Mara tried to focus on staying upright and breathing, but her body and mind were overloaded, the panting and gasping quickly turned to hyperventilating as she knelt on the floor, her hands leaving Lizzy's shoulders to press against the ground, holding her up. Duke was at her side, one hand sliding under her shirt and the other under her skirt against her bare legs so he could pick her up.

"Dwight, go grab the prescription bottle from next to the bed and a maple water out of the fridge. Hurry." Duke sat on the couch, keeping her in his lap, his long fingers caressing her back under her shirt. Lizzy came to stand against them, her hands on Mara's arm, stroking gently like she was petting a cat.

'She loved to sing. Songs about cats.'

Mara had been cruel. She'd just wanted to make them stop calling her Audrey, she just wanted them to say her name and acknowledge her presence, she shouldn't have blamed them for being afraid, for missing the person they loved. It wasn't their fault they couldn't see her underneath. Mara wasn't a person to them, then. She was- what had Nathan called her again? 'A pathetic, evil reminder' of what they'd lost.

She'd even shot Nathan for that. A non-fatal wound, she knew what she was doing, but part of her had stood there, considering shooting him again, fighting her instinct to drop to the ground and hold him, to apologize and fix him and make it better. She hadn't stood there shaking in indecision because Audrey was forcing her not to kill Nathan, she had stood fighting with herself, with the part of her that loved Nathan, the part of her who only cared about making things better.

Noble had been taking care of Lizzy. Had he seen all of Mara's bad decisions? Had he seen her cruelty?

And Lizzy was alive again. Did that mean Noble could live, too? The Aether had turned on him because of Charlotte, the Aether that had loved him wouldn't heal him. But Charlotte's blood, whatever she had put into his body, it had long since decayed and blown away.

Dwight rushed back, sitting next to them on the couch and holding the bottles out. Mara nodded her thanks, shaking out a double dose of the medication and drinking as much as she could hold. Pressing her hands to her eyes, she listened to Duke's breathing, trying to match her own to his. He and Lizzy continued to touch her, trying to comfort her as she got herself under control.

When she finally had herself reasonably calm, she whispered to Dwight. "Thank you. I'm sorry for everything. I was cruel and I had no right. I was angry, but what I said was wrong. Kids are off limits, not part of any fight, and she's beautiful."

"Mara, it's okay. I knew you were just being defensive. But what's going on? How does she know you? Who is she talking about? What happened to you? You look so different. For that matter, how long have you been pregnant? What the hell did I miss?"

Seeing Dwight so baffled amused Mara, and she chuckled quietly as she wrapped one arm around Duke's neck, pulling closer and kneading her fingers into his shoulder over and over. Duke was with her, he was home and everything was going to be fine. With him at her side, Mara could do anything. She could survive anything.

"I was pregnant when my mother sold us on the 'rejoining' story. I didn't know yet. But to make it look like I was mixing into Audrey, Momma dispersed me. Used a type of teleportation not made for living things to tear me apart and send me to her Mexico lab. That's why I look like this, it burned away the living tissue. I used Aether to try and heal myself, but it stopped working after awhile. But that doesn't matter. I can deal with ugly, the pregnancy is safe and healthy, so if that's the price, fine.

"But Lizzy's touch doesn't hurt me. That's the commonality, Duke. People who have been dead, who have been born as ghosts, they don't hurt me, maybe because that part of me that was normal person died, too. Dwight, when I was reconstructed after the dispersal, it used my original genetic code, and this, minus the scarring, is what I looked like before the Barn. The difference between me and Audrey, it's just cosmetic."

She pressed a hand to her belly, finally just lifting her shirt to rest on top, leaving her belly bared so Lizzy could touch as much as she wanted but the cloth wouldn't hurt Mara.

She took a slow, deep breath, holding one of Lizzy's hands as Lizzy traced her other fingers over the raised scars on her belly, finding her own patterns in them and feeling as the babies played.

