The phone rang.

*Oh, not now.* He grumbled and presse his head to the pillow. But the phone continued to pester him. Finally, he gave up and tossed over to the left side. He grimaced as his bare skin touched the colder portion of the bed. His hand reached for the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Did I wake you?" It was Ted.

Tommy's gaze fell on the bright bold font of the alrm clock on the bedside table. It read, 1:07 p.m. He'd slept in past noon?

"Sorta." His body would not allow him to move from the comfortable nest. Besides, there was nothing to do that day.

"We're at the airport."

"You are?"

Ted wrinkled his brow. Michael was reading a magazine while Jack checked the messages on his cell phone. Mike sighed exasperatedly as he glanced at his wrist watch. What? He couldn't have forgotten? "A flight out to San Fran." A distinct tone of irriration bubbled inside himself. "Have you gone senile?"

"No. Why....?" Tommy's eyes widened as his brain slowly allowed the information to return to him. Airport, San Fran... Today was the day they were leaving for the tour...."Damn shit!" He bolted from the bed.

"The damn flight leaves in fourty-five minutes! You'd better get your ass--"

"I'll make it! Don't worry." He grabbed the suitcase from the top shelf and began tossing random clothes into it. He grabbed a pair of jeans hanging haphazardly from the desk. He skipped about the room attempting to put his pants on *and* pack for the flight, not noticing the phone chord wraping about his ankles, until -

*Crash*

Ted pulled the phone away from his ear. "What the hell was that?!" Both Jack and Michael looked up from what they were doing at the moment and stared blankly at Ted then returned to their boredom tasks.

Tommy pulled himself up, gripping the comforter and slipped again, hitting his elbow on the corner of the bed frame. "Shit. It's-ow-nothing. I'll be *trip* alright."

Ted shook his head. "Fine. Fine. Just get here."

---

The wind began to pick up pace. It was bright and sunny only minutes before. Weird weather. But she enjoyed it still. Funny, ironic, actually.

Victoria had returned from Zeppelin Station and was back in her own time, in her city an so was Seth. Everything had been quiet the past couple of days.

Standing at the crest of the hill overlooking her city... everything seemed almost normal. She wanted to believe that. Nyx had been dormant and chose to remain so. She was feeling more like her old self.

The day before, she met with Nicholas and the two of them let off some steam at the Beverly Center. It didn't take much convincing on his part to get her to go on a shopping spree. And that was exactly what she did.

Gone was were the black chords, boots, red tank and trench. When she had walked into the conclave room that morning, Seth had stopped mid sentence and the Primogens turned, looked towards the door and stood for her.

Carson had smiled.

"It's a good day," She smiled and breathed in. There was crispness in the air after the rain.

*I know* She felt in his deadspeak he noded. *I love seeing you smile.*

Victoria sat on the grass and leaned agaisnt the head stone, her cheek grazing its cold rough surface. "Why didn't you call for me?"

*It's for the best*

She sighed. "Perhaps you're right. But I never expected you to say that."

*Show's how much you know, luv* He smiled. Even in his deadspeak his hand reached out to caress her back. *You won't even miss me*

"That's not true!"

Milton chuckled. *Give me a few years. I'll be heading back in a few years.

I'm sure we'll run into each other,* he said jokingly.

"It's not funny, Millie." Her voice softened. "I--I miss you." She said quickly.

*I know, luv. I know. You're not going cry on my grave, are you? I do, however remember a time you threatened to dance on it!*

Victoria couldn't help but laugh. "I love you."

*I love you, too.*

She sensed a shift in his manner. Like a sudden jolt. "What is it?" It did not take long for her to feel it as well.

*Someone's here.*

Victoria whipped out a rapier from her HammerSpace and lept to her feet.

"Easy, easy." Rayden brushed the blade of the rapier away from his neck. "Is that any way to greet your father?"

Victoria sighed and tossed the sword back into HammerSpace. "Don't be shocked if I don't lept into the air and jump for joy." She turned from him and back to Milton's grave.

"And I thought I'd drop in on you on one of your, dare I say, happier moods."

"What do you want, Rayden?" she asked coldly.

"Is it a crime for a father to want to say 'hello' to his daughter?"

"This is hardly the place for quality time, Rayden."

The Thunder God bit back the pounding in his chest each time she spoke his name. "Would it be too much to ask that you call me dad?" He forced a smile.

Victoria glanced up at the Villa framed against the azure sky as the wind violently picked up.

*He is your father. All this time you've wanted to know, luv. Now is your chance. He's taking the initiative.*

"No, I guess not." Her tone subsided. She turned to face him with an evidently tight lipped smile.

Rayden sighed. For a brief moment, his eyes saw another woman in front of him, her long flowing ebnoy hair cascading down her bare shoulders, brushing against her olive neck. The blue gown she wore, fanned about the grass beneath her feet. Her yellow eyes spoke the same doubts and reservations.

"Nanii?" His daughter's inquiry dispelled the memory. "Why are you looking at me like that. I don't like it when people stare at me."

Rayden looked away momentarily. "I'll have to remember that about you, too." He turned back to her and took a couple of steps towards her.

*I'll see you again?* Milton spoke up.

"Of course." Vicotoria bend down and kissed the top of the headstone. "Soon."

Rayden offered her his arm and anxiously, she noded and slipped her arm beneath. "That's more like it. You know, I think you look beautiful in blue. You should wear dress more often. But that's just my opinion."

A portal opened a short ways from them.

"Why were you looking at me that way? I remind you of her, don't I?" Victoria spoke.

"Um?"

"My mother. Some other time, perhaps, right dad?"

Rayden was taken off guard by the lack of spite in her tone. "In time."

The immortals strode through the portal and vanished.

TBC.....