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"Some people believe that raven's guide travelers to their destinations. Others believe that the sight of a solitary raven is considered good luck. While a group of ravens predicts trouble ahead. And a raven right before battle promises victory."

Song: Linkin Park - Numb

***

The day goes by fast in between, calls, meetings, researches and vitals checking. It was currently     9pm and they had finally gotten done with the important things. After much arguments Hera had finally convinced Lexis to stop for the night, as per his doctors orders, he wasn't even supposed to be working. She'd wanted to go home but with Shakespeare asleep Lexis had convinced her to stay the night to allow Shakespeare sleep in peace. He was currently carrying the little girl in his arms to the bed in his room.

"She can sleep on the sofa," Hera says from behind him.

"I mean where will you sleep if she takes your bed?" Hera asks.

"The sofa, you can both have the bed," Lexis says.

"but..."Hera starts but is cut short by the sound of the little girl they assumed was asleep saying,

"We can all take the bed," with her eyes closed.

"You're awake?" Hera asks in shock.

Shakespeare shakes her head.

"No," She says exerting extra force to the shutting of her eyelids.

Lexis laughs lightly causing Hera to momentarily lose focus enthralled by the sound of his light laughter that she'd not heard in years.

"Your daughter is an interesting specie," He says dropping Shakespeare on the bed.

He moves to leave but Shakespeare grabs a hold of his arm.

"Tell me a stowy," She says pouting.

"What?" Lexis says.

"A stowy," Shakespeare says.

He glances at Hera eyes widened seemingly asking for help. 

Hera smiles. His eyes relax seemingly enthralled by her smiling once more.

"You're be..." e starts but is interrupted by Shakespeare who shakes his hand while asking.

"Stowy,"

"I'll tell you a stowy," Hera says walking to Lexis side by the bed.

Shakespeare shakes her head.

"Not you, him," Shakespeare says.

"Not even if it's about your daddy?" Hera asks knowing it'll bribe her.

"Ohhhhh Okay!" Shakespeare says letting go of Lexis and scooting over for Hera to climb into the bed.

"Once upon a time," Hera starts. Lexis sits by the foot of the bed.

"There was a girl who lived in a kingdom and in that kingdom there also lived an evil Queen who was cursed by his father to be an evil queen," Hera says.

"Like sleeping beauty?" Shakespeare asks to which Hera nods.

"Like sleeping beauty this evil queen needed true love to make him a prince again,"Hera says as Shakespeare places her head on her mothers thighs.

"The girl upon coming to the kingdom for college met the evil queen and at first they hated each other, always fighting and misunderstanding each other till one day they realized how similar they were, they both had evil fathers who had cursed them, " Hera says. 

Lexis traces his lips glancing at the mother and daughter.

"So they fell in love and decided to marry, they invited their friends and important families except of course their evil fathers. But the girls evil father showed up on her birthday and tried to kill her, luckily the Evil Queen came just in time and saved her,"

"Now as the wedding day approached, the Evil queen worried about his father,"

"Because his father would not allow the wedding go well if he ever found out,"

"On the night before the wedding the Evil queen talked with the girl about their future filled with love unaware of the disaster creeping in his way,"

"But in the end the love the Evil Queen had for the girl was not enough to keep them together," Hera says with misty eyes. She looks down at Shakespeare who was now fast asleep.

She smiles sadly and looks up at Lexis whose eyes were trained on her.

"Do you hate him?" Lexis asks.

"Hate him?" Hera asks confused at whom he was referring to.

"The evil queen's father for breaking you two apart," Lexis asks.

"He didn't break us apart," Hera replies.

"I did," Hera says sadly. 

Lexis brows furrow.

"I betrayed him," Hera says.

"For what?" Lexis asks.

"A better future," Hera says.

Lexis stays silent.

"There's nothing wrong with wanting something better," Lexis says after a while.

"Not if it ruins people," Hera says.

"It ruined you?" Lexis asks.

"It ruined a lot of people, people who did nothing wrong," Hera replies sadly.

"So If you had to make the same choice again you wouldn't?" Lexis asks.

"I will," Hera replies confusing Lexis.

"You will?" Lexis asks.

Hera nods.

"I've replayed it countless times... in my head..." Hera says looking into his eyes.

"...and while I hate that it lead to my losing him I also realize it's a choice that if we go back in time I'd repeat, it's not a question of changing my choice now that I know it's effects, it's the fact that I wouldn't have known otherwise," Hera says.

Lexis stays silent processing her words.

"If you could go back in time would you avoid him?" Lexis asks.

"No, I know it's selfish of me but while I was the worst thing that ever happened to Alexander, meeting him gave me Shakespeare, for that I'm thankful and for her I wouldn't," Hera says with misty eyes.

"It's a past you can't change, forgive yourself that's the only way you'll be able to let go," Lexis says.

"Would you? Forgive me that is?" Hera asks.

"If I was Alexander, your Alexander, I would," Lexis says.

"Thank you," Hera replies as tears fall down from her eyes.

Lexis smiles and gets up.

"Goodnight Hera," He says finally calling her by her name.

"Goodnight Alexander,"Hera replies wiping her tears.

"Lexis, you can call me Lexis,"He says before stepping out. 

                     The next day at the break of dawn Lexis had woken up and walked to his office to start work not wanting to use the bathroom and wake the mother and daughter up.

