For a handful of seconds, Lexie didn't know what to say or do. She was frozen on the last rung of the steps, staring at the famous S-Rank Hero standing in her living room.

Stella also didn't seem to know what to say. She stared back at Lexie with a growing watery smile and emotion glowing from her eyes.

She was in her hero costume; a bronze spandex top and leggings with a regal-looking cape draped sideways over one of her arms. It had a scarlet trim, the same shade that patterned the rich fabric weaving down the sides and lacing around her sleek boots.

There were eyebags underneath her eyes, and her hair looked like it was hastily put up in a ponytail. Even though it looked like she'd been working nonstop for hours, her attire didn't have a single wrinkle, and the only thing out of place was a random mustard stain on her leggings.

"Sorry," she said shakily, wiping her eyes and lacing her hands in front of her. "This probably isn't a great time, and maybe I should have called before I came over, but after Vacek said Aiden reached out with an invite…well, I didn't want to take the risk of him changing his mind."

"Glad to see you still have so much faith in me," Aiden pointed out wryly.

"Can you blame me?" Stella's smile was tight around the corners as she turned on Aiden who was standing closer to the kitchen, wearing his favorite flower-patterned apron. "You've kept me away from my goddaughter for two years, five months, and eleven days." She shrugged. "Not that I'm counting."

Aiden's face heated up and he rubbed his hair in that boyish way he typically did when he was mildly embarrassed.

Stella seemed happy to have gotten to him so she said, "Don't worry about it. All is forgiven. I can't say I wasn't acting like a jackass too."

"Well, safe to say we both handled that...situation immaturely," Aiden admitted. "But, as I told Vacek, I'm willing to make peace if you are."

There was a moment of hesitation, and then Stella nodded determinedly. "Same here, I suppose."

There was still an undercurrent of tension as the two faced each other, likely because Aiden was still a [Villain] albeit a reformed one, and Stella was a [Hero]. Based on their roles, they were natural enemies. Plus there was the painful history, including whatever Stella thought Aiden had done to her family.

Nevertheless, both seemed determined to put in the effort for a copacetic relationship.

Lexie looked between the two and wondered a few things. First, when had Aiden talked to Vacek to arrange this meeting? Monty hadn't been back since he'd offered Aiden that deal, at least not to Lexie's knowledge.

Also, what did Vacek have to do with Stella not coming over? Aiden had told Lexie that it had been his demand keeping her away, although now that Lexie thought about it, he might have needed additional muscle to get the number one [Hero] in the world off his back. So that was Vacek.

But why would Vacek help Aiden who was a [Villain], instead of backing Stella? Was it because of his enmity with her family? Did he share a friendship with Aiden? Lexie's dad seemed to know a lot about the man. What was their relationship like?

Before she could wonder for longer, Stella turned to her again and gave Lexie that deep smile.

Lexie found herself suddenly shy. For so many months she'd heard of and seen Stella Firebringer only on screens, and now it was difficult to reconcile the sheer star power of the woman with who was standing in front of her.

On one hand, she looked exactly like the larger-than-life figure on TV.

On the other hand, she looked so tired, so human, so…breakable. She wasn't as tall as Lexie pictured, and though she stood with that same straight-backed posture as her brother, Luther, hers didn't seem so rigid.

Stella bit her lips clearly nervous. It wasn't just obvious on her face but also in the way she would intermittently rub her gloved palms on her leggings. It seemed like a tick.

Lexie did a similar thing. Out of all three of them, the only one who seemed to know what to do with themselves was Aiden.

"Why don't you both sit and talk while I make you some tea?" he suggested. " Stella, is Muan tea alright?"

Stella nodded without taking her eyes off Lexie. As Aiden retreated to the kitchen to make the beverages, she finally gestured to one of the couches.

Lexie sat, and Stella took the seat next to her. She smelled like lilies.

"You've grown so much," Stella said. "I'm sorry I keep staring. It's just that you look so much like your mother. You even have her hair."

"I do?"

Stella nodded. "Brown was her natural hair color, although you'd probably never tell. She dyed it all the time." Stella swallowed thickly. "You're smart, and brave like she was too. I heard how you took charge of the situation at Hartville and saved lives. Torin was very impressed and believe me, it takes a lot to impress him."

"I was impressed by him too." Torin's fire had been the only thing that saved her and Xena from that first troll and saved Conrad from the second one. It may not have been enough to kill the trolls but it was enough to keep them busy as they waited for reinforcements to arrive.

