WELCOME

we got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent
'cause you can't buy a house in heaven

A hum escaped Aisling's lips as she walked around the living room. The lullaby was a Irish one and she looked like a dream. Her white hair hung past her waist, the long maxi dress swept the floor, the sun kissed her cheeks and at her breast was a baby boy. The child was twice and beautiful as his mother. His skin was pink, his nails were translucent, his lips thin like his father's and his big blue eyes here focused on his mother's face as he filled his tiny stomach. To Aisling he was a dream come true, he was a fulfillment of her freedom and the perfect blend of his mother and his godlike father.

Aisling gave the boy her finger and he gripped it tightly. He was strong already, such a strong newborn. Only two weeks old, the baby was impressing her. Maybe it was because Aisling loved him more than anything, but she was certain he was the most perfect baby ever. No one, in the history of the Earth, could have ever produced a more perfect baby. "Oh Aiden," she whispered. Her hand was cupping his head and she watched as he suckled. "You are proof God exists and is good."

The song continued and she circled the room. Aisling felt her feet pad against the ground and the sun warm her cheeks. The house in Northern Michigan had become a home. The garden had thrived under Aisling's hand, the home had gotten comfortable, and the two run-aways had become a family. Aisling loved her William, loved her god and had done the unthinkable... she had given him a son.

"William," Aisling called her voice sing-son. "Doesn't he look like an angel?"

MADE BY NATB0308 OF CAUTION

COME ON, SKINNY LOVE, JUST LAST THE YEAR POUR A LITTLE SALT, WE WERE NEVER HEREHe never understood how it happened. He didn't understand how someone like him could possibly have a happy ending. How did he deserve it? After all the people he'd killed and had been killed because of him? How could things have gone this well? Had he washed away his sins by being a witness against Viktor? Had the information he'd given made him free of his past transgressions?He didn't know, but he knew, that no one could have ever made him take things too far, but she had. His beautiful wife whom he loved desperately. He'd been so afraid that he'd grow tired of her once. He was afraid his fondness would fade after a while, but it never happened. Everyday he loved her more, and he never regretted the decision to run away with her. Sometimes he would be sad and feel the pain of the loss of Viktor, but that was small compared to what he had now.And now he had a son. The child showed traces of Aisling's powers, as William had fallen asleep while he was supposed to be watching the child. It was amazing to know that the child could already make such a mind like William's turn off. Yes, the child would be great.William looked over at his wife holding their child. Even when she had been pregnant, she stayed petite and perfect, and still fit into William's arms. She was always beautiful. In her care the garden had flourished, and he knew their child would too. As the time passed, William's eyes had gotten older and he needed glasses, and he knew he wasn't as perfect as he'd been once, but he still could see the glow about his wife and son, a beautiful shine that turned them into angels.He still stayed his distance. He was scared to hold his child. Aiden was so perfect, so beautiful, and William was scared to tarnish something as wonderful as that. It was terrifying."He's like his mother," William said softly, taking off his glasses and polishing them on his shirt. He returned them to his face, "You did well on him, Aisling. You're a wonderful mother."NOTES: I love these cute threadscredit to buffy!

we got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent
'cause you can't buy a house in heaven

"We did well," Aisling breathed in contradiction. The night that they had crafted Aiden was one of he best days of her life and she still remembered every tender touch and kiss. Aisling loved her husband with all of her heart and it pained her to know he didn't think he had any input into their beautiful creation. For so many years William had built things: automatons, AIs and harbingers of destruction. Things like HOSPITAL, the walking suit of armor with once menacing red eye. Those had been dark days, days when Aisling was sure she would lose William and his love. He had only been a brother then, but he had grown into so much more. Their souls had intertwined and William created again. But this time it was no weapon, this time it was an angel; it was Aiden. "He is both of us," she assured her husband.

