Extraordinary Mistakes II - Blood Ties

In the afterlife

Rachel knocks on Alex's door. He's still awake, reading. She had just left the deviant children they rescued sleeping in her room.

"I have to give it to you, sis. Pissing off everyone is such an accomplishment." He cracks a smile and focuses again on the book.

"You know me, Alex." She sighs, "If I'm gonna do something, might as well excel at it!" Rachel forces a smile and looks at him.

"You cracking a joke? Memory erasing really did a number on you." He closes his book and looks at her, "Ánh will forgive you, Rachel. Give her some time."

"How did you return my memories? When I erased them, I thought they were gone forever."

"Hate to break it to you, sis... you just aren't as talented as me."

"Obviously! The silver hair holds all the power!" She laughs and looks away.

He fakes a smile, holds his silver necklace and passes the other hand on a loose lock in front of his face. Pulls it back. "You left a trail, and I found it. Same thing could've happened with Diego and me. Actually... no," a genuine laugh echoes, "who am I kidding? They'd have to have someone more talented."

"You took a risk. One that paid off. But they could have someone more talented. I was overpowered for a moment there. The amplifier..."

"They tried..." Alex's eyes glow, "with this machine... what an excruciating pain. It was malfunctioning, fortunately. I took a risk, Rachel. I knew that eventually, with all the torture, they'd wear my mind down. But I had to take that risk..."

"Why?"

"I couldn't do that to Diego. How much would I have to erase for us to be safe, Rachel? Would I have to erase Diego's sister? His parents?" Alex exhales slowly.

"You didn't want to erase Amy, too." Rachel's brown eyes meet the grayness of his.

"Don't." His tone sharpens.

"Alex..."

"Don't you dare mention her, Rachel." He takes a few long breaths in and out and levels his voice, "I am grateful that you went back for me. I am."

"But?"

"But this changes nothing in our relationship. You're here now because everyone else has shut you out and Megan is lying dead somewhere."

Rachel forms an ice spike on her right hand and her eyes open wide.

"I'm getting déjà vu now, Rachel." Alex claps his hands and laughs loudly.

Rachel dissolves the ice spike and shakes her head, "You hate me ever since I killed them. They didn't love you, Alex. That wasn't love!"

"My dearest," he gets up and takes a few steps forward until they are face to face, "I don't hate you because you killed our glorious leader," he laughs again, "and his precious," he pauses, "puppet," pauses again and raises his voice, "the ultra-powerful-superwoman!" He raises his right arm in the air and laughs.

"Always hiding behind your sarcasm..." Rachel shakes her head, "my dearest."

"I hate you because you killed Amy, Rachel." His tone drops.

"How dare you?" Rachel raises her right hand to slap him but stops before hitting him.

He grabs her wrist, takes it out of his sight, "Amy died because of you. They wanted you and Matthew. She died because they wanted to kill you."

"Matthew made the decision to tell everyone that I was the Angel of Death and then he blamed you for her death." Her voice breaks, "Alex, you are the only family I have left."