BB says: Did you forget about me? I didn't forget about you guys (despite the implications of my absence) no excuses; just life. And my terrible writer's block. My life hasn't been the same since Generator Rex went off the air...

"It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,"

~Lewis Carroll

Footsteps on a hard floor, pausing before continuing at a much slower pace. They approached Cheshire, and she screwed up her face unconsciously.

They were looking at her, she just knew, and she would rather continue sleeping than have them whispering beside her, shaking her awake. Frankly she felt as though she had been through a great deal in the past few hours and deserved a bit of a catnap.

"Go away, Miss Holiday," she grouched, turning over. Or trying to. She only managed to scoot a little on the mattress, so moving her head to the side had to be enough to prove her displeasure. The voice persisted however, and Cheshire soon came to realize it belonged to no one she knew. Alarms rang in her drowsy brain and her fingers clenched slightly.

"You're not…" she mumbled, eyes peeking open, nostrils flaring.

"Miss Holiday? No." The woman who stood at her side had a haughty look on her face, mouth screwed up in something that was either resentful relief or displeasure. She was pretty enough, with hair sharing the golds and oranges and reds one may see in a gala apple. Green eyes that were almost unnatural in their color were pointy as they looked at Cheshire, pink limps drawn into a bitter little bow on a porcelain doll face.

Cheshire sighed. Too tired. Been through a lot. Sleep now. "Okay, can you tell me whatever the Hell is going on after I wake up? If you work for Providence please hold off on dissecting me until I get my nap in. If you're an independent pharmaceutical company, put together a presentation showing me why you should be considered a threat and or an ally. Either way, see you in a few hours." Cheshire re-closed her eyes. She heard Red at her side taking a breath to speak and the evo rudely interrupted, cranky with exhaustion. "No! Seriously. You can tell me whatever mess I've gotten myself into later! Do you know how long I've been up? Huh? What manner of icky monsters and floating orbs I've had to deal with? LEAVE ME ALONE."

The woman at her bedside sputtered with indignation. "Y-you...! Careless, absentminded, selfish sow! We both know exactly what mess you've gotten yourself into! And no regrets? None? No, you roll over in my flipping guest bed like you own the place, like its just my job to be your shit catcher!" The woman growled like she had suffered a personal affront taking Cheshire aback. "You're a real idiot you know! I can't believe how reckless you are! Did you even think about what you were doing? Did you even take into account who you were leaving behind? Really, Nekane, I thought I knew you better than-"

"Wait." Cheshire pulled herself into a sitting position, giving the woman her full attention. "You know my name?" The annoyed look on the woman's face increased tenfold.
"Of course you moron! We've only known each other for what, a frickin' decade? Now isn't the time for-"

"But," Cheshire interrupted again, mildly alarmed. "Who are you?" Her visitor opened and shut her mouth, eyebrow quirked. "I refuse to play games with you, Nekane. You're not being cute." Cheshire's silence must have said it all, for a brief look of surprise and concern flickered on the ginger's face. She rolled her eyes to mask it. "I'm Gwen? Gwen Tennyson? We're friends! The Plumbers pulled you from the null a decade ago?" Cheshire's face remained confused and the newly introduced Gwen only grew more concerned. "You really don't…don't know me?" She lunged forward before Cheshire could react, grabbing the evo by the face and twisting her head to and fro. Whatever she saw was highly alarming; her eyes grew wide and her mouth slackened in disbelief. "Oh. Oh no." Confused, Cheshire watched the woman begin to pace, muttering to herself.

"I knew it was possible.. they had warned me of this potential consequence. But now? And like this? How-"

"Mama!" It was an orange and blue blur darting towards her bed, easily dodging Gwen's outstretched arms and leaping upon Cheshire's legs in a way that was naively cruel. Cheshire inhaled deeply, more in shock then in pain, as the rambunctious youth settled on her body and eyed her with nothing short of adoration.

He was a little guy, perhaps eight or nine, with tousled hair the color of honey wheat and a wide, gentle looking face. He was thin in a healthy way, his limbs holding spots that were still soft with baby flesh and his caramel skin smooth and sweet smelling. Some part of Cheshire ached at the scent of him, something beneath the smell of baby lotion and grass. Something primal that made her want to snarl and pull him closer, allow him to bury his face against her and rest. But his eyes…no, his eyes terrified her and enthralled her in a way she couldn't understand.

As he smiled a gap toothed smile, several baby teeth gone, Rex's mahogany eyes twinkled in his face.

Cheshire stiffened in confusion and fear at this creature, unsure how to proceed. She was spared the agony of action as gentle arms wrapped about the boy's waist, lifting him from Cheshire despite his protest.

"No!Tía Gwen! Quiero hablarcon la mamá!" He whined, little hands waving in the air dejectedly. Although he appeared to be reaching for her, all Cheshire could do was watch him in fascination. Her silence on the matter only seemed to stir him up further, and his whining devolved into full-on howling and flailing. Such bratty behavior was deplorable. Cheshire frowned deeply.

Once again reacting to her behavior strangely, the little boy calmed and watched Cheshire with wide, pleading eyes. Gwen sighed.

