Genesis Crisis IC

Westbank Hospital

Keynes sighed indulgently, but didn't let go of Kokonoe's hand. If you gave the woman an inch, she'd take a mile, and if he let go now, she'd be calling him a wuss for the rest of the month. "I don't recall you complaining too much the night this started..." He quipped back teasingly, but there wasn't any venom in his words. Even though she was grouchy, he could tell she was tired.

He turned a knowing smile in Rise's direction when she inquired about a name, and anyone in the room could see the happy light behind his eyes, something that had been missing for a long time. "We decided to name her Millie... Millie Jane."

Alina's eyes widened a little at that, some shock evident in her expression, but it passed almost immediately when she caught sight of a nurse entering the room through the other door with a little bundle held up against her chest.

The entire group crowded in around the couple as the nurse handed the bundle to Kokonoe and gave her a few cursory warnings about how to hold the infant. Keynes quickly shooed her away though. No sense in giving Kokonoe any more reason to be grumpy.

When he turned back to the woman in the bed and his infant daughter, the sight of it took his breath away though. This was really it... His family... A single tear beaded in the corner of his eye and slid down his cheek as he cracked a huge grin. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"Absolutely adorable." Alina responded, leaning back against Jax's chest. "Almost makes you wish you had your own." She said, tilting her head back to look up at him.

Lizzy, who had been out of the way for the most part during the exchange shuddered and turned a pair of frightened eyes towards Snow, who was standing at her side with his arm around her shoulders. "Oh God... Eli, we have to leave now. It's contagious..."

Westbank Hospital

Snow had been watching the scene with some interest, his expression surprisingly soft at the sight of the baby girl.

"Wow, I didn't know you two could produce something that pretty," he said lightly with a smile.

Snow looked better, the desolate uncaring look in his eyes had disappeared and his appearance was more straightened out and tidy, he was clearly living in the now. And it seemed he couldn't keep his hands off Lizzy, the arm around her shoulder the best evidence for that.

His eyes glanced over at High General Grey and for a second his thoughts went back to when she had made them that offer. Getting his job back, together with having Lizzy by his side, probably saved his life and he was grateful for that.

A chuckle escaped his lips when Lizzy complained and turned to look at him with a frightened expression. "It's amazing, you have no problem charging head on into a drug exchange, but having a child frightens you?" he teased her with a wink and then pulled her close to kiss her temple.

"Well let's go then," he offered and they said their goodbyes to the group before leaving the room. Snow knew he most certainly would have to pay for his comment earlier in one way or another, but Lizzy was so adorable, he couldn't help but tease her.

Westbank Hospital

"I don't have to worry about screwing up a drug exchange for life..." Lizzy responded after they'd left the patient room. "A kid, on the other hand..." She shuddered at the thought. "I'm just not prepared for that."

She let out a sigh and leaned into Snow. "Besides, the women in my family don't have the best track record with childbirth..." Lizzy turned to give him a weak smile. "Not that I think any of them regretted the decision of course."

"There's also the fact that having children is supposed to ruin your figure." Lizzy continued, trying to lighten the mood a bit after her previous statement. "And I know how you feel about my figure." She said playfully.

Gemnity Concert Hall

"Showtime," Darcy said, smiling at the young brunette as she peeked from behind the curtain. Rise felt her heart somewhere up in her throat at the sight of the crowd that had swarmed the building to watch her perform. Since the song she's recorded and broadcasted during the revolution some time ago, she'd become something of a celebrity. Still, she couldn't have imagined it would be a turn-out like this.

"Yeah... I'm ready," she said, nervous but smiling. This was what she'd wanted to do for so long, and now she finally had the opportunity. She tried to search and find any familiar faces in the crowd, but so far she didn't recognize anyone. She knew Alex and Lisa would be busy with finals, and Keynes and Kokonoe were still dealing with the baby. The others were probably too wrapped up in their new jobs and everything. She didn't blame them, but she still wished there were friends in the crowd to boost her confidence.

