Zac arrived at the slayer school, Elektra in hand. He had decided to go with Saku when he returned to the Watcher Academy for the next semester, and even got to have a peek at the room he and Orion shared. Now he was going to visit the slayer school to reunite Friday with her daughter, before working up the nerve to visit the Order of Light - and Alexa.
While Zac waited in the waiting room, Illeanna spotted him through the window from the 1st floor of the dormatories as she and her friends exited the lounge.
"There's a cute guy over there," she observed. "He looks kind of familiar..."
"Over where?" asked Chaeli.
"In the office."
Chaeli looked out the window, then back at Illeanna.
"Okay, I know you were supposed to have really good vision, but I didn't realise it was that good. Seriously."
Illeanna chuckled.
"Sometimes I forget that not everyone can see things as well as I do. He has a baby with him."
"Huh, weird. I wonder what's going on."
Further speculation was abandoned as Friday went running past them. She almost bounced off the wall as she turned the corner and pelted outside.
"Oookay..."
Zac stood as Friday entered the office.
"Elektra!"
"Nice to see you too," Zac said dryly as Friday lifted Elektra out of his arms.
"Hey beautiful," she said. "Hi Zac."
"Hi."
"You have no idea who I am, do you, honey?" Friday said wistfully.
Elektra burbled at her. Friday sighed.
"You can keep her for a while, if you want to spend some quality time with her."
"Right. Like my schedule will allow me to raise a child," Friday snorted. "She's grown so much."
"You didn't really expect her to still be the same size? I did send you pics."
"Yeah, but it's different up close."
"Yeah, it is. I had no idea B'E and Tom had gotten so big."
"Ahh, so Julie's finally moved in?"
"More or less."
"Huh. So, what brings you here anyway?"
"Saku told me about Alexa."
Friday paused.
"And... possibly Elektra's other local half-sib?"
"Uhh, yes."
"Oh good. I told him if he didn't tell you by the time you got back, I would. I know how much you hated being kept in the dark about what kids you have."
"Yeah. Although, y'know, I have to say, I think in this case I may have rather gone on beleiving I had twelev kids. Eighteen just doesn't roll off the tongue as well as a dozen."
"Dork."
Zac chuckled.
"Come. We shall go visiting. Maura?"
The pixie gave Friday a smile.
"Go ahead dear," she said. "Just be back for patrolling."
"Okay," Friday said cheerfully. "Hey, Zac!"
"Mmmyes?" Zac asked as the two exited the campus.
"It's namesake day."
"Namesake day?"
"Yes. Friday the Thirteenth. Black Friday."
"Ahh, I see. I thought you hated that."
"I hate people teasing me about my name. But, given my line of work these days, it seems rather fitting. I'm enjoying it."
"Cool."
The two arrived at the church after an appropriate amount of travelling time.
"Hi Father Bob!" Friday greeted. "Is Alexa here?"
"In the back," Father Bob replied. "And this?"
"Oh, this is Zac. And this is my - erm, our daughter, Elektra."
"A beautiful girl. How old is she?"
"Sixteen months. I know, I know," Zac went on with a grin. "Just wait until she's sixteen years?"
Father Bob chuckled.
"Come," he said. "I know Alexa has been anxious about meeting up with you again. Especially after meeting Saku."
"I bet that was interesting," Zac said wryly.
"Indeed."
Friday glanced at the clock.
"I might just head over to the caf," she said. "Eron'll should be out of class in a minute..."
Father Bob chuckled.
"I'm sure he'd be delighted to meet your daughter."
Friday grinned and took off, while Zac followed Father Bob to the back rooms. After walking down a great number of corridors and through various rooms, Zac arrived at a nursary.
"Alexa? You have a visitor," Father Bob said.
Alexa turned. Her eyes fell on Zac and the colour drained from his face.
"Why don't I watch the kids for you will you two catch up?"
"I, uhh," Alexa swallowed and meekly followed Zac out of the room.
There was silence for a moment.
"Zac, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to invole you in all of this. I was stupid and -"
"Alexa, it's okay, really," Zac cut in. "Saku told me what happened with Medea, and while I don't totally understand why you'd make a deal with her in the first place... Well, the magic did work - I don't remember a thing. And I'm starting to get used to people randomly telling me I have kids I never knew about. These six would bring the tally up to eighteen."
"Eighteen?"
"Yeah. Prolific much?"
Alexa giggled nervously, and more silence followed.
"I... I really like you, Zac," she said. "I always... It hurt seeing you with all those other girls, and you never even looked at me. Then Medea offered me a way and... it seemed like a good idea at the time."
"These things always do."
"Is... is it true that you're an alien?"
"Dathrian. How'd you find out?"
"Medea told me. And Friday confirmed it."
"You and Friday chat a lot?"
"She seems nice."
"Ahh, she has you foolled then."
Alexa giggled again.
"Wait so, Day confirmed it, and you're still asking me for confirmation?"
"Well, hearsay is one thing."
"Point taken."
"And you didn't know that I know."
"Also true."
**********
"Hey, Day, what brings you to..." Eron began. "Hey, who's this?"
"This is my daughter, Elektra," Friday said, a little nervously.
Eron's opinion meant a great deal to her.
"Ahh, well, that explains her exquisite beauty. In a toddler kind of way."
Friday grinned, greatly relieved.
"Zac came for a visit. To see Alexa."
"Ahh," Eron nodded. "Good. Alexa needs some closure."
"Yeah, I agree. Y'know what? This is awesome. I was so worried that I'd feel no connection to Elektra at all, but now that I'm holding her... I was worried for nothing."
Eron chuckled.
"Cool," he said.
"At least I have one kid," Friday went on. "Most slayers don't live long enough to have children. I mean, there have been some but given the slayer to slayer-offspring ratio... not high."
Eron put an arm around her.
"Well, things are different now," he said. "You can work in teams now. Not as dangerous any more."
"True. But yeah. Anyway, I'm just glad to have her."