"I also heard that you were the first person to raise the alarm to get the stadium evacuated. That was quick thinking on your end."

Lexie shook her head. Now that she'd replayed the situation in her mind ad nauseam, she didn't think she'd behaved all that well under pressure. She'd panicked and simply done the first thing that occurred to her which was run in there and scream like a lunatic, guaranteeing that no one believed her.

Perhaps the PTSD from facing the ghoul and Eldritch Eye last year had short-circuited her brain a little and the ensuing terror had her making all sorts of mistakes. It was only in hindsight that she realized all the things she could have done better. For example, she could have mentioned that the reason she knew that there was an underground dungeon was because she'd sensed the same thing in Hovelton. And maybe they wouldn't have believed her, because it was reported that the Hovelton dungeons were discovered by an explosion, and Lexie's name wasn't mentioned anywhere at all in the news following the incident.

But she could have tried. Maybe that would have helped convince them.

On the other hand, she also hadn't wanted to get into how she knew what she did because she didn't want to incriminate her father and have to reveal what he'd taught her. She didn't want people to be suspicious of him.

But now, with the way everything had gone down, they were suspicious of him anyway.

Hopefully, going to hero school would put all those worries to rest. Lexie had all but made up her mind to go, and was just about to text Dewie and Xena about it.

"I'm not going to ask you how you sensed the dungeon," Stella said gently. "Nor am I going ask you how you pulled off those card tricks during your AFC matches. I know if I ask, you're either going to lie to me or get defensive and I don't want our rekindled relationship to begin on those terms. All I will say is that I'm worried about you, and I hope your father isn't teaching you dangerous magic." Her hardened gaze flicked over Lexie's head to the kitchen. Lexie wondered if Aiden heard her. "Because your mother would have killed him if he is endangering you, and since she's not here, I'll have to kill him in her place."

Stella winked as she said it, but something told Lexie she was only half joking.

"No," Lexie said in response. "He's not teaching me dangerous magic. That was…I just used a deck that I wasn't supposed to use and that landed me in trouble. But I don't have it anymore, so we're good." Lexie crossed her fingers as she delivered that last lie. She still had the Defense deck with her. Although she never wanted to have to use it, she and her father thought it was probably better for her to hold onto it, in case she ended up in danger again.

Stella didn't look like she believed her but she let the subject drop. "Both Aiden and your mother had a habit of biting off more than they can chew. Aiden, despite his beliefs to the contrary, is only slightly more cautious than Lara, especially when it comes to exploring magic. I don't know how many times she's gotten on his case for experimenting on himself. But she was a giant hypocrite because she was always ready to throw caution into the wind to win a match or if she thought someone needed help. I have a feeling you're the same way and it would be unrealistic for me to expect you not to be." She exhaled deeply. "Just know that if it ever becomes too much for you to handle and if you ever feel like you need help, I'm only a system call away. I'll help you, no questions asked."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Just then Lexie got an alert from her system that Stella was sharing her contact information with her. It consisted of three different numbers, listed as work, friends and family, and family only.

It warmed Lexie's heart to be included in that last group.

"Text me, so I can add your number to my priority list," she said and Lexie nodded, mentally texting 'Hi' on all three numbers.

Stella acknowledged each receipt with a heart emoji. "Now I don't know what you plan to do for the future, my girl, but I know you'll be going off to school soon and I want to offer you a security detail. I think you should consider it. We're keeping the press away for now, but we won't be able to do it forever, and they can be relentless. Not to mention, we now have to worry about any villains whose attention you might have involuntarily snagged."

Lexie blinked. She hadn't even thought about that last thing.

Did she need a security detail? She'd only been a very tiny part of the whole fiasco. The way she understood it, it was all an elaborate fight between Vacek and Creevy, and Lexie wasn't much of a factor in it.

She wondered how much Stella knew about what had truly happened, the conspiracy going on in the hero's association. Monty had implied that a few [Heroes] had to have been aiding Silas Creevy, as it was the only way Silas' plan could work. Lexie doubted Stella was one of them though, as much as she might dislike Vacek.

"I don't know," Lexie said to answer Stella's question. "Am I allowed to have a security detail in hero school?"

Her eyes widened. "You're going to Victoire?"

She nodded.

