Did you ever doubt I would come back? ~ Vanya

After Lion got back, he had spent some time with Marie. He just needed to make sure she wouldn't disappear. He didn't know the rules of time travel, and he was afraid saving her would not be enough. After he had given his baby sister to Jessalyn, he had gone to see if he could save Veronica. He wasn't able to, and it pained him to leave her in that place. But he knew he was so strong, that she would get past this, be stronger because of it. He had told her that too, hoping it would make it easier for her to get through it. He had reminded her of the people who needed her, her children, her fiance and the serpents to name a few. Leaving was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He just hoped she would forgive him for it. Now he was back, and he wanted to see Vanya more than anything, hoping she wouldn't be really angry with him. He walked to her room and knocked. He knew very well she would be able to sense him long before he even came to the door, so the element of surprise was unlikely to happen.

She had been sitting starring at her face, the damged from yesterday was still visable. But a good amount of blood and it wasn't bad anymore. Her face had some bruises, but they were almost gone - nothing a little make up couldn't fix. The worst thing was when the cold returned. That cold feeling. Seven days. Seven days was the time he had been away, and she didn't understand why or what he had been up to. Other than weird memories hitting her. Was he that reckless to risk his future by changing the past? She caught his scent seconds before he knocked on the door, and she turned around looking at the door.
"I'm busy," she just said, rolling her eyes. Of course she wasn't busy,  but she didn't know how to tell him about the week - about what had happened with Karmena. She waited a few seconds before she got up and walked over to the door. Vanya took a deep breath in before opening the door not expecting him to stand so close to the door, so when she hit him with it she gasped.
"I'm so sorry!"she said checking if he was okay, "but you kinda deserved it.... And what the hell were you thinking!"

Lion stood there, just waiting for her to response. It wasn’t exactly what he had expected. He took a step back when she opened the door in his face. ”That bloody hurt,” he said and checked the hand holding his nose to make sure he wasn’t bleeding. He wasn’t. Lion let his hands fall down his sides. ”When have I ever been known to be thinking?” He said with a smile. But he knew he had to tell her the truth. ”I went back for Karmena. Imagine my surprise to realize she wasn’t even there,” he said and put a hand on the back of his neck. ”You know, people shouldn’t really assume I’m dumb. I figured out her plan all on my own,” he said proudly and took in a deep breath. Now the story got complicated. ”But I am impulsive. I stayed behind until I was born. Then I stopped Mariella from being killed.” He walked closer to her and took her hands. ”I know it was stupid and impulsive, but I had a chance and I took it. I still remember parts of my life before she came back. I was so sad because of what happened to her. Like you and Amaryllis, she was my soul mate.” He noticed the faded bruises on her face. ”What happened?” He asked with clear concern in his voice.

She wanted to smile at him being adorably proud, but she couldn't hide that she wasn't in a good mood. He took her hands and she held her breath for a small second. They were warm. Vanya listened to him, she understood - she could most likely had done the same thing if she have had a twin  to safe. He asked her what had happened.
"Before you left or yesterday?" She asked and swallowed. Vanya bit her lower lip a little. Karmena had told Amary and her father what had happened that day they time traveled. But Lion. Lion she would have to tell him herself, but she didn't really want him to feel the guilt of not being here. "I ran into Eilish yesterday... things got a bit messy.. but its okay," she added and took a deep breath in.
"And what Karmena she is here again, a friend got me and took me to her.. she was trying to kill her..," Vanya froze for a second by the cold memory, "her father.." she paused for a second, clearly something haunted her mind. It wasn't only that part of the trip, it was watching Karmenas mother being raped by him.. hearing that cry, while she could have stopped it - but if she had stopped it, Karmena wouldn't have been there with them today.
"Listen.. I'm very happy you saved your sister and everything.. just never leave again, without telling me... Please?" she looked somehow vulnerable, but also more hardened - after the thing with Karmena, something in her had flipped. She was done feeling utterly weak.  "I want to show you something. .because I can't talk about it.. because then I'll start crying.. and I'm afraid that I might not be able to stop.. and I don't want you to blame yourself okay? Because I'm okay..okay?" she sat down on her bed and looked at him. She knew she had a mental shield, but she also knew - that she could let other people into her mind. She had only done it once with Amary before, but she also trusted Lion with her own life. Normally she wouldn't have missed a chance to just hug him or hold him close, and she would do that when she had gotten this of her chest. She couldn't just let him live in the unknown. Secrets had gotten them into enough mess already.

