Nikki gritted her teeth in anticipation. It was good that she got to stay... She wasn't leaving until Carnivalle got what was coming to her. Nikki was one to hold grudges until the day she died. Vengeance was on her top list of priorities at the moment. She wasn't too afraid of Emily killing Eli. She wouldn't...

Nikki looked at Eli, for a moment her rage was forgotten. Her eyes held a vast amount of sympathy. How hellish it would be to have that thing as a cousin. Looking back to Carnivalle, Nikki clenched her fists.

"Let me at her, Emily. I swear to God, she needs to pay. For everything. Her miserable existence is a bane to humanity. All I need is a couple of punches..." Nikki growled. She had resolved to not kill Carnivalle... despite her anger management issues, she was no murderer. But she was determined to beat the she-devil into a pulp.

Alexander watched as all the kids but Elijah and Nikki and himself were taken outside by the ring mistress's assistant. "Sure kid, I'll let you have a shot at her." Emily said "After all she's the one that forced you into that coffin, and tourchered Elijah. I would have been pretty pissed off." Emily still had a gun at Elijah "Alexander, why not take the gun from that foolish freak ass. You know Carnivalle, I'm finding that kids these days are smart, loving and gentle. Provided given the right care. I would have been a great mother, but I am not your mother Carnivalle, I could never be your mother, I just don't love you enough. I love my kid... and only her, even if she's dead. She is all I have left in the world that I can say is mine, truly mine. And I wouldn't want her to see her mother going down, so you and Andrew are going to take the fall for this, if Nikki, Elijah and Alexander can agree to help me out of this mess. I doubt this boy here could ever love you for real."

Alexander watched Emily speak, she was good at speaking he had always liked her carnival. "I have no problems in letting Andrew take the fall for my kidnapping and the others." Alexander had a grin of satisfaction on his face looking at the fallen man bleeding slowly to death. "Emily, you should know your daughter is very much alive. She has your spirit, your fight for life and freedom. And you would be proud of the young lady she is becoming. The night you gave birth to your daughter Nichole, a rich man and his wife gave birth to a born still child. Filled with and with out any thoughts to what he did he switched your baby with his dead one. Your nephew was there that night she was born, saw Mr. Blackwell steal your daughter away. He did not say one word. Not one word. But he a stranger take his first cousin away And was paid for his silence by a sum of five thousand dollars. Is why you never heard from him until now. That daughter is here in this room." Alexander looked into Nikki's eyes.

Raine hesitated as she was ushered out with the other kids. She sighed to herself; did this mean everything was going to be over soon? She hoped so; she didn't like being in this sort of situation. She glanced back at the other three, that seemed to not be forced outside. And she didn't get much of a chance to talk with them, either. Oh well. Maybe, if she could find a chance when they got out, she thought. Though she wasn't even really sure it was just any of them she wanted to talk to, anyway, though she thought she had gotten along with Nikki well enough before. She seemed to be fond of Elijah, though...so where exactly did that leave Alex? Then again, she wasn't sure, after she went home, she would actually see any of them again.

She glanced back again at the building, tempted to sneak back in, to find out what was going on. She probably could...but sublety was never her strong point. Maybe they wouldn't bother much with her if she didn't mean any harm, ro to get in the way? Though it did seem like everything was winding down to a certain extent. Still, she wanted to try, to see what was going on. She casually walked her way back, hoping to avoid too much notice; she was too curious to want to be caught just yet.

(Sorry I haven't posted in a while; been really busy lately, and didn't expect it to happen. -_- Trying to get back in...but that's a little hard now...sorry...)

Despite Emily's words, one thing Sam did not feel like was a hero. He had only a sketchy idea of what was going on, for one thing. And, devoted as he was to the Ringmistress, he knew deep inside that Carnivalle was the stronger of the two women. Obviously these kids had been kidnapped, and now they were to be set free. Which meant that within a few hours, every cop in the county would descend upon the carnival, and the whole lot of them would be under lock and key before they were much older. On the other hand, if he didn't take the opportunity, right now, to get the bulk of the captives free, who knew what might happen to them? Given that Carnivalle was involved, it would be unlikely anything good might come of it!

Think, Sam, think!

And then it came to him. Hastily assembling the ones who were to be freed, he stood before them, his hands waving in the air, in exactly the same posture as he'd introduced the dancing elephants.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, in ringing tones. "The Carmel Martin Carnival hopes you've enjoyed our little theatrical role-play entitled 'Kidnapped at the Carnie!" He winked, theatrically. "Oh, didn't we have some of you in a state, eh? Didn't we just. We know all kids crave adventure and excitement, and we determined to give you something new and different. We sincerely hope we've succeeded. Now make sure you don't tell any of your friends here how it's not real, or you'll spoil the joke for others who come to the carnival in future. For all being such good sports, every one of you will receive a free ticket for our next show, and a 'Carmel Martin Carnival' t-shirt. And now - your transport awaits."

He took the Ringmistress' hand, and started a bow. For f*ck's sake, bow, mistress, he whispered from the corner of his mouth, without even slightly distorting his carefully faked smile.

Elijah felt a pair of hands grasped at him, and a steel gunpoint rested in his dark brown locks. He looked over petrified at Carnivalle, wondering what she would do. He was momentarily distracted by the conversation going on. Nikki wasn't a Blackwell, but rather Emily's child? Carnivalle cackled wickedly, Elijah returning from his distraction as a fear danced inside Carnivalle's eyes. "A complication!" Carnivalle snorted sarcastically, keeping the gun pointed at Emily, "Everyone here knows you don't have the guts to kill my Elijah. YOU WON'T KILL MY BABY!" She screamed, shooting a bullet into Emily's shoulder.

"You won't hurt him! He's mine! MINE, MINE, MINE!" She shrieked, shooting Emily in the other shoulder. She eyed everyone watching wickedly, the daggers on her belt glinting dangerously. "I'M running this show now. Now Sam, you either help me or... let's just say someone won't have his insides anymore." Carnivalle snarled, grabbing her Elijah from the bleeding ringmistress. She pushed her shocked child inside the small funeral home, bringing Nikki and Alexander with her. She tied Alexander and pressed him into the corner.

Carnivalle went back outside and yanked Emily, Sam, and the other kids inside after locking the door. She placed the necklace around her neck on the simple chain hanging there.

"Now then." She stated, getting to work.

She grabbed Elijah by the collar of his shirt, throwing him into the small closet. He started to breathe heavily, the fear getting to him. Suffocation, choking, uncontrolled screaming. He started to yell, for mercy. His yells escalated from yells to screams, screams to shrieks of terror and mercy. His nails raked against the door, his combat boots pounding against the door in sync of the pounding in his chest and the trembling in his fists rapping against the door. beads of sweat ran down his face as chills ran down his spine and hot flashes heated his face.

She dragged Nikki to the door where Elijah was screaming, tying her tightly. "Have fun, you little bitch." She growled, slapping her before moving on. She grabbed Alexander, snaking one of her arms around his slender figure. A serpent holding its prey. She held a small pistol to his head, smiling wickedly.

"Now then Sam, are you willing to help me? In exchange, this boy here won't go on to heaven."

Elijah tried to regain himself, and started to try to explain his confusion. How could Carnivalle be his mother? "How can someone as insane as you be my own mother?!? Why didn't you tell me!" He shouted, trying to gain the attention of his "mother". The simple thought of it sent chills down his spine. Carnivalle brought the boy with her, pushing the redhead from the doorway. She opened it, yanking Elijah out.

"How? That's simple. When I was fourteen, I was raped by your real father. His name is Frederick Victore Alaans. Nine months later, you came and your grandmother thought it'd be best for you to be given to Aunt Anna and Uncle Elijah since they had only female children."

"Why wouldn't I tell you? Aunt Anna and Uncle Elijah, along with Mother and Father, wouldn't let me tell you."

Carnivalle smirked at him, pushing him back into the room. "Wait!" He yelled, Carnivalle waiting for a second for him to speak. "Why are you still doing this?" He asked, a pleading note in his voice. "For the ransom, of course. With the money, I can track down Frederick and we can flee to an estate in Argentina I had especially made." She replied, shutting the door and locking it.

"For the ransom."

