[[OoC: I’m having a pretty rough day and writing Elyse and Anna is very therapeutic for me. Anyone can jump in if you’d be there - no worries if not - just be kind - therapy writing here :-) ]]

Elyse was getting dressed for her set on stage. She was back to work now and had missed quite a bit. People at Kallisti had been very supportive during her tough times. Family - they said. It reinforced everything Sage, Hayden, and Anna had told her about family. They had accepted her here. For no other reason than she was a fellow employee. That felt nice. It was what she needed now. She had only started taking her medications recently but they were already working. That made her smile at least - until the inevitable mood swing hit. Her therapist had warned her that mood swings, decreased libido, and the thoughts of suicide were possible side effects. The first two would go away as she got used to the meds. She was told to contact a doctor immediately if the last came into existence. Mood swings and decreased libido were present, and, thankfully, she wasn’t experiencing the last one. 

Anna was there being the stalwart friend she was. ”You doing okay? Ready?”

Elyse nodded, checking her wallet and seeing that Marta was going to stay with her tonight. That helped too. She also said she had something important and good to talk about. Elyse responded by telling her she looked forward to hearing it. ”Yeah - I’m okay. Very nervous though. Not sure I can do this.”

Elyse’s head was moved as Anna took her face in her hands, bringing Elyse’s eyes to meet hers. ”You got this, Elyse. Want me to come out with you?”

Elyse blinked. ”Our dance isn’t ready yet…”

”Not our dance,” Anna interrupted. ”Your dance - with me backing you up. Same thing you did during rehearsal - but you have me there with you.”

Elyse just looked at Anna for awhile. She wasn’t sure what Anna had planned, and usually a change like this would get her nerves going, but this time she felt strangely calm and intrigued. ”Go on…” Elyse prompted, curious at what Anna was thinking.

Rachel went home after having lunch with Emily. There she dove once more into her research. An outline was beginning to form for her thesis and she was making great strides.  Doing the research helped even though the tremor in her hands remained. Lucio hadn’t responded right away and that made Rachel nervous, but she tried to remember that Lucio had a life outside of her too. He wasn’t always at her beck and call.

About an hour later, she finally got a response from him. She smiled, knowing she would see him soon. She a little more to finish though before she stopped working today. I have about a half hour more of work to do, the. I can head over there :-)

Rachel knew he wouldn’t mind the wait. He actively encouraged her studies. Rachel hadn’t taken to wearing skirts and dresses more often lately, and so was already dressed nicer. After making sure all her work was saved, she headed to meet Lucio at his hotel, letting him know she was on her way.

Marta told the driver where to go, and she didn’t look as they drove. Her attention all on the baby. She did think though. She had heard the bark of Ricky’s gun. She briefly looked at Marisol who seemed calm. 

They arrived at the building and Marta entered. Still carrying Lily. Immediately she spoke aloud. ”Sky - please alert Liv that Nox may be incoming soon. And he may be hurt. Also tell her I have Lily and I’m in the building.” It was an instinct. Marta knew what Liv could do and She’d rather Liv be prepared than not.

Sasha stormed out of the basement and up the stairs. He was peeved that the bastard wouldn't teach him -- said he couldn't. He didn't beleive him.  The fury and fire with in boiled and brewed inside.  Though it didn't threaten to overtake him. It could, he knew it. But he was in control, and he wasn't even holding the life blood even though he squeezed the shard tightly in his hand. It cut deep but it wasn't a bad thing or a bad feeling. Sasha relished in that pain.

It was freezing outside, but Sasha felt none of it as he stormed passed people. After leaving the Red Light district people looked at him strangely. He was a bull in a china shop blowing through people. They cursed in various langauges but Sasha didn't care. He didn't understand any of it!

It had become something of a tradition for Enrique and Marta to spend the day doing fun things on the days of her psychology appointments.  They would go get lunch or some sort of treat or maybe go shopping at the GUM.  Enrique always let Marta decide, but it was getting to be where she would want to spend that time with friends soon - especially since she was making friends.

Marta had changed quickly in the last week.  Online school had been a good choice for her and going to Kallisti had been helpful as well.  That still surprised Enrique, but Marta was growing.  The other kids there had accepted her without question.  Then she had gone to a group session with them and Elyse's friend Hayden and her confidence had soared.  She still struggled.  The previous day she had a minor episode, but given that it was minor and her issues were becoming less frequent, she was healing a bit more.

Marta had wanted to go to the coffee shop she had seen Elyse and her friends in the other day, and of all things, she wanted coffee.  That was new too.  Elyse had informed him that Marta was showing interest in boys now too.  She just was growing up, and that would make things more difficult, but still, she viewed Enrique like a big brother. Marta ordered a cappuccino and sat down, Enrique sitting across from her.

"How is school going?" he asked her.  

"Fine - working hard and learning a lot.  Sterling helps when I don't understand things. It's easier with the smaller group and being with friends," she said honestly.  "Did you have fun the nights I was with Elyse."

Enrique smiled.  They had been enjoyable evenings. "I did - made a new friend myself." He and Marisol had a dinner date one night, but neither one felt ready for anything besides friendship and Enrique was content with that.