Lion realized she was not happy, when she didn’t at least smile at his comment. He stood against the door and watched her, not enjoying the tension between them. ”Both,” he answered her and crossed his arms. Not because he was angry, it was just how he stood when he was relaxed. ”Eilish? Really?” He hadn’t left her the right way, and it wasn’t fair. He should talk to her. ”How about her? Is she okay?” Of course he worried about her. He cared for her. But he sadly had to admit to himself, that he was not in love with her, and their relationship had been more a distraction for him than anything else. However horrible that must sound. ”Good.” He exclaimed. He was happy she was back, that they were all okay.
He walked to her. ”It’s a promise,” he said and swallowed when she talked. He doubt whatever he was about to see, would stop him from blaming himself. If she had been in danger, and he hadn’t been there to protect her, he would blame himself. ”I can try,” he said. He couldn’t promise her any more. He sat down and put an arm around her and took her hand in his. ”Show me,” he said and looked into her eyes, waiting for her to let him through her mental shield. He was afraid what he was going to see.

"She is fine. We.. figured things out," she admitted. It had been a little weird, but they were on stable ground for now. He sat down next to her, and she felt her heart beating faster and faster. Nervous. She was nervous. Vanya knew he would blame himself no matter what he said. She didn't know what was worse, going to think about it, or talking about it. His arm around her made her feel more secure, warm. She would need the warmth to go back to this. She gave him a nod and focused on opening her mind to him. “No... please, stop,” Adria cried vaguely as her hands fought against him, but she was top weak to do anything. She focused her memories on that day. Seeing Karmenas father She made the selfish move and grabbed Karmenas arm to pull her back, and put her up against the wall.  Vanya swallowed by the next thing she showed him. "Calm the fuck down," she commanded and rushed the feeling right into Karmena. If she had to she would lift up a knee to hurt the already damged leg. She didn't care at this point, she looked to the side - seeing the disgusting thing happening in front of them. "I don't care if you are gonna hate me the rest of your life for this. I'm not losing you. I'm not. -"I hate you," Karmena said in a rather low but serious tone. 
Then her eyes turned as Adrias mother's crying broke through-  he approached them - "So what do you want to do now, rape your own daughter? I should rip your insides out with my claws and feed you them," her wolf spoke. - he shook his head as he got up to them and grabbed Vanya with a big grin on his face, "Depends if she has been a naughty girl, I suppose. But you... You've been very naughty,....Vanya could feel her body shake a little, but she fought trough her memories as tears build up in her eyes. He forced his mouth on hers, invading her mouth with his cold tongue. He ripped open her shirt and moved his mouth away from hers as he smiled grimly, invading her chest with his cold hand, slowly getting lower and lower, as he licked her neck. "Do you like this little wolf? I can make you feel soooo~ good," - Karmena lunged forward as she roared angrily and hit him on the head. Suddenly people came running, grabbing Karmena's father and throwing him to the ground, like vicious dogs, they bit him and tore him apart, demons and humans alike was mangling him.  That was it for that memory. But her sadness, made her open up for more. Her searching for him the last seven days, making witches locate him - knowing he wasnt here had made her so worried.  Then there was her meeting with Eilish. He would only see flashes from their fight before she broke the connection by putting her shield back up in a gasp. 
"I'm fine okay. I mean that..  It could have gone a lot worse," was it typical of her to find a positive thing in everything? She was so much her mothers daughter. "I talked to my father the other day.. and I realized something.. If I had a bottom I could push.. and erase every single bad thing that had happened this month.. I wouldn't do it.. I've become this person because of what has happened, because of my choices and because of who I love.. and I actually like that person.. with this mess and all," she admitted. Vanya looked at him, he knew she would feel everything he felt. There was no reason for him to hide how he felt about it. "And on the bright side.. I got her back."

”I’ll talk to her about us,” he told her. He wanted to make sure there was nothing in the way of them, of him and Vanya. But the talk would not be easy for him. He looked into her eyes and was pulled into her memories. It felt like he was watching it through her eyes. Karmena’s mother was the first he saw. How she fought against the man. He knew Vanya or Karmena couldn’t stop it, but how awful it must have been to witness something like that. He sat tense beside her, his eyes glued to hers.
He just watched everything happen. When Vanya talked back to the man, he wanted to tell her to shut up, but he knew it was no use now. When Karmena’s father walked closer to Vanya, he let go of her hand, and instead made it into a fist. He was so angry at this bastard.
Lion wanted to rip his head off for what he did to Vanya, for forcing himself on her. He felt a moment of satisfaction as he was ripped apart. He deserved it. And it was merciful compared to what Lion would have done to him. He saw glimpses of the fight with Eilish as he pulled out of her head. He blinked a few times before getting fully back to reality. ”You shouldn’t ever had to be okay with anything like that. You made me promise to never leave you again without you knowing, now promise be that you will never put yourself in a dangerous situation without me,” he couldn’t handle if something worse had happened, and he hadn’t been there to stop it. ”I like her too,” he said and looked at her. All he could see what that monster had done to her. He had to get rid of this rage. He looked away from her. ”Come with me, please.” He didn’t want to leave her alone, but he needed to get all this anger energy out of his body. He had a lot of dangerously emotional talks in his future, and he couldn’t do that with a lot of pent up anger.