Maeve walks in after a couple of minutes.

"Goodmorning,"Maeve says holding some documents in her hands.

Lexis nods acknowledging her as he goes through a folder.

"How far have you gone with John Smith?" He asks.

"I've found someone, to taint his image," Maeve says dropping a file next to Lexis.

"How old is she?" Lexis says opening the file.

"16," Maeve replies.

"And she's willing to frame him for child rape?" Lexis asks.

"Her family is in need of the money, as you'll note in the file, her mother has Cancer and they don't have the insurance to pay for it," Maeve says.

"Her dad?"Lexis asks

"He's dead, she has one younger sibling, a four year old with diabetes,"

"And she's aware of the fact that this video is going to be publicly showcased?"

"She is, there's just one problem,"Maeve says.

"And that is?" Lexis asks scrolling through the folder.

"The video will be broadcasted at an event at her pre-school in two weeks," Maeve says.

"And why is that a problem?" Lexis asks raising an eyebrow.

"Not just his four year old daughter will watch it but a bunch of four year olds will too," Maeve states.

"And that's a problem how?"Lexis asks picking the cup to his side up.

"They're just four," Maeve says.

"Maeve, do you want to work for me or a charity because they're many charity organizations I can introduce you to seeing as your scale of preference seems to be dwindling," Lexis says dropping the cup.

Maeve stays silent.

"I don't care if babies watch it, the younger the audience is that sees his actions the better for our presidential run. This is not a race for the weak hearted if you can't handle it then get out right now," Lexis says standing up to see Hera standing in front of the door.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Lexis asks.

"I wanted to check your vitals but couldn't help overhearing when I stepped in," Hera replies standing at the mirror/door.

Hera takes a step into the office.

"Are you really planning on ruining not just a mans life but the innocence of kids because he's running against your father?" Hera asks praying she didn't hear well, that the ruthless words were not accurately heard or understood.

Lexis picks a pen and flips it.

"That's what happens when you go against a Black," Lexis says.

"Are you hearing yourself? Do you realize what you're saying? Your willing to ruin a family, ruin a four year old's image of her dad, an innocent child who did no wrong to further your fathers career,"Hera says.

"No wrong? The biggest wrong was being born to a father like hers,"Lexis says.

"Would you say the same about your daughter?" Hera asks.

"If I had a daughter then she'll know how blessed she is to be born to a father that's a Black," Lexis replies.

"No Alexander, you're wrong, If you had a daughter then your actions right now would make her wish she never was your daughter,"Hera says.

"Well then I guess it's good I don't have one," Lexis replies turning back to glance at the file.

Hera lets out a heavy breath as she balls her hands into fists.

"You know that feeling you got when you woke up with a blank mind? How you felt lost? Confused? That feeling of having your entire world ripped from you? That's what you'll be doing to them if you go through with this," Hera says attempting to let him see reason refusing to believe the man who spoke to her last night was the same as this heartless monster.

"Do you plan on joining Maeve at the charity? This is a competition, we are not a team, why would I aid the opposing side in winning when I can every well stop them before they stop me?"Lexis says looking at her like she' lost her marbles.

"That's the thing though you're not stopping them the right way, you're choosing the cowardly option, the easy way, the backhanded way,"Hera says

"When has politics ever been clean?"Lexis asks.

"True politics is dirty but until you become the change and difference what makes you think you or your father has the right to try and change the country for the better when you're both rotten inside?" Hera asks.

Lexis walks over to Hera.

"Mind your tongue lady, I won't be insulted in my own house,"

"You call this a house?"Hera asks chuckling bitterly.

"This like your mind is a prison you lock yourself in because you're too much of a coward to face the truth of how horrendous your life really is," Hera says not backing down.

Hera was mad, fuming mad. Is this who he became? Peter Black jnr? She was suddenly thankful she didn't tell him about who she and her daughter were, who knew what he'd do? A man who was willing to ruin another to get what he wants was unworthy of the years she'd spent...she pauses letting out a deep breath.

"Alexander Black, If you can't even get someone to lose a race for the White House without framing and breaking them in such an inhuman way then you don't deserve to be in the White House, because not only do you fail as a human but you don't deserve the second chance at life you've been given," Hera says turning to walk away.

Lexis picks up the cup and smashes it against the door, the water in it spilling all around.

Maeve eyes widen in shock. This was the first time she'd ever seen him act this way in public. Like the time he was slapped and hurt his hands in the elevator, Alexander never lost his cool in front of others not even in front of Maeve, he was always composed regardless of what occurred. Yet, this lady and her daughter had not only made him start initiating and allowing contact, she'd made him lose his cool in front of them.

Hera's body trembles in shock and fear at the action. She stops walking not turning back.

"Maybe if you placed the energy you exert on smashing glasses, people's careers and families into being a better businessman and politician with brains without resulting to inhuman dealings you'd actually get people who vote for your dad without your having to ruin lives to ...," Hera says as a voice interrupts her asking,

"What's happened here?"

They all turn to the voice that had just spoken as Hera takes a step back in fear and shock at the person standing by the door looking at the glasses shattered. The guest raises up their head their eyes glancing around stopping at Hera.

"Nathan?" Maeve says as Nathan Black, Lexis' brothers eyes find Hera's.

***

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