Song of the Gemini

Song of the Gemini

Chapter 1

"Raven hair and ruby lips

sparks fly from her fingertips

Echoed voices in the night

she's a restless spirit on an endless flight"

-Eagles, "Witchy Woman"

A man dressed in a navy blue business suit looked quite out of place in the deserted alleyway. The woman, whose presence he was unaware, felt just fine in the darkness of such surroundings. She had learned many years ago that shadows were valued allies when you needed to conceal yourself. She hardly ever used magic anymore to become invisible. The man's eyes darted back and forth as he struggled to contain his breathing. He looked over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't followed.

Foolish muggle, she thought. He had no idea she had him trapped. A few well-placed spells gave him the feeling of being stalked, thus leading him right where she wanted. As he was looking away from her position down the alley, she silently came up behind him and placed her gun against the back of his head.

"Hello, Mr. Rhodes." He inhaled sharply and tensed up when he felt the coolness of the barrel.

"P-p-please, don't kill me," he whimpered, bringing his hands up.

"Now what makes you think I would do such a thing? As long as you're a good boy, we won't have any problems," she spoke in his ear. "Walk!" The man moved unsteadily down the alley. They passed the backdoors of several shops and restaurants. She told him to stop in front of a green one.

"Open the door, Mr. Rhodes," she instructed. Shaking, he obeyed. It led to an office used by a jewelry store. There was not much in there besides a desk and two chairs. The woman turned on a lamp and told him to sit down. Sweat beads formed on his forehead as he looked at his captor. She met his gaze with a self-satisfied smirk. This is getting too easy, she thought.

"See, I told you I wouldn't hurt you if you behaved yourself," she reached inside her leather duster, pulled out a pair of handcuffs, and winked. "Though sometimes I prefer naughty." After she handcuffed his hands behind his back, he got up the courage to speak.

"What do you want with me? Money?"

The woman, who was seated on the desk in front of him, laughed. "This isn't personal, Mr. Rhodes, I'm just doing my job."

She laughed again at his confused face and pulled out a cell phone. "Hi. It's done. I'm at the designated place," she paused. "See you soon." The man began to panic again.

"Whatever they're paying you, I'll double it if you let me go!"

"Oh, I know all about your financial situation and I hardly think you can afford me. Besides I wouldn't want to get on my associates' bad side." She grinned wickedly. "As you'll soon understand." He hung his head and spoke no more.

She fidgeted with her long braid to pass the time. Staring at the man, she did feel sorry for him, but business was business and she needed the money. She didn't normally take jobs from muggles, it was easier to dodge a curse than a bullet, but lately the magical community didn't have need of her services. The door opened and she looked up. A large man wearing a tailored black suit came through with gun in hand, followed by two more suits. The one in the middle wasn't armed, but the rear one held his gun at the ready. The two armed men positioned themselves behind Rhodes, whose eyes burned with recognition and fear. The smaller one smiled approvingly at the woman and placed a briefcase on the desk next to her. The woman moved to open the case and was pleased to see that all was in order.

"Is everything to your satisfaction?" he asked.

"Looks good to me." She nodded toward Rhodes. "Will you be needing the key to the cuffs, Mr. Garcia?"

"Perhaps," he said as she handed him the key. "Maybe we could try them out later, Miss Price."

"You know I never mix business with pleasure, but I'll keep it mind. Have fun, boys." With one last wink at Rhodes, she was out the door.

She made sure no one was watching before apparating to her apartment. She flopped down onto the sofa and removed her boots, thinking of the look on Rhodes' face as she left. Her somewhat sadistic nature enjoyed his terrified expression. Sighing, she looked around her apartment. It had two bedrooms, a large living room, and a nice view of Los Angeles, so it wasn't too shabby. Walking to the bathroom she thought, maybe I should find a respectable job. She had this discussion after every job, more likely to convince herself that she wasn't all bad. Being a bounty hunter/work-for-hire certainly had its advantages; you could choose your own hours; no dress code; it's exciting; the list goes on. Of course her father had never agreed with her. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other in nearly fourteen years.

The hot shower rid her of the smell and bacteria of the dumpster she was forced to hide behind, making her feel refreshed. Standing in her kitchen, she glanced at the clock. "3:24" it read. It was unnatural to feel refreshed this early in the morning, but her sleep pattern had been thrown off by the last couple of jobs, all of which had her operating at night. A loud meow interrupted her thoughts.

