Dar Division - the Capsa -

"So, what did you bring for lunch?" Jeff sat down in front of his partner with a sigh, a huge smile painted across his face.

"Salads actually, where's Lizzie?" Kerry smirked back. That was his ultimate revenge was forcing his partner to eat a salad or starve. It made him so happy to see him squirm and after letting his partner stay and enjoy Lizzie, he wasn't about to give him the courtesy of a greasy burger.

"Oh man, you expect me to eat that rabbit food? Damnit Kerry." Jeff glared at him knowing full well that this was payback for sending him to the store.

"I'm right here, what's up?" Lizzie smiled as she walked out in a long dark blue skirt, sandals and a white tank top. The top hung low on her neck just enough to catch Kerry's attention as she started to pull her hair into a quick bun.

"Oh Oz called me, said Jeff and you weren't answering. He said he had an important update on what he found out from Paul's professor friend. You want to eat and then call or call while we eat?" Kerry was so sweet, but clearly he was just as eager as Lizzie to know what Oz had discovered. She had noticed the change in him and the more and more intensely he cared about how she was and what was going through her mind. Lizzie wondered if Paul had said more than the boys told her on their last trip.

"Let's call him, while we eat. Ooh is this Panera? I love their salads." Lizzie seized the salad in front of her and a beer and sat down to enjoy both at the table. Jeff rolled his eyes and groaned.

Kerry took out his phone after they were all situated and called Oz, putting it on speaker phone in the middle of the table so they could all here.

"Hey Kerry, everybody there?" Oz's fatherly voice came out. It was warming to Lizzie.

"Yep, all three of us, don't mind the noises we're eating lunch, but we didn't want to wait." Kerry's response was cute as he took another bite of salad.

"No, problem, Lizzie how are you holding up kiddo?" He was so sweet to her.

"I'm good, just hoping you found something so I know what I'm getting into. This time's been pretty strong and I'm not looking forward to next year unless I stay locked in the dungeon here." She smiled, but the sigh on the other end of the phone took away her energy as she sensed this was not going to be all good news.

"Well, I wish I had a complete picture, but what I have now isn't exactly going to make you feel better."

"Whatya got Oz?" Jeff asked concern in his voice.

"Well, I tracked down Paul's professor friend, and he had a partial manuscript in his archives that described a mythical creature called a Capsa. I, of course, told him we were investigating something classified and took the manuscript and whatever information he could give me. Of course, Lizzie is a Capsa, which means vessel, crucible, incubator, etc, etc, it all points to some type of container. The manuscript talks about container in a few ways. First, you will be a container for a being of importance - i.e. a mother. Second, you are a container of great power at least prior to the birth."

"I don't have powers though, Oz, so what does that mean? And what do you mean prior to the birth?" Lizzie was eager dropping her fork.

"Hey, hold on there let me get it all out then the questions." Oz's words calmed her enough to shove a bite of salad in and take a deep breath.

"One lore book I found, which was not too easy to get by the way, translates some of the manuscript symbols as saying that you contain this power and at the breaking of 7 gates it is opened in you. It is also then that you are truly able to receive the being. So, if you can avoid opening the gates, then you won't have to worry about unleashing the great power or getting knocked up. Here's the part I don't like. The manuscript is only partial with a chunk missing, but the notations about the Capsa end after the child is born. It does mention alternatives of the child being evil or good, but you seem to disappear after the birth. So, I think maybe this is one of those births where you don't make it out so alive." Oz sighed as did the rest of them.

"Okay, well I just won't break the gates then. Oz, I can avoid them right?" Lizzie tried to sound hopeful.

"I don't know that yet baby girl, I hope so. You know if I can help it I will and so will the boys. Only 4 of the 7 gates are noted on this part of the manuscript, so we can at least stop the first 4 for now until I find the rest of this thing. I'm not sure if they are in order or anything, so let's just go through what I've got translated. And hey, before you get worried just know that I've got more sources to look at, so this ain't the end."

"Okay Oz, what are these gates?" Kerry sighed looking as if he was on the verge of tears already.

"Alright, these might get a little personal, but we'll see what we got. The first gate is being penetrated by a man, so are you a virgin Lizzie?" A silence fell in the room.

