Time-Out

[a_time_slip]

Janie's boat was parked at sea, on a little island in the middle of an ocean.

She wanted to be alone.  Alone was easy and safe and it would allow her to heal.  Not sure how much time had passed, the time traveler didn't really care.  She could explain it to her friends when she was ready.  Whenever that would be. 

The island was rocky and not really capable of supporting much life.  Janie still sat on the beach, mostly out of habit.  It didn't feel right anymore, not after what happened with Robert.  She sighed, and tossed a rock at the sea.

Comments

[ashes_ascended]

After handing over the antitoxin to Richard, Phoenix is quick to try and track Janie down.

Unfinished business.

First he locates the boat, appearing on the island via his temporal device. The angel wanders along the shore for a while, until he finds Janie sitting on the beach.

[a_time_slip]

She wasn't expecting him. She really wasn't expecting anyone- how many people actually get visitors when they're hiding out at the most deserted island on the planet?

"Phoenix." Janie said, standing slowly "Hey."

She's not entirely well. The toxin is working it's way out of her system, but the effect of what's happening to her personal timeline is clear.

"Want a drink?"

[ashes_ascended]

He'd asked the Office to send him to the boat. Fortunately they had been feeling generous, so he was able to track it on his temporal device.

"Hey, sweetheart." He sits beside her. "Sure, thanks... Are you sick?"

[a_time_slip]

"Yes... It's lasting a bit longer than I thought it would. I'll be fine with some rest."

Except she's been resting for a long time. She keeps having the boat send her back, to give her more time to rest and heal, but she's still tired. And her abilities are only now starting to work again.

"Don't get angry"

[ashes_ascended]

Either she's denying it, or she doesn't know. And knowing Janie as he does, Phoenix suspects it's stubborn denial.

"Here..." He rummages for the other six vials of antitoxin he kept for himself and Janie. Then hands one of the vials to her. "Ylaia had her laboratory manufacture this some time ago. The Hell war wiped out the lab, but the vault was intact... I think we both know you could use some."

He's calm, and seems very far from his old belligerent self.

[a_time_slip]

"I was going to tell you." Janie said, taking the vial "Once I got the strength. It's been so hard to do anything."

"Thank you... I assume you know what happened to me. Raissa. Did she go after you too?"

[ashes_ascended]

"It's okay, honey. You don't have to answer to me."

"Vahl found out. Raissa doesn't know he's .." Phoenix doesn't want to say 'changed'. Vahl had never been a bastard to begin with, it's unfair.

"Innocent. She showed him where she locked you up, and he was able to get some information out of her mind."

[a_time_slip]

"She had someone trick me... then locked me up." Janie confirmed. "I've been out for a while but the toxin was strong. I'm still not myself. I feel alone."

She doesn't entirely know what it is, but she can feel her timelines drifting into nothingness.

"Somethings got to be done about her."

[ashes_ascended]

"Vahl tells me Richard's got her locked up" He says this without one iota of jealousy over Richard in his soul. "He's a keeper."

[a_time_slip]

"I wish I could remember it." Janie says, sadly. "How much of this stuff do we have?"

[ashes_ascended]

Phoenix actually feels sad that Richard is mortal, and that somewhere along the way - he won't be with Janie any more.

"Richard has six doses. You have one. I have five... but you can have more of mine if you want. Richard and Vahl are working separately on getting it duplicated, in case we need a supply."

[a_time_slip]

"I should be able to duplicate it as well." Janie said, distracted. "Once I can get to my lab again. I will need to be very careful."

The poison had the potential to be deadly. In fact, Rai should have been able to kill her. It's a miracle that she survived.

[ashes_ascended]

This pleases Phoenix no end. "Nice one. I'll let Vahl and Richard know we have a source... I won't tell Richard it's you."

[a_time_slip]

"That would mean something if I remembered who that was." Janie said, still looking at the vial. "Can you walk with me to my ship so that I can inject this? I can't teleport."

She sounded almost ashamed when she admitted that.

[ashes_ascended]

"I don't even know if I'm supposed to tell you about what's going on... oh, sure, here.." He stands and offers her a hand up.