"Alright, Ebony, I'll hurry up and feed you."

A shorthaired black cat with yellow eyes jumped up on the counter and nuzzled her arm. A wave of her wand and a can of food was spooning itself into the cat dish. She also produced a steaming mug of hot chocolate out of the air. At least Dad and I agree on something, she thought. She moved to the living room, sat down on the sofa, and noticed the pile of bills on the coffee table. They were all addressed to her working name, Alexandria Price. She hadn't used her real name in years. When anonymity was so important in her line of work, how could she use it? Her estrangement from her father weighed heavily on her decision to change her name, but whenever she looked into the mirror and saw those light blue eyes staring back, she knew she could never escape her true self.

****

The old wizard sat hunched over on his desk, his fingers pinched at the bridge of his nose. His blue eyes surveyed the room, listening to the sounds of the various contraptions and oddities that filled it. Just a few weeks ago, a distraught fifteen-year-old boy had tossed it into disarray. Why is it, he thought, that the children I seem to love the most are the ones I always misunderstand. He knew he shouldn't have coddled Harry. As a man who believed honesty was crucial in any relationship, why had he not come clean in the beginning? He allowed feelings to fester inside the boy until they boiled to the surface and he cracked. Albus Dumbledore sighed. He had kept things hidden from his daughter too. He had deemed her too young to be plagued by certain information. Why had he made the same mistake twice? Because you're a stubborn old fool, he thought. When she discovered the truth she reacted in much the same way as Harry, even though she had been older. He had hoped that once Harry had time to calm down and reflect he wouldn't shut him out of his life. He hadn't seen or spoken to his daughter since she was twenty-one, fourteen years ago.

Fawkes flew over and perched next to him. The bird sang a comforting melody, picking up on his master's mood. Dumbledore took out a photo album from his desk and turned to the first page. It showed a slightly younger version of himself holding a smiling little girl with black hair and eyes that matched his own. She giggled as she tugged his beard and flung her arms around his neck. His breath caught and a tear threatened to escape. He missed her, oh gods, how he missed her. He had made many mistakes as a father, but perhaps it wasn't too late to start over, provided she was willing. Dumbledore knew she went by another name and knew where she was living. She had done much to hide herself from him, but he had contacts in America that assisted him and kept an eye on her. He still was not happy about her choice of occupation, but his actions had probably led her to it. A sharp knock at the door made him jump and he put away the album.

Minerva McGonagall walked carefully into his office, still relying on a walking stick. His heart wrenched every time he saw her and he couldn't quite shake the image of the woman he loved being struck by four stunning spells. She sat down in front of his desk, concern etched upon her face.

"You look like hell, Albus," she put it bluntly.

"I will interpret that as a loving greeting, Minerva."

Her features softened. "I'm sorry, Albus, but I'm worried. You've done nothing but lock yourself in here doing who knows what since the end of term. You didn't attend last night's meeting and we were concerned. The Order needs your guidance."

Dumbledore rose and came around to kneel in front of her, taking her hands in his. "My dear Minerva, you and the Order need not worry about me. I am fine, just past regrets catching up to me that I need to rectify."

"Harry will understand in time. Until then, there is nothing you can do to change the past and everything you can do to change the future."

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes got back their usual twinkle. He stood up, pulling Minerva up to him, and embraced her. "I love you, you know that right?" he whispered in her ear.

"Of course I do. I love you too." She kissed him softly. "I will see you at lunch?"

He nodded and held out her staff. She stopped at the door and turned to face him. "Have you found a Defense teacher yet, Headmaster?" It really unnerved Dumbledore how she could go from personal to professional without missing a beat.

"I have not, Professor, but you will be the first one to know when I do." Satisfied with his answer, she left, and the old wizard returned to his desk and his thoughts. A fresh parchment lay before him and with strengthened resolve he started to write a letter.

Dearest Allexia.

How many times in the last fourteen years had he written those same words only to stop, staring at the paper as if was some foreign object too complex to fathom. This time was different somehow. His quill seemed to move of its own accord, guiding his hand and heart. The words in his head were moving faster than he could write them. He struggled to keep up and felt his hand cramp. Ignoring it, he continued on for what seemed like hours, then as suddenly as it had begun, the quill stopped. Dumbledore looked the letter over, surprised at his own handiwork. Noticing that he only had a few minutes before lunch, he signed it, stamped it with the Hogwarts seal, and stuffed it in his robe to send later.