Emily felt the gun wound hit her shoulder and she went down, she felt the pain, but at least she is a live. Emily looked up at the woman, "I would never have shot your baby... you should have known that." Emily was weak now but she still had her gun which she had manged to hide quickly. She looked up at Alexander and Elijah and Nikki. "Don't hurt them Carnivalle, they...." Emily gasped God was this painful "They are just children..." Emily worried for her daughter's sake. She looked at Alexander "My...." She took in a deep Breath "Nikki is mine?" She asked Emily looked towards Nikki "She's so beautiful..." Emily whispered. Emily looked on to Nikki with such love that only a real mother could send her daughter, she closed her eyes and gasped in a deep breath "Live Nikki, Live free..." she whispered and closed her eyes.

Alexander screamed in rage of anger, again no one would see this, he tried to bolt free, but he was locked in. "You fucking ass bitch!" Alexander screamed at Carnivalle. He did not care that she had a gun that had shot Emily. Alexander hated the loss of any life. What Carnivalle didn't realize was the gun she had was loaded with blanks. Carnivalle thought she was running the show. Would she get a surprise. Alexander struggled "Sam! Do something..." Alexander shouted at the man, he knew them all he had gone every year. "Sam!" Alexander cried out again "I know your not a bad person. Sam, help us! Think of Emily what she would have wanted you to do..." Alexander was at his wits end and he was giving up, he hadn't seen any of the others fighting, only Elijah."

Raine jumped when they were all pushed back into the room; were they going free, or still being kept prisoner? She shook her head in confusion. They were just being rounded up again...and, apparently, Carnivalle wasn't even Elijah's cousin, or whatever, but actually his mother. And then Nikki was the ringmasters daughter? Things were just getting even more confusing. She glanced at Alexander; he was getting frustrated, and she shook her head again. "Screaming doesn't do much good, you know, Alex..." Even if he was trying to get Sam to help, she wasn't sure whether he'd risk his life for kids he barely knew, even if he knew Alex since he went every year.

She shook her head to herself, and moved a little closer to see whether or not the ringmaster was still going to be all right...or if it might have been too late. She had ignored the other body in the room, Alex's old butler, since there really was no hope for him at this point. She glanced back at the others, but then away, mumbling to herself. "There wasn't so much trouble before...our lives weren't really threatened..." She sighed, shrugging to herself, before glancing back to Carnivalle and the others. How were they going to manage to get out of this mess now that Carnivalle was calling everything?

"Sure kid, I'll let you have a shot at her," Emily said. "After all, she's the one that forced you into that coffin, and tortured Elijah. I would have been pretty pissed off." Nikki couldn't help but think that the statement was awkward; Emily still had her gun pointed at Eli's head. But she wouldn't shoot. Nikki was sure of it. What she was afraid of was that Carnivalle knew the same thing. It would probably be best to knock the nutcase's block off. A loss of consciousness on Carnivalle's part would help the situation a great deal.

"Alexander, why not take the gun from that foolish freak-ass. You know, Carnivalle, I'm finding that kids these days are smart, loving and gentle. Provided given the right care. I would have been a great mother... but I am not your mother, Carnivalle, I could never be your mother. I just don't love you enough. I love my kid... and only her, even if she's dead. She is all I have left in the world that I can say is mine, truly mine. And I wouldn't want her to see her mother going down, so you and Andrew are going to take the fall for this... if Nikki, Elijah and Alexander can agree to help me out of this mess. I doubt this boy here could ever love you for real." Emily was passionate, blue eyes bright. Nikki looked to Eli's expression. All she could see was fear, his eyes paralyzed on his cousin. Nikki wanted nothing more than to hold him, tell him it was alright.

"I have no problems in letting Andrew take the fall for my kidnapping and the others," Alexander replied, a smug smile on his lips as he looked at his butler. The man was collapsed on the floor, a puddle growing around his still body. Nikki frowned. They should probably patch him up. Death was too good for the sorry bastard. She wanted to see him convicted.

"Emily," Alexander started. His voice had become quite serious. Nikki supposed this was what he had been trying to say before. "You should know your daughter is very much alive. She has your spirit, your fight for life and freedom. And you would be proud of the young lady she is becoming." Nikki's eyes widened. So Emily's daughter was still kicking, eh? Good on her. Nikki nodded in contentment. At least something somewhat happy had occurred.

"The night you gave birth to your daughter, Nicole, a rich man and his wife gave birth to a born still child. Filled with and with out any thoughts to what he did, he switched your baby with his dead one. Your nephew was there that night she was born, saw Mr. Blackwell steal your daughter away. He did not say one word. Not one word. But he saw a stranger take his first cousin away and was paid for his silence by a sum of five thousand dollars. This is why you never heard from him until now. That daughter is here in this room." Alexander looked at Nikki.

She was stock still. Her brain fumbled and shuddered to a stop. Blackwell... dead child... Emily's daughter?

No. No, this isn't possible. I'm a Blackwell. I've even got the freakin' family scar! she thought, mind racing.

Scars are easy to make, Nikki. You know father wouldn't hesitate to bring a knife to a child in order to keep up his charade... A tiny voice inside her spoke the truth. Nikki looked up at Emily. Blonde hair, blue eyes... she couldn't find one resemblance. But as she continued to map the face of the ringmaster, Nikki's heartbeat picked up. She could see her jaw, the set of her eyes, the shape of her lips... all reflected in the blonde woman standing across from her.

Emily was her mother. Nikki opened her mouth hesitantly.

"M-mom?" She tried the word out. She had never used it before. It was always "mother". But "mom" felt familiar, easy.

A wild cackle interrupted the moment.

"A complication!" Carnivalle sneered, pointing her gun at Emily. "Everyone here knows you don't have the guts to kill my Elijah. YOU WON'T KILL MY BABY!" She screeched. A gunshot. Red bloomed instantly on Emily's shoulder. Nikki stood gaping. This wasn't real. It couldn't be real.

"You won't hurt him! He's mine! MINE, MINE, MINE!" Carnivalle screamed, firing off another bullet to Emily's other shoulder. Nikki choked, eyes solely on her fallen mother.

"I'M running this show now. Now, Sam, you either help me or... let's just say someone won't have his insides anymore," Carnivalle growled, ripping Eli away from Emily. Nikki fell to her knees at Emily's side.

"Live Nikki, Live free..." the woman managed to whisper, before her eyes fell shut.

"NO! WAKE UP! WAKE UP, GOD DAMMIT!" Nikki yelled, hot tears falling down her face. She hadn't cried in years... and now twice in one day.

She felt someone grab her by the collar, and haul her away from Emily. There was no God. Nikki could hear Alexander screaming angrily, but it was all meaningless white noise. She saw Carnivalle throw Eli into a closet and lock the door. At once, Nikki anger started to boil once more.

"GO TO HELL!" Nikki clawed and kicked at Carnivalle, but her situation was too compromising. Carnivalle had her tied in little over a minute, leaving her sitting outside the closet door. Eli's cries became Nikki's soundtrack.

"Have fun, you little bitch," Carnivalle snapped, slapping Nikki hard. Nikki spat in Carnivalle's direction. But the witch had moved on to her next victim, pressing her pistol to Alexander's temple.

"Now then, Sam, are you willing to help me? In exchange, this boy here won't go on to heaven." Before the carnival assistant could answer, Eli yelled from within the closet.

"How can someone as insane as you be my own mother?!? Why didn't you tell me!" He screamed. Carnivalle dragged Alexander with her, and kicked Nikki away from the door forcefully. She opened the closet violently, and grabbed at Eli.

"How? That's simple. When I was fourteen, I was raped by your real father. His name is Frederick Victore Alaans. Nine months later, you came and your grandmother thought it'd be best for you to be given to Aunt Anna and Uncle Elijah since they had only female children." Carnivalle's voice was dangerously low.

"Why wouldn't I tell you? Aunt Anna and Uncle Elijah, along with Mother and Father, wouldn't let me tell you." As if in mockery of her own (and that of her child's) painful dilemma, Carnivalle smiled crookedly. She pushed him back into the tiny closet .

"Wait!" he shouted. Carnivalle paused. "Why are you still doing this?" he asked. Nikki's answer was simple: Carnivalle was a sadistic maniac. But she didn't speak up.

"For the ransom, of course. With the money, I can track down Frederick and we can flee to an estate in Argentina I had especially made," Carnivalle said shortly, shoving her own son back into his own personal hell.

"For the ransom," she said again, as if confirming the future. Nikki glowered darkly, eyes on Carnivalle's gun... or one of her knives. If only she had a fucking knife, then-

If she could have, Nikki would've slapped herself in the face. She had forgotten. Her grandfather's swiss army knife. Antonio Montoya had gifted the handy item to Nikki on her thirteenth birthday. Out of her entire family, Grandpa Antonio was the only person Nikki truly loved. He looked out for her- always. When he had died, it had been such a travesty to her. Ever since, she kept the knife in the heel of her boot- something to remember him by. And she could use it now.

