Alex came out of her bedroom to find pancakes, boudin, and glasses of orange juice set on the table. When she sipped the orange juice, her expression lightened.

"Mimosas! Who thought of that?"she asked and took another sip.

"Me," Rile said with pride.

"Major brownie points." She winked at him.

"You didn't think Perfect Eldest Son or the priestly one would think of it, did you?"

"Priests on Earth drink. They don't on Olam?" She smiled at Cale, who lifted his chin at his youngest brother.

"He still didn't think of it," Rile said with a trace of sullenness.

"And he's not perfect," Gabe added.

"I'm not perfect," Cale said with patience. "Priests drink on Olam. Wine is proof that the Creator of All loves us."

"Excellent proof," Alex said. "Where are my pain pills?"

"Are they safe with alcohol?" Gabe looked at the counter.

Alex saw the two pill containers on the counter. "Yes, father. They aren't narcotics. May I have one now?"

"I'll get you one," Rile said.

"No, I will," Gabe said.

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty. I'll get it myself." She pushed away from the table and winced.

Rile and Gabe both headed for the pill bottles. Cale stayed seated and offered Alex a platter of boudin. She gingerly scooted back to the table and accepted it. She placed boudin on both her plate and his.

"I said that I would get it." Gabe blocked Rile.

"Who says that I care what you say?" Rile balanced himself for a fight and shook his hands lightly before fisting them.

"Cale, make them stop," Alex fake whined.

"Why do you think I can?" he answered with a small grin.

"You're the perfect one. Do something."

"Why do you call Cale perfect?" Rile asked but still faced his opponent.

"Yes, why?" Gabe asked, squared off against Rile.

"Duh, because he is. He's like a priest and he puts up with us and doesn't complain. He should strangle the lot of us in our sleep."

"Alex," Cale said, still grinning, "Think of how cold that would leave me."

"I so need to buy an electric blanket. But I'm evil. Pain pill! Over here, please!" Alex held up her hand.

Gabe placed the pill in her palm. "How often is the tablet for infection?"

"Three times a day, moron," Rile said. "Don't you care enough to read the instructions?"

"That's enough from you," Gabe said. "Get out."

"Rile, speak nicely. Gabe, ease up on Rile." Alex swallowed the pill.

Stop fighting over me. I'm not worth it.

"Why? So you can cuddle up with him and call it sparring?" Gabe asked.

"What?" Alex slapped her hands on the table. "Are you calling me a whore?" She hauled herself to her feet, pressure and pain mounting in her head as a short circuit threatened.

Rile and Cale exchanged worried glances while Alex and Gabe glared at each other.

"I am not. You don't know Rile," Gabe said.

"I'm stupid then? Gullible enough to be used by some guy? You get out."

"This isn't about you, Alex, but Rile," Gabe said. "Listen to me. If you had listened to me all along, you wouldn't be hurt."

"You'd be dead or in a cage in Hermann's lab if I didn't roam the streets," Alex retorted. "You listen to me. Ease. Up. On. Rile. Stop riding him so hard."

Bond with your brother, dammit, not me.

"Are you telling me how to lead my clan?" Gabe demanded.

Cale slid down in his chair, but Rile perked up.

"Clan? It's just your two brothers," Alex said with true innocence.

Cale winced. Rile covered his smirk as Alex's voice trailed off at Gabe's look.

"Our clan is not dead. One day we will restore it," Gabe said with icy confidence. "We won't be trapped here forever."

"Trapped?" Alex's eyes filled with anger, her mouth tightened into a hard line, and her hands sparked white welder fire. "What's this 'trapped' business?"

"Trapped here on Earth stopping petty muggings and the like," Gabe snapped.

"So my life and what I do is petty?" Alex snapped back and her hands flared briefly. "We all can't be high and mighty Guardians saving the universe, can we? Please leave. Don't you have a universe to save?"

I'm the lowlife and you're the high life, so go go go and save yourselves.

"You want us out? Fine. Cale, Rile, go to our apartment and pack. We're leaving. We need open space and fresh air," Gabe ordered. "Alex, stay in your apartment and recuperate. Don't leave it until we return. I'll tell Dr. Dewey to bring you food."

Cale looked rebellious, surprising Rile out of his intended sulk. He followed Cale to their apartment, interested to see what he would do. He was disappointed, for all Cale did was pack, although he did throw things with satisfactory force. Rile crept back up the stairs for his favorite hobby: eavesdropping. He crouched on the landing, tympanum pressed to the door.

Gabe said, "Alex, I care for you but you are highly erratic. You needlessly endangered yourself and were gravely wounded after a mere mention of Morgan. Now that you're recovering, you can stay inside and I can take my brothers away for a much needed respite."