[a_time_slip]

"...The younger me should be having a happy life." Janie said, accepting the hand up "But I've been alone ever since Rai captured me. No Lynn... No- well. Home. Nothing. I've felt nothing."

The boat isn't far away, but it's a welcome site for Janie.

[ashes_ascended]

Phoenix supports her carefully as they walk.

"Gods honey, you know you can always come to us. You don't have to face this crap alone."

His voice is non-judgemental. For once, Phoenix doesn't even feel cranky over Janie. Just... calm. Family.

[a_time_slip]

"I planned to after I felt a little better. But it's been getting worse." Janie leaned on her friend for support for a few moments before speaking again.

"Rai planned this to the letter. Destroying me and everything that I've built. Lynn's on Do Not Disturb and she had to know that."

[ashes_ascended]

"Rai's out of the way now," he tells her, unsure of how much she knows from her past, if she can't remember Richard.

We're working on the problem in your past, which is why I don't know how much to tell you."

[a_time_slip]

"I don't plan on getting involved." Janie revealed. "Lynn... she needs me at home. And I've set the young version of me to be happy and secure."

She carefully climbed the ladder for her boat, while silently cursing the toxin that still coursed through her body.

"All of what's happening is from a part of my past that I can never seem to remember."

[ashes_ascended]

"Probably for the best, Vahl and me have both been careful about getting in too deep, 'cause of that old timeline thing still going on... and... wait up. What do you mean you've been setting up baby-you to be happy and secure?"

All the time he's talking, Phoenix assists Janie onto the boat as much as she'll allow him.

[a_time_slip]

She waits until both of them are on the boat before explaining.

"I set her up with my old job. I've tried to get an old friend of mine to watch over her, but she turned against me for a bit... And she should start getting money from Aunt Sara's accounts soon. It's nothing that should break anything."

[ashes_ascended]

"We noticed things had started changing for her, and couldn't explain it. Did you know she was shot?" Perhaps he shouldn't have said that, but something is wrong somewhere. It isn't often that Vahl worries.

Then another thought occurs. "That old friend, it wouldn't be Nina would it?

[a_time_slip]

"She was shot?" Janie asked, alarmed "When? I- I can't tell right now. Usually I can."

She grew quiet when he mentioned Nina. "She's been through a lot. Don't- I don't want her to get into any trouble."

[ashes_ascended]

"Yeah. By Raissa. Vahl read in her mind that she's trying to wipe you out of the timelines."

"She's not in any trouble, honey. Apart from being put over my knee." Which was fun.

[a_time_slip]

All the blood went from Janie's face when Phoenix told her what Raissa was up to.

"She talked Nina into helping her. They trapped me in a cell... and Rai had her fun. She poisoned me over and over and over and I didn't die. And then Nina got someone to help break me out, and she was so sorry. Rai had convinced her that it was my fault, and that I would get this world blown up.

Nina's promised to leave us alone now. I gave her some money and told her once she's settled, I'd get her a pension. So she never has to move again. Maybe this time her happy ending will stick."

[ashes_ascended]

"Gods sweetheart." Phoenix reaches for Janie and pulls her into a hug, gently, mindful that she's fragile. "Rai's out of the picture now. Locked up. It'll be okay."

[a_time_slip]

Janie hugs Phoenix as tightly as she can. It's not very much, but once she gets the antidote, she can finally start to heal.

"She's done so much... I'm sorry, I should have asked for help sooner. "

[ashes_ascended]

"Don't be. It's okay. I know it's hard for you, and I haven't made it any easier over the centuries." He holds her, smelling that familiar and beautiful scent of her hair.

"Let me get this antitoxin inside you. Okay?"

[a_time_slip]

"Okay." She says, using Phoenix for support "Please. I want to be myself again."

She's got a first aid kit nearby, with everything that she could need inside of it.

[ashes_ascended]

Phoenix was handling medical equipment from an early age, helping Ylaia in her treatment centres. He's also used to administering first aid - or divine healing - in the field. He takes a few minutes to prep a hypodermic. The dosage in the vial is exactly enough for a person of Janie's weight and size, Ylaia wanted no errors.

"Give me your arm?"

[a_time_slip]

She pushes up her long sleeve, and holds her arm out to Phoenix. She trusts him, he's healed her before.