"I know you missed her, Nicky," she soothed, still holding him close. "But your mom is a little tired from her journey. How about you let her sleep a little more?" Nicky pouted harder but Cheshire's steadying look kept him from reinstating his violent rebellion. "Mamá," he sulked beseechingly. "Didn't you miss me?" Cheshire startled, neck muscles straining as her head tried to search behind herself for the child's mother. The only thing behind her was the wall, of course, and she found it highly unlikely that the boy was the spawn of plaster. Poor thing must have been confused; surely Gwen would explain once they had gotten rid of him?

"Of course I did, er, Nicky. I'm just tired. Go play. I'll find you later." Nicky's forlorn pout morphed into an ill-tempered scowl as he stilled in Gwen's arms. The woman lowered him onto his feet and he crossed his arms with a "fine", storming out of the room.

Even fitful, the child was adorable. Cheshire felt a smile seek admittance to her lips, turned away by her discontent. Gwen closed the door gently, fierce gaze upon Cheshire so suddenly the evo startled. She barely managed to roll from the bed to the floor before something pink whizzed over her head and struck the wall behind her. Gasping a little, she struggled to scrape together a bit of her own powers to counteract the energies Gwen was throwing her way, constructing a weak field about herself. It was all she could manage. Gwen's upper lip crinkled in distaste as Cheshire watched her owlishly from within her sanctuary. Gwen tossed another ball of energy and although Cheshire winced, it ricocheted off her shield and blasted a nearby lamp to shards.

"Gwenny, baby," Cheshire laughed uneasily. "Ease up, would ya? Are you gonna kill me after saving me? Doesn't that seem a bit counter-productive? Aren't we friends?" Gwen's scowl deepened. "No," she deadpanned. "I'm friends with the real Nekane. Not her knock-off. The real Nekane…" purple energy arose from the ground beneath Cheshire's feet, encircling her field with a lining of powers outside of hers. Her safety became a prison.

"Would have seen that coming a mile away." Cheshire pouted, turning her own field inside out and letting it prod against the one Gwen had constructed. "You know the worst part?" the blonde sighed. "I did see it coming. Well, I thought it could happen. Anything can happen anytime..." she moved to wave her hand in front of her face dismissively. "But I just don't have the energy to stop-" Her eyes widened as her sentenced choked on itself and died. Eyes going wide, she suddenly had the urge to vomit, body a strange land to her as she gazed upon her limb. Because it was now that she noticed something that really shouldn't have escaped her radar. If it hadn't, perhaps she would be howling in pain and horror right about now.

That's what people do when they wake up and find one of their hands missing, right?

Her mouth opened and shut as though trying to conjure up the scream she thought she should be succumbing to, eyes bugged wide as her stupid stupid body kept trying to wiggle the fingers on her left hand. Oh, God, she couldn't breathe. Was she hyperventilating? Was this what a panic attack felt like? Have she finally reached that point of adventure when even she had had enough? She felt her bubble pop inside Gwen's, cradled in a field of magenta power as she grasped her arm.

"Hey…" she heard Gwen's voice somewhere outside of her own panicked gasps, but couldn't form a response.

"Hey!" she didn't respond as Gwen's field vanished and she fell to her knees.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Gwen's arms wound themselves around Cheshire, holding her tight and keeping her grounded. "It's okay. It's okay! You have to breathe. Are you in pain? Did the painkillers stop working?" Teeth clenched, Cheshire silently continued to stare down at her wrist as Gwen gently shook her. "I'm sorry I attached you like that, okay? With inter-dimensional travel we have to be careful, you know? And I wasn't sure if you were like the evil Nekane or some shit…oh God, please calm down."

Cheshire blinked her eyes rapidly, not surprised to find tears drifting down. There was no pain…yet, but she couldn't believe…couldn't…

"…what happened?" she whispered into Gwen's shoulder, arm twitching. The other woman sighed. "You…we think you left it in the Void." She gave Cheshire another squeeze before pulling away to look at her face. "I was wondering why you traveled through it. It's so dangerous to travel alone. You…Nekane hates it, and its damn near impossible to escape without outside help. But if you're from another universe you wouldn't know, I guess. It's a miracle the rest of you made it out okay." Cheshire nodded numbly, morbidly wondering how the bandages wrapped around her injury were so pristine white. Shouldn't they be a terrible, rotten red by now?

"We burned the injury on site to keep you from bleeding out while we transported you here." It seemed this Gwen person could read minds. "We'll have to re-open it to attach your prosthetic, but we didn't want you dying on our watch, you know? You've…Nekane has been gone a long time. Longer than usual. It was hard enough to explain to Nicky what happened." Cheshire's entire body was numb.

"Oh," she said weakly. "Okay." Gwen nodded shallowly, still trying to read Cheshire's face. "Okay?"

"Okay…hey Gwen?"

"Yeah?"

"I think…I think I'm gonna go ahead and faint now, 'kay?" She really didn't care about Gwen's answer; just though it would be polite to warn people before keeling over.