"Dwight, Noble is my son. I ran away from home when my mother arranged, illegally and against my will, to get me pregnant to further her research. He was born here in Haven. When he was four, she found us, and while William wasn't here to protect us, she hurt him, and the things she did ended up killing him. But Duke has a power, Dwight. He helped bring Lizzy back, Aether loves him and while I haven't tested yet, I'd bet everything I own that he can both give and remove Troubles. It's what I wanted when I first started the 'Crocker Curse', someone who could do what I couldn't- remove Troubles from a person safely."

Duke leaned in a little, looking excited, and asked, "Will you tell us what your life was like, then? I always wanted to know. Was it like in the 'Medieval Times' tourist traps?"

Mara snickered. "Those places always have British accents. Like other countries didn't have anything going on. But here, no. This was no dirty, overpopulated city full of hovels. This was Haven. We all had some land, we all had small houses like mine. We were good neighbors and we helped each other, bartered with each other so we were all taken care of.

"Me, being unmarried, a mother- Most places would have just labeled me and shunned me. Not here. A couple of the worse women, they tried to organize people against me, but they were always laughed at and they eventually gave up."

She shook her head, smiling at some imagined picture. "You would have despised the plumbing situations, though. Outhouses are awful. Dark and gross and there were always insects. I cheated in my own house. I had a small amount of technology I could use from home, so I damn well had a toilet.

"I would get up before dawn to start the fire and get water boiling, set a small pot to make hot cereal. Feed and milk the animals, collect the eggs and put them in the cool chest that I had also taken from home that lived down in the root cellar. By that time I would get Noble up and set him down with his cereal. I'd straighten the house while he ate, and then had to clean him off after."

She chuckled, wiping her eyes.

"Noble would help me check the garden, pick anything ripe. Same with the fruit trees and bushes. After we took care of the daily stuff, if I had any orders- and I usually did- we'd go through the medicine garden to pick the plants to make whatever medicine got ordered. While we worked, we did lessons. He could name all the plants and say what they did, we'd talk about biology or history or science.

"I'd work on making the medicines that had been ordered and he got to handle the mortar and pestle. He was always ready to hand me the next bottle. Then, in the afternoon we would make deliveries and house calls so I could make my lists for the next day. Noble would eat a sack lunch that I carried in my satchel but I always made him supper at home."

They both looked fascinated, but Dwight's eyes kept darting to Lizzy, her hand pressed against Mara's skin, playing with the babies.

"How old were you, Mara?"

"When I came here? There's no exact conversion. I mean, you knew my mother, and she was over 3,500. But for sake of comparison, I was about twelve when I came here and Noble was born. Maybe sixteen, almost seventeen when he died."

Dwight's voice took that note of indignant outrage. "That's Lizzy's age!"

"Yeah, it is. I was smaller, though. When I showed Duke what I looked like then, he thought I was eight. But I was strong. Even before William came to stay with me, I was getting by. Had my house and gardens, had more patients than I knew what to do with. But William loved me and he so badly wanted to protect me. Probably why he was so desperate when he met Audrey.

"He didn't know she was any different than the other personalities, and he just wanted me to be free. He thought that messing with the Harker Trouble would drag me up since I never let anyone get hurt. Audrey using the Aether on Duke was what started giving me a slit to get through, but it wasn't enough and everyone was so panicked and I didn't have time to get enough of a hold to fix it before it was too late. If I had tried to speak up then... I just shut up and tried waiting for an opening."

Mara's head was spinning. There was so much happening, she'd finally gotten Audrey and Duke back, they were having twins, and now Lizzy was saying that her little boy was where she had been- almost within reach.

She looked seriously at Lizzy, squeezing her hand. "Beautiful girl, can you still talk to Noble?"

Lizzy glanced and Dwight and blushed. "Yes. I can see spirits. It's not like Mommy said though, I'm not a freak. I don't mean to be different and I tried to hide it like Mommy told me, I swear. But the lady knew about me and she tricked me, she told me Daddy was out there where the noise was."