Aisling turned on the balls of her feet as Aiden unlatched himself from her breast. His belly was full and he gave a small yawn as he snuggled into his swaddling cloth. With one deft hand Aisling readjusted her dress covering herself modestly. "Look at the intelligence in his eyes." For even as he snuggled into his blanket Aiden was looking around the room curiously and he lite up upon seeing William. He could already identify the two most important people in his life. In the baby books it always said it took months but not with Aiden. Her angel was a genius like his Da. "That's all from you William. So is his height, his slenderness..." She ran a finger down Aiden's nose. "And his jaw." There was a grin on her lips. In her mind she had no doubt that her baby would simply be a pale version of his father.

Making her way to his side Aisling held out Aiden for examination. She was acutely aware that he hadn't held his son. Even when the doctors had tried to hand him the tiny baby he hadn't held him. "You will be an excellent father," she assured him. "His Da... think of things you will teach him, all the things you will show him that I cannot." Aisling pressed her pink lips to William's cheek. "Hold him."

MADE BY NATB0308 OF CAUTION

COME ON, SKINNY LOVE, JUST LAST THE YEAR POUR A LITTLE SALT, WE WERE NEVER HEREThey were the royalty of their own little world. It wasn't the same as being the right-hand to the Syndicate, but it was something more than he'd ever been. Something that meant something to someone that he'd loved for the longest time. He'd waited for something to fulfill him, and now he felt it. Like a veil had been pulled off of the world now, and he really saw how beautiful it really was. He was so far away from everything, high above everything else, but in a way he'd never been before. He'd been in the Syndicate, and that had been higher than anyone had ever dreamed to be, but he saw them all, ants below him. But now it was different. He was far away in a different sense of the word. Everything looked flawless from far away, and there as nothing he could do about it, he couldn't make it ugly or damage it. Everything had fallen into place. She offered him their son. She called him his, as if the child had been William's. He closed his eyes. He didn't feel that the child was his to take. He was so perfect, not like William at all. He wasn't the ugly sort of beautiful that William was, he was much more like his mother. He was elegant and beautiful, but small and delicate. It wasn't something that William saw himself reflected in. That chubby child wasn't his, it was Aisling's. Ailsing had carried him inside her and let the baby flourish within her and became one with the child. William had only taken care of her. Carried her along as much as he could. But he was weak. He was weak for her. He hated himself for her. He was not like IT had been. He was a weak man, hardly a man at all. He didn't want his son to be like him. It frieghtened him when his wife told him what she saw in the child. He didn't want the child to ever be sick, to ever hurt, to ever falter as William always did. He didn't want the child to suffer. Most of all, he never wanted the child to hate everyone like William found himself doing. He'd gotten out of the habit a little bit because of his current surroundings, with all the people he had to interact with in town.William reached out, stroking the child's hair. White curls were beginning to form on top of the tiny head. "No. You hold him for a while longer. He looks so happy in your arms."NOTES: I love these cute threadscredit to buffy!

we got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent
'cause you can't buy a house in heaven

A small frown covered Aislings graceful bow lips. She noted the distress in William's composure; his hesitation, his fears, it was all written in his brow. The distance between father and son was growing and Aisling did not approve. Her frown grew and she went to put baby Aiden in the cradle by the window. Her little angel had a touch of jaundice when he was born and sitting him in the son was clearing it up nicely. Besides, the warm sunrays kissed his cheeks, warmed his skin and put him to sleep. The baby snuggled into the pillows and was comforted by his purple swaddling cloth. With a small yawn he closed his brillant and curious blue eyes and went to sleep.

Aisling turned and walked to her prince. William was no longer his god. He was incredibly human, so human and so mortal. He may have been a super but he was a man. A fact Aisling had learned as she made love to him, as he became her's and she became his. And as a man, he couldn't hide his emotions as well as he thought he could. "What's wrong?" Aisling said, her tone was not allowing for him to duck out of her question and just a slip of hypnosis slipped out. "Why haven't you held him yet?" That disturbed her, she didn't want a deep seeded rift between the father and son. She had never been close with her father and her mammy had died too soon; she didn't want that for her son.