"Haven't been since I was 18 Oz, I don't think we can get around that one. You know the angels warned me, but teenage hormones and all." She sighed trying to laugh but already feeling like this would have a bad ending.

"Yeah, I wasn't positive we would get that one, but it's only one of them. Glad you're okay answering these by the way, because I sure as hell feel bad askin' em." Oz sounded relieved that she had answered so openly.

"Alright, the second gate is being made love to outside of your heat cycle by one with pure intent. It seems to say that the man shall have acted out of a selfless desire to show you the good in mankind. So, umm..." Oz paused awaiting a response.

Lizzie looked at Jeff and her eyes grew a little wider in wonder. She couldn't help but think of their first night together.

"Not sure on that one Oz, could be." She hesitated.

"What do you mean, have you had sex again or not?"

"Yea, but the whole intent thing?

"It would have happened the day after your heat cycle. Looks like 10 years hence from the first gate. Does that help? I thought you were sworn off men when we spoke last year - I guess I figured that meant you hadn't."

"Oz, I hadn't been with a man for 10 years until last year, the day after my heat cycle ended. But, that means the second gate - it's broken." She sighed putting her head in her hands.

"Wait, you mean...Jeff, you dolt, did you touch her? I swear to God boy."

"Hey I didn't know Oz. I was just...ah fuck, I'm so sorry Lizzie."

"It's okay, just tell me what the next one is, maybe I haven't completely fucked up yet." Lizzie's eyes watered as she started to contemplate that none of this was truly in her control at all.

"It says that you will start you next cycle with the love of a third man, who was not anticipated. That one's a little weird, but dare I ask if it sounds familiar." Silence fell at Oz's words as Lizzie turned her head to look at Kerry and her face fell.

"I'm hearing crickets here guys, talk to me." Oz sounded agitated on the phone.

"Uh, Oz I think we have an affirmative on that one." Jeff chimed in sparing Lizzie and Kerry from the need to respond.

"Are you kidding me? Lizzie, what the hell has gotten into you?" Oz asked harshly and she felt a tear roll down her cheek as she looked at Kerry. It had been so wonderful to be with both of them and now she knew it was just destiny and all crap at that. This was never her choice, never. She wanted to scream and cry at the same time.

Jeff reached out, placing his hand on hers stroking over her fingers with his thumb.

"And, the fourth Oz, what's the fourth?" Kerry cleared his throat and squeaked out the question.

"I don't even want to ask." You could almost hear him shaking his head on the other side of the phone.

"Just tell us and then for God's sake find out what the last 3 gates are so there aren't any more mistakes." Jeff's word rang in her ear...mistakes...he had called them all mistakes.

"The fourth is said to be a moment of shared pleasure for two prior lovers and the vessel. It sounds like a 3 way to me, so who wants to tell me I'm thinking about this one wrong." Oz's words came out.

"Shit!" Jeff exclaimed slamming his hand on the table and jarring Lizzie from her shock.

"I'm sorry Oz, it looks like I'm a whore. I was born and lived through hell all to be everyone's whore! Go find out how I whore myself out next huh? Little innocent Lizzie was supposed to stay chaste or is it that I'm supposed to die. Well, fuck this...not fair, I didn't want any of this. I just wanted to stay in my house and have no one bother me. Now, look, I try to be happy just for a little bit and look what happens. The angels warned me to stay chaste, but I had to be a whore!" Lizzie was wailing as she finished her statement and she took off down the hallway to her room.

"Lizzie, wait...uh..." Kerry tried to speak.

"Kerry, let her go, let her have some time to take this in." Jeff tried to sound reassuring.

"I thought you two were supposed to keep her safe, not turn that place into an orgy. What the hell were you thinking? Tom gave you someone special to protect and neither one of you could keep it in your pants long enough to find out why she's special. I thought I taught you better than to mess with special beings like her. You may have just doomed her if I don't find out more." Oz was furious at them. He knew Lizzie and he cared for the girl. He could tell just how wounded she was when she first came to see him. They had enjoyed talking and sharing in some drinks. He couldn't imagine something happening to her. Couple that with two of his best agents clearly acting like idiots and he was beside himself.

