I enjoyed the time spent conversing with my dearest friend, for Cicero had many tales of his own to share during the moments I would grow quiet from my memories. He shared tales of his childhood, although he too did not share any names that might give clue to where he grew up. Another tale he shared was of the time he was first found by the Brotherhood, how he'd killed a man for how cruel he was to those around him.

He spoke of some of the Brothers and Sisters he'd had and lost over the years since he'd joined the Family, of how they had helped him feel like he finally had a place where he belonged in the world. In turn, I spoke of my own family and how I had left them so that I could provide in the one way I felt I could give them what they needed, what Bastian needed. I told him about how I met Ellery and how I kept running into him as he performed for the public, how we became friends and I eventually fell in love with him.

I gave him the papers that told of how I had found him with another woman, the betrayal I'd felt and the contract I'd offered to the assassin that had been sent, the one who eventually rejoined me as Amicus, and the completion of said contract.

"So Amicus is Faith's special friend! Cicero was right!" The man cackled as he wiggled his eyebrows at me, the familiar wicked smile on his face as he saw me blush.

Soon enough he was looking back down at the papers, reading the details as he slowly grew silent again, his eyebrows lowering in concentration. It might have been the contract itself, the way I described the completion of it, or perhaps even the part where I'd written down the weeks and months that followed and how I'd grown to regret my decision, but something about it seemed to make the man... uncomfortable.

"So Ellery was Faith's lover once?" He questioned as he looked up only enough to glimpse my lips.

Yes, but such things are left in the past. Now he is simply my friend, my companion. Someday I will earn his forgiveness for having stolen his laughter away from the world, even if he has returned. It is not the same when I am the only one who can hear it.

He looked down again for a time before tilting his head and giving a small grin.

"And Amicus, did Faith really not mind that he took so much from her before he left that night? Did she really think he performed well enough to deserve taking whatever caught his eye?" He spoke softer than he usually did, peeking up at me almost shyly as he asked the questions, causing me to blush once again.

I wouldn't have offered what I had if I hadn't felt it worth the price. Besides, it wasn't like I couldn't replace what I wanted to in time. And he came back to me and that is a far greater treasure than anything he could have taken that night!

"You really consider an assassin able to become a treasure to you, even knowing that he killed your lover?" His hands fidgeted as he asked the question, his eyes flickering between my lips and my eyes.

Of course! How could I not consider him a treasure when he came back to me and brought me so much happiness? I... I don't think I would be alive right now if him and Ellery hadn't returned to me. They helped me stitch myself back together again when I had fallen apart. It was... not a good time for me. Oh! And now I have you as well to call treasure and that makes me smile every time I think about it!

The blush that spread slowly across his cheeks had me grinning at him as his eyes widened.

"Cicero will do his best to be worthy of such a title as Treasure to lovely Faith," he spoke gently before looking back down at the sheets of paper he held. "Cicero is learning much about Faith and will have a lot to think about in the coming days. But he wants sweet Faith to know that he is always willing to stay by her side, so long as the Night Mother allows it."

--------

We stood outside as the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon, members of the Family slowly starting to trickle out to stand in small clusters as they peered at me and Cicero standing to the side of the Black Door. When the last of them finally stood along the edges of the dark, still pond, the False Leader stepped forward with a smirk.

"Are your 'friends' here as well?" Seeing me nod, she waved everyone back away from the door, gesturing for Cicero to also step away from me and the Door. "Nobody is allowed near you other than the two you claim to have with you. Babette shall whisper the word to one of your 'friends' and they will whisper the word to the Door. If it opens, then we shall have much to discuss, and if it doesn't... well, I think we all know what that would mean."

With a nasty grin, she waved Babette to step forward, leaving the child vampire to look at me as she waited for me to let her know when Ellery was there to hear her whispered words.

Ellery, are you sure you are willing to do this? I won't make you, you know that.

"If it makes that venomous bitch eat her words, I am willing to listen to some little brat whisper in my ear so I can whisper sweet nothings at a creepy looking door. I told you once, I'm the only one with the right to show you any cruelty. You owe that woman nothing compared to what you owe me, after all. Right, my sweet Faith?" Ellery gave a grin that matched Cicero's for how wicked it looked when his eyes flickered toward Astrid before meeting my own again.

Stepping forward, he wandered over to stand before Babette, leaning down until his ear was right before her lips.

He's ready to listen to you. Don't move though, since he's right in front of you. Just whisper the words.

I turned my head away to stare at the door, my eyes tracing over the features it bore. When I heard Ellery begin to grumble as he moved closer, I stepped to the side to allow him closer.

"That is the stupidest password I've ever heard. Haven't we had enough of that in our lives? Does that have to be the word to get inside this stupid place as well? Stupid, stupid, stupid... Okay, so I just place my hand on the skull and whisper? That's it?" He grumbled before glancing at me, his hand raised and ready to place upon the door.

That is what Cicero said. Just place a hand on the door and whisper the words when it asks the question. You can do this Ellery, I know you can!

"Of course I can do this. I will do this and then that nasty fake leader can eat her words!" With that said, he placed a hand on the door and waited for the door to whisper the question.

And waited. After a moment, he removed his hand and placed it on another part of the door.

"Faith, it's not asking anything. Are you sure it is supposed to ask a question?" He glanced at me again, a scowl on his face. "Did the faker do something to the door?"

No, she couldn't have. Cicero tested the door when we came out and we haven't left since then. They couldn't have done anything. Are you sure it isn't asking you anything?

"Yes, I'm sure! Amicus, you try touching the door. See if it will ask you the question. Be useful!" Ellery growled as I began fidgeting.

"No looking, sweet Faith. Remember, you promised not to peek," I nodded as I felt him lift my hands over my eyes before I could hear Ellery step to the side and make room for Amicus to stand before the door.

"Now what is she doing? Why is she covering her eyes?" I could hear the Pretender ask someone.

"Oh, oh! Cicero thinks it must be Amicus! Faith is not allowed to peek at him, so he must be with Ellery at the door," the warmth in the Jester Assassin's voice had me smiling, not hearing a hint of doubt in his voice, even though he must know that if Amicus was at the door then Ellery was having problems.

"I do not hear any question either, Faith. Maybe if you touch the door and hear the question, then Ellery could whisper the words for you?" Amicus whispered, returning to his place behind me as he lowered my hands again.

Nodding, I opened my eyes to see Ellery frowning at the door as he waited, ready to whisper the words. I could tell he was getting agitated at having even a door refuse to acknowledge their existence. I was getting a bit upset myself as I reached out toward the door, halting my fingers just inches away from the dark surface before taking a deep breath and pressing my hand against the surface.

I waited for the words to come, to fill my mind like Cicero said they would, but there was nothing. Turning around, I looked at Cicero.

Cicero, are you sure it is supposed to whisper the words into my mind? I don't hear anything and neither did Ellery or Amicus. The door isn't speaking to any of us. Do you think... Is it because I'm too broken and so it won't talk to us?