Aisling straddled his lap sitting down, her face inches from his. One of her slender hands ran through his hair. Her left hand cupped his cheek, her wedding ring cold against his cheek. "What is wrong my darling?"Aisling repeated concern obvious. "Please, you are his father you need to be there for him..." She trailed off and glanced away. "You are not unhappy that I was pregnant? I know it was an accident, I know we said we would never have children but..."

MADE BY NATB0308 OF CAUTION

COME ON, SKINNY LOVE, JUST LAST THE YEAR POUR A LITTLE SALT, WE WERE NEVER HERENever would he be upset that the two of them had a child. He would never regret having a child with the woman he loved. He just didn't know how to tell her the kind of pain he felt regularly because of the illness he had that was his mind. His mind told her she would never understand, that she was a fool. The nightmares he had were bad enough, him floating in the infinite blackness that was his mind. Hands would reach out, grabbing at his body, pulling at legs and arms, fisting themselves in his hair, and pulling, telling him the secrets to the universe, but pulling him apart at the same time. He would try to call out to pull away from them, only to be stuck in space, trying and failing."I don't mind having the child. It's a blessing that I never knew I needed," William began, slowly. She was enchanting him, the lithe legs around him were a good hold onto reality. She always was a good anchor to the reality that he had to stay in for his own sake. "If he grows up with my powers, with my abilities, he will know nothing but suffering. He will hate all those around him, and he will always consider himself to be better than all those around him. I don't want him to know that sort of pain. I don't want him-"to hear the whispersWilliam didn't finish the thought, and shook it away. He rarely told people how he came to know so much, how his thoughts didn't have his own voice, but a tone that he had never known. The whispers had been something to fear for as long as he'd known them, because with them came the other whispers. The ones that told him ways he could die, how easy it would be to break the body he had. How sweet oblivion would feel.He looked back to her, keeping his gaze steady, "You'll never let me hurt him, even my genes. I know you won't. I just worry about what I can do to him, he's so young right now. I don't want to soil his innocence." William sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in toward him, closer. NOTES: quality>quantity credit to buffy!

we got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent
'cause you can't buy a house in heaven

Aisling felt his fingertips in her thighs and sighed happily. She wanted to comfort him and in doing so she tilted her head. This... this was not the time for comfort, she needed to finally address this. This was not for her but for her child. Their child. "Do yo hate me?" she said tilting her head. "Is Viktor the only one you can ever not hate on same level?" Her hand ran through his hair cherishing each curl as it sprung back perfect in its form. What Aisling would do for such hair. "Perhaps that was just how you were raised... maybe you're hearing the voice of your father as I used to hear mine."

And the voice her son, her Aiden would hear would be hers. Rather than thinking himself superior and able to rule he would think himself ready to help. Aisling would raise him to be a savior not a dictator. So no, not even his genes would hurt her precious baby boy. Besides, did genes really matter? It was who raised you was what was important. Aisling had been an exception, she had internalized her mother's soul and used that rather than become brutal like the rest of the Syndicate.

"Be better than our fathers William," she begged, her voice was pleading, desperate now. She really needed him, Aiden needed his father, he could not survive without him. Not really, an existence without her family was just as bad as growing up in the Syndicate. She would not have Aiden living in a dysfunctional family. "Your son, our angel needs you." Her blue eyes looked up to his face. "Desperately."