Nikki shrunk back into the corner, trying to look defeated. Slowly, she began maneuvering herself, so that her bound hands could reach the back of her boots. She ended up in a squatting position, balancing on her toes. Her ankles, being bound as they were, wobbled with the balancing act. Nikki strained to grip the zipper on the back of her right boot. Her fingers fumbled with the tiny metal piece, slipping with her sweat. Finally she gripped it.

Nikki pulled the zipper down slowly, not making a sound. Then came the most difficult part. She'd have to slip her heel out of the shoe in order to get the knife. As she began pulling her foot out, Nikki tipped over. Thankfully, due to being pressed into the corner, Nikki fell to the side and was supported by the concrete wall. Grunting quietly, Nikki righted herself. Bending her back to an extreme angle, Nikki was able to get a hand into the boot.

And found nothing. A panic set it. Where was it?! She fumbled around in her boot, fear welling up inside her. But the cool touch of mahogany and steel finally found her fingertips. An enormous wave of relief washed over Nikki. Carefully, she withdrew the knife from her boot, and slipped her heel back in. She wouldn't bother with zipping it up again. Too much of an effort.

With that, Nikki began toying with the knife, trying to find the button that would release a blade sharp enough to cut through her bonds. As she did so, Nikki's eyes never left Carnivalle. She had gone completely cold. Dead inside. The only thing she wished to do was kill. She was either going to slit Carnivalle's neck, or die trying.

((I know. Wall-o-words much? :/ ))

Emily slowly blinked her eyes and stared.. why wasn't I dead? came an instant thought to her mind. she groaned quietly and looked up to see her daughter a small smile came across her face, her daughter was strong and Alexander was right she was beautiful. She saw her daughter digging down her boots for something and then saw the swiss army knife, the freak ass bitch who claimed Elijah as her son was busy yelling at him. Emily managed to make herself and the butler disappearance into the white van. she tied him up and banadges him, then did the first selfless thing she called the police and spoke to Detective in charge of the missing kids at the carnival.

"This is Agent Bob of missing persons speak." Bob said he looked up at Alexander's parents who were the only one's left in the room besides Alaina's parents he placed his phone on speaker and brought them in.

"This is Emily Martin... Ring Mistress to Carmel Martin Carnival. The kids are all fine... located at the old funeral home five miles west of the Carnival. Elijah and Alexander have taken quite a beating from Carnivalle and the kids Butler. I've dealt with the butler.. he's tied up at the moment... and you might want to bring a couple of Ambulances..." Emily groaned the blank bullet hurt like hell. "For my part in the Kidnappings I am truly sorry, all I want to see is my child and the others safe. I don't care what happens to me." Emily looked up when she heard screaming inside "Bob, come and save them. . . I'm going back in ... I ... I cant leave Nikki in there by herself. She's my kid, she needs me." Emily hung up the cell phone before either sets of parents could speak Alexander looked baffled and then looked at Amber's parents.

"Lets go get our children." he said softly to Amber's mother.

Emily came back in it was then she spotted Karina, she gently garbed the child from behind and placed her finger over her mouth. "Don't let on I'm still alive... the police will be here soon. For my part in all of this kid I am truly sorry. And I am sorry your dad will go to prision. Maybe Alexander's parents will take you in? I'll work on that as part of my plea barginning. I'm going to try and help bring Carnivalle down." Emily knew she was going to go to jail, but nothing else matter to her she had her daughter, her daughter was alive and at least knew the truth... the truth was she had a mom who loved her very much. Emily looked on impressed with her daughter's inner strength but then saw something in her daughters eyes, they were somehow different. "Nikki!" Emily gasped now she had seen those type of eyes once before and she didn't want her daughter going down for murder... she had her whole life... so Emily did the only thing a good loving mother could, she stood and waited for a clear shot and shot Carnivalle twice just missing main arteries but enough to bring her down.

"Fucking Bitch, stay away from my daughter you hear me me!" Emily hissed now coming up to Carnivalle's weak body she kicked her "You can't kill me, I'm the fucking Ring Mistress." Emily's hands were shaking "You ever come near me or my kid, or any of these kids again, epically your own, I will personally hunt you down my self, and I will kill you with out thinking on it twice." Emily looked at Nikki. "Can you ever forgive me for missing out on your life?"

"Alright Ring Mistress!" Alexander hugged her "I'm going to see to it you get off easy from this, as easy as possible.." Alexander kicked Carnivalle himself And tied her down... "Oh wait lets see whats in this closet here?" he said as he pulled open the door Elijah was freed and Carnivalle was thrown into the closet with locking the door behind him. "Are you alright Elijah?" Alexander knew Nikki was alright and didn't want anyone babying over her.

"Now then Sam, are you willing to help me? In exchange, this boy here won't go on to heaven."

Sam gritted his teeth. Talk about a hiding to nothing. Try to help the kids, and they all get killed. Not lift a finger, and - fuck it, they all get killed. And either way, there was no way the carnival - or Emily - would survive this. They'd all end up in jail, or dead... or...

"Carnivalle, I - NO! NO, I WON'T!" he screamed.

And then everything started going down at once. And what loomed largest of all - the red rose of blood on the Ringmistress' shoulder. "Sam!" Alexander cried out again "I know your not a bad person. Sam, help us! Think of Emily what she would have wanted you to do..."

Sam's first instinctive move was to dive towards the body of the Ringmistress, to render what aid he could. If he had to dig the bullet out of her with his teeth, he'd do that. If he had to stand over her body, take a second shot from Carnivalle's pistol, shield her with his body...

And then it came to him. The noise the gun had made. The puff of smoke. That wasn't an explosive bullet. He wasn't the world's greatest expert on firearms, but he could recognize blanks when he heard them!
Which meant-

His course was now clear. He pivoted, made to dive at Carnivalle - and he did interrupt the path of the second blank. Just a blank - but fired at point blank range, and catching him on the side of the head, and everything went black...

And then, nothing.

- - - - - - - -

Well, nothing but dreams. A black-clad figure, looming over him. You failed her. You failed the Ringmistress. You failed the carnival. What use are you, Sam Foley? Slippery Sam? Superfluous Sam, more like! A chorus of taunting voices, mocking, like a gang of children taunting a younger kid, surrounding him in the dark. Useless. useless. useless.

"NO!" he screamed. was he awake? Asleep? Dead? His consciousness had shrunk to the earth on which he crawled, was crawling, towards the white van. Where she was-

And he reached it, just as the very last of his borrowed strength failed him, and he collapsed into insensibility again.

Carnivalle slipped onto the floor as soon as the second bullet entered her body. She was always a frail creature. Elijah rushed out of the closet, galsping heavily. He noticed Carnivalle bleeding on the floor, and his mind went blank. All the talking around him muffled into unapprehendable blobs of noise. He sat down next to his bleeding mother, grabbing her hand gently.

He felt depersonalized. Everything around him was dreamlike, he felt like someone had pulled his soul from his body and let him watch enviously. Nothing around him felt real, even as his mother started to talk to him. "You always were a softie, kid. If I don't make it, please tell your grandparents that you know the truth. And that you are Elijah Johnathan Taylors." She choked out hoarsely, her head dropping on her floor as her brown eyes closed softly. Elijah just stared. No, it didn't happen. It was too surreal to happen. "She's gone." He whispered, his hand still gently grasping her small hand.

He heard the bustling around him, but refused to listen to anyone talking to him. A detective squatted in front of him, but Elijah kept his eyes glued to the small hand now tightly gripped in his. "Excuse me son, are you Elijah Lucian Class the Second?"

He asked, the young brunette shaking his head. "Elijah Johnathan Taylors." He replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't even lift his head as he heard the voice of his former parents. "Yes, this is our boy." Uncle Lucian replied, Aunt Anna wrapping her slender arms around him.

"You're not my mother, and I'm not Elijah Lucian Class the Second. Flora Johnathana Taylors is my mother, and I am Elijah Johnathan Taylors." He muttered monotonously, the two adults in front of him staring at him in suprise. His uncle tried to get him to look at him, and after a few unsucessful attempts he grasped the young teen's chin and lifted it up to meet the steel grey eyes Elijah had become so accustomed to.

"What's wrong with you, boy? We ought to have you checked. 'Ey detective, there any disorders that can come from kidnapping and possible torture?" His father asked, the young male's head bobbing back down to the floor where his hand had loosened its grip on the other hand. "Many, though it seems your nephew-"

"Great nephew." Elijah interrupted, crossing his legs.