****

Someone was pounding on her door and if they didn't stop, Allexia was going to hex them into next year. Slowly opening her eyes, she squinted in the sunlight invading the room and removed a bill that had become stuck to her face. She didn't remember falling asleep, but then going over your finances is tedious and boring. Unless you're stinking rich, she thought. The pounding started up again, so she grabbed her wand and was quite prepared to throw every curse she knew at whoever dared to come over at 7:30 in the morning. It was safe to say that Allexia was never a morning person. Looking through the peephole, she saw Hugh Jackman standing in the hallway wearing nothing but a smile. She's going to pay for that one!

She opened the door onto a short blonde woman, not a naked actor. "Morning, love!" the woman said, in a chipper British accent. She pushed passed Allexia, who muttered the word "bitch" under her breath, and headed straight for the refrigerator.

"Hello, Liz. Please come in and make yourself at home." She closed the door, laughing in spite of herself. "You have to stop getting my hopes up, though I liked this latest one."

"I knew you would." Liz was now making coffee for two. Ever since they met, Liz would make something different appear when Allexia looked to see who was at the door. Sometimes she got really creative, like the headless pumpkin salesman, and sometimes she was downright silly, as when the hallway appeared submerged and a scuba diver stared back at her. Lately she'd been inpersonating male actors. Liz brought the cups of coffee into the living room.

"I see you were successful last night," she said, glancing at the black briefcase.

"Yeah, it's getting too easy, I think." Her mood was improving with the help of caffeine. "Do you want to come with me to Gringotts?"

"Sure, I haven't been to the Marketplace in a while. I think we deserve a shopping spree."

The Marketplace was basically the magical equivalent of a mall. The name would have fit a hundred years ago and even though the layout reflects a modern society, no one thought to change it. Gringott's only American branch was also located there. The only way to get to the Marketplace was by floo. Like Hogwarts, no one could apparate to, from, or within, except for Marketplace Security. The floos are monitored and guarded so they know who comes and goes. Safety protocols have increased in recent years, in both the magical and muggle society in America. Allexia excused herself to get dressed, leaving Liz in the company of Ebony.

Elizabeth Brooke was Allexia's only female friend. She had a less than respectable career as a professional thief, so they got along well. The professional title only came recently, but six years ago when they first met, she was just a pickpocket. Liz was attempting to rob a man that Allexia was trying to catch. She had strict orders that no harm should come to the man and, not knowing what this hotheaded little blonde was going to do, she intervened. Liz wasn't too happy, but she calmed down when Allexia offered her a cut of the bounty. They'd been best friends ever since. Liz had changed a lot since then, in appearance and in personality. Her hair, once long and flowing, was now cut short in a stylish bob. Dressed in the latest muggle fashions, nails perfectly manicured, and adorned in expensive jewelry, she scratched Ebony's head.

"Hey, Lexy, don't you own any other color besides black?" Allexia returned wearing her favorite leather duster and black pants. Their styles were opposites. Liz relished her designer labels and color coordinated outfits, while Allexia preferred dark colors, leather, and jeans. Allexia held her jacket open to show a purple tank top with the word "dangerous" across the front in big black letters in answer to the question.

"Come on then!" cried her friend.

Allexia's apartment didn't have a fireplace so they had to use the one in the lobby. She really hated traveling this way, but she had no other choice. Grabbing a handful of powder, she spoke as clearly as possible, "The Marketplace."

Song of the Gemini

Chapter 2

"Can you forgive me again?

I don't know what I said

But I didn't mean to hurt you

I heard the words come out

I felt like I would die

It hurt so much to hurt you"

-Evanescence, "Forgive Me"

(From the Whisper EP/Sound Asleep EP, 1999)

Liz may look like a lawyer or business executive, but underneath she was a bit of a freak. As proven by her next comment as they flew down the track en route to Allexia's vault at Gringotts.

"I wonder how what a goblin's willy looks like." Not bothering to lower her voice, she said this like she was discussing the weather.

"Elizabeth! What the hell are you talking about? He'll hear you." They both looked at the small goblin directing the mine car. The smirk on his face and the look in his eyes told them that he had indeed heard. Finally reaching the vault, he opened the door and left Allexia to her business while he went to stand next to Liz. When she was finished, the goblin was whispering something to Liz making her giggle like a schoolgirl. Allexia arched an eyebrow, but said nothing. It wasn't until they were out of the bank and walking toward one of the department stores that Allexia asked what the goblin had said to her.