MADE BY NATB0308 OF CAUTION

COME ON, SKINNY LOVE, JUST LAST THE YEAR POUR A LITTLE SALT, WE WERE NEVER HEREHate her? How could she think that? In some way he had a deep-set hatred for many people, but he was slowly overcoming that. It was a large obstacle in his path, but he was well aware of it now. It was part of his struggle of moving to this place with her. He had to learn that his hatred was only part of his mental delusion that came with his hyper-intelligence. He had to understand that people were still people, despite what he felt about their words and how they talked and what was in their cranium. Sometimes it was easy, other times he had to grit his teeth and bear it, bear the stupidity he saw in them. It was only what he felt, and it had been drilled into him; that he was greater than all those around him. They were lowly worms to him. That's what he'd been raised to believe, and it was a struggle to fight that every moment he spent around others.But hating Aisling, that was entirely different. He could never really hate the woman he loved. He didn't know how to tell her that, he wasn't sure how she could understand what his mind remembered and believed and was churned around in his mind for all eternity. How things never faded in a mind like his, how they kept clear and crisp and perfect, even memories that pained him to have."I don't hate you, Aisling. I don't. I just get lost in my own mind sometimes. It's terrible, I know. But I could never hate you, because I love you too much." He sighed, pushing his hands through her hair. She was so lovely. "I have just known nothing but hate for those around me, and sometimes I'm unsure how else to treat others." He gave a small smile, "Sometimes I just need you to knock me out of it. I don't mean to when I'm cruel, but I know how it happens, and I'm sorry."William looked over to the cradle, "And out son has me, for as long and as often as he needs. As do you. I'm sorry to worry you. I just lose myself in my own mind."NOTES: quality>quantity credit to buffy!

we got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent
'cause you can't buy a house in heaven

"Why?" Aisling ventured. She knew William loved her, knew it with all her heart. He had demonstrated it more than once. He had ran from Viktor, brought down his best friend and brother all for her. It was bothering, her egging her on and she was curious. "You have every reason to hate me. I'm of average to low intelligence, unambitious, superstitious, and...I even like Twilight." Okay, so that last one was pushing it a little far. She had read the books when she had been too swollen with Aiden to amuse herself in the garden and she had to admit... a love so simply as Bella's was refreshing to read about... but impossible, stupid and the book itself was utter trash. She was just telling William this for proof.

He didn't hate all stupid people.

"I used to think you only loved the way I looked, my white hair and lithe limbs... then I thought you loved me because I was quiet enough to let you wander through the halls and palace in your mind." She lean into his hand when it ran through her hair. 'Now I don't know why but I am so grateful... I thank God every night for you, and now I thank him every minute for our son." In his cradle Aiden cooed turning his head to find his parents. He was already recoignizing faces far earlier than he should have. He would be smart like his father.

Aisling worried for him.

What mother wouldn't? "I'll make you a map," Aisling told William. For when you get lost, then you can follow it right back to me, where I'm holding your heart and out son." She smiled softly and looked out the window. "Do you... do you need more stimulus? Something to do? Something to build?"

MADE BY NATB0308 OF CAUTION

COME ON, SKINNY LOVE, JUST LAST THE YEAR POUR A LITTLE SALT, WE WERE NEVER HEREWhy?It was a question that William had always asked. Why did his brain work the way it did? Why could he manipulate technology with just a wave of his hand? Why did he abandon his home for this girl?Why indeed.But this was a question he'd never stopped to ask himself. Through all his over-analyzing and his selfish thirst for knowledge. He question woke him from a dream, and he thoughtfully narrowed his eyes, as he did so often, and looked at her through his glasses. The waves of information poured down, faster than he could speak. Why. There were so many reasons. Reasons he could never tell her in all the words he knew. Most of the reasons were abstract, hard to configure into twenty-six letters. He stopped for a moment, making the moment his with his thoughts, letting the selfish and over-analyzing brain turn the moment into his."Despite your inclusion to the disgrace of the written word, I still love you, dear," he half-laughed, pushing his forehead against hers. "I know it doesn't make much sense, but the reason I love you is because you're so unlike me. Everything that you seem to have a hard-nosed opinion on, I do not. Your acceptance of me, no matter how awful I was, or how awful I still am, does not seem to matter to you. While I see the greater evil, stupid, ignorant people in the world, you see the same and see their goodness, their bliss and their beauty, inside and out. You're a perfectly beautiful conundrum, a riddle that I can never solve. You're of the breed that makes you superior to all others, but you do not hold yourself that way, you don't even see yourself in such a way." He took a breath, smiling. He lifted one of his hands, cupping her chin in his soft hold, and kissing her. A wake-up-kiss. A reason that he loved her. It wasn't just because she was beautiful, or that she could tolerate him. It wasn't that her songs were beautiful or that she could sit still and quiet.It was because she freed him as much as he'd freed her."I could use a hobby, yes. I was thinking of painting the basement and turning it into something for me to make something in. I have an idea, and it's been killing me to try it out."He didn't want to tell her yet, for he didn't want to make her scared, but he wanted to make a Frankenstein of his own. A child, perhaps, only a girl this time.NOTES: quality>quantity credit to buffy!

