.

"You'd look horrible with a blue face."

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