"Knock 'em dead," Darcy said, smiling. Rise nodded, then took a deep breath and headed onto the stage. The crowd hushed as the music began to play, and at that time all the tension and nervous apprehension began to fade from Rise's body as she found her voice.

Turn it inside out so I can see
The part of you that's drifting over me
And when I wake you're, you're never there
But when I sleep you're, you're everywhere
You're everywhere

Rise could feel the music building up inside her, and it brought a smile to her face. This was really it. She'd accomplished her dream. She just wished the others could have been there to see it.

Just tell me how I got this far
Just tell me why you're here and who you are
'Cause every time I look
You're never there
And every time I sleep
You're always there

As her eyes moved across the crowd, they suddenly locked onto one particular face, and she almost faltered as she realized that she recognized him.

'Cause you're everywhere to me
And when I close my eyes it's you I see
You're everything I know
That makes me believe
I'm not alone
I'm not alone

James. He'd really made it so her. The idea brought a smile to her face that she didn't bother to hide. In a way, she shouldn't have been surprised. Reflecting back on their ordeal, he'd always been there to encourage her and make sure she didn't feel lost or alone.

I am not alone
Whoa, oh, oooh, oh

And when I touch your hand
It's then I understand
The beauty that's within
It's now that we begin
You always light my way
I hope there never comes a day
No matter where I go
I always feel you so

It was funny how she was able to keep her eyes locked on him in the sea of people; strange how his being there meant so much to her. It was enough to make heart jump. A strange feeling... a bit scary, but not unpleasant. A familiar sensation, and yet different from anything she'd experienced before.

'Cause you're everywhere to me
And when I close my eyes it's you I see
You're everything I know
That makes me believe
I'm not alone
'Cause you're everywhere to me
And when I catch my breath
It's you I breathe
You're everything I know
That makes me believe
I'm not alone

Those thoughts started to move into places she wasn't quite sure she was prepared to consider. There was no need to get ahead of herself, no reason to make more of something than was really there. Still, it wasn't terrible to consider. In fact, it was rather nice. Warming.

You're in everyone I see
So tell me
Do you see me?

As she finished, she gave him a little wave, hoping he understood, before she addressed the crowd at large with a big smile and a larger wave of her hand. The crowd cheered, and she gave a shout of thanks over their voices before have running, half skipping back behind the curtain.

"Fantastic!" Darcy said congratulatorily as she jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you so much," she told him, feeling her eyes water. "That was just... amazing."

Gemnity Concert Hall

James stood among the crowed and resisted the urge to pull his hood up. Having so many people close around him, shoving to get closer to the stage made him feel uncomfortable. Together with the dim light it created an almost claustrophobic atmosphere.

He thought back to the past months. After the change of government it had taken some time to sort things out for him, but with Alina's help the process sped up tremendously and by now everything was almost back to normal. Almost. As one of the first, he had taken advantage of Kokonoe's invention. Letting go of his magic strain was a hard decision, especially after everything he had been through with the others, but to this day, he had never regretted it.

Suddenly the stage lit up and his attention snapped to the reason why he was here. She looked beautiful. Of course, Rise always looked amazing. Just seeing her, made him forget about the mass of people around him and he was able to watch the show. His eyes never left her face, it was glowing with happiness, an expression he would never tire of looking at.

A smile appeared almost instantly on his face when she began singing. And then, mid-song their eyes met. As incredible as it sounded, she had noticed him and he realized he was as much in love with her as he had been when he was just an unnoticed student at the university.

When she had finished the show, he started to make his way backstage to see if he could give his congratulations in person.

Gemnity Concert Hall

Darcy smiled at the glow that seemed to encompass Rise after finally fulfilling her dream. He tore his eyes away from her as he glanced at his watch, figuring that any moment that special guest he'd promised passes to every concert should be arriving any moment.