"Oh, he gave me his name and work schedule. Said he'd be glad to show me anytime." Liz wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"You're a sick bitch, Liz."

"What can I say? I'm curious. I've been reading this book about humans getting together with other magical species like goblins or centaurs. Very interesting stuff, I might add. My aunt shagged a centaur once, but she was drunk and didn't remember much."

"A centaur? Would that be considered bestiality or does having the upper-body of a man, make a difference?"

They stared at each other for a few moments pondering the question before breaking out in a fit of laughter. The next few hours were spent roaming from shop to shop, trying on clothes, buying things they didn't need, and generally acting like teenagers again. They headed to the food court to grab a bite to eat before going back to the apartment.

"Do you want to go to Pyro with me tonight?" Allexia asked as she put all her bags on the kitchen table. Pyro was a club that catered to witches and wizards. It had live bands, mostly heavy or black metal, but upstairs was a separate party room with a huge dance floor.

"Who's playing?"

"Heart's Discontent, I think, which should be awesome."

"I've got a job this evening so I probably won't make the show, but I'll meet you upstairs on the dance floor." Liz started to shrink her packages down so she could apparate to her place.

"Be careful. I'll see you later tonight, then."

With a pop, Liz was gone. Allexia levitated her bags into her bedroom, wondering what sort of thievery her friend was up to tonight. They tried not to talk about their jobs. All she knew was that Liz had started stealing information for big companies more than anything else. It seemed corporate spying paid much better than breaking into rich people's homes. Wanting to get some workout time in, she headed for the spare bedroom, which she converted into a gym.

****

Albus Dumbledore stood in the middle of the owlry trying to find the best owl for the job. Finally deciding on a large barn owl, he attached the letter to its leg, and told the bird where to take it. With anticipation he watched the owl take flight into the night sky. He silently prayed that she would read it and be willing to try again.

Minerva was waiting for him in their quarters. During the week she stayed in her rooms in the tower, but she was his on the weekends. Only their closest friends and select members of the Order knew of their true relationship. Lying next to her in bed with his arm around her waist, he felt content, but still troubled. Judging from her breathing he knew her to be asleep. Minerva knew nothing about Allexia, no one did. Even now, children born out of wedlock were frowned upon. It was worse thirty-five years ago. He would have been forced to resign or marry Allexia's mother. Neither was in love and Mia made it quite clear that she didn't want that sort of commitment from him. Mia agreed to stay in America and remain quiet about who Allexia's father was, but not to Allexia herself. She had always known she was the daughter of Albus Dumbledore and even though as a young child she didn't understand why she had to keep this a secret, she never told anyone her real name. He must tell Minerva at the very least. She had more of a right to know than any other person. He didn't know how or when, but he dreaded her reaction. He fell asleep thinking of his daughter and the life she chose to lead.

****

The sound of drums and guitars assaulted her ears as she entered the club. She walked over to the bar and narrowly avoided being pulled into the mosh pit. A quick punch in the stomach took care of that. It took her nearly ten minutes just to get a beer. The place was crowded tonight, she thought as she took a look around.

"Hey, Lex!"

She turned to see who called her name. A man with brown hair smiled in her direction. "Adam!" she answered. He gave her a quick hug and eyed her up. He approved of her black leather pants and low cut black tank top that laced up the front.

"You look as hot as ever, girl."

"You don't look so bad yourself." He did look very sexy in blue jeans and tight black t-shirt. His arms were covered with tattoos, most of his body was. They had tried dating a few years ago, but they weren't cut out for a long-term relationship with each other. The sex was incredible, but there was no romance to it. Every now and then they'd have a one-night stand for old time's sake, usually after a couple beers. Perhaps tonight might be one of those nights, she thought.

"We're getting too old for this," she said, indicating the hoards of witches and wizards in their early twenties or younger.

"Never. We'll be coming here when we're old and gray. Let's go upstairs."

She followed him up the stairs, her mouth watering at the sight of his ass in those jeans. Calm down, girl. He bought her another beer and followed her out on the dance floor. About an hour later, Liz showed up. She found Allexia sandwiched between Adam and another darker skinned wizard, dancing seductively. She joined them.