She awoke to the sun shining directly into her face. Her eyes scrunched in irritation, wondering when she was finally going to teach Berry how to close curtains.

But then she remembered she wasn't home.

And she only had one hand.

Her eyes shot open in alarm heart hammering roughly. She struggled to get her bearings.

Somewhere…safe? Yes, she was relatively safe. Gwen had gotten over her need to kill her, and she was lying in a bed, not on a rock. Step in the right direction. She wasn't in her clothes anymore, and she assumed that they had been tattered beyond repair and Gwen had simply given up on them. In any case, she was wearing what looked and felt like a large sleep shirt, gentle against her bandages. She had probably been in these new clothes before fainting but really hadn't been paying attention considering everything she had been through in the past…day? Had it only been a day?

Where was Alpha?

Where was she?

She tried to lay her hand over her face, grimacing as she was once again reminded of her condition. She switched hands quickly as though to trick herself. The sunlight peeked through the cracks in her fingers and, strangely enough, she felt tears forming. That was weird. Did they have a purpose?

Some scientists believe that tears are a communication device privy to humans and certain primates. That humans evolved to possess such a thing in order to express severe distress so that one's pack would act in defense of the wounded individual. But Cheshire's pack wasn't there. And she wasn't entirely certain she would ever see them again. What had she done? This was karma, wasn't it? Just a matter of time before her acting independently, regardless of consequences, caught up with her. She had always just thought it would kill her if anything…maybe? Didn't everyone her age think they were invincible, though, that youth would protect them? She was barely out of her teens, after all, and nothing can kill a teenager.

The tears became thicker, blurring her vision as she choked back a sob. Damn it. Pull it together, Cheshire. You can't do anything if you panic.

"Mama? Are you okay?" A little body at her side stirred, and she looked down into the face of the invader.

"Yeah," it disturbed her that this kid was forced to see someone he thought of as his mother crying. All the more so when he thought that person was her. "Just…really glad to be…to be home…" Nicky's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Smart kid. Cheshire was unjustly proud. She wondered if this dimension's Rex was proud as well. Assuming this was his kid. The child was the spitting image of a younger Rex, so who else's would he be? Cesar's?

The thought made her stomach turn.

"Yeah?" The little boy had cocked his head to the side, an action that Cheshire did when thinking very deeply. Cheshire smiled gently, running her hand through his hair. So soft!

"Yeah, Nicky. Don't worry about your mom, okay? She's gonna be alright." Cheshire meant that in reference to his real mother, of course, but Nicky applied it in reference to her. Her laid his head upon her chest with a smile, arms wedging themselves between her back and the mattress to force her into a hug.

…strong little guy.

"I was…I was really afraid, Mama," he mumbled against her chest bone. "It took you so long to come home this time. And your hand...and you were asleep for so long...I thought…" he sniffled, and Cheshire was horrified to find he was on the verge of tears. God, that seemed that the most terrible thing in the world to her. She never wanted her son to feel pain.

But he wasn't hers was he?

"It's okay mijo," she soothed awkwardly, patting him with her hand. "Your mama will always come back to you." He lifted his head, smearing tears and snot across her shirt. "You promise?"

How could she?

"Yeah," she smiled brightly, pulling his wet face close to hers to plant an affectionate kiss on his forehead. "Of course." His smile was such a beautiful thing to her.

"Alright," she pulled herself away, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and ignoring the vertigo of her sudden movements. "Let's go see what's for breakfast."

She was obviously in someone's high-end apartment. Someplace with wood floors and futuristic white furniture. The hallway was long but she could see it ended in a large living space complete with two couches and a very nice…television? A super high-tech television. The screen wasn't glass or even some sort of fancy plasma, it was a holographic image. Seated in front of the TV was a boy who looked to be around Nicky's age, engaged in a very violent looking (and also highly entertaining) video game. His dark brown head shifted a bit, signifying the fact he heard the approach of Cheshire and Nicky, but he didn't turn around. He was too busy scowling at the game, which had just presented a "GAME OVER".

"KEN! You unpaused it?!" Nicky shouted, rushing past Cheshire and sliding to sit beside his compatriot.

"Dude, you went to wake your mom like an hour ago! What was I supposed to do?"

"It's not like you could beat the boss without me! You've used almost all our lives, cara idiota!"

"Who are you calling an idiot head, you poo face?"

"Who you calling a poo face, you booger licker?"

"Boys, please. I'm sure Nekane is tired and in no mood for your nonsense." Cheshire hadn't noticed Gwen stacking pancakes onto plates until she spoke. "How'd you sleep?" her voice grew gentle as she looked to her guest, eyes vaguely disturbed but concerned all the same.

"I'm…alright. Still a little dizzy." Gwen nodded, turning back to the children. "Hey boys, how do you feel about eating in front of the TV?" Two pairs of eyes lit up. "Really? You're not just teasing?" Ken's smile was blinding, and he had what Cheshire was starting to see as the family's green eyes. Gwen shrugged. "Well, it's not every day my two favorite guys spend the night. Why not?"