She exhaled when he said she shouldn't ever have to be okay with it. It was true, she shouldn't, but she didn't want to walk about as a victim of this and feel sorry for herself. Vanya took a deep breath in, as he asked of her to not go into any dangerous situations without him.
"I will do my best," she answered him. She couldn't promise anything like that, that was what time had showed them. Life happened. She could feel his anger rushing through him, and she took some of it - but couldn't take it all. I like her too, she smiled at that comment. Vanya narrowed her eyes slightly and took a deep breath in.
"There is a training room. It should be perfect," she then said and got up. "You are not the only one who could use a sparring partner," she gave him a little smile and grabbed his hand. Vanya took him to the secret training room.
"Come on," she said looking at him. "If I don't punch someone I'm gonna explode - and I know you are burning up.. so come on. Don't make me take you down, I'm not planning on going gentle," she gave him a little teasing smile. Sure you could hit a punching back or smash something. After yesterday she had learned fighting an actual person helped better than trowing in her soul. They had trained before, usually it was Vanya and Amary who workout together because they healed up again after.

Lion had planned on offering to take away the memory, but she had made it clear she didn’t want it. But he knew that if this ever bothered her again, which he thought it might, he would offer it. Anything to make her pain go away, and that was the only way he could think of. He nodded at her answer. He knew it wasn’t always so simple, but he just wanted her to take him with her, if she ever deliberately did something dangerous. He felt a relief rush over him, when she talked about a training room. He really needed to blow of some steam. He followed her down the halls into the training room. She wanted him to throw the first punch. He circled her, trying to see his way in. He wasn’t worried about hurting her, as he wouldn’t. At least not something that wouldn’t heal fast. He on the other hand, might not be so lucky. He couldn’t make a move when he was still seeing her, the girl he was so madly in love with. So he saw him. He launched forward and aimed his fist at her. He did feel a slight disadvantage for him, given her strength and speed, but hopefully she would give him a small chance. Might be more fun for that way too.

She put herself in the mood, which was the easiest part of this. As he aim his fist at her, she blocked it with her arm to push his arm away. She used the other hand to throw in a punch towards him, but not letting it hit - just letting him know, to get his mind of things. Vanya was quick on her feet, that was why Amary sometimes called her Speedy. But she tried not to use her vampire speed or supernatural reflexes - her father always said to her, that she needed to be able to fight in close combat as well without abilities. Because if she ever lost these abilities she would be screwed. Circling around him with grace, like a serpent looking for its best attack. Finally she launched towards him again and aimed her left fist at him followed by the other only seconds after.

Lion looked at her fist coming towards him, but not hitting. Was she teasing him? Or trying to put him in the right mindset? He could see the use for faster reflexes and strength than what he had, but if you did it right, you didn’t need it. He was taught to fight many different species. He spun around with her, always keeping his eyes on her. He grabbed her left wrist but didn’t manage to predict the right. It hit him on the side of his head. He hadn’t let go of her wrist, and spun her towards him, and held his arm against her collarbones. He could go for the throat, but it wasn’t the best place to hold if you wanted someone to stay in place. He put his under arm across her stomach. ”Looks like your stuck now, princess,” he said to blow a little life into her fire. He would never say anything to hurt Vanya intentionally, but this was just a little way of provoking her.

He grabbed her and turned her around, and she felt his arm on her collarbone. Till he grabbed her around her stomach. Vanya snorted at him shortly, mostly because of his little comment. She breathed out and rolled her eyes for a second.
"You are right," she sighed, sounded mostly like she had given up. Of course he knew she was stubborn, giving up would be to easy. Since he was taller than her, she chose to put in some of her gifted strength. Combined with a little speed and luck, she hammered her fist on his hand that held her wrist. Vanya moved quickly and swapped him off his feet with her leg. Vanya jumped on him with her arm against his throat as she leaned over him. She raised an eyebrow at him, just enjoying the moment. Shortly her eyes glowed yellow from her wolf, but they returned to its natural brown color rather quick. Vanya removed her arm and sat up but kept her eyes on him.