We're the Next Generation.

“Thanks.” 

“Of course.”

“Я получил в драке с Ноем. … И ваша мама.” He sighed, hiding his face in her leg and his hand. “Все.” 

“Наша мама?” She reminded him. “о чем? и то, что с Ноем”

“I trust you. I’m just worried about her.” 

“Talk to her, spend as much time with her as you can and if the shifts happen without her command, it’s an issue. If she does it herself, it’s less of a concern.”

“Why do you think that? That can’t be true any day.”

“You- excuse me?”

“Her daughter, their daughter. I’m her legal guardian.”

“I’m not entirely sure. Like I said, she’s been hiding it…” And we all know how well this family hides things. “I could be wrong, even.” 

“Hey, I’ll be monitoring her. She’ll be alright. This will not turn out badly for you all, it won’t be able to go as far as it did and I won’t let it. Okay?”

Nikolai held his breath, teleporting across the room to the other bed, only to clench his jaw and close his eyes, leaning on his sister. His face twisted like he was crying, though he was turned away from her and no tears left his eyes. 

“What’s happened, Nikky?”

“I think she might be hiding a more gender related.. split, although I’m not sure it’s that yet. I’m not sure if her ability helps or hurts it, but I don’t think it’s developed into anything near Adelina’s disorder. And I’m not saying it will. But other than that, no..” 

“Gender related? What do you mean? Does she slip between male and female personas or is it her just two different genders? Does she act different when she is in her male shift?”

“I’ve been trying to help them all, that’s why I’m here. I’m not sure what name was really hers, she went by lots of them, but I know she lived here. Finn Reynolds, I think, was the name. Possibly Fluke Bass? But I can’t keep those nurses in that state, they’re helping her against their will, they don’t know what they’re doing and I’m sure they have lives to get back to. With the house being sold, none of them can stay there anymore anyway. So I’m bringing her here. Probably. I just need to find someone that knows her.” 

“Fluke. That’s who you have? That’s who your brother took? I have their daughter, she’s..under my care.”

Benedict nodded dutifully, knowing Addie could use Casey’s help. “I’ll talk to her.” 

“You son I’m seeing later this week..have you noticed any similar symptoms with your daughter? Any other manifestations of her personality? Any splitting?”

“I meant-!” he stopped and sat up abruptly, shaking his head. “Fuck, nevermind.” He was rubbing both hands over his eyes when he disappeared, teleported away, probably to Echo’s room because when he’s cold she’s just cold back, and if she’s not there well her roommate is Nauti so. 

“Nikky? Your eyes are tired, angry..”

“Yeah, well. He’s dead so not sure how much healing he’s doing, but the fact remains that his house is being sold and when I went in to his oddly medieval dungeon esque basement, I found a woman lying in bed all but dead and a handful of nurses mind manipulated to care for her with little to no conscious memory of the last 19 to 23 years.” 

“Did you try to help her, find out who she was? There is still goodness. Opportunity for you to help.”

“If I could trade so you had your dad back, I would.” 

“Trade? Why don’t you want her back? If not for you..for your sister. Nauti needs a mother, and she needs to live her life and stop mothering you. And your father needs to heal. You need to heal. You’ll all need her. Her coming back is good.”

“We were best friends when she was your age. Trust me?” 

“Okay...”

“Fucking christ..” he huffed, and rubbed his face.