Cheshire helped to get the boys settled in a way she felt an older, more responsible her would; making sure they didn't trip and get syrup and milk everywhere, putting silverware on their plates, smiling distantly the whole time. She felt itchy and wrong in her skin.

She and Gwen sat at the kitchen table. She was comforted to see that Gwen knew how much she favored tea, as a cup of raspberry rooibos found its way in front of her.

They sat in silence for a moment, sipping their warm breakfast and listening to the petty bickering in the next room, the clacking of silverware.

Cheshire had a lot of questions. But…she wasn't sure where to begin. Where was she? Who was she? If this world already had a Nekane…where did she belong?

"So…" she began somewhat wearily. "Nekane has put Nicky through a lot, huh?" Gwen sighed, stirring a lump of sugar into her tea. "The world has put Nicky through a lot Ne-….ummm, what would you like to be called?"

"Cheshire is fine."

"Alright…Cheshire, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a normal human. Neither is Nekane, or Ken, or Ken's family. There is no way for Nicky to have a normal childhood with all these eccentrics in his family." Cheshire made to speak but Gwen cut her off. "Not to say he hasn't had a wonderful life. He's Nekane's world. And an incurable mama's boy." Gwen chuckled. Cheshire smiled gamely. "But his existence proves I'm not your friend, you know," the evo made to rest her chin on her hand, was reminded, once again (the final time, she promised herself, THE LAST DAMN TIME), that she didn't have the hand she wanted, and sighed. "I can't have kids. And it's not something I'm want for myself, in any case. I have more issues then a comic book series." Gwen pursed her lips.

"That just confuses things worse, if anything. Nekane didn't think she could have kids either. Never had or has had her period. But "poof!" and there's Nicky, existing. She said he was a miracle, but I just wonder if her physiology is just different from a human woman's." Cheshire took a moment to let this sink it. Was it even possible…?

No.

Right?

"B-but what about my age?" Cheshire continued to argue. "I mean, Nekane is like, what, in her thirties by now? And I'm obviously not." Gwen shook her head. "No. But you're the spitting image, hot off the copy machine. Nekane hasn't aged a day since we met. She still looks like she roughly twenty, of that. Again, strange physiology. For all intents and purposes, you are Nekane."

Cheshire huffed. "That's my real name and everything, you know."

"I do. Nekane once mentioned have the nickname 'Cheshire'-"

"Like that cat-"

"That you are."

They both smiled. Yeah, Cheshire could totally see another her being friends with this woman.

"So…where do we start? How did you and I…you and Nekane…become buddies? Strangers in a strange land?" Gwen shook her head. "It's… you're not the easiest person to get along with, you know? This you, the way you are right now, I've only caught glimpses of in Nekane. She has always been sort of hardened. Good sense of humor but sort of cold, like it was just too much for her to bear a smile or two." Cheshire grinned humorlessly, all teeth. Nicky screamed in Spanish in the other room, followed by Ken's laughter.

"Yes," the evo murmured softly, after a moment. "I can see that becoming an issue." Her ears pressed themselves to her head, tail flicking. Her words were hard and chilled, chipped at the edges with a frosted glaze overtaking her eyes Gwen watched the brief transformation with her head cocked to the side, the look of unsettled acceptance reappearing on her face. "Yeah," she whispered to herself. "Just like that." Cheshire instantly brightened. "Hm? What was that, Gwen?" Gwen shock her head to dismiss the statement but continued on the same track. "Nekane has matured a lot since her…"Cheshire phase". I didn't know her as Cheshire so it's nice to meet you, I guess."

"So you met once she'd settled in her skin? Interesting. Do spill the beans in the bowl."

Gwen sighed. And started her story.

Nekane Warren was found during a routine check of the Null Void's well maintained systems. The team that had gone in –an intergalactic organization known as the Plumbers- was given the task of ensuring there had been no breaches or "wrinkles" that could threaten the integrity of the prison universe. When they had come across Nekane it had been entirely on accident. If they hadn't found her when they did, it was hard to say what would have become of her. It was uncomfortable to think about.

Thin and feral, what was more alarming then the challenging glint in her eyes and her bared teeth was perhaps the fact that the creature's body obviously lacked the strength to back up her challenge. Her eyes were hooded and pained, fatigue periodically causing spams through shaking her body. She looked to be on the verge of falling into unconsciousness, hanging on the edges of awareness by the tips of her fingers. She was hunched, arms crossed, blood trickling down her legs to pool on the ground around her. There, clutched close to her breasts, was a wailing newborn.

One of the most difficult things about saving the young woman -who they naturally assumed was an alien- was pulling her son from her arms long enough to get both mother and child the medical attention they so desperately needed. The Plumbers had to administer severe sedatives, and even then the unconscious female clung to the baby, grimace frozen on her face. The hospital she was admitted to had quite the time with the wounded creature. They couldn't begin to deduce how she had wound up in the Null Void without anyone noticing. The universe was closely monitored for change and evidence seemed to suggest the woman had been trapped for months.