"How did it go?" Allexia asked.

"Splendid, love."

They spent the next couple hours dancing like maniacs and flirting with anything with a pulse. Allexia found herself slightly tipsy and sitting in a darkened corner with someone sucking on her neck. His name was Pedro, she thought so, and he was more than ten years younger than her, but cute. She could also tell he was inexperienced and had no idea what he was doing. That was when she had an epiphany. What the hell was she doing? Is this what her life was reduced to? Preying on little boys to get a thrill.

"Sorry, sweetie," she said to him as she pushed him off. Before he knew what hit him, she had taken out her wand and muttered, "Obliviate." I have to get out of here. Quickly finding Liz, she told her she was heading home and invited her over for dinner the next night. Once back at her apartment, she stood on her balcony and watched the city below. It was about 2 in the morning. She was fine yesterday, what happened? You suddenly realized how lonely you are.

An endless array of one-night stands had left her feeling empty inside. She was always afraid to let any man get close to her for fear of being hurt, like the last man she loved. When she was young, her father wasn't always around as much as she would have liked, but she loved him nonetheless. He was a hero in her eyes. Then he lied to her, and that was all shattered. She thought of her father and what he must be going through right now. She had read about Voldemort's return and her father's duel with him. It made her think that she may not have the chance to make amends with him. Did she want to make amends? That question always plagued her thoughts. Looking out into the night and thinking about how long it had been since anyone told her they loved her, her answer was yes.

****

"You are such a great cook, Lexy."

"Thanks, Liz."

They were eating mint and chip ice cream in the living room and listening to one of Allexia's Dead Can Dance CDs. They slipped into a companionable silence.

"Okay, Alexandria, what's on your mind? You only eat mint and chip ice cream when something's bothering you."

Allexia looked sheepish. "You know me too well. Last night was an awakening for me. I'm thirty-five and still trying to live like a twenty-one year old. I've never had a relationship that lasted more than a month and I've completely alienated myself from my family. I am utterly alone." Liz was about to protest. "Except for you, Liz," she added.

"Whoa, girl, that's some awakening. I understand completely though. I haven't spoken to my family in years. They don't know what I've become and I guess I just accepted the fact that I was on my own now."

Allexia put her arm around her friend, both finding the comfort they needed. "Maybe we should do something about our families. Try to heal the breach or something. If we get rejected then at least we have each other. I consider you the sister I never had, you know."

"Same here, Lexy." Liz took a bite of her ice cream. "Let's do it then!" The younger witch was a bit too enthusiastic which led Allexia to believe that her heart wasn't completely in it, but she was going along with it for Allexia's sake.

"This calls for more ice cream!" She took Liz's bowl and ran to the kitchen to refill. A large barn owl swooped in through the open balcony door with a letter tied to its leg.

"Lexy, you've got an owl!" she called to the kitchen.

"Take it for me, will you?"

Liz untied the letter and was going to get the bird something to eat, when it took off out the window. She shrugged and looked at the letter, confusion showing on her face. She shouted toward the kitchen again.

"Hey, Lex, I think that owl made a mistake. This letter is addressed to an Allexia Dumbledore." CRASH! "Are you okay?"

She went to the kitchen, still holding the letter, to investigate. She found her friend standing over a broken ice cream bowl, her face pale. Allexia snapped out of it when she saw Liz standing there. "Must have slipped," she muttered. "Reparo."

Liz held up the letter. "It's sealed with a Hogwarts stamp, so I'm assuming this Allexia must be related to the headmaster. Gods, I haven't thought about Hogwarts in years," she trailed on.

"May I see it?"

"Oh, here." Liz handed it over.

She recognized her father's handwriting immediately and her heart began to race. Does he want forgiveness? Does he want to sever all ties? Allexia was almost too nervous to find out. Get over it! Two days ago you would have burned this on the spot without even considering what it said. "Let's go back in the living room."

Sitting next to Liz, she clutched the letter like it was a fragile piece of porcelain. "The owl didn't make a mistake."

The younger woman stared blankly. "What do you mean?"

"That's my real name. I am Allexia Dumbledore. This letter is from my father."

Liz's face lost all color and she was stunned silent for several minutes. "You're a Dumbledore? Your father? You mean..." Her eyes grew wide. "Albus Dumbledore is your father?"

"My estranged father. We haven't seen or spoken to each other in fourteen years."