"That's surprising." She seemed pleased but shocked. "I heard you hadn't filled out an application."

"I wasn't gonna go at first and didn't think they would be interested either, since I'm only a C-Rank mage and don't have a physical ranking. But it turns out my intellect makes up for it, and getting publicity for performing acts of heroism earned me an invite for the special research program."

At least that was the story Monty suggested they go with.

"Oh that's wonderful," Stella said. "Yes, I think Victoire would be the best place for you, and you won't need a security detail there, because the Island is pretty well secured and the campus is basically impenetrable. You should be fine once you get there, but we can hire security before that."

Lexie shook her head. "Thank you, but I don't think that's necessary. I barely leave my house and whenever I do it's with my dad or my uncle. They're both pretty great at protecting me." Also, I have Eldritch powers that I can protect myself with.

"Understood," Stella said. "Well, let me know if you need anything–" The words were suddenly cut off and she made a face like she'd received an alert or quest on her SI.

She sighed. "Crime truly never sleeps, huh? I have to go. Before I leave, I should mention that my home is very close to Victoire's Island. You can come visit me whenever you would like. Hopefully, your father will allow you to stay maybe for an exeat or two." Naked hope reflected in her gaze as she coaxed. "My husband is a renowned chef. He makes incredible desserts, even better than your dad."

"No one cooks better than my dad," Lexie said automatically, and it felt so intrinsic that she wondered if she'd said the words before.

Stella smiled. "I knew you would say that."

Aiden finally brought over the Muan tea right as Stella rose. She took a sip as they walked her to the door, and Lexie could tell she liked it but she couldn't bring herself to compliment him.

Aiden gave Stella a knowing look and opened the door. All three of them jerked back.

Emma was standing in the doorway with tears and mascara smeared down her cheek, her face splotchy and red, nose running.

"Emma?" Lexie asked and her heart ceased beating for a few seconds. She'd never seen Emma look this devastated before. "Oh God. Did something happen to Xena?"

Emma shook her head, but she didn't seem to be able to articulate exactly why she was so upset. Her speech was garbled by high-pitched sounds that didn't make sense. Lexie and Stella shared a puzzled look and Aiden finally took Emma by the shoulder, and forced her to meet his eyes, asking, "Emma? What's going on?"

"It's Max," she sobbed, stuttering and breath hitching while she was at it. "He's…de..dea..dead."

***

A bit later, after Stella had left and Aiden had given Emma some leftover muan tea, Emma finally calmed down enough to tell them the full story.

Apparently, she'd been in Luke's office when Bane and another of Max's teammates arrived to break the news. Max hadn't made it out of the dungeon. He'd sacrificed himself and stayed behind so that his teammates could escape.

Luke had walked off the second Bane said the 'd' word, without letting them finish. Emma had been left to hear the rest of the news in this state.

Emma cried throughout the entire telling of the story. Aiden had her in a side hug, rubbing her shoulder, tears escaping his own eyes.

Lexie felt numb.

This…this didn't feel real. Max wasn't dead. He couldn't be. She'd just spoken to him the other day and he was very much alive. She'd texted him in the middle of the dungeon fiasco. He wasn't dead then or her text wouldn't have gone through.

So why was he dead now?

Aiden's eyes met hers over Emma's head. Sensing her emotional turmoil, he held his hand out for her. Lexie shook her head and got up. She couldn't do this right now.

She needed to think and she couldn't do it here, with Emma crying. She had to think alone. She headed upstairs to process it.

Those were the hardest steps she'd ever had to take. Her feet felt like they were sinking into the ground, like when she'd been stuck in the bog in that ghoulish nightmare. She dragged each foot forward, one after another, focusing on breathing and not hyperventilating. It took extra effort because nothing in her body was working like it was supposed to.

Uncle Max was dead.

She paused halfway up the stairs.

Was he dead or was he simply lost in the dungeon? It was suddenly an important distinction.

If he was lost in the dungeon then maybe they could…maybe she could...

What? Open up a dungeon to find him?

Wasn't that exactly what Aiden had been trying to do before he got slapped with the [Villain] label? Now she was considering the same?

She'd never understood before why her dad had sacrificed so much trying to open up a dungeon. Even with the slim chance of success, there was no guarantee Lara would be alive.

Now she got it. She understood what it was like having someone you loved stuck there, not knowing if they were alive or stuck in a never-ending nightmare.