"Oh," Marta said with a mischievous smile. "Is it a girlfriend?"

"No it's not like that at all..."

"Ricky's got a girlfriend...Ricky's got a girlfriend..." she said in a teasing singsong voice. "I'm kidding! Glad you had fun!"

It was things like that that reinforced that Marta was changing.  She never would have teased him like that before.  Enrique was getting the idea that he was beginning to see what Marta would have been before her trauma.  Now that it was being dealt with, it was starting to come out.

Rachel sat in the university library - psychology textbooks surrounding her. Rachel had taken a few days off her work on her thesis. The first had led to a break up with Cruz. The second had led to Lucio, and the third had been a night full of amazing sex. She had slept most of the next day. Truthfully she hadn’t felt good at all - almost sick - but in a way she didn’t understand. She wasn’t sick. She had just felt weird. 

Lucio was always in her mind, and it made studying extremely difficult. She reread paragraphs because they didn’t stick in her mind. All the notecards in front of her were blank. She was getting nowhere. All she wanted to do was be with Lucio. All she could think about was Lucio. She needed to work on her thesis, but she needed him too. 

Rachel leaned over in the table, banging her head quietly on it before pulling a large book in front of her and attempting to read. She tried again, but soon had her wallet in her hands, and she fought with whether to text Lucio or not. She really needed to work on her thesis. She really shouldn’t text him. But she needed him.

Elyse arrived back at the building that was now becoming her home. Anna was inside - getting herself moved in. Elyse had left to go to the psychologist. She had been surprised that she had gotten an appointment so fast, but she had sensed the urgency within the reception when she answered positively about having suicidal thoughts. 

She had kept Hayden informed and even now she sent him a message stating her diagnosis. Pyschologist diagnosis: severe clinical depression. I’m on meds now. Said I might have some mood swings as I adjust.

She enter the living area and saw that the kids had been playing. The toys were around haphazard. No one had gotten around to cleaning up. Elyse’s first thought was to blame herself. It was probably because of her episode, but she was working on that. 

Also having kept Anna in the loop, Elyse sent her a message. Back. Downstairs cleaning up.

Elyse knew it was time for her to start earning her keep here. This was a simple way she could start. Maybe she would touch base with Liv later and ask what she could do to ease her burden. It was a possible meeting that gave Elyse anxiety. It wouldn’t surprise her if she was on Liv’s bad side - and Elyse thought she deserved the other woman’s ire. 

Elyse began to pick up the toys. There was a toy box now. She hadn’t ordered it, but it was there nonetheless. 

”Sky - do you know what the procedure is for my medication?” She asked, hoping that it understood what she meant. She would clarify it if needed. She assumed that her meds would be locked up and she’d have to get them from someone else.

Nox's arm wasn't forceful he just held out his arm to stop him. The man with him left and didn't say a word to him.  Ashton had seen him around the house talking to Nox and the kids. He'd been there that night Jaxen had cornered him too. Though he'd snuck off somewhere before the night got exciting.  He had been there the next morning though.

Nox didn't look right. His fake arm didn't feel the same either. He had gotten a new one and this was the first time he'd put it on it seemed.  Ashton looked at Nox who tried to urge him back into the warmth of Kallisti.

"I can't go back in there right now."

Nox nodded and turned on his heel. "Let's go have a coffee then."

Ashton shrugged and followed Nox through the streets.  Though Nox tried to slow and let him catch up but he always slowed to stay a step behind.

Nox stopped and rolled his eyes. "You aren't my peon or slave or lesser. You either walk with me or we just end this now."

Ashton turned around before Nox grabbed his arm. "Okay. Not the words to use to someone who's gonna take them literally."  He didn't seem angry or sad or happy or concerned. He didn't seem anything.

"Just walk at my side. Please."  Nox added though there was no added warmth. "I need to talk with you and I don't want to do it out in the fucking cold."

Ashton sighed and nodded.  He didn't follow Nox, but the other man lead on in silence. He wasn't happy nor sad or even boastful he'd gotten his way. He just walked in silence.

Everyone was busy trying to get situated in their new life. Nox was back and the house was full of activity. The kids spent part of their days at Kallisti and the rest of it in the basement playing and working out and doing whatever it was they did the closer it got to opening time at the club.

Ashton helped around the club cleaning things up for the performers, running whatever errands he could. He wasn't so much as getting paid as much as helping out.

For a club in the Red Light District Kallisti was one of the cleanest he'd ever seen. Not that he frequented them often, but sometimes a mark could be found. Though after the Jaxen incident he hadn't exactly frequented places he could make the same mistake again.

With a sudder Ashton started singing to himself. To ease the tension he'd inadvertently created in his shoulders. Singing to himself didn't really do anything, but Ashton relaxed none the less. And no one here seemed to mind his voice piercing their thoughts. At least no one had told him. And Nox couldn't get angry if he accidentally sirened someone, he was alone right now and his voice wasn't carrying beyond the room. And it was nothing really he was just easing tension. What was the harm in that?