The infant was premature, deaf, anemic, and suffering from acute Vitamin D deficiency; all these problems the hospital was equipped well enough to solve. But the mother was hardly what they could consider to be reasonable. She herself had suffered trauma to the pelvis and hips from the rough birth, having lost a considerable amount of blood and fluids to the process. Her body was also wracked with vitamin deficiencies and was terribly thin; it had been a miracle she had been able to carry her baby as long as she did.

Her actions were violent and feral and she made no effort to communicate with her "rescuers". She thrashed about wildly, screeching incoherently and swiping blindly at all who approached. Her weakened body proved to be little hindrance as they discovered she had powers outside of the hospital's understanding; even with the presence of aliens on earth broadening their medicinal knowledge, the young woman seemed to be a beast all her own.

Her powers only grew as she recovered, the edges of her body blurring in what they could only assume were her attempts to escape her bondage. They were lucky no one was injured in those first rough days, not for lack of Nekane trying. They kept her as sedated as best they could, mixing new anesthesia every time her accelerated metabolism learned to fight the last.

Soon they were at their wits' end with the strange woman, who only grew more powerful and more violent day by day. There was no getting through to her; she had either lost her mind somewhere in the void or had belonged there as an intergalactic danger. She had been moved to the special section of the psych ward meant to contain those with…special needs. Needs that required Plumbers to stand guard and evacuation protocol ready should the floor need to be placed on lock-down.

It was around this time that Gwen entered the scene. Her grandfather and her cousin were both high-ranking Plumbers; the infamous Max and Ben Tenyson. Gwen herself was well respected in the organization and her diplomatic prowess was admired both on earth and abroad. She was familiar with the Plumber's databases and the cultural expectations of even the strangest extraterrestrial visitors. There was a rumor that as a child she had even been called upon to battle a few aliens before the treaties protecting the earth and its people had been finalized.

Upon arrival at the hospital Gwen met with Dr. Richard Greys, a man with a name from a Soap opera without the star looks to back it up. Short and balding, he was constantly dabbing at the sweat beading on his forehead as he led his honored guest to what his orderlies called "The Zoo Room". Gwen had frowned at the name.

Too many humans were still too damn racist.

"We have still been unable to speak with her," Dr. Richards said, expensive shoes clacking on the tile. "She's unresponsive to all stimuli save for pain, and she responds to that with physical violence. She broke a nurse's arm just two days ago, and attempted to brain me with her IV." The portly little man shook his head. "We've been able to keep her under since then, but she's already starting to stir again. Perhaps it's best if you save your visit for another day-"

Gwen had scoffed. "Thank you for your concern, Dr. Greys. But I'm sure you're aware I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." Choosing not to respond, Dr. Greys continued with this story. "Considering her lack of progress and the obvious danger she poses to herself and others, your visit is viewed as somewhat of a…formality. We've already begun petitioning the Plumbers, as I'm sure you're aware, to have her placed back into the Null Void Universe. Her child will be integrated into the adoption program available through the hospital. We already have a newly married couple appealing to the board for custody. Lovely people, owners of a big house with a big yard they're hoping to fill with kids." Gwen scrunched her eyebrows together as she looked at her guide.

"And this is concerning the alien's child?"

"Yes. As I'm sure you're aware, she was found with an infant in her arms, and tests have shown that she is indeed his biological mother. Judging from her state upon entry to the hospital, she had just birthed him on the rock where she was discovered. We have stabilized the infant to where it would be safe to release him from the hospital. He appears, for all intents and purposes, to be human, despise his maternal lineage. There should be no trouble integrating him into society." That didn't rub Gwen the right way. "And you've kept him from her this entire time?"

"For his own safety. So that she wouldn't do something we would all come to regret. We have deduced that one of the many things wrong with the creature is that she is suffering from postpartum depression."

"Has she been in contact with the baby at all since being brought here?" Dr. Greys puffed out his chest proudly. "We have been able to keep her from him since her first day. The child remains safe while in our care."

"Do you have any evidence that she wants to hurt her son?" Dr. Greys deflated slightly. "Well, no," he confessed "but her violent treatment of the orderlies and nurses suggests-"

"You're all idiots, aren't you?" Gwen said with deadly calm, crossing her arms. "I want the baby."

Dr. Greys paled. "W-what? With all due respect-"

"No. You haven't considered all your options. You acted without thinking and the current situation is due to your own carelessness. All of this is just your own interpretation of a "feral" alien that you must protect any innocent human from; even if that human is her child. For all we know she's a victim not a monster. And you've taken her baby from her. Can you image what that must feel like? To be lost, in pain, and, to top it off, strangers kidnap you and take your child away? Now I'll ask you really nicely one more time before I get some of my friends in the Intergalactic Travelers' Rights Agency to come down on your heads hard and fast," a surge of pink power sparked in Gwen's eyes as she glared down at the doctor. "Get. Me. That. Baby. And wake up his mother."

Gwen hadn't been able to say with entire confidence that she was doing the right thing. Sure, she'd heard about how powerful this particular alien was and how she only seemed to be gaining strength. How she was vindictive and insane and marked as savage. But Gwen had been honest when she had said she could hold her own, and there was no way she could back down with the little audience that had gathered to watch her enter the dreaded room 321.