"Right, great nephew seems to have suffered from emotional stress. I'd say, with my therapist background, that'd he probably be diagnosed with DPD, Depersonalization Disorder. These people suffer from episodes of seeming to be in a dreamlike state, no control over their own bodies. Like watching a movie with yourself in it." The Detective replied, sighing sympathetically.

"You seem like a nice kid, I'm Detective Warbler. Call if you need anything." The Detective stated, putting a card in the pocket of the band jacket with Elijah's name in the collar. Elijah lifted his head, looking over at Nikki with his pained emerald eyes.

"Help me."

(OOC: Sorry double post!)

Nikki watched, appalled, when Sam went down. He seemed a decent guy... but he just got in the way. Gunshots. Screams. It all grated away at Nikki's sanity. She prided herself on being strong... but there came a point where everything snapped. Her mother was gone. She had known the woman for all of 30 seconds before Carnivalle shot her down. Nikki could only see Emily's eyes fluttering shut... Her mother's body wasn't even in the room. Neither was the butler's. Carnivalle probably threw them outside to rot.

Nikki moved the knife up and down against the ropes on her wrists, a grim, determined movement. The motion was soothing... The feeling of the serrated edge wearing away at something was a silent promise; she was going to have her freedom... and her revenge. It took a couple seconds for Nikki to realize that she had begun cutting the skin on her wrists. Pain was insignificant. Tiny rivulets of blood trickled slowly down Nikki's hands- down her fingers. The sticky substance was warm against her cold skin, long since chilled from the funeral home's temperature. But Nikki kept her hands behind her back.

Now, if only Carnivalle would turn her back for just one minute... Nikki slowly rose to her feet, right hand gripped around the hilt of her blade. Her eyes zeroed in on Carnivalle's neck. The blade in her hand was practically jumping to bury itself into the muscle. Nikki raised her hand. One yard between her and vengeance...

Two gunshots rang through the air, deafening. Nikki jumped back, watching as Carnivalle's body was knocked back from the impact. She collapsed instantly to the floor.

"Fucking bitch, stay away from my daughter, you hear me me!" Emily appeared from the doorway, gun clutched in her hand. She was alive. Nikki dropped her knife in shock, the blood-smeared weapon clattering to the floor. "You can't kill me, I'm the fucking Ring Mistress," Emily hissed. "You ever come near me or my kid, or any of these kids again, epically your own. I will personally hunt you down myself, and I will kill you without thinking on it twice." Emily looked at Nikki.

The girl's mouth was hanging slightly open, eyes wide. What was she about to do? She was about to commit murder. Nikki had returned to herself. The cuts on her wrists ached with each pulse, blood still weeping from her veins. But Nikki couldn't care less. Her mother was alive. Alive. Alive-alive-alive! Nikki chanted the word in her head, holding onto the precious sound of it.

"Can you ever forgive me for missing out on your life?" Emily asked. Nikki stood completely still. Then she ran at Emily, embracing her tightly. She could feel her mother stagger back a bit, due to the force of the hug.

"Mom..." Nikki whispered, gripping Emily tighter. Nikki released slightly, and stepped back. No doubt, bloody hand-prints could be seen on Emily's back. Nikki gazed at the Ringmaster's face, trying to memorize every lineament.

"Alright, Ring Mistress!" Alexander hugged Emily good-naturedly. "I'm going to see to it that you get off easy from this, as easy as possible..." Alexander then proceeded to tie up Carnivalle and release Eli from the closet.

"Are you alright Elijah?" Alexander asked.

Faint sirens sounded. Within seconds, the alarms had grown loud. Nikki could hear the slamming of car doors, and the heavy footsteps of police officers. She looked at her mother desperately. She couldn't be caught. She could not go to jail. But the look on Emily's face said it all; she wasn't surprised or afraid of the police... Nikki suspected that she had called them herself. After all, who would have? Nikki merely hugged her mother again.

"Police! Is everything alright in here?" A tall, dark-skinned woman stood hesitantly in the doorway, gun raised. Nikki felt sick. She never wanted to see another gun again.

"Yeah... still breathing," Nikki said softly, voice hoarse. She bent over and subtly retrieved her swiss army knife from the ground. She slipped it back into her boot, not caring about the blood. She wouldn't want the police picking it up as evidence. The female officer looked around, eyes falling on Carnivalle and Sam. She reached for her walkie-talkie, pressing a button.

"9-0-4 here, we've got two injured in the building. Both in serious condition. Bring medics stat," she spoke quickly. "Roger that," came from the speaker of the two-way communication device. Almost immediately, EMT's and paramedics swarmed inside, picking up Carnivalle and Sam and placing them on stretchers. Nikki looked over at Eli. A cop was talking to him, and two other people came into the now crowded room. They looked to be his "parents". The Class's, that is.

Nikki moved to go talk to the boy. His eyes were downcast, and his face held no expression. But the female officer from before stepped in her way.

"Hello, miss. I'm Officer Kate Williams. What's your name?" Officer Williams' face was kind. She was fairly young, with high cheekbones and big, brown eyes. Nikki hesitated. Was she even a Blackwell anymore? That was a question for a different time.

"Oh, uh, yes... I'm known as Nicole Blackwell," Nikki responded quietly. The officer did not question her odd phrasing.

"Thank you very much, Nicole. Don't worry, now. Everything will be just fine. We'll take you to your parents and you can get back into your normal life." Officer Williams put her hand on Nikki's shoulder in a comforting gesture. But all Nikki could feel was dread. She looked over her shoulder to Emily. But in the mob of police officers, Nikki had lost her. Her stomach dropped.

But she quickly resolved to see her. She would confront her parents... Yes, now that she knew who she really was, she could use the information against her "family". All it would take was a threat to release the real truth to the press. No doubt it would look bad for the Blackwells. Yes, she would gain her independence. She could get to know Emily... provided she didn't go to prison. Once again, Nikki looked around for that blonde head of hair. But she was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Nikki found Eli.

The cop from before was placing a card in Eli's jacket pocket. Standing in the same area were Mr. and Mrs. Class... the latter parent looking as if she had been burned. The hurt expression told enough; Eli had told her that he knew... he knew that she was not his mother. At that moment, Eli looked up from staring at the ground.

Help me. His mouth formed the words, but Nikki couldn't hear them with the current bedlam. She walked over to Eli, feet moving slowly- as if she was wading through water. The distance between them seemed far too great. In what felt like an eternity, the two were face to face. Green met green, both staring at the other as if they were a lifeline. What she saw in those emerald eyes of his scared her. There was emptiness there. A dark, lonely, void. So Nikki did all she could do. Carefully, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his shoulder. She held him close, pressing her body against his. She wanted to shield him from all the pain. It was if they were the only two people left in the world, on a tiny island surrounded by a sea of confusion.

"It's gonna be okay... We're all gonna be okay," Nikki murmured softly in his ear, never letting go of the taller teen. She felt that if she let go, he'd fade away.

Raine glanced around; at least things were getting a little better. Sure, things weren't any less confusing, but Carnivalle was tied up for the moment, and Emily was still alive, and, soon enough, police had arrived, too. She didn't pay them much attention; the other three seemed to have had it much worse than she did. She hesitated, but worked her way towards them. Nikki seemed to have cut herself, but she only took a brief look; the cuts weren't too deep, she thought. And she was holding Elijah. She shook her head; after all this, she still seemed to like him. Apparently they weren't going to be separated any time soon, really. She glanced up at Alex, who also seemed to be checking on Eli.

"Is everyone okay, then?" They were all alive, though, and that was a good thing. But that meant little if anyone was really hurt. She glanced over the three briefly. Then back to the police. She glanced back, seeing her own parents walking in. She glanced down, unsure of what they would do; whether she was to be in trouble for running off on her own, or if they were just going to pretend like nothing happened. Her family was never exactly emotional, so she didn't expect the sudden hugs. She shrugged them off, unused to the physical contact, and glanced back at the others her own age. Neither parent seemed to notice, her father glancing around, trying to assess what had happened, and her mother finally scolding her for running off on her own. Eli and Nikki seemed to be in their own little world, almost like they had no idea what was going on around them. She glanced back at Alex, and tried to make some sort of joke of it all, since they did seem to be okay.

"I don't think I'll be coming to the carnival any time soon." She made a small attempt at a smile, though barely managed; she still had a bit of thinking to do, as far as what had happened, and whether or not she would actually go to another carnival. Or even leave the house, for that matter.