She looked so sad and ashamed, and Mara was angry, furious that a mother would treat her child that way- much like her own mother had- just because she was special.

Lizzy continued on before anyone could comfort her, as strong as her father. "But Noble told me that having a gift is a good thing, and that I wasn't at fault, that Mommy was just jealous because of her in... inadequacies. That's the word he used. Yes, I can still talk to him. Am I in trouble?"

Mara hugged Lizzy with the arm that wasn't around Duke, pressing her face into the girl's hair.

"I promise you're not in trouble. Your Daddy understands special and he would never, never love you less just because you're special."

Dwight spoke up, face pale but lips tight with anger. "Of course you're not in trouble. You haven't done anything wrong. I love you just the way you are. I wish you had told me what your mom was saying to you, baby. I would have fixed it sooner. But you're safe here, nobody will judge you."

"Lizzy, we have lots to talk about, but nobody here is upset with you. You being able to talk to Noble can help us." Her brain was spinning, about 12 steps ahead of everything around her.

"Duke, I hate putting you on the spot and you can say no, you can always say no, but if I have a way to do it... if you have a way, technically, it's your ability, will you help me bring my son back? Her blood is gone, the Aether should bind to him again. Hell, maybe I can replace Constantine in Noble's body with your DNA. You brought Lizzy back. It's your gift. Will you help me bring Noble home?"

Duke shook his head in disbelief, tears in his eyes. "It wasn't me, Mara, I'm not- gifted or whatever you call it. I just knew she was there. Dwight's belief is what kept her alive."

Mara snorted. "She's not a fairy, Duke. This isn't Tinkerbell. Belief is great, but you're wrong. You're gifted, you can do what I can't- bring people back. I can make bodies with Aether, I managed to lock you into yours, but I was still piggybacking on your ability. I know you don't like to praise yourself, baby, but this is you. But it's a big thing I'm asking you. Taking on another child, sharing your own DNA to make him stronger and give him a father he could be proud of. What I'm asking you isn't small or simple. I will understand if you don't feel okay with it."

She meant it- as much as she could. Logically, she knew what a huge thing she was asking Duke, and he had every right to choose not to use his powers this way.

The mother in her, though- she wasn't as reasonable, and if there was even the slightest chance she could bring her lost son back, she was certain she would do absolutely anything to make that happen.

Her fingers kneaded his shoulder and her other hand held Lizzy's. "Take a few minutes. I'm sorry, I'm being rude. Dwight came to see you, Duke." Mara stood up quickly. "Can I get you guys a drink or something? I can make coffee if you like."

Duke grabbed her hand and stopped her, staring at her seriously. "Mara, if it's something I can do, if you can help me do it? Of course I will. It's not even something you need to ask. I'm with you. Just figure out what we have to do, and I'm in. Yours for life, remember?"

She had to bite her tongue, breathing slowly, but she bent over to hug him, wiping her eyes on his shoulder. "Thank you, Duke. I swear you won't be sorry." She straightened up and cleared her throat. So, drinks?"

"Water is fine for me, Mara. Thank you. Lizzy, if you want something, it's okay."

She looked up shyly. "Do you have juice?"

"We do have juice. And tea and maple water. Would you like juice?"

"Yes, please."

Mara poured her a cup, bringing bottles of water to Dwight and Duke, sitting on the couch next to Duke, leaving room for Lizzy next to her. She only half-listened as Duke described everything Dwight had missed, from his time on the beach through dinner, stopping to show off her ring and his tattoo.

Wow. They were going to get married- once she was real on paper, at least- and Mara would have a last name again. She'd stopped using 'Cross' centuries ago, preferring to have no surname at all than to share a moniker with the monster who had raised her. It would take time to get herself legal on paper, but in the end, she'd be his.

It was like having a fairy godmother.