[ashes_ascended]

Wrapping the tourniquet around her arm, Phoenix swabs the skin with anti-bac solution, and very carefully uses the hypo to inject the antitoxin. He's always been very gentle doing this, and even as a youngster, mortal people preferred him doing it because of what they called his 'angelic touch'.

"Okay." He places a cotton ball over the puncture. "You know the drill bend you arm and keep it that way for a minute or so."

[a_time_slip]

It starts taking effect right away. Some color starts to return to her as she bends her arm.

"Oh gods. This stuff. Phoenix, thank you. I feel better already."

[ashes_ascended]

"Nothing but the best dope from your friendly neighbourhood dealer." He's pleased to see her improve so quickly, and spends another few minutes tidying up after himself.

[a_time_slip]

Janie was all smiles as she sat for a moment, still holding her arm in position.

"I need to stay out of the way of younger me." she said "I can feel some of the changes."

[ashes_ascended]

"I think that would be safest," he has to agree, but he knows Janie can be damned stubborn.

"We'll try to handle anything else that comes up, Vahl and me, but now Raissa's out of the way, things should settle down."

[a_time_slip]

"I'll stay here for a bit." Janie decided "Then I'll go back home and see how Lynn's coming along. She wanted a little bit of privacy."

[ashes_ascended]

He can relate to Lynn's need for privacy. Phoenix and Vahl have spent the last ten years locking themselves away from everything in La'Zralae.

"Give them both my love, yeah?"

[a_time_slip]

"They've got a little pack." Janie revealed "Just three of them, but I think they want a little one."

[ashes_ascended]

Since Sam set up with Spectra and Stefano, and the child came along, and then Lynn forming her pack, Phoenix has missed being such a vital person in his children's lives.

At the same time, he's immensely proud and happy for both Sam and Lynn.

"I'll be a grandfather." He frowns slightly. "I mean Therese is obviously Stefano's, but if they manage it.. this will be Lynn's. I feel old."

Spectra and Stefano named their little girl Therese, after one of Stefano's long dead little sisters.

[a_time_slip]

Janie has kept up with the kids as much as possible, usually cheating and skipping around in time and space to check in on them. She spoils all of them rotten, especially Malik.

"I do too, Phoenix. But I'm not sure they'll manage it. Neither of the women can have children, and Lynn hasn't been able to make cloning work. They want a little privacy while they figure it out. I'm sure they'll come up with something."

[ashes_ascended]

"I hope so. I never knew I'd be given Sam. Alec and I adopted mortal kids over the centuries, but, well, you probably know how much that hurts."

Having Lynn as a child had been a little scary at first, until Phoenix had realised she was immortal. "I was so happy when Lynn turned out to be mine."

[a_time_slip]

"I'd always been told that I would never have kids." Janie said "And one day, with no notice, I had Lynn. I was just a kid myself, really. But I needed her. I've had other families, other children that I adopted, but it's not the same. And it does hurt to lose them."

Janie hadn't know that she was immortal until she was around a hundred. Then she realized something.

"I'm glad you're her father. I think. You're going to be a fantastic Grandparent."

[ashes_ascended]

"You think?" He gives her the Kaelen eyebrow, but his eyes are twinkling.

"It's gonna be fun. I hope they can find a workaround."

[a_time_slip]

"She has linked me to your lot. Forever." But Janie was laughing. She loved Keldra. It was home.

"Me too, but I wonder... What that child would be like. Lynn is both of our races."

[ashes_ascended]

"Gods help you both," he grins. Phoenix always loves it when she laughs.

He wonders if they're both skirting around the issue of the Beast a bit, but surely it's a being so unique, it won't repeat? Unless it wants baby beasts. The angel shudders. "It was like that for Spectra and Stefano. Wraith and vampires hadn't bred much when they got together, Stefano didn't want Therese to be born vampire. Lucky she takes after her mother."

[a_time_slip]

"Will Danae give her a child?" Janie wondered, out loud "That's how I got Lynn, isn't it? "You lot have the birth spheres. I don't think- well. Maybe it will be something new. A stork."

[ashes_ascended]

"Maybe she will. I mean she must see Lynn as one of her own... but it might be a long time coming." As Sam had been.

He laughs at the stork. "There must be a universe where that's possible."