#bergen_county

"Big."

He offers Nab the shelter of his arms.

Nab slinks in.

"No. I do not like the price this takes"

The door opens, "Miss Prim?" It is Lily, and he can see it clearly now. Her blood is sluagh kin mostly. She looks up her brother "Oh." A frown on his little sister, "It's okay. I know what your'e going to do. I want you to be happy big brother"

"Oh.... like Symon?" A grin. "I am happy, thank you. This is good. I'm not sure exactly what's happening but.... well, I haven't been able to do any of this before."

"Do you want to be like Symon?" He offers his hand.

"Yes. " She takes it, "Just like you want to be like Nadeen."

Prim fusses, but Nab hipchecks the doll to get her out of the way

He nods, and takes her hand, offering Glamour.

Oh she's a fine young sluagh... and then...

The red in Adam's garments go black, the silver turns gold...

and a voice says _Now. Take the whisperer, and use her entrails thusly, and keep her alive as long as possible. I will show you how to use her pain to bring me to you. You will be a true sidhe. And more, the power that I bring, you can make the others happy, perhaps even start a balefire. A small sacrifice, and when she is done, the whisperer will go onto a new life._ it does not WHISPER in his head, it directs, filling him with the knowledge of the occult he needs to be a sidhe forever

NO. Not even a thought, no hesitation. No. Be Gone.

"This is what you want? Think this a possession? OH no, I can make you a true sidhe and still yourself, but I need a gate to bring ALL my power with me!"

Prim struggles "This is wrong, you don't see..." But her mouth is covered.

Nabuni huffs "Enough, Prim. I want this...to be more than a fluff"

LIly looks up with sad sluagh eyes "It will make you whole. I know it hurts you, lilttle brother. Do it... and I'll understand. You've been so angry, so alone."

"Nab.... something is trying to get at me. I won't..... I won't hurt Lily. Period."

To Lily, "If I know anything, I know this. No matter what..... I'm your brother. I won't hurt you."

"Something? Someone, young lord. Do you fancy my daughter? Nadeen? Ponder this.. she can be yours, and I assure you, will make an excelelnt wife who will understand your chimerical consort"

"If it costs us all this.... then that's the price."

He turns aside, slightly, and thinks......

"No." Sadly.

"Turn me aside, and you will never be a true sidhe! You will always be outside, always be one step from nothing!"

Nabuni looks at him, "It wants you to hurt Lily? I..." She wants this so bad, "I can be with you like this... I can be more real than I've ... "Tears "Okay I understand.. I just... damn it" She lets prim go

the doll races towards Lily to pull her back

Ad.... Ach.... he starts to strip off the voile he wears........ he swallows, watching Nabuni. "I can't. I'm sorry."

He tears the black off him and ..as he does so, the scene rips and shreds... it comes off black and gold but hits the carpet red and silver, and normal jeans and t shirt are under it

"Keep her safe!" he orders the doll, with perhaps the last power he'll have.

MOrtal flesh... under it

Adam drops to his hands and knees on the carpet.

HIs sister rips and under it a girl

whole, and human with fae blood

Down below, a satyr and troll merily making love...tear and confusion and loss

and Nab says "I under... " ANd rip...

but an imp again...

Adam was, of course right, it was 'just a dream' wasn't it?

But why is he waking up in the hallway in front of his sister's door?

"NabhelpmerememberIhavetotelltheChief...."

The door opens, and it's his sister, she's enchanted, and looking at him, sluagh blood, yes. He sees that "It's okay, Adam. It's okay."

"Lily, help me remember.... please, it's important, what happened.... I have to tell the Chief. Ok?"

"Help me remember...."

"I'll go with you, if you want" She says

"I can't.....?" He becomes aware he's not wearing anything. "Uh, Go inside, Lily. Just a moment."

"Okay" She closes the door

Adam scrambles for his room.

Nab is there, "Hey, are you okay?"