"Agreed," Alex said. "Y'all definitely need time away from me. In fact, I'll find another place to live. I've been here too long."

I'll finally do the right thing and stop endangering the brothers, poisoning them.

Gabe frowned down at her. "You cannot move while we're gone: you're far too ill. Why must you take everything to extremes?"

"Because I'm highly erratic, that's why. Please, take your brothers on your camping vacation and enjoy. If I could get away from me, I would."

With a sigh, Gabe said, "We regularly camp outside the city, Alex. Not everything is about you."

Outside, Rile winced.

Alex turned away from Gabe and settled with care onto the couch."Ouch, point taken. A bit merciless in its aim, but I can relate." She picked up her tablet and started scrolling it. She looked up and her expression softened for a moment. "I am sorry I'm self-absorbed. I've been alone as long as I can remember, with only Morgan knowing me, and only interacting with criminals."

Gabe extended his hands, palm up. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean that like it sounded."

"You're fine." Alex's expression changed back to her stone face and she scrolled further down her tablet. "Please leave. Don't you have a universe to save?"

Gabe stomped to the door and Rile swung off the landing, his wings spreading so he could land soundlessly. He ducked into Mary's beloved azalea bushes and watched as his oldest brother slammed the door and ran down the stairs. Rile waited a few moments after he had entered their apartment to pad up the stairs, careful to not make a noise. He knocked gently on the door. When there was no answer, and no sound inside, he knocked again. Still there was silence, so he cupped his hands to the door and said, "Alex! It's Rile! Please open the door."

Now he could hear her footsteps approaching the door. When she opened the door, he raised a claw to his mouth to indicate silence, and pushed inside her apartment. He closed the door so as to not make a sound.

"What's wrong?" Alex tensed and scanned her apartment. "Is there a portal? An intruder? What?"

Rile shook his head, placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Alex, I'm sorry to inform you of this."

"What?!?"

He shushed her again. "My brother is a complete and total idiot."

She grinned at him for a moment but her expression sobered and she said, "No, he's not. He's looking out for you and Cale. That's what he should do. Did you hear everything while eavesdropping or just the end?"

"I think I heard everything. Look, you can't move away: it'll kill Cale. He's the best tracker on Olam and he'll exhaust himself looking for you. He doesn't deserve that, does he?"

"Of course not. You're wicked to use Cale against me, though."

"If it bothers you, then you should hide your hero worship better."

"Rile! C'mon, you have to admit he's an amazing guy. Look how he puts up with me, with all of us, squabbling and such."

"Yeah, I love my brother. So: you staying? Because if you aren't here when we come back, after Cale tracks you, I will spar with staffs with you for hours. Then I will wake you up every sunrise and make you spar again."

Alex groaned. "Ugh, sunrise. Fine but I'll go crazy without anything to do, though. I'll find an easy day job. I could use the cash." She plopped down on the couch and picked up her tablet. "You better go before Gabe comes looking for you." She started scrolling, but looked up at Rile after a second. "Thanks, it was sweet of you to stop by, even if you are an eavesdropper."

"What can I say? It's part of my charm." He grinned at her before leaving.

Alex put down the tablet and buried her face in her hands.

I knew I was nothing compared to the brothers, so why did it hurt so much when Gabe pointed it out? And Cale is a complication I hadn't considered. Pushing him away is like kicking a puppy. What can I do to save him? Good thing I have time to think while they're gone.

***

This time the brothers were camping in the back woods of St. Bernard Parish. Dr. Dewey had dropped them at the edge of the state park. The trees were just as lush but the ground was softer here after a recent rain. They hiked into the woods, off the beaten path.

"This is far enough." Gabe held up a hand.

"Far enough away from Alex, you mean." Cale kept his voice low, meaning for only Rile to hear him . . . probably.

"What do you mean by that?" Gabe turned on him.

"How long will our camping trip be this time?" Rile knew what his brother meant, too, but he felt like kicking up trouble.

"Until I say we come back.

"We'll find out how long it takes for a fight with Alex to wear off," Rile told Cale, delighted that his oldest brother had been so easily baited.

"This has nothing to do with Alex," Gabe hiss growled.

"Suuuuuure." But even Rile quieted at the furious look Gabe gave him.

"If fighting is the main event, I'm heading back right now," Cale said.

"What's your problem?" Gabe rounded on his middle brother.

"No, what's your problem?" Cale retorted, surprising Gabe. "You yell at Alex and turn her into emotional, edible green slime and then drag us out into the middle of nowhere with some stupid excuse."

"If you think training is a stupid excuse—"Gabe started.