Bob Scallie came in with Alexander's father and Alaina's parents. "Alexander!"

"Father!" Alexander hugged his father and started to babble on and on about what a hero the Ring Mistress was and how the Ring Mistress had protected them the best she could and babbled on and on about the experience, and then he looked towards Karina. "Dad, she has no one but us, Andy said mother gave birth to her in prison."

Alexander JR. walked up to Karina and looked her in the eyes, he saw his own eyes, her mother's beautiful lips. he gently placed his hand on her and whispered "Hello Karina ..." he gently placed his arms around her holding her tight in his arms. "Your safe sweetheart. Safe. Alex and I are going to take you home ... to your real home."

"Emily Martin?" Bob stood in front of the only woman left he held out his hand cuffs, but as he heard Alexander's speech about her behaviorism he sighed. Emily only nodded when her name was called.

"Hello Agent Bob." she whispered. she held out her hands and felt him place one handcuff on her wrist, bringing her arm backwards. Tears were in Emily's eyes as she looked up towards Nikki. She had to do right, she wanted Nikki proud of her mom, to know that she owned up to her mistakes. "Nikki..." she said as Bob started to take her away. "Take care of our Carnival." Bob looked over at Nikki and frowned.

"Nikki Blackwell?" he said the last name Blackwell with such detestation in his voice. He turned to look in the door way and see Mr. Blackwell, and only Mr. Blackwell standing there. He passed the Ring Mistress on to another cop. and came up to Nikki and gently took her away from the other boy seeing her wrist he began to place a cloth on them "I know the truth." he whispered "I have the hospital records... I can help you with whatever you decided." Bob smiled at the girl and called in a medic to take care of her. Bob had done an extensive back ground about every kid, and knew their dark histories.

A EMR personal came in and smiled gently at Nikki and began to take her away to an ambulance. She sat the kid down and began to tend to the wounds. "Now how did this happen?" she asked gently and softly feeling a very mean presence from behind her. "Come on sweet heart... lets get you inside... it's air conditioned." She began to go inside and lead Nikki in...

The Ring Mistress looked around herself and then saw Sam in another car. "What is he being arrested for?" she asked "He didn't do anything... he wasn't part of this..."

"Relax." Bob said coming back in "We'll talk about it when we get you processed." Bob sat in the passenger seat next to the female cop and she drove away. Taking Emily to Jail.

Alexander slowly came up to Raine and smiled softly when she said to him "I don't think I'll be coming to the carnival any time soon." She made a small attempt at a smile, though barely managed; she still had a bit of thinking to do, as far as what had happened, and whether or not she would actually go to another carnival. Or even leave the house, for that matter." his eyes grew wide.

"Well, that put's a damper on my next question then." he sighed and looked up at both her parents. "Around all the madness that was going on here, your daughter was one of the calmest. I'm Alexander Morgan the third, and if your daughter would agree to it, I would like permission to take her out on a date perhaps sometime soon?" Alexander looked Raine in the eyes she was beautiful he had noticed her, he had just set his eyes on Nikki, and it seemed even that was unattainable. But he stood and waited, he wanted to give his dad time with his sister. He wondered how that would effect his life. Now but he smiled seeing his father hug the girl. Raine already knew who she was in his life. and that was good.

Elijah's eyes connected with Nikki's, and she knew what to do. She wrapped her slender, comforting arms around his trembling body. She made his world seem whole again. Then his world was taken away again as the main detective took her away from him. He sat there, watching with bitterness as his former parents filed into their limo and drove away.

He felt another hand grasp his chin, and his emerald orbs moved to meet the sympathetic crystal orbs of the detective from before. "Are you sure you're okay, sweetheart?" Warbler asked, breaking the dam of tears in Elijah. The detective hugged him easily, not even bothering to waver on the awkward stage of hugging a stranger. Only this boy wasn't a stranger. "I think you need to know the truth. Your mother wasn't raped, not even close. She was young, and so was I. I didn't know she was mentally insane. Her true name is Flora Daniella Fiaoro, she was adopted by a rich couple. You are Elijah Chance Warbler, have and always will be." Detective Warbler explained, the teen boy looking up in suprise.

"So which one's the truth? Am I a Class, a Taylors, or a Warbler?" Elijah asked, bitterness lacing his voice.

"I am telling the truth, I have your birth certificate." Elijah's true father explained, holding out the formal document to Eli. He wasn't lying. Elijah Chance Johnathan Warbler, born August 13, 1994.

"Come on, Eli. Let's get you checked out." Dad stated, the teen boy holding up a finger. He grabbed Nikki from behind, his arms wrapped softly around her waist. "I'll call you, love." He whispered sweetly in her ear, pecking her cheek. He smiled, running up to Raine.

"Hey, I know we didn't talk much, but" He grabbed his Sharpie, quickly writing his number down on her hand, "call me if you want to hang out." He commented, smiling geniunely. He patted Alex on the back, grinning. "Go get her dude, she's all yours. Just call me if you want to blow up an Xbow with gaming overload." He whispered, pointing to Raine. He shook hands with him awkwardly, but smiled all the same.

He saw the main detective put Emily in the car, and he gave her a smile. A smile of forgiveness, to let her know she was okay in his eyes, and hopefully her daughter's eyes too.

He walked out with his permanent father, with all the happiness of the world radiating from his body. His insane mother would go to jail, he would live with his father with a new freedom, and he knew the truth. He didn't care that his real father lived in a small, two story townhouse. He didn't care that only his wardrobe and precious belongings could go with him. He was free. He got into the passenger seat of the cop car, satisfied.

"Best Carnival EVER!"

Raine winced slightly as her mother finally noticed she had glanced away, and had thought about turning back to face her, but glanced back as Alex started talking again. Her eyes widened briefly, and she glanced at the ground. This was just seeming more and more odd; at least, she hadn't expected any of this...though everything else before just seemed so much more confusing than this. But the oddest part was thinking that, maybe, after everything they had dealt with, there might actually be a semblence of normalcy. She glanced back at her parents.

Her mom was watching almost curiously, as if she was actually thinking about allowing it. Her dad...well, he was always overprotective, anyway; she didn't need to look to know he was irritated. She blinked in surprise as the other boy, Eli, wrote on her hand, confused. She had always made it a point not to write on her hands or arms...but maybe she'd let it go. After all, what else did he have to write on? Besides, it would wash off. She glanced back up again, to her parents, and Alex.

"...I suppose that would be fine. Though I should know where she's going, and when she's supposed to be back." Her mother was being a bit stubborn, and a bit more firm than usual, but she was bound to be stressed; she couldn't find her daughter after so long. Her dad didn't talk much, and he didn't really want to now, so instead protectively glanced around, hand on her shoulder. Raine sighed, and glanced to Alex again. "I certainly don't mind. ...But i was only calm because I didn't have to go through nearly as much as you three; Eli and Nikki with cuts, and then I think all of you had guns pointed at you...I wouldn't have stayed as calm as you guys did like that." She gave another grin, though this one was much more easy. "Sometime soon, then. ...Maybe by then I'll actually have a cell phone...?" she added, glancing at her mother, who shrugged. "Maybe." She sighed, then looked up. "I probably will," she told him, quietly. She had always managed to talk them into whatever she wanted, anyway, and they would have to give in eventually, if she was going to leave the house, and keep up with where she was.

Alexander's eyes lit up when Raine's mother had given permission, Raine's mother was just as beautiful as Raine. Alexander nodded "Yes ma'am, complete details and phone numbers of where you can reach us in case of an emergency." Alexander could be a sweet kid when he wanted to be, but he had a reckless side to him that showed once and in awhile. Alexander smiled gently. "I still think you were amazingly calm." Alexander smiled now. "I never knew my mother Raine, your lucky to have one who cares so much about you." Alexander smiled up at Raine's mother, then he looked to the father. "I know your wife has given me permission sir, but for some reason it just doesn't feel right with out your permission too, after all, you are her father."

"Nikki..." Emily's voice broke through the riot of noise. Nikki looked up from Eli's shoulder. "Take care of our Carnival!" Nikki finally spotted Emily's honey-colored locks, and her jaw clenched. Handcuffs... her mother in handcuffs. She couldn't help but glare at the police officer who had arrested Emily.