Lizzy whispered to Mara as the boys talked. "Daddy says the Troubles are gone now, but Noble says that's not true. Do you know?"

"Oh, Lizzy. I understand you being afraid, and I guess I have to talk to your daddy about this too. But Noble is right. They aren't gone."

She gave the men a moment to finish a sentence before she interrupted. "Dwight, we need to talk about some things, okay?" She felt Lizzy's hand join her own on her belly, and Lizzy's delighted exclamations as she felt the babies jumping around inside her.

Mara closed her eyes and sighed, rubbing her belly. "Okay, Lizzy just reminded me that I have to talk to you about something. The Troubles."

"What, are you wondering how I'm going to keep busy without Trouble calls?" Dwight's smile was bright and happy, and once again, Mara had the feeling of kicking a puppy.

"The Troubles, Dwight, they aren't cured and they haven't disappeared. They've gone temporarily dormant. The Aether you saw leaving people, that was only the bit that would have been affected by the pulse beacon Charlotte installed that would have let the Barn kill all the Troubled people in the world. Obviously she never knew how to actually remove a Trouble."

Dwight went pale, his eyes moving to Lizzy over and over. "But I don't understand. Duke- he died. Audrey went into the Barn. Why wouldn't that get rid of the Troubles?"

"Dwight, they never had a way to get rid of the Troubles. I'm still baffled why anyone let another Barn be built- it's not like you guys didn't know what it was for by then. But I can cure Troubles as long as Duke is with me. One by one. And Lizzy, she already paid so much, and it was because of my mother, Dwight. I can make her immune when I remove your Trouble, if you want. It would affect some other things, so we should discuss it."

For the first time that she'd ever seen, Dwight looked like he was going to cry, and Mara desperately wanted to comfort him. She squeezed Lizzy's hand and stood, coming to kneel at Dwight's feet, her hands on legs, just above the knee.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you or upset you. I've hurt you enough."

Dwight cleared his throat, but his voice was still raspy when he spoke. "So, in 27 years, the Troubles will come back?"

"I don't know how long it will be. Howard was patient and good, he was just doing his job, following orders. He didn't want to be involved at all, but he did want to protect me as much as possible.

"Vince is not like Howard. Vince is very enamored with the idea of power and notoriety. He wants to be talked about, he wants people to be in awe of him. He's not going to have the patience for a 27 year cycle. So I don't know when, just that it will happen. But Dwight, if we work quickly and efficiently, we can remove Troubles from everyone, give gifts to the people who want them. We can fix it so that by the time they come back, there's nothing left for them to do."

Dwight took her hands in his own, clutching them and staring into her eyes. "How, Mara? How do we fix the Troubles? How would you make Lizzy immune?"

"Duke is the only one with the ability to remove a Trouble- really just Aether- from a person. Then he can give it back to me so I can clean it, deprogram it and make it dormant again. He doesn't have to kill anyone to do it. Just a few drops of blood, that's all it takes. Duke, will you show him?"

Duke came over, placed a small slice in Dwight's hand and let the blood flow onto his own palm before a black tear floated to Mara. She caught it, and held out her arm- they could see the black travelling up her veins to her heart. Hidden inside her, the Aether purified and after a moment she held a perfect orb up for Dwight to inspect.

"Is that- I mean, is that it, or do you have to do it to everyone in the family?"

Mara put the orb into a pouch on the table, resting her hands back on Dwight's knees. "No, the Trouble is gone from your entire bloodline. Only had to Trouble one to get them all, only have to cure one to cure the rest. You're all safe."

"What about making Lizzy immune? You can protect her from other people's Troubles?"

Mara frowned, nodding. "Normally, I probably wouldn't even suggest it, but honestly I'm really angry about your ex, about what she did to Lizzy. She's special and she should be cherished for that, not insulted and punished. Yes, I can make her immune, but it would require altering her maternal DNA. Taking your ex's genes out and replacing them with the DNA of a woman who's already immune. Biologically, it would be giving her a different mother. But hear me out, please.

