--
dismissively, trying to ease the child's worry. Marie had asked El to be Aaliya's guardian, a godmother of sorts. A human practice, and Elnore had vowed to protect the child when she had sensed the growing power the child already wielded at such an early age. A power she had only seen in older, +

--
"Shhh...baby girl… Nina is just going to talk with the woman. She means you no harm." Baby Aaliyah, powers were growing by the day, and this new form of communication was a power that had merged a short time ago. Her body was also growing at an inhuman rate. Eleanor nods +

--
smile and hugs her and the baby. Placing a soft kiss on Aaliyah’s forehead, a tiny hand reaching, palm pressed against El's cheek. Elonaor tilts her head into the touch. A single image fills El's mind with the face of the angel lurking deep in the hills, and El whispers telepathically back, +

--
Marie and the baby, then she places her hand over Marie's and squeezes it.

“Yes,… I’ll be right behind you. I promise. I have to check in with Naomi. No big deal.” El gives her a small, reassuring

+

--
the duffle bag open. Her eyes on the bag, her thoughts on the awaiting Angel outside.

"El... El..." Marie repeated softly.

Marie calls her name, placing a gentle hand on her arm. El clears her throat, realizing Marie had asked her a question she hadn’t heard. Her eyes shift over to +

--
El could sense the other angel, pulling at her like a thin rope tethered to her heart. She knew this wasn’t a messenger, and this wouldn’t be a pleasant visit. She had ignored her calling and knew she was running out of time. Eleanor hands Marie the last pile of clothes, helping her by holding +

--
the baby out of her sight. The family was heading out of town and would lie low for a few weeks. A safe house, and El would follow once she finished a few pressing things, like the powerful Seraphain waiting on her outside.

+

[Meanwhile, in the house.]

A woman, Elenor, can be seen smiling and nodding softly as Marie talks nervously, shifting baby Aaliyah from one hip to the other. Marie shoved clothes into a duffel bag with one hand and held the baby close to her with the other. She wasn’t going to let
+

--
spreads across the stranger's lips. An invitation, the woman was inviting me in, and I could finally get this task over with.

--
with me. The stranger loathed being there; she shouldn’t be wasting my time on such things, the stranger thought.

The watcher's eyes narrow as she watches the close-knit family rush inside, and a faint telepathic whisper floats down an invisible bond, and a triumphant smile

+

--
woman on that same hill for weeks, keeping her distance as SHE, the woman she sought after, pretends not to sense her presence. Fine. I get it. She doesn’t want her precious family to know I’m here. I’ll wait… but this time she will come back

+

--
perhaps. The stranger rolled her eyes at the display before her: a mother, a Father, a child. The family is greeted by another woman waiting for them at the top of the stairs. The woman was young, with long hair that cascaded down her back and past her waist. She had been waiting on this

+

--
Well-set taps made by a powerful and skilled wilder for humans and non-humans were a suspicious pairing.

"What the hell was going on here?" She hissed.

Moments later, a car pulled up in front of the house. Lips pull back, teeth exposed as a family arrives home from a day out at the park,

+

{Years Back}

From atop a hill, the stranger watches the woman blow. Eyes glaring as she witnessed what looked like a small family arriving home, a typical scene among humans. Only what kind of human family had unseen protections set in place around the perimeter of the house?

+