"Nikki Blackwell?" the cop asked. Nikki caught the sound of disgust as he spat out the surname. The officer looked over his shoulder at-

Shit. James Blackwell was standing amid the crowd, eagle eyes picking through the mass. His coal-like eyes fixed upon Nikki, left eyebrow twitching. He was irritated. Thankfully, he had yet to see Nikki. She planned to keep it that way. After all this mess, she was exhausted. She didn't want to deal with any of that.

Meanwhile, the cop who had booked Emily had passed the ringmaster to another officer. He approached Nikki, prying her away from Eli. She was beginning to seriously dislike this man. Who the Hell did he think he was?

"I know the truth." Nikki gave him a cold, unexpressive stare in response, although sweat broke out on the back of her neck. If this guy had any plans on sharing any private information with the public, Nikki would be done for. That was her bargaining chip. That threat of press coverage was what Nikki planed to wield against her faux parents. "I have the hospital records... I can help you with whatever you decided," he continued. Nikki's shoulders relaxed. At least this didn't seem to be a problem.

During the conversation, the detective (Nikki had spotted the specific badge) wrapped a cloth around her wrists. The bleeding had stopped at this point, for the cuts weren't too deep. However, it would be prudent to get them looked at professionally.

An EMT came in shortly after, making a beeline for Nikki. She was quite the persistent, trying to push her out the door to an ambulance. Luckily, Eli got to her before she left. She felt the strong, muscled arms coil around her waist, and Nikki smiled.

"I'll call you, love," he whispered in her ear, kissing her quickly on the cheek. Nikki blushed, turning a disturbing shade of pink. Since when had she ever blushed? From there, Nikki let the EMT tow her out of the funeral home, into the open night air. The stars were bright, the moon half-full. At the very edge of the horizon, Nikki could see the reminiscent crimson glow of the sunset. The air was humid and warm, and crickets were chirping. A couple moths fluttered around, dyed red and blue from the flashing lights of the police cars. The sirens had long been turned off and the evening was quiet.

The EMT lead Nikki to one of the ambulance's, and let her sit down on the bumper of the vehicle. She picked Nikki's wrists up gingerly.

"Now how did this happen?" she asked, examining the ragged abrasions. "Come on, sweetheart... let's get you inside. It's air conditioned." Nikki had stopped paying attention. Her eyes had landed on the tall man standing but four feet away, hair slicked back, thin mustache impeccable. Her "father". Nikki sighed. She slipped off the bumped of the ambulance, and the EMT opened up the back doors. As the medic prepared everything, Nikki took the few steps over to James Blackwell. Her expression was calm, tired.

"Hello, father," she sighed shortly. She was really worn out. She hoped this confrontation would be short. James looked down at her appearance; dirty face, bloodied arms... His lip twitched up into an expression of disgust. She looked awful.

"Nicole. We're going home now. Your mother and I will decide the matter of your schooling at home. Come." He began walking briskly away. Nikki stood still and rolled her eyes.

"I'm not your daughter, James," Nikki said clearly, just loud enough for her "father" to hear. James Blackwell froze in mid-step. Instantly, he had turned around and faced Nikki off.

"You're talking nonsense, honey. You must be suffering from emotional stress. Now, we're going home." The hard command coupled with James' wild eyes would have intimidated most people. But Nikki had grown up around this man... and she knew she had the upper hand.

"That's right, I know. I'm no Blackwell. You stole me, James," Nikki said softly, just above a whisper. She was looking directly into his eyes, confident with herself.

"I'm the child of one Miss Emily Martin. She ran the carnival, and was part of this grand kidnapping scheme. Now, you have two options. You either let me go to live my life, or you try to take me home and in turn force me to go to the press with the knowledge of my true identity. I'm sure the reporters would have a field day. Imagine the headlines, James. You'd be ruined. The theft of a baby is not very well looked upon." Nikki watched his expression. It was of angry defeat. He had to comply.

"Fine. Go. You were a nuisance to begin with," James spat. Nikki smirked.

"Ah, not so fast, daddy dearest. I have some requirements." James Blackwell was beginning to turn a beet red. It was strangely amusing, to see him so irate. But he could do nothing. "Number one: Of course, you let me live how I want to live. Two: I am ditching the name Blackwell. Instead, I'll be adopted Papi's last name, Montoya. Three: You fund my living costs until Emily gets back on her feet and pay for my entire college education regardless of the status of my legal gardian. A private bank account that I may access easily would be preferable for money transfer. Four: I am permitted to make one last stop at the manor as to take all my belongings. Then I'm out of your life for good. Mutual benefits, I'd say." Nikki held out her hand. Reluctantly, James shook it- briefly as possible, naturally. She was filthy.

"Glad to do business with you, Mr. Blackwell. I'll be at the house sometime in the next three days. Good day to you." Nikki turned around, making for the ambulance. The EMT had been watching the exchange hesitantly. James Blackwell had started for his car.

"Oh, and Mr. Blackwell?" Nikki asked. She heard his expensive shoes stop clicking against the asphalt.

"Tell the twins that they've always annoyed the heck out of me." Nikki grinned. There came no response from James, only the slam of a car door and the start of an engine. She watched as the expensive automobile peeled away from the parking lot onto the road. Nikki felt absolutely giddy. Freedom at last.

Raing bit her lip, glancing at her father; it had been a while since he had said anything, and even longer since someone insisted on it. He glanced at his wife, to Raine, then back to Alex. He shrugged, letting out an almost inaudible sigh. Raine glaned off to the side as she felt her father's hand grip slightly; she was always a wimp for any kind of pain, and while his grip wasn't even that tight, she felt it. Still, she kept any evidence of it off her face, and turned her attention back to Alex, waiting. After all, he wasn't trying to hurt her; he just didn't realize half the time what he was doing. She rolled her shoulder back a little, and he removed his hand, still not looking at anyone or snything in particular. Then his attention went back to Alex.

"...I don't mind...but the first time anything happens...first time I hear something I shouldn't...she comes home crying, or anything...expect a visit." Raine covered her mouth to hide her grin. He only said that to make himself seem more like a threat, and to actually scare him; the fact was, she knew he'd never make good on that. He'd be too busy at work, or trying to calm her down, or to get out of a fight with her, or something of the sort. Sure, he was strong enough to actually make good on it...he just never did.

Alexander looked into Raine's eyes when she looked up at him. Then he looked right into her father's eyes "Sir, I have nothing but the best of interest in taking your daughter out. The last thing I want to do is hurt her." Alexander smiled softly at Raine he took her other free hand and gently kissed the top of it. "I am Alexander Morgan the third after all, soul air to Luwit in. Why on earth would I do anything of the kind to hurt my or my father's reputation?" Alexander smiled gently at Raine "Whatever happened before hand... don't be too harsh on her... I'm sure all said or did something out of anger... and all should be forgiven? Clean slight sort of?" Asked Alexander to her father with a smile on his face. "I would take her to the Carnival, but I think pretty much we are all going to stay away from that for a little while." Alexander smiled "I plan on taking her to Luchi's the Italian Resturant. So I will have to make reservations. Is Friday too soon? Then maybe a movie or a walk on the boardwalk or maybe all of it, depending on curfew."

Alexander looked up for approval of a first date with their daughter now looking to her mother, more so the father. Alexander felt the need more to please the mom, only because he knew nothing about his own mom and he hadn't been raised with her. Luchi's was one of those places where you had to call in weeks in advance for a reservation even for two. There were days like Valentines Luchi's opened it's door with out reservations and stayed up later than usual, Christmas Eve was another. Alexander could not tell the wealth status of Raine's parents, but to him it did not matter, he liked Raine, she had impressed him with her calmness. "Raine... your really lucky to have a mom who obviously loves you... take care of her... for when she is gone, you'll miss her much." Alexander turned to see his own father behind him with Karina.

"Ready to go son?" Mr. Morgan asked he looked up and recognized Raine's parents almost at once a bright smile came to his face. Raine's father Mr. Tallulah "Hello Mr. Tallulah!" Alexander JR said brightly "We need to go son, Karina, come on Sweetheart." he offered his hand to his daughter and held his son tightly in his arms. "Lets go see my brother Luchi..."

Now Luchi wasn't really brothers with Mr. Morgan. But they had gone to college together Mr. Morgan had given him his loan to start this fine restaurant. And always catered Mr. Morgan's parties as part of the contract with his friend. He smiled at Mr. Tallulah and then looked at his daughter. "Hello Raine." he smiled brightly. Mr. Tallulah and Alexander had done business together, and Alexander was part of the reason Mr. Tallulah was wealthy. Mr. Morgan had made a lot of these kids parents wealthy, by knowing them throught their normal lives growing up. "It sounds like our children will be dating. Alexander always had good eye sites for pretty young ladies. Now then I suspect if he is anything like me he is planning to take you to Luchi's..." Mr. Morgan smiled brightly.