"I won't push either way, but it would prevent any possible custody fights in the future if your ex discovers that she's alive. You'd be able to do any DNA test and she'd come up not matching, I wouldn't interfere, you know I wouldn't. You don't even have to tell her if you don't want to. I know what the stories say, but I swear, I never, ever did anything that wasn't requested. I was just a healer, Dwight. I was a kid when I came here, just Lizzy's age. I am not what they say."

"Would she be able to do what you do?"

"Possibly, with training. Since she's already able to see spirits, it sounds like she's a bit like I was- predisposed to the abilities. The alteration will make her current abilities stronger, and if she ends up able to use Aether, or any ability, really, I will train her. She's special, she should be celebrated for that."

Dwight stared at her eyes, her scarred skin, and his shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry, Mara. I'm sorry for not trying to talk to you. If you can help make Lizzy immune, yes. Please help us."

Mara smiled brilliantly, reaching out to touch her hand to Dwight's cheek. His skin was surprisingly warm under her cool fingers. She stood, stretching as one of the babies shoved a foot out, making her grunt.

Dwight reached out as if to steady her, concerned. "Are you okay? Dizzy?"

"Oh no, I'm fine. Just- here." She took his offered hand, pressing it to the offending limb that was distorting the shape of her belly. At the touch, the foot retreated and kicked out again, harder.

"Holy shit! That's a strong baby. Does it hurt?"

"Not really. It can be a little uncomfortable, but it only hurts when they kick my ribs. That hurts. But you know, I've gotten to appreciate certain types of pain. The kind that passes, the kind that has a purpose behind it, I'm good with that."

Mara kissed Duke's head on the way past, stopping at Lizzy. "Do you mind if I make you immune to the Troubles, like I am? That way even when they do come back, they won't be able to hurt you. It will probably make you better at hearing the spirits, and it might make it so you can do other things I do, like using Aether and affecting weather. I'll teach you how to use whatever happens. You're not a freak. You're amazing, and I'll help you learn how amazing you are."

Lizzy smiled happily, hugging Mara and laughing as the babies bounced around inside her. "Oh my gosh! How come you didn't say there were two?"

"Because it hadn't come up yet. How could you tell? Did you see or hear?"

"When they touched, I could see for just a second."

"I told you you were special. When we're done, I can show you what they look like, if you want to see. Give you a little demonstration of what the Aether can do."

Taking Mara's hand, Lizzy nodded. "I'd like that a lot. You can make it so I can help protect Daddy."

"That's true. You don't always have to be great big or super strong to make a difference. I'm just going to sit on the couch and I want you to sit with me, okay? This won't hurt, but you may feel strange. Just relax."

Mara stretched her shoulders and rolled her neck, pulling out two orbs. Two small, unassuming orbs that in this case would change the life of a young girl.

Orbs that could remind Mara why she had started doing this in the first place, what made her imprisonment worthwhile.

She slid onto her knees so she could view Lizzy face-to-face and crushed the orbs, holding up her blackened hands for Lizzy to see. "Give me your hands, please."

Mara held her hands out and Lizzy didn't hesitate, resting her own hands against the black. Mara held them gently, pushing the Aether in, seeking out the maternal DNA, the genes of the woman who hadn't had the sense to appreciate the gift she'd been given. So many parents didn't appreciate their children until it was too late, when those children were gone.

Mara had never been one of them. She had cherished every single moment of motherhood, even the ones that had made her tear at her hair in frustration.

As the chromosomes were replaced, there were stray beams of light, and Lizzy's eyes took on a distinctly violet hue. The Aether began rushing, excited as it changed Lizzy, making itself a new friend, and Lizzy started to giggle, wiggling like it was tickling her. There was no discernible change in any single feature, but somehow Lizzy looked even more beautiful than she had before.