It was ice cold in the room, and the machines pumping the alien full of sedatives had all been turned off. The female lay on her back, one arm face up to allow the tubing access. Her white hair was spread about on the sheets and pillow, long and soft-looking, topped with ears that suggest her race was similar to the earth felines. Her skin was black as coal and she made small, whimpering noises with each exhalation. Her face –still sallow with ill-health- was humanoid, lax and almost peaceful in slumber, long white lashes resting against a dark face. Gwen chanced a step forward, arms tightening defensively around the infant in her arms. A lovely baby, nameless and small for his age, staring up at her intelligently. One could hardly believe this seemingly average human child was the spawn of something as terrifyingly, disturbingly, beautiful as what lay before her.

Surely the alien wasn't one of those species that kill their young if they smell like another…right?

"This is your mom," she cooed gently into the chubby little face. Wide eyes, very conscious of their surroundings, looked back up at her. After a couple of weeks in the hospital, the baby was finally a healthy newborn weight. "And we have to help her, right? Or you may never see her again. And you love her, don't you? So that would be a terrible thing." Perhaps she shouldn't have spoken. It was like she had disturbed some inner peace with the newborn, as his little face reddened and wrinkled. Tiny fists began to wave in upset, and he release a tiny, tinny, cry.

"N-no! Shhh! I'm sorry!"

The air grew heavy. Gwen looking up from the distressed infant to see the eyes of the alien in question open, startling blue eyes zeroed in on the child. She hadn't moved from the bed yet, and Gwen wondered if she was still working the sedatives from her system. Just in case, Gwen moved even slower as she approached, power tingling in her fingertips.

"Hello," she greeted gamely, forcing a smile onto her face. "My name is Gwendolyn Tenyson. You may call me Gwen, if you want." The alien didn't respond, eyes still on the wailing prize. "I brought you your baby. He's still a little sick, but they say he's better than he was. So there's no reason to keep him from you. I'm sorry for all the confusion." When Gwen was three steps from the bed the alien came to life. Teeth gnashed and pupils narrowed to pinpricks she thrashed upon the bed, struggling against her restraints. The frame screamed with the force of her movements, and Gwen erected a defensive shield, ready to put the alien female down if the situation continued to escalate.

The belts strapping the alien to her bed snapped one by one, the female's wide, feral eyes still on Gwen and the baby even as she struggled viciously. Once her limbs were free, a black arm lifted to sharp canines, which tore and ripped until every tube and wire was removed from her body, little streams of blood leaking from little memories of their drugs. The alien spate them to the ground like the poison they were, nostrils flaring as she bared her teeth at them. When she was finished the alien laid back on her bed, relaxing once again Her eyes fell back into their hooded state as her hands clenched and unfurled thoughtlessly.

Gwen was hesitant to start moving again, shield still up. The infant's cries softened to little whimpers of misery, and Gwen realized she was bouncing him a bit too hard to be comforting. She glance down to check him and when she looked up again the alien's eyes locked with her own. They stood in tense silence for a moment.

….Baby.

Gwen jumped, alarmed as the word drifted across her mind. The female gingerly pulled herself into a sitting position, wincing. It was possible to see deep hallows under her eyes as she once again made eye contact with Gwen.

Please…let me have my baby. It ended in a growl this time, a warning as sure as the twitching lip that threatened a snarl.

"You've been more headache then you needed to be," Gwen scowled. "You've understood everything all along, haven't you?" The alien just cocked her head to the side. When it became obvious she wasn't going to response to Gwen's accusation, the redhead sighed and ruefully continued her approach.

She glared suspiciously at the alien as she carefully laid the child into his mother's lap. She stayed close in case she had to snatch him back into relative safety. Gently, the alien's black arms pulled up to tenderly press her lips to her son's forehead, clucking at his soft whines. To Gwen's pleasant surprise, the alien began cooing incoherently under her breath as she looked at her son, rocking him much calmer than Gwen had done. Tears glazed cerulean eyes, a small smile playing at dark lips.

"He's…he's a very pretty baby," Gwen said gently, not quite daring to make herself comfortable. "I recently acquired a baby cousin myself. Have you thought of a name?" The female alien jerked, gaze shooting back to Gwen. She glared at Gwen in challenge, clinging her son closer to her chest as though afraid Gwen would move to reclaim him. Gwen lifted up her hands, taking a step back. "I'll let you guys be alone. For a bit. I'll be back again…if you want." The alien just continued to glare.

Gwen left the room feeling quite accomplished. "Bring her his bed," she ordered Dr. Greys like she owned the hospital. "Let him sleep in there with her. And don't drug her anymore; I think it's counterproductive to her recovery."

"B-but," a nurse spoke up. "If we don't drug her she could hurt somebody."