"Forget it, Gabe." Cale dropped his pack. "I'm too tired to fight and it's too dark to return tonight. I'm going to sleep." He flipped open his sleeping bag, daring anyone to challenge him. He snatched Rile's sleeping bag and zipped the two of them together.

"In terms of watches," Gabe said.

Cale locked gazes with Gabe.

"I'll take the first, Rile the second, and you the third, Cale," Gabe finished, assigning each their favorite watches.

"Thanks ever so much." Cale slid into the paired sleeping bags and turned his back to them.

"Are you afraid Alex will show up and we'll have to beat her off?" Rile climbed in next to Cale.

"It would be kinder than whatever he said to her already," Cale grumbled.

"I don't want to hear another word about Alex," Gabe exploded. "Does she keep you on such short leashes that you can't talk about anything else but her?"

"I don't know anything about leashes." Cale sat up. "But I like Alex. She's nice to us and buys us all kinds of food and clothes. She likes the same movies I do, ones that neither of you will watch with me."

"She's a nob when it comes to sparring," Rile said. "But she's a good sport about losing all the time."

"If you care about her so much, go back."

"It's too dark," Cale said and, at Gabe's look, added, "That's not the point. We're saying that Alex is our friend. She can see our true faces. She's meant to be our teammate."

"No, she can see our faces because she's our ally. Here on Earth only. Not our permanent teammate."

Cale looked stubborn, a jaw muscle jumping, and his claws tightly laced together instead of clacking them. "Fine. Sort out why you're upset, but don't blame Alex for what's not her fault. You haven't been thinking clearly lately."

"She wants the impossible from me." Gabe threw up his hands in frustration.

"I didn't know it was impossible for you to allow someone on our team. Or to offer friendship." Cale's tone was bland, but the insult was worthy of Rile, who grinned wickedly.

"Not that, stupid." Rile nudged Cale and shot him a significant look. "Re-establishing the bloodline. Can't be head of the clan without lots of little ones crawling around."

"That's not it." Gabe sounded outraged and his golden hide flushed deeper.

"Of course that's it." Cale shook his head.

At Cale's level gaze, Gabe relented and said, "At least, not entirely. Alex must want a commitment from me. What promise can I give her? We have no idea how long we'll be here, when or where we'll be Called next. You know we'll never come back."

"Then break it off." Rile hoped that nothing showed on his face. "Stop leading her on and tell her that she's not a permanent part of the team or your life."

"Are you sure about that, Gabe? Alex understands the Calling. She knows we won't be around forever. She just wants to spend what time she has with you . . . with us," Cale said.

Rile could have strangled Cale and kicked him slightly where he sat. "Maybe not. Gabe's not the only one not thinking clearly lately."

Cale grabbed at Rile's ankle, but Rile jerked it away in time. Cale looked back up and said, "Talk to her, Gabe, instead of running away. Remember you're our Clan Heir and team leader and act accordingly."

"If you're done criticizing me, I'm patrolling the area." Gabe stalked off.

"I hope he doesn't keep us out here too long," Cale said after Gabe was out of sight.

"My thoughts exactly, brother," Rile agreed.

"Why did you encourage Gabe to keep Alex off our team? Don't you like her? Don't you think she's supposed to be our teammate?" Cale asked.

"Sure I do. What Gabe decides has nothing to do with Alex and me. Who else will teach her to fight by sparring with her?"

Cale realized that this cinched that Rile wanted Alex, too. He lay down and rolled over so that Rile couldn't see his face. Poor Alex. She wouldn't have an easy time of it with these two. They were pushing her farther down her road of self destruction instead of pulling her back like they should. What was wrong with his brothers? What was wrong with him? He knew what he should say to Gabe, correct his behavior, but he no longer had the heart. Their clan was dead. If Gabe had found a little happiness with Alex, maybe he shouldn't interfere and let him have it. Maybe he should interfere with Rile. He seemed to be making Alex crazier.

Cale remembered the drugs in the lab. Remembered how they had given him back his entire clan for awhile. It had almost been worth the pain when they wore off. He almost wished for the syringe now. Almost. He sighed, rolled over, and coiled around his troublesome younger brother.

"You know I'm right," Rile said.

"Shut up. Let's help Alex and not use her, okay?"

"Tell Gabe that. When he told her we were leaving to camp, she said she would get away from herself if she could. Then he said that not everything was about her. She gave up after that, Cale."

His middle brother was silent a moment. "Poor Alex. I fear she might act on this desire to be away from herself. Her soul is damaged enough without that wound. I must talk with her when we return."

"Nah, I'll do it."

The wrestling match was on.