The image of the Maze appeared in the middle of the room, flashing rapidly, the four little people glowing steadily, red as the border of her handprints. There was a single great thunderclap, then dead silence as everything became completely normal.

Dwight and Duke were wide-eyed, half-standing and ready to do something though they weren't sure what they could even do. They were men of action, they always rushed in, no matter the danger. But nothing was out of place, there was no noise and Mara just stared, amused, where she knelt before Lizzy, still holding her hands.

Duke put one finger up, somewhere between pointing and asking for a moment of silence. "Yeah, everyone else did see that, right?" He sat back down as he asked, rubbing his eyes.

Dwight didn't look much better, hovering protectively over Lizzy. He put his had on her hair, but she just smiled at him, still giggling a bit.

"It was normal energy discharge from the matter manipulation, mostly. Somehow that symbol has always been particular to me. I've seen a few other users who deal with Aether and everyone appears to have different symbols. We call them sigils and Maze is mine. It was just recognizing the new changes in Lizzy and making note for the future. It recognizes her now."

There were no words for what he wanted to convey, the hope and faith and trust, the pure love he was overfull of, so Dwight just nodded, squeezing her shoulder and Lizzy's.

"We'll fix it, Dwight. We'll fix everyone before they even come back and there will be no use for them. This cycle is ending, not just starting over with new people."

"Thank you, Mara. For telling me and for helping Lizzy. I do want her to know about you and what you told me, that's something to be proud of. Speaking of which, do you guys have what you need for when the babies come? How much longer do you have?"

"I'm technically full term, but that's for my species so I don't have any idea, really. Twelve seconds or twelve weeks."

He looked so, so excited and he hugged her, lifting her off her feet.

The strangest thing was, that should have been torture. But while it hurt everywhere, it was manageable. Nothing like the unending pain of taking a shower.

Duke had jumped forward immediately though, urgently pulling on Dwight, his hand touching Mara's skin. "Dwight, the pain, let go." Duke urged Dwight, once he had Dwight's attention. He put her down immediately, as gently as possible and stepped back, holding his hands as if to show he was unarmed. A silly gesture anyway, because she could still clearly see his belt holster and the gun tucked inside.

Mara just chuckled, surprised and curious. She'd had time to get used to the idea of having a kid and she was still shocked and thrilled that at least Duke and James had been able touch her without hurting. This was new though. Had she started healing again? Was the change in her or was she just reacting to the people around her?

"Duke, calm down. I'm okay. I'm not saying the pain is gone, but it's not... not like it usually is. Not intolerable." She thought about it. Several people had touched her recently, she'd even pulled Nathan's head to rest on her and she'd gotten hugged or touched a few times. Even that first hug from Nathan- it had been painful, had been almost too much, but she'd been okay.

People who had been dead didn't hurt her at all. Living people who were touching to be kind or loving hurt much less than inanimate objects.

What the hell did that mean?

"You're sure you're okay?" Duke looked anxious, his fingers running over her skin as he stared into her eyes.

"I'm okay. It was nice. The pain was no more than the clothes themselves, really. I have no idea why, but I'm grateful. Come on," she stretched, cracking her back, "we're getting off track. We were making a bet. So, we set the terms. But I think I forgot what the bet's about. Don't even make fun of me, pregnancy brain is a real thing."

Duke just smiled, but Dwight did laugh. "She's right, it used to happened to Lizzy's mom all the time."

"I think you were trying to bet that I could use Aether."

Mara clapped her hands together, pointing at Duke. "Yes! Thank you. I bet you can use Aether, not just remove it. If I'm wrong, you win everything."

"I wouldn't want to win everything you owned. That wouldn't seem fair."

Mara could hear his careful words, that he knew she was technically poor, that she didn't have any money. He had no idea how much she was worth and had forgotten their brief discussion about the cashiers check she had hidden in his safe. She still hadn't gone through any of the dozens of official-looking papers from the chest either.