"Trust me, if you keep her doped up and without her child, she'll find a way to hurt somebody anyway. It's not wise to separate a mother from her young." Dr. Greys frowned. "We have professional psychologists who have advised the exact opposite of what you're suggesting Ms. Tenyson," he informed unnecessarily. "You couldn't possibly have made more of a difference in ten minutes then we've been trying to make for weeks." Gwen frowned. "Dr. Greys, your psychologists are for the human psyche. Her mind and the mind of every other alien is still a field in progress; she can't be diagnosed by comparing her to a human in the same situation. And that's why from here on out she'll be under the supervision of the Plumbers. I'll be back in a few days check on her." And Gwen was gone before they could argue further.

Gwen couldn't say why she was working this hard for a complete stranger. Maybe she just really liked a project. Something to challenge her.

When she came back she was surprised at how much progress the alien female had made. The color was back in her cheeks, life in her eyes when she looked up to watch Gwen enter. The straps that had once bound her to the bed were gone and the curtains had been opened to let in the sunlight. Several books were scattered on the mattress around her and, considering none of the orderlies had given sign the alien tolerated them yet, Gwen wondered where all the literature had come from.

The baby was sleeping in a bassinet that most definitely was not hospital issue, pulled as close to his mother as she could get him, her foot gently rocking the little bed.

"I'm back," Gwen smiled brightly. "Do you remember me?" The alien waited a moment before nodding slowly, eyes wary. "I see you've been keeping busy. I was actually going to ask you if they'd found a way to help the days go by. But I guess that question's been answered, huh?" Another nod. Gwen noticed that the books were predominantly history, with bits of culture and language mixed in.

"Well, I guess you don't really need me then, huh? Although we could discuss book choices. For instance" she gestured to one of the books on the bed, retracting her arms when the alien flinched defensively. "I noticed you're reading Dante's Divine Comedy in the original Italian. Do you speak it?" The alien just looked at her. "Myself," Gwen kept speaking, pulling up a stool. "I prefer French. It's a little closer to English I think. Although, if that's my logic, maybe Spanish is better. What language do they speak where you're from?" The alien looked puzzled for a bit, before she pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Sensing another boundary, Gwen back off. "We'll get to that later then? It's not like we don't have time…" The blonde didn't respond. But that wasn't quite a "no" either.

It became routine for Gwen to stop by every few days, speaking to the alien woman and watching her facial expressions slowly evolve back to a human level. She began offering a few more smiles and displays of a (somewhat vicious) sense of humor. More than once Gwen walked in to see her cooing incoherently at her son, the infant watching his mother in fascination and the alien's eyes filled with so much love it was unbearable. Eventually she stopped schooling her face into bitter impassivity when Gwen entered the room.

Over a month into her visits Gwen came in grinning. Al –the name that Gwen had taken to mentally calling her new associate- cocked her head to the side in curiosity as she looked at Gwen. She had long since reverted to a shade of mocha brown rather than midnight. It was then possible for Gwen to note how young she was and how average she seemed. If not for the ears and the tail, Gwen would think Al was just another young mother gently nursing her baby, books and notebooks surrounding her on the bed.

"They say they're releasing you from the hospital!" Gwen felt like jumping up and down. "They finally believe me when I tell them that you're normal. It took them long enough to figure out that I'm smarter then they want to believe. Skating on my cousin's coattails indeed." She snorted, earning a smile from Al. "I've decided that once you're out you're coming to stay with me. I insist. Just until you get back on your feet. You can repay me later. " In all this time, they still hadn't found Al's home or native world. The alien was of little help, only giving confused looks when asked where she hailed from. They tacked amnesia onto her long list of problems.

"I'll help you get acquainted with Earth. It's a great place. And we've really advanced a lot in the past few years. You'll see; it'll be just like home before you know it." The barest traces of pain flickered through Al's eyes. Gwen smiled gently. "Don't worry. We'll defiantly find your home. Let's just get you on your feet first. Make sure your little one's got a stable environment to rely on." Al put on a forced smile. "Good. Well, I ordered you a celebration cake to be delivered to your room, but for some reason beyond me it still isn't here. So now I have to go raise Hell at the information desk. If you'll excuse me-"

"I've decided on a name." Al's tail flickered free of the sheets. It took Gwen a moment to realize that her mute friend had spoken. She turned slowly, eyes wide. Al had made no attempt to talk to her since the first time they met. And she spoke in such perfect English! "It took me a minute, but I've decided on one I like." Gwen knew she should stop gapping. If she made this too awkward Al might decide to shut down again. Her voice was surprisingly smooth, soothingly deep, for someone who had been silent for so long.

"Nicolae, I think. It's…regal." She gently brushed her fingers on her son's face. He snuffled gently, gradually falling asleep as he nuzzled closer to his mother's breast. "Nicolae…my little king. I was hoping for a Basque name like mine but I couldn't find one I liked better than Nicolae." Her voice cracked, and she shook her head, beaming at Gwen. The latter blinked, pulling herself together. "Basque?" An Earth language? "What's your name then?" Al grinning cheekily, ears swiveling. "Nekane."

"Wow…" Gwen forced herself to pull her thoughts together. "You know, this whole time I've mentally been calling you Al?"

"…actually, you've called me that a few times unconsciously."

"You could've stopped me sooner!"

