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

[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."