we got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent
'cause you can't buy a house in heaven

There it was.

Finally a reason and one that Aisling could believe. Her eyes closed as their foreheads touched and she kissed him back. They were not soul mates, he was not her price but they worked splendidly. They had freed one another... or rather William had freed Aisling, she was still working on freeing him. Though perhaps she was close, closer than ever before particularly now that she had given him a son. She only prayed he would come to love the boy, that he would not freeze out her angel.

Getting up from William's lap Aisling retrieved their son and brought him to William. Aisling once again straddled his knees and sat upon them. Aiden was pressed against her chest, his ear by her heart and his white curls tickling her pink flesh. "I know you have HOSPITAL in a box somewhere," Aisling said offhandedly. She had yet to find the gruesome AI but knew that bits and pieces were in their home, contaminating it. But Aisling kept anger from her voice, no she wasn't chiding, she was trying to prove a point. To put limits on his project. She didn't want another AI following them about. They weren't at war with anyone, they didn't need the protection. "But as impressive as he was William," Aisling set her son in William's arms leaving no time for protest. Her hands moved quickly to his cheeks, cupping them between her hands leaving him no way to place the baby in them. "Aiden is the most wonderful thing you have ever made."

Aisling pecked his lips and got up, fleeing. She needed William to hold his son, and so long as she was within arms reach, he wouldn't hold him for long enough.

MADE BY NATB0308 OF CAUTION

COME ON, SKINNY LOVE, JUST LAST THE YEAR POUR A LITTLE SALT, WE WERE NEVER HEREWilliam swallowed at the mention of HOSPITAL. It was one of his greatest creations- a perfect A.I. with learning capabilities and its own language that only William could understand. It had been a beautiful, sleek machine, one that protected William. He would have built one for Aisling in a minute if she hadn't been so scared of it. He always wanted her safe, and he felt the only way to guarantee that was having some sort of bodyguard. Now there were two of them, two of them that could be ripped from his weak embrace and taken away. And all she could think of was how her son was the greatest thing that William had ever made. All he could think about was how the remainder of the Syndicate could come for them and destroy their family. How her beautiful eyes that burned so brightly could close and burn so pale. How the two of them could be gone in a minute. William knew that he could take on about five people with his teleportation abilities, but he was weak physically. He couldn't save them if the Syndicate came for them. He needed HOSPITAL, but he would never say it. He would never tell her that he was weak. He was always scared for her as it was, he would not give her that burden to also be pulling her down. She was so brave as things were.Then, suddenly, she gave his lips a quick kiss and she fled away from him, leaving him to hold the child that they'd created. He gave her a small mock-glare, smirking. She was clever, and he'd seen it coming, but he wouldn't have refused her. He pulled the child close to his breast, pulling the blanket down from his lips as he'd taken to suckling on the soft cloth he was wrapped in. Aiden looked up with bright eyes, tiny fingers clutched around the blanket, pulling it back up to his mouth. He looked like his mother. God, he was beautiful. William found himself smiling at the baby, holding him closer. It wasn't like he'd thought. He'd thought that what he'd feel would be disgust for something that came from his loins, as he hated himself, but he couldn't feel anything but affection for the tiny child."I want another." He said suddenly, then laughed at himself, looking up at his wife. "I meant to say, 'I wouldn't mind having a girl, too.'"NOTES: quality>quantity credit to buffy!

we got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent
'cause you can't buy a house in heaven

Another!