*****

A pain stabbed into Alex, awakening her. She screwed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, reminding herself that it was a familiar pain, that it was better faced in the darkness. Again the voice shouted at her to remember, the command followed by more and more pain.

I can't remember. I won't remember. There is pain and darkness and nothing else to life. I'll never remember or tell Morgan anything so he can enhance his preliminary implants. Never.

Then she remembered the feel of three soft bodies curled around her, gold shimmering in the darkness, and she was undone.

Alex begged Morgan to stop, to untie her bleeding wrists, just to stop.

*****

To Rile and Cale's immense relief, they headed back after two days. They were doubly glad that Gabe walked to the main house to talk with Dr. Dewey when they got home.

Dr. Dewey listened to Gabe with his professor's calm. "Perhaps I may be of help. I have seen similar reactions in the males of my own species. There is that feeling of being trapped. Feeling that too much is being asked of him," Dr. Dewey said once Gabe had finished.

Gabe looked down at the floor.

"I'll take that as a yes. It usually occurs sometime after a couple starts sharing a bed."

Gabe threw him a sharp look, but didn't deny it.

"Sometimes it is the woman who changes, becomes more demanding, or more clinging, or more critical." He waited but Gabe didn't respond. "Have you noticed that in Alex?"

Gabe shook his head, again looking at the floor.

"Perhaps you feel your time is monopolized, overly constrained?"

Gabe shrugged.

Dr. Dewey pressed on. "Still, there is that feeling of responsibility?"

Gabe nodded.

"It's true. There is responsibility, but also rewards. You can't have one without the other."

Gabe sighed.

Dr. Dewey tapped Gabe's knee. "Count the costs. And count the rewards. I don't presume to tell you to continue in a relationship with Alex or not. But if you have a problem, you should speak with her and allow her a chance to answer. Don't explode then run off. That's not fair to either of you."

"I'll see her now." Gabe turned to the door, shoulders sagging.

"She told me to not bring her food," Dr. Dewey said. "And to leave her alone. I respected her wishes. Please announce yourself when you knock on her door."

*****

When Gabe knocked on Alex's door, Rile swung it open.

"She's not here," Rile told Gabe when he entered Alex's apartment. "I don't think she's been here awhile. Something feels wrong."

"Call Cale and we'll visit her latest temp job."

*****

The brothers entered the clothing store. On one side was the women's clothing, the other, the men's. Gabe headed for the women's section and was greeted by a salesgirl. Rile browsed the men's. Another salesgirl greeted him and Rile smiled brilliantly at her.

"We're looking for Alex Beaudette," Gabe demanded of his salesgirl, who shrugged.

Rile held up two shirts and asked the salesgirl waiting on him, "Which do you think would look better on me?"

"That one." The girl pointed to the smaller, more fitted shirt.

"Think so?" Rile pulled off his shirt and shrugged on the new one. He modeled it, flexing his biceps and pecs, remembering the cheesy movies he had watched with Cale. "Still think so?"

"Oh, yes," the girl simpered. Her hands twitched like she wanted to run them all over his chest and she eyed him like he was fine candy.

"Hey, you seen Alex Beaudette?" Rile asked in an indifferent tone.

"Why? She your girlfriend?" The salesgirl's eyes narrowed and her tone was icy.

"Naw, his." Rile pointed at Gabe, who had been abandoned by the other salesgirl.

"She ain't been here two days," the girl sniffed. "Can't sell nothin' nohow. Not likeable."

"Why don't you check me out?" Rile grinned and read her name-tag. "Let me tell your manager what a great job you did, Shawanda."

"Really? Thanks."

The girl led Rile over to the checkout, swaying her hips in a seductive manner, and then motioned to a stocky man in a red shirt and tan pants.

Rile addressed the manager. "Shawanda did a great job selling me this shirt. You're lucky to have her working here. She could teach my brother's friend Alex Beaudette a thing or two. You seen her?"

Shawanda plucked the sales tag off Rile's shirt and scanned it with the register scanner.

"Ain't showed up for two days. Happens all the time," the manager said in a resigned tone.

Rile paid the salesgirl, smiling all the while. "Too bad. You take care of Shawanda. She's a peach."

When Rile strolled past Gabe, he said, "That's how it's done in N'Awlins, honey child."

Gabe scowled at his brother's back."Cale, you're the best tracker. Let's see if you can track her from here."

*****

A/N

Can Cale track Alex?

And where is she? And who took her?

The song "Too Close" has intrigued me for years and it's on my iTunes, but I saw the video for the first time while looking for Wattpad songs. It's eerily appropriate. Do y'all like it?

Dedicated to:

DianaTheThird

And lionobsession
Thanks for all your helpful comments!