"I didn't feel like it." Laughter bubbled up in Gwen, escaping before she could stop it. This alien…this person never failed to surprise her. Just as she grew comfortable with what she thought she was dealing with she was thrown another curve-ball. It was both nauseating and exhilarating. This puzzle that had landed in the Anodite-hybrid's lap was one she was willing to unwind, if only to satisfy her own curiosity. She was soon laughing hysterically, although honestly, it wasn't that funny. Her own wild laughter was accented by the rusty chuckles of Nekane, the newly named Nicolae burbling as he was shaken from his mother's bosom.

It wasn't long after that Gwen learned that Nekane wasn't quite… normal. At least not for this current Earth. The advancement of the third rock from the sun seemed to startle and leave her in awe, technology that many aliens still considered to be rudimentary knocking her breathless. Nekane was amazed by everything, wondering at hover boards and holograms and insisting on making conversation with every species of alien she ran into, asking their names and race and language.

Gwen was amazed by this eccentric creature from beyond; was it her, just months ago, who was a snarling psychopath? This strange woman flitting from being to being, somehow able to connect with each and every one? Just what had Gwen found? It was all the wonder of happening upon a UFO, back before they were a common occurrence and when one was still greeted with scrutiny. Nekane was something this world had never seen before.

An evo. A mutated human from another universe.

Where aliens were still kept secret at Area 51.

And the Earth had a bit of a miniature robot infestation.

"We have our best minds trying to get you… Nekane, home," Gwen finished her story. "There's a theory that the longer she's here the more fallible the line between universes becomes. It's dangerous for the being of one universe to become cemented in another. It's possible that she could come into contact with herself from this universe and that this could cause some sort of cataclysm. It's just an idea, one they're still working on either proving or disproving, but at least they're trying to help. That's where Nekane is now. Universe hopping." Gwen sighed. "It's been a rough decade for her, despite our efforts. We've come close on every occasion, closer on some trips than others but…" Gwen blew a short raspberry. "Nada. Frankly, I'm worried we'll never find her Earth, that she'll just be wandering forever. At this point I just want what's best for her…for her to find a home, whether its here or elsewhere."

Cheshire nodded, head spinning. "So…how does she get back every time? How does she know the way here?"

Gwen's cup was now empty. She looked at it regrettably. "A tracker. Specially keyed onto the higgs boson particles of our universe. We call them bread crumbs." Gwen smirked. "Nekane likes fairy tales."

"Aa…" Cheshire said slowly, staring at her tea leaves. "There's a super advanced Earth out there? One that'll wow my socks off and set me spinning when I step out of your front door?"

"Yep. Pretty incredible, when I think about how the world used to be." Collecting the mugs, Gwen stood from the table. "Well, that's it. I guess I'll fill you in mre later; your face says I may be on the fast track to overwhelming you." Cheshire nodded somewhat dumbly. "Yeah…I have a lot to digest." Gwen smiled again. "I imagine. Don't worry, I already have the Plumbers working on this kink. We'll have you back home soon…I hope." The last part was spoken in a whisper. Before Cheshire could comment on it Gwen had turned to the boys that were still engrossed in their game. "Okay! Time for a day on the town. Showers for everyone!" The children groaned and belly ached, whining something about the boss level and low XP. One glare from Gwen, however, sent them racing to the bathrooms Cheshire watched them disappear down the hall, sliding on the wood floor with the klutziness of children.

She cleared her throat clumsily as Gwen moved into the living room to tidy. "What about Nicky? Should he be…I don't know…" she hesitated, sensing the horribleness of her words. "Back in the Void?" Gwen shook her head adamantly. Obviously the question had be posed before. "The Null Void is a neutral universe. Beings from it don't occur in any other universe and those who are put within do not affect it. That was why it was chosen as a prison for intergalactic thugs. It would never reject them, and nor they it." She handed Cheshire the boys' plates like it was reflex.

"So…we're going out for a bit. It's just grocery shopping. Errands. You can stay here if you like. Collect yourself a bit, make yourself at home. I'll be back later to let you and Nicky into Nekane's apartment. I don't think she'll mind if you borrow a few clothes. Especially if you still want to keep up this illusion for Nicky." Cheshire shuddered to think what may have happened to Nicky's real mother by now…the look on his face if he was told he would have to wait even longer for her. "I guess…I guess I should. He's been through a lot…too much, maybe." Gwen didn't respond to the implied question. "Alright. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Is there anything I can get you while we're out? Magazines, history books, chocolate?"

Cheshire glanced over her shoulder, where Nicky and Ken were heard rustling around and shouting to one another. She could still remember his soft hair on the tips of her fingers, his warm little body gently clinging to hers. The tears of fear on his face when he thought he'd lost his mother. He couldn't occur in any other universe because he had been born in the Void…but he had been conceived in an actual universe. Her home universe. Or one that was similar enough to hers to have birthed another young woman with her name, face, and, potentially, history. Because what would have happened if she hadn't been able to teleport herself to freedom?

She shuddered at the thought, lower belly clenching. For a moment she feared she would be ill.

"Yeah," she said slowly, joining Gwen at the sink. "A pregnancy test."