Holding Aiden had done much in the short time. William had once been so against children, had once refused to give her one.... and she agreed. He was so worried about danger, so worried about dying that he didn't allow himself the good things in life. He didn't allow himself the simple joys of family. Aisling was all he needed, he said, and she had believe him... for a little while. Aisling knew she wanted more, her freedom was not to be spent slinking in the shadows.

She wanted to live in the light.

And it seemed William did too, she grinned and took a step forward. "I wouldn't mind a girl," Aisling said already picturing a little angel. Long white hair, bright blue eyes and a slender form like her father's... oh yes, a daughter of theirs would be beautiful. There was no denying that. "When Aiden is weened we will try again." And again, and again. Aisling was no longer the shy little girl who had left the Syndicate. She was a woman, comfortable with her body and her man's. Ever inch of William was known to her. "Until then, we will practice." Aisling smirked slightly and tilted her head, looking at William with hunger in her eyes. But then she relaxed, glancing down at their angel.

Light shone in Aisling's eyes as William held their Aiden. She knew mention of the AI was a touchy subject. William had loved it as much as he could love anything that was not herself or came from herself. Her eyes were watching carefully, Aiden was sucking on his blanket again, slobbering all over it but that was fine; he was a baby, such things were to be cherished not a nuisance. Aiden looked up and wrapped his fingers around one of his father's holding on a tightly as a baby could. His bright eye wide looking up at the man above him. Aiden knew who he was, the intelligence was there, obvious as his white curls. His eyes studied William, having never been so close to this man in his short life. But suddenly he laughed, giving his first smile and grin to his father.

MADE BY NATB0308 OF CAUTION

COME ON, SKINNY LOVE, JUST LAST THE YEAR POUR A LITTLE SALT, WE WERE NEVER HEREThere was a piece of her with him always. With what they had created together, with what future they had, it was all beautiful and simultaneously impossible. Impossible for him to deserve to be happy after the things he had done. Stained by the blood of those he had sacrificed to something greater than himself. Back then he'd not had any mercy. He'd barely known what the word meant. He had been heartless, cold and corrupt. He was greater than the others, greater than what the world was made of. He was meant to be something reminiscent to a god.And it changed when she would sing to him. Make his mind finally wind down and let him sleep. She was one of the few that would see him sleep. She was so innocent, so pure, so gentle and perfect. Like a pearl from the ocean. She made him feel like he had a heart. Something he'd forgotten he had. He thought it had been lost with the lives of his victims, but there it was, still beating inside his chest. He felt it quiver when he'd been around her, letting her play her violin and hearing the sounds of the songs she'd sing. He knew that he needed her. Without her, he'd just wither away and forget how to live again. He would only create, but never feel.In some world he knew that there had to be a possibility that he wasn't with her. That he had chosen to stay with Viktor. There was probably a world in which they were not together, and William did not feel a thing about it. That seemed terribly depressing to him. He could not imagine a world now without her, a world in which he did not feel such love for her. Without her, he felt that he would be empty."That sounds perfect," he murmured, reaching down to kiss her again, but then he felt a small grip around his finger, he looked down, his eyes wide. He found himself dumbstruck, something he didn't know was possible. His child was holding his finger, gripping onto it as if the world would plummet and holding on was the only thing he could do to stop it. Willliam breathed, finding that he'd forgotten for a moment. "He's beautiful," he spoke barely above a whisper. He looked back at Aisling, his Aisling, "I cannot wait for the next one."NOTES: quality>quantity credit to buffy!

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