Liz was still doing an impression of a guppy. "Why? What happened?"

Allexia sighed and placed the letter on the coffee table. "I've never spoken about this to anyone, so please bear with me. He and my mother were never married. All I know was that I was the product of a weekend fling. Growing up was difficult, but I'd rather not go into the details." Liz nodded her understanding. Allexia continued, "My mother died when I was twelve. I was away at school in Salem at the time. Actually she was murdered, but my father thought it best that I didn't know that bit of information. I was told she fell or something and hit her head. I lived with that illusion for eight years. When my father came to visit me in Virginia for a month, he rented a small cottage. I came across a box full of papers. The muggle police report, as well as the autopsy report, was there. According to the police, she was the victim of foul play and the coroners said she died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. There was also a wanted poster of the man suspected of murdering her, complete with reward. My father found me staring at his face. He didn't know what to say, so I blew up at him, yelling at him for keeping all that a secret from me. I couldn't see back then that he was just trying to protect me," she paused to compose herself, "Something inside me snapped that day. I left that night for Los Angeles. I had never been there before, but that was where the poster said this guy's last whereabouts were. I had enough money to get a small apartment. I bought my first gun and went to the shooting range everyday to practice. I started taking jujitsu and kung-fu classes. My life had become consumed by vengeance. I was going to find him and when I did, he would pay for taking my mom away from me."

"Did you ever find him?"

"It took me three years, but I finally did. I should have killed him outright, but the memory of my mother stopped me. She wouldn't have wanted me to become a killer like him, so I took him to the police and collected my reward. That was how I became a bounty hunter. It was all about bringing criminals to justice in the beginning, but now I just use it to vent my frustrations. I've become so cold and detached that I'll take any job as long as the price is right."

"Oh, Lexy, I had no idea you've had it so rough." She hugged her friend, tightly. "Why haven't I heard of Headmaster Dumbledore having a daughter?"

"My mother agreed to keep my paternity a secret in order to save my father's reputation. She could have cared less about what people thought of her. She was just the potions teacher at a small wizarding school and he was the headmaster of the best magical institution in the world. She never denied the fact that he was more important."

Liz appeared to be lost in thought, seemingly trying to digest all this new information. "I still can't believe it. You're the daughter of one of the most powerful wizards of the age. He's legendary! Aren't you going to read the letter?"

Allexia stood up and began pacing the living room. "I can't read it," she cried. "You do it. Read it aloud."

"Are you sure?"

"Please?"

Liz took the letter from the table and broke the wax seal. Unfolding it carefully, she took a deep breath before speaking.

"Dearest Allexia." Allexia closed her eyes and focused on Liz's voice, her English accent a reminder of her father. "It has taken me fourteen years to gather enough courage to write anything more than that. I hope beyond hope that you read through this letter, instead of throwing it into the fire. I am not writing to beg your forgiveness; I do not deserve it. I should have told you the truth from the beginning, but my love for you blinded me from seeing the error of my ways. I have spent many nights wondering what might have been if I had used that love to help you cope with the truth. It might have brought us closer together. I have been a terrible father. Long before Mia's death, I wasn't there enough for you. I had more time for my students than I had for you and for that I am ashamed. You should have come first. A close friend told me today that you could do nothing to change the past and everything to change the future. I would like to be a part of your future and for you to be a part of mine.

I know I can never make up for lost time or give you the happy childhood you should have had, but we can start again. I want to get to know my daughter, whomever she has become. I will not judge you and I will understand completely if you wish to have nothing more to do with me. I wish you to know just how sorry I am for causing you additional pain and for betraying your trust. I beg you, Allexia, to think about the future. Quite simply put, I miss you. I have never stopped loving you and long to hold you in my arms once again. I will respect any decision you make, but remember that Hogwarts is always open to you. I wish you good health and happiness, little one. Love, your father, Albus Dumbledore."

Both women had tears running down their faces when Liz finished reading. Allexia took the letter and stood by the balcony door re-reading it. Liz broke the silence after about ten minutes.

"You did say we should try to heal the breach with our families. He just made the first move, Lex, what are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure what I'm feeling. I think I'd like to be alone for a while." Liz took that as her cue to leave. She hugged her friend one last time before apparating. Walking around in a daze, Allexia cleaned up before heading to bed. She fell asleep reading the letter for the twentieth time.