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Later that day Bob and Emily sat across each other, Emily of course was in an orange suit. Bob had some water for Emily and some food as they talked about how things went on and all that Emily knew she looked up at Bob. "Bob?"

"Yes?" Agent Bob said looking in Emily's eyes he admired this woman for what she had done, but now she would have to go to trial unless the kids all said the same thing. He would visit them one by one.

"My daughter Nikki... will you help her if she needs it?" Emily asked "She'll need to be taken care of... I have a place in the Carnival that is my home, she can stay there till I'm out of this mess..." Emily looked Bob in the eyes "Don't let her... please don't let her get hurt." There was so much love for Nikki in Emily's voice.

Bob stood up and left Emily there he stared at Alexander and his father who were now at the police station. "How can I help you Mr. Morgan?"

"I want to see Emily Martin. My son has business he wishes to conduct with her regarding Nikki and the Carnival." Mr. Morgan looked at Bob and mouthed you owe him. Bob finally nodded.

"Alright son right this way..." Bob took Alexander too inside the small room. Emily looked up in surprise, this was not what she had espected.

"Agent Bob, thank you." Alexander had a black folder and a white bag neatly creased and then gently placed it in front of Emily and smiled "I thought you might be hungry. Hamburgers and fries with a soda inside." Alexander smiled brightly at the Ring Mistress. Emily looked confused but gratefully took the food inside. It was food from her Carnival her eyes lit up as she bit into it and recognized the taste of the burger and fries. Alexander sat in quietness allowing Emily to eat everything. When she was done Emily looked into Alexander's eyes.

"Thank you." she whispered, she hadn't eaten since morning before the kidnapping.

"Your welcome." Alexander pushed the black folder towards her and placed a pin in front of her. "I want to help you with your Carnival, sign that agreement, and all her debts are gone, and I will finance your Carnival for five years. When your out of here you will still have a Carnival to run, all I will be is a silent partner." Alexander said gently. "I'm doing this to thank you for saving us kids, and for Nikki... she'll need a place to call her own."

Emily looked into the kids eye's he was very serious. "how... but your fat--"

"My father has only agreed to allow me access to the money for this. Ever since I was younger he has piled up money for me in hopes I would want to have a business when I was younger, to get my hands wet in the indistury... I am choosing your Carnival to be my first... if you will have me as your silent partner. My father quite approves and had his lawyer help me draw up the contract between you and I. Sign it Emily. I only want to help. You saved my life and my girls life, and you saved your daughters life, and Elijah's and all the others, do you really think I am here to hurt you or the carnival?"

"I've been wanting to give everyone bonuses but each year things have just gotten tighter money wise for me.." Emily sighed she had no choice. "You will let Nikki run things while I am away?" she asked looking at Alexander.

"You have my word Miss. Martin, I'm not here to hurt anyone, I want to help as much as I can." Emily thought long and hard and studied the boy's face, he had innocents in them and then she nodded.

"Alright." she whispered and sighed. She was scared, the Carnival was all she had other than her daughter. "Alexander, all my workers... they are all good people, but they might not like the idea of a kid running things..."

"Already have that covered. I have a new right hand man that will help me with the Carnival... and There is money asside for you to hire a personal assistant. Sam has been put in the hospital for a little while... he kinda checked out up here." Alexander pointed to his brain. "When he gets well though, there is money here for an assistant's job. And I'm also going to have a lawyer for you Emily. I told you, I would help you out the best I could. In my eyes, your a hero." Alexander slightly leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for everything Emily... I'll visit again every week until your out, twice if allowed. You wont be alone in here, anything you need ask me... I'll cover it."

Raine bit her lip, flushing slightly as he kissed the top of her hand. She hadn't expected that...but at least he was being polite enough to her parents. Anything else would have resulted in an instant change of mind, she was sure. She glanced off to the site, thinking; Luchi's...didn't that place only take reservations a long time in advance? She brushed that thought aside; a lot of the richer families had connections. Maybe this was just one of theirs. She glanced back up at her parents, curious. They had only had to deal with this with her older sister, and even then it had been a while. Her mom tilted her head to one side, watching him.

"...Friday isn't too soon...as long as she's home before it gets dark..." She glanced at Raine briefly, noting her slightly annoyed face, then back at Alex. "Oh, fine; nine, then." Raine grinned slightly; maybe she wouldn't have to be quite to irritating when she wanted something. Her father looked up as Alexander's father walked up, giving him a brief grin. "Mr. Morgan; yes, it does seem that way...good call, too. He did mention Luchi's..." He was always fond of the man...though he wasn't usually fond of many people, and that was mainly because he had been so willing to help him out, and that the business they had done together had made him wealthy. "It was good to see you again," he added, since it seemed like he was moving to gather up his kids to head off.

Raine grinned at Alex. "I suppose your father will know my home phone, then...but I should have a cell phone soon enough; I'll let you know the number when that happens." She couldn't wait for that to happen; imagine the teasing when her sister found out, and started teasing her about it! It would be so much easier if she had her own phone, so that she wouldn't know when he was calling.

Alexander smiled when he walked out of the small room with Emily Martin in it, he looked at his father and showed him the contract. Mr. Morgan nodded. "Nice job son." Mr. Morgan looked to the Lawyer and then nodded "She's your client now, you may go in and see her." The Lawyer nodded. Alexander looked up at his father and smiled he owned the Carnival now, it was his, but he would let the Ring Mistress daughter run it if she wanted to.

"Father we have to go to the Carnival, oo, dad, I need a list of all the employee's I want to give them a bonus... Emily said they haven't had one for a few years... I want to give big... maybe like 1,500 per employee. For their loyalty and whatnot to the carnival." Alexander looked to his father for approval but found none. "Father?"

"It's your business son, I'm not going to tell you yes or no on how to run your business." Mr. Morgan smiled gently. He looked at another man that was with him "I think the next thing we need to do is go to the bank and take care of everything." John drove his young master to the bank.

Alexander sat down in an office and began to list one by one each and every person in the Carnival giving each person $1,500.00, a one time gift for this year. Alexander waited for his checks and decided to go out to the lobby just to see how things were going in his father's bank. Everything was so peaceful and quiet there and soft music was playing. Alexander nodded, nice touch. he thought to himself, kept people calm.

Nikki woke up to the sound of a blender. She groaned and opened her eyes, vision blurry. Shafts of light fell through the cracks in the blinds, illuminating the small living room. Nikki sat up and rubbed her eyes, yawning loudly.

"Hey, Peter! Do you have to be so goddam loud?" Nikki called, an amused smile on her lips. At the yell, the blender stopped, and Peter's head appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Well, good morning to you too." He rolled his eyes, grinning all the same. Nikki got up from the couch where she had been sleeping. She stretched, the over-sized t-shirt hanging off her thin frame. She took a moment to tighten the drawstrings on the sweatpants as well; she was wearing Peter's mother's clothes, as her own were in the wash. Needless to say, the woman was quite a bit bigger than Nikki was.

She sauntered into the kitchen, hair up in a messy bun. Peter had just begun pouring two smoothies.

"You, sir, are awesome." Nikki grabbed one of the glasses, sipping the beverage. It was heavenly.

"It's mango. I know it's your favorite." Peter laughed at Nikki's expression; her eyes had rolled back in ecstasy. What a return to normalcy.

"This is why you're my best friend, you know that?" Nikki said, taking another big gulp of the smoothie.

"What, because of my competence with a blender?" Peter teased. There was a beat of silence. Peter's expression had gone serious. "So... you gonna tell me what happened?" Nikki bit her lip. Where to begin?

After a rudimentary look-over at the hospital, the doctors had decided to let Nikki go home. They wrapped up her arms and that was that. Nikki had stepped out of the hospital, walked a couple blocks, then called Peter. He picked up on the second ring.

"Nikki! Where are you? What happened to you?" After facing an onslaught of questions, Nikki finally interjected, telling him that she'd explain everything in person. Peter picked her up in his Cadillac and they drove to his humble suburban house. On the ride, Peter had told Nikki what had happened to him back at the carnival. On his way back to the tent, Peter had been stopped by Nikki's "sisters". The twins, the conniving little rats, had grilled Peter about Nikki's whereabouts. Who was he with? Surely, all that food he was holding was not for him alone! Peter had to lie his way out of their company, heading the opposite direction of the main tent. He went about, doing different things by himself, until he was certain that the twins had given up. When he had returned to the main tent, the show was just ending. But Nikki had never come out.