"I don't know what to say Oz. She's perfect." Jeff shook his head at himself; unable to comprehend how he hurt the woman he was in love with.

"Can you try to find out the rest Oz? Do you need help?" Kerry tried to contain himself. There was something about watching Lizzie cry that made his insides churn.

"Let me see if I can locate the rest of this manuscript and I might send you guys to get it. Until then, try to behave." Oz hung up leaving both men staring at their salads with no appetite.

***********************************

The guys started drinking shortly after the phone call. And, then they started the waiting. Sitting outside of Lizzie's door and listening as she cried inside and screamed. She didn't want to die and more importantly she didn't want to think about how Jeff had said that she was a mistake.

"Hey Lizzie, you've been in there a bit, do you want us to bring you anything?" After much hesitation and both of them trying to force the other to try, Kerry finally bucked up and made a move.

"Unless you have a new hymen on you, I'm not sure you can help." Lizzie called out in anger, although Jeff couldn't help but smirk. Even angry she still had a great sense of humor.

"We do have ice cream in the freezer if that will help." Jeff tried and Kerry gave him a thumbs up to say way to go.

The boys weren't sure what to do, but they knew they had to make her feel better.

"So, is your silence a yes to ice cream?" Kerry ventured trying to extend an olive branch.

"Okay, I'll try." Kerry smiled at her words and nodded his head at Jeff. They may not be able to fix everything for Lizzie, but they sure as hell could make her feel better tonight if she was willing.

Both boys got up and ran into the kitchen trying to get there first. As Jeff won the race, he laughed grabbing the Ben and Jerry's out of the freezer. Kerry smiled, and grabbed a second container. Jeff grabbed spoons out of their drawer and Kerry smiled grabbing napkins before they both headed back to see if Lizzie would let them in.

"Hey gorgeous, we have two pints of Ben and Jerry's and a bunch of spoons let us in." Jeff yelled through the door.

"Fine." Lizzie sighed. Kerry opened the door and walked into the room to find Lizzie with a blanket over her legs sitting on the bed. Her face was streaked with tears and she held tissues. The boys sighed and one climbed to each side of her before passing her a spoon and each opening a container. As much as the two said they were different, their mannerisms were so similar that she almost couldn't tell them apart.

Lizzie turned on her t.v. putting on an old Horror movie, she did love that about October and how it allowed her to watch her favorite movies.

"Sweet is this Chlildren of the Corn?" Kerry chimed in.

"What's that?" Jeff asked.

"It's awesome and super creepy. Just give it a try Jeff." Lizzie chimed in.

"Alright, but only to make you feel better." And so they sat enjoying ice cream together on Lizzie's bed as they watched the movie.

"This isn't so bad, you know." Jeff made the comment half an hour into the film. Kerry reached for the remote pushing pause on the movie and setting their empty ice cream containers off to the side.

"Ok, so talk to us. That was pretty heavy stuff there and you kind of freaked out." Kerry reached out to her trying to get her to open up.

"What is there to talk about? I was born and raised to be a whore for destiny, so I'm just you know on the train straight to misery and death. Plus, as a bonus I was with you both because destiny said so, not because you actually wanted to be with me. You know a typical Wednesday." A tear rolled down her face as she spoke allowing the words to bring her back to the words Oz said.

"You know you're not the only one destiny has its hooks in. We've both been on the receiving end of that one." Jeff brushed Lizzie's hair out of her face, but she still refused to turn and look him the eye.

"Lizzie, you have to know that just because it was supposed to happen doesn't mean we didn't want this. Sometimes things are written and it's a blessing that it comes true." Kerry tried to help her out.

"You don't understand, even Jeff said it. It was a mistake, and if you could take it back neither one of you would have even touched me. I was just fooling myself in thinking that I could be happy, let alone with the two of you. How stupid could I be?" She started to really cry then.

"Hey, I didn't mean it that way. I ...I...argh. I meant mistake as in we made a mistake in having you go down that path when you didn't have to. We...we...Kerry and I well we were selfish in acting on what we wanted when it's just going to bring you pain..." Jeff stuttered his way through.