"Why don't you go ahead, and I'll wrap up things here," he told her, shooing her off. "Our starlet needs her down-time."

Rise gave him a grateful squeeze before heading off down the hallway. She hadn't gone very far before she stopped short at the sight of James coming toward her. With a squeal, she rushed over and threw herself into his arms.

"You came!" she said happily, beaming at him. "You came. Wasn't it great?"

Blushing at her overenthusiasm, she cleared her throat and stepped back, hands clutched behind her back.

"So listen," she began more calmly. "Umm... you want to go get dinner? My treat. A little thank you for being my biggest fan."

She smiled sweetly before taking his arm, leading the way down the hallway. Darcy smirked and shook his head as he headed back behind the stage. Well, it was only a matter of time now.

Keynes' Bar

"I'm not sure you need another..." Keynes muttered to himself, although he sat a fresh glass of whiskey on the bar anyway.

"Well, I'm the one drinking, and I'd say I need at least three more..." Lisa groaned, tipping back the glass and emptying it. She put it back on the bar with a loud crack and slid it towards Keynes, motioning for him to refill it.

He frowned at her, even as he reached over to collect it. "Why are you drowning yourself in alcohol tonight anyway? Just last night, you were all excited about going to have dinner with your sister tomorrow to introduce your boyfriend."

That earned him a dark look. "You mean the prick that broke up with me this morning because I spend too much time with 'other guys'?" She snapped, waving towards the seat in the corner where Alex was studying something. James usually occupied the seat next to it, but he was absent today to go see one of Rise's concerts. Lucky him...

Keynes had the good grace to wince, but then he cracked a crooked grin. "You know, maybe you should consider your alternatives..." He said, waving towards Alex as he slid her another glass of whiskey.

Lisa looked over at him for a minute, almost seeming confused, and then the meaning of his gesture dawned on her. "You're gonna need a hell of a lot more alcohol to impair my judgement that much..." She grumbled, draining the glass he'd given her anyway.

He couldn't help but laugh at that, and Lisa let out a sigh as she slid the glass back at him and pushed herself to her feet. "But in any case, I need to talk to him. Getting across the country overnight isn't exactly something you can take the bus for..."

With somewhat shaky steps, Lisa crossed the room to where Alex was and flopped down in the seat across from him. "Let's make a deal. I'll set you up with a free dinner if you can get me to my sister's place by seven tomorrow."

Keynes' Bar

Alex smiled up at Lisa as she dropped back into the seat across from him, though his flickered slightly with concern at her inebriated appearance.

"You don't have to bribe me," he laughed. "I'll get you there, no problem."

With Rise off pursuing her dreams and Will... never having turned out to be his friend at all... it was a blessing that he'd managed to meet Lisa and James along the way. They'd managed to fill that gap left behind in his life, and he couldn't have been more grateful.

"But, I never pass up a free dinner," he said, winking. Lisa was never the type to take charity, in any case, even from a friend.

"I bet it'll be great to see your sister again," Alex said quietly, imagining how Lisa's face would always light up at the sight - even just the mention - of her sister. Even though Alex didn't have a family, it always made him happy to see his friends happy. In that way, maybe he really did have a family after all.

"Come on, we should probably get going then," he said, helping her up and putting her arm on him to lean on. If he didn't give her a choice, maybe she wouldn't resist so much. Stubborn girl. Well, he was a stubborn boy too, so he couldn't complain much.

As they stepped into the cool night air, Alex smiled at the familiar sights of the campus, even as he imagined the ghost of himself and his friends stealing through the town, scared and desperate, toward a train that would take him on an adventure they would never forget.

"Just being nostalgic," he told Lisa with a smile, who was giving him a questioning look. It was important to remember and cherish the past; and he wouldn't give up on looking to the future and the promise of better and better things to come. But for right now, he wanted to focus on the present and just enjoy life at the moment, with everything he'd achieved and all the friends who'd helped him do it.