During that car ride, Nikki had stayed silent. When Peter questioned her further, she didn't answer. When he saw that she wasn't up to talking, he didn't push it. But they couldn't leave the topic as it was... he needed to know. After all, they trusted each other, right?

"Well..." Nikki began recounting the last night's events. Meeting the other kids, the magic act that had made them disappear, the kidnapping... Nikki had skipped some parts, such as Alexander's asking her out on a date... and Carnivalle's relation with Eli. That was his own information to disclose. However, she did tell Peter about Emily.

His jaw had dropped. Nikki half-smiled at his ridiculous expression. "Your...mom?" he spluttered. Nikki nodded, leaning back against the counter.

"I know, crazy... unreal..." Nikki murmured.

"So, what's going to happen to her? Is she facing time in prison?" Peter asked softly. Nikki rubbed the back of her neck, eyebrows knitted together.

"I have no idea. I'm going to visit the station this afternoon... I need to speak to her. But first I need to get some things straightened out... Where's my bike?" Nikki asked.

"It's at the shop. I asked Henry to pick it up- I just can't drive that thing." Peter gave an exaggerated shudder. Nikki smiled.

"Awesome. Are my clothes done? You know, I can check myself. Then I'll head down to-" She had begun walking to the laundry room, when Peter put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey. You sure you're okay? You've gone through a lot and it's alright if you-"

"Peter." Nikki looked him in the eyes. His were darting about her face in concern. He was worried, she knew. But all she needed was to keep moving... to keep doing something. She'd be fine... she just needed to keep busy, to get her life together.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Peter." She gave him a reassuring smile, and left for the laundry room.

Within fourty-five minutes, Nikki was on her bike and speeding through town. She was headed towards the Blackwell manor. She barreled through the gates and up the long driveway. She came to a skidding halt at the front of the mansion, tires screeching. Nikki turned off the engine and dismounted, staring at the skid-marks in satisfaction. Keeping her helmet on, Nikki walked up to the front door.

She pulled out her keys, unlocked the door, and walked inside. The foyer was as sickeningly familiar as ever. Marble floors, large chandelier, dual staircases... they were all part of her childhood. Nikki snorted. She was happy to be visiting this place for the last time. Nikki began her ascent to the second floor, boots clicking on the stone steps. She made a bee-line for her old room. It was exactly how she left it- save for the large cardboard boxes lying on the floor, as she had specified. The walls were a dark purple, with white paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Band posters were slapped up on the walls haphazardly, along with a few charcoal drawings of hers.

Nikki nodded appreciatively, and pulled off her helmet. Without further ado, she began packing. She had just finished up a box of her clothing when she heard the front door open. The sounds of chatter and inane giggling. Her sisters were home. Damn, she had been hoping that they'd be out for the entire day. It was a Saturday wasn't it? Shouldn't those twits be at the mall or something? Nikki groaned, but resolved to keep packing. As soon as she finished she could leave. Later, she'd get Peter to pick up all the boxes in his dad's truck...

Nikki began rifling through her desk, throwing possessions into boxes. She thanked God that most of her important things were already at a friend's house. At least being sent to a boarding school yielded some conveniences. In the middle of throwing miscellaneous objects into a box, a shrill screech pierced the air. Nikki twitched, face darkening. She turned to see Avery standing in the doorway, nose turned up in distaste.

"You know, you look perfectly horrendous when you make that expression... Oh wait, that's what your face normally looks like. My bad," Nikki commented dryly, still packing indifferently.

"What are you doing here?" Avery asked in disdain, lips curling in a sneer. "Twinsie? What's going on up there?" Suddenly, Charlotte appeared as well. Immediately, her face scrunched up. The two were carbon-copies of each other. Same tumbling black hair, plucked eyebrows, pouting lips, stick-figure forms... They were clones of each other. Why anyone would want two of them, Nikki couldn't fathom.

"Nikki?!" Charlotte asked, sniffing, as if Nikki's presence was an insult.

"Why, hello there, Charlotte. Judging by your expression, I assume that you've finally gone through with that lobotomy," Nikki said, punctuating each sentence with the toss of another item into a box. "What's a lobotomy?" Charlotte whispered to Avery. Nikki snorted.

"You're supposed to be at that religious place!" Avery protested angrily, stomping a high-heel clad foot. Nikki raised an eyebrow.

"You mean St. Mary's Prep? Yeah, that didn't really work out for me."

"I'm telling Daddy!" Charlotte threatened. Nikki laughed loudly.

"Go ahead. He won't do anything," Nikki replied, finishing with her desk. She began taking down and folding up the paper lanterns.

"WHAT? Yeah-huh, he will!" they both whined simultaneously. Nikki stopped her packing and looked at them dead on. With they're tiny noses, the sharp planes of their faces... how could she believe that they were her sisters?

"Let me spell this out slowly. I'm out of here. I'm leaving this place. That is that. You'll never have to see me again, if that's a comfort," Nikki said. She had finished packing all her things. The room looked bare. She brushed her hands together.

"Well, I'm out. Tweedledee. Tweedledum." Nikki nodded to both of them in turn, before pushing past them. She pulled on her helmet while walking, the full visor obscuring her face. She waltzed out the door without another look back. She laughed as her motor roared, and she left the manor.

* * *

Nikki signed at the bottom of the paperwork, cementing her bank account. The attendant thanked her, and told her that she was done. Nikki smiled, and turned away from the desk. She was at the local bank- which was pretty classy, if she said so herself. Suddenly, she saw a familiar head of dark hair.

"Alexander? 'Sup, dude?" Nikki called, walking over.

Alexander turned to see Nikki, then he heard her say "Alexander? 'Sup, dude?" Nikki called, walking over. Alexander stood there stunned to see Nikki at his father's bank. Alexander held back a desire to run up and hug her tightly, he was her business partner. She didn't know that yet though. Alexander smiled at her she looked good, very good.

"Hiya Nikki." He finally said he had a bright smile on his face she looked really good, like she was free. At this time a man came up and handed Alexander a sack load of envelopes with the Carnival's name on it and the man smiled brightly at the young Morgan.

"Mr. Morgan, everyone's accounted for, and no taxes as you ordered were taken out of the checks. Per the one time gift of law. if that is all the business you have today, you may want to hold those checks till your ready to give them their money." Alexander looked up at the man, he was a little uncomfortable, this was not how he wanted Nikki to find out about him becoming Emily's silent business partner. The man walked away when Alexander said that was all.

"Nikki it is really good to see you again." Alexander spoke and looked her in the eyes " 'Sup? Dude?" Alexander asked looking her right in the eyes and wondering if she really wanted to know. "Oh... I saw Emily yesterday ... she has a really good lawyer."

Alexander left out the part that he had hired the best lawyer for her. He smiled up at Nikki, God dang why couldn't he just tell her this... he thought to himself because your afraid she'll kick your ass and be pissed at you that's why. he answered his own question and nodded in agreement. "You have business with my bank?" Alexander asked now trying to take away the tension he felt.. "I trust you were served with politeness, and accuracy?"

"Hiya Nikki." Alexander smiled. The employee he was speaking with had returned with quite a lot of envelopes.

"Mr. Morgan, everyone's accounted for, and no taxes as you ordered were taken out of the checks. Per the one time gift of law. if that is all the business you have today, you may want to hold those checks till your ready to give them their money." Alexander received the checks, looking a bit sheepish. Nikki looked on with curiosity.

"Nikki it is really good to see you again," he said. "Oh... I saw Emily yesterday ... she has a really good lawyer," he added. Nikki raised her eyebrows. Alexander had gone to see Emily? Well, that was a surprise. She had a good lawyer? How could she afford a lawyer when she couldn't keep her carnival in business? Nikki looked at Alexander with sneaking suspicion... but, in any case, giving Emily a good lawyer was the right thing to do. It wasn't as if she could pull those strings. Nikki resolved to say nothing about it.

"Oh, that's great. Hopefully she can get off with parole, and no prison time..." Nikki replied.

"You have business with my bank?" Alexander suddenly asked, changing the subject. "I trust you were served with politeness, and accuracy?" He ended the statement with a questioning tone.

"Oh yeah, it's fine. I'm just signing the contract for an account." Nikki left it as that. She didn't feel like elaborating. Again, Nikki looked at the envelopes. "So, what's with all the checks? As far as I was aware, you weren't a businessman."