Lexie was hit with a horrible deja vu.

She managed to make it up and into her room. She tucked herself into bed, drawing the covers over her head. She kept imagining it, flashing back to the last time she'd seen Max. The last hug she'd given him, the scent of metal and gunpowder clinging to his clothes, the way his callused hands had gently patted her head. His wink when he'd insinuated that he'd left a special something in her drawer.

She leaned over now and used her key to open it. The lighter was still there, shiny and pink as ever.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to cry but that would feel like she was admitting some kind of defeat.

She wouldn't admit defeat. Uncle Max wasn't dead.

He couldn't be. He was simply trapped in a dungeon waiting for her to save him. She had Eldritch powers and Naem to help her. She just needed to control it, to get stronger without losing her soul.

She could do it. She had to do it.

Even with that determination, the devastation was overwhelming, the sensation like she was drowning. Her chest got tighter and tighter. The air felt more pressured. Despair shrieked in her mind, telling her she was a fool.

No one, not even her father, had successfully rescued anyone from a dungeon.

Even now, he stated that he needed time to recover more of his power before he could try again with her mother. Lexie also needed time to grow her power or whatever it was.

Would Uncle Max last that long?

Even if he did, would they succeed?

Or would his figurative life gem turn off right when they reached him?

Breathe Lexie, she cautioned herself. Breathe.

She was close to failing her quest not to cry.

She felt the hot tears pushing behind her eyes and she wiped with the back of her hand. This was just a terrible fucking month. If it wasn't one thing it was another.

There was just no catching her breath for weeks and at this point, she was just waiting for the next shoe to drop.

There was so much she wanted to know, so many questions she wanted to ask but right now her mind was moving a mile a minute, unable to relax even a little.

At some point, she heard her father come upstairs. She didn't look at his face. If she saw devastation there, the grief he tried to temper for her benefit, she would break. She just knew it.

She couldn't withstand the force of his sadness combined with hers so she kept the covers over her head. She felt him get into bed with her, and hug her from behind. She felt the press of his lips on her head. It was wetter than normal.

He held her tightly like he knew he was the only thing keeping her together.

Lexie wasn't sure when she fell asleep but she was acutely aware she was having a dream. There was a dreamlike haze over everything, but she could still make out the features of the room. They were in a kitchen, a different one from where she was used to. A woman was at the stove grumbling at a boiling pot while watching a cooking video on a black pad.

"Oh shoot," she muttered. "I'm sorry, Lex. Mommy messed up again. Was supposed to add the milk first. I'll have to start all over." She sighed. "Your dad's so much better at this parenting thing than I am."

"I'm hungwy, Mommy." It was Lexie's voice but it sounded so young. Like maybe she was three years old? Well, that would explain the high chair and the sippy cup in a cup holder. Plus when she stretched out her hands, her fingers were short and stubby.

I'm a child, she realized. And the person at the stove is my mother.

Lara confirmed it by turning around. Her hair was a strange shade of purple, fading into pink and she had it up in a spiky bun wiping the sweat off her brow.

"I know, baby, I'm sorry." She came to Lexie and kissed her cheek. "This is taking forever. How about I give you some leftover candy to tide you over while I cook? Just don't tell your father, okay? He thinks the world will end if a child has candy in the morning, but I had tons of sweets for breakfast when I was your age and I turned out alright."

Lexie nodded eagerly kicking her legs as she waited for the candy.

Her mother continued chatting as she fetched it from a drawer. "Can't give you too much though, so you don't crash. We have a long day ahead of us, baby. So much to do today. I still have to get the cake for the birthday party and meet up with Cece later. Your auntie Stella's coming to your party, but I'm not sure Max can make it this time. I think the travel might be too much for him, but he's sending over a giant teddy bear present for you. We'll just hope this one isn't rigged with his 'funtastic IEDs' or that will ruin the party."

"I don't want a party," she said and her mother paused to glance at her.

"Are you sure? You wanted one yesterday."

Lexie shook her head. She didn't like parties.

Lara sighed. "Fine, no party, but we'll see if you change your mind tomorrow. I'll still pick up the cake because we need to meet someone at the shop nearby. A special friend. You'll have to be a very good girl while we're there, and you can't tell your dad about this either, alright?"

"Secwet!" Lexie chanted. "Secwet!"

"Exactly." Her mother gave her another kiss and a brief snuggle. "It will be our little secret."

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