"Well, okay, I'll bet everything I own, every single item that I own if I lose, plus whatever else I find in the papers they left me. It's like pirate treasure, Duke. Or like- what was your favorite game show back in the Lucy time? 'Let's Make a Deal'? Where you could choose between doors and one would have something amazing like new cars and other doors would have perhaps a donkey and a huge pile of manure. Anything could be in there. Besides, you have nothing to lose. All yours, remember?" She waved her ring under has nose and he caught her hand, grinning.

"When did you have a chance to get a ring anyway, Duke? It's so perfect." Dwight leaned closer to look.

Duke's smile was proud, and it just kept growing. "I bought this ring years ago, I wasn't even with anyone, but I had to have it. When Mara said yes, I knew it was hers. And it even fit her. She's going to marry me. And we're having twins. A boy and a girl."

The naked pride in his voice made Mara smile and she squeezed his hand. "You still have no idea what you're getting yourself into. But the bet, finish the bet. If I lose, you get all my stuff."

"Fine, but what if you win?"

She thought about it. What did she want that she wouldn't just talk to him about? It would be enough if he could use Aether. That all by itself could be a huge gift.

But the point of a bet was making the other guy lose, so she had to think of something she wanted.

"Other than you helping bring Noble back? I want to stay home with the kids. I can still do healing or herbalism work, they'd just be with me. I can't stomach the idea of being a cop or an office drone. And if I'd be taking care of them anyway, depending on where we get a house I would like to have some farm animals. I want to do some of the things from my time. I want to teach them myself."

"Alright, deal. So how do we find out if I can use Aether?"

"Simple. Activate it and use it on me. If you can activate it, you can use it. Either I'm low and it tops up my levels or I return it to dormancy. You ready to try it?"

Duke shrugged. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Mara didn't bother with detailed instructions- she just wanted to prove he could activate the orb- so she sat back, waiting. "Just crush it, if it turns your hand black, touch me. We'll know if it works."

The look on Duke's face- Mara remembered that look. It was the exact expression he'd had on his face as he cut his hand, tearing Mara in two to give Audrey her own body. He was hyper-fixated.

Still staring, he crushed the orb and her heart began to sprint as she saw the Aether spread out, clinging lovingly to his skin.

Duke could use Aether.

She was so giddy she wasn't even paying attention as he pressed his hand to the top of her chest, above her tank top. She wasn't paying attention to anything at all. Then Duke's eyes glowed silver, and her body jerked, the air leaving her in a rush as she fell to the floor, back arching and her mouth opening silently as bright light flooded from her mouth and eyes. Her hands scratched at the floor, waiting to get her body back under control.

Perhaps she blacked out, but when Mara could breath again, Duke and Dwight were each on one side of her, holding her hands, and Lizzy was touching her belly. The men wore identical masks of fear but Lizzy looked composed, totally unswayed by the madness.

"Duke?"

"Oh shit, Mara, what happened? What did I do? I did what you told me to, what the hell happened?"

She was exhausted, thirsty and absolutely starving, but she wasn't injured. She pulled on the men's hands to sit herself up, her eyebrows furrowing as she struggled to get into a decent position. Everything felt slightly off, and she didn't relax until she got to her knees and leaned against the couch, letting her belly hang down and take some of the strain off her pelvis.

Lizzy looked very serious, a complete mini-Mara. "You were thinking about other things when you crushed the orb. You bound Intent to it."

"What Intent? I didn't have any Intent! I was just testing Mara's theory to settle the bet!" Duke was flustered, talking too fast as his voice went up in pitch.

Lizzy shook her head. "That's not true. You were thinking about Noble, about bringing him back and making him yours to make Mara happy. You were thinking about her smile."

"But- that was just thinking, that wasn't intention. We haven't even talked about how to do that yet!"

Lizzy nodded at Mara where she leaned against the sofa. "Well, I guess you didn't tell your mind that, 'cause you already did it."