"Wait, you're sorry? I don't...I..." Lizzie didn't know what to say as she looked between the two guys.

"Lizzie, sometimes, destiny gives you what you want even if you never saw it coming. So, let's just watch the movie together and we'll figure this stuff out as we go." Kerry had the right words even when Jeff didn't.

With those words they went back to watching the movie. As it ended, the guys went to get up.

"Hey, can you just stay here tonight, I don't' want to sleep alone." Lizzie reached out to them with her words.

Nothing else needed to be said as they both stripped off their clothes to their boxers. Lizzie pulled her shirt over her head and lay down on the bed, leaving her in only her panties. Jeff moved over to the light as Kerry curled up behind her with an arm around her and nuzzled into her neck. Jeff came back to bed after the lights were off and stroked his hand over her face. Before long they were all cuddled up legs intertwined and the men held her tightly so she could fall asleep.

*********************

The next two days were spent in near silence as Lizzie's smell increased, but no one tried to act on it. They didn't want to take even the slightest chance that another seal could be broken. At the end of the second day, a break came and Oz called once again.

"Hey what's up Oz?" Kerry answered as he and Jeff sat at the table eating. Lizzie was in her room trying to get herself under control before being in the same room with the two of them again.

"I think I found out where the rest of the manuscript is. Listen, it's going to take you at least a day to get there, but I can't send anyone else and risk this issue become more widely known. So, pack your stuff and I'll email you the details." He sounded heavy-hearted as he spoke to the two of them, and they all seemed to know why without acknowledging it.

The guys told Lizzie what was going on and were out the door within the hour. If they had a chance at saving her, both were determined to do so. It gave Lizzie some comfort, but still she was worried, especially because her heat cycle wasn't over yet this year.

****************************

Two days after they left, the bunker was filled with nothing but silence. The noise from Lizzie's tv was the only sound to give her company. It had been extremely tough to get to sleep since they had parted so quickly. In all that they had heard, there was no time to consider her heat and how it would creep back in. Now, her sheets smelled like them both. It meant her dreams were flashes of sex acts both with them and grotesque acts that she hoped would never happen with monsters.

After four nights of those dreams, she was a walking zombie, and even the texts they sent giving her progress weren't helping to relieve her stress. She was drinking to pass the time as 3 a.m. drew in. The whiskey did not even take away the frustration of not being able to find release on her own and not being able to sleep the heat away because of the nightmares.

"Oh Tomas, where are you when I really need you?" Lizzie sighed out her eyes pinching closed.

"I'm here, what do you need?" A deep voice caused her to open her eyes instantly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pray to you, but I just. Tomas I'm a mess." She was very frustrated sitting on her bed, bottle in hand in one of Kerry's flannels and her sleep shorts.

"It's fine, Lizzie, I was not otherwise busy. You seem very distressed; tell me what is bothering you." He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I...Did you hear about the gates? I fucked up Tomas." A tear rolled down her cheek.

"I have heard yes, Jeff called me. It is unfortunate, but I don't believe we can fix those now. Is that why you are so distressed?" His concern was genuine.

"That and other stuff." She was clearly drunk as she tried to think about how to articulate what had her so stressed.

"You know you can tell me anything. I do not always understand the complex emotions you humans have, but I do know you." He reached out tilting her face up.

"Tomas, I can't handle this, the heat is too much. I can't think or even sleep. I keep having these horrible dreams. I mean I have the usual sex dreams, but now I'm having these horrid nightmares too." She opened up to him feeling a little relief in doing so.

"You know I cannot take away those dreams. I could stay here and hold you while you sleep. I believe that helped you when your girlfriend passed away." He was so sweet, her angel.

"Please Tom, would you?"

"Did you call me Tom?" He looked at her tilting his head to the side.

"Yea, the guys call you that, is it okay?"

"Of course and of course I will hold you, let me remove my coat and tie so that it is more comfortable." He stood taking his coat off as well as his suit jacket and then his tie. Tom liked to do things as a man around her because it somehow comforted her. When she was young she had explained that he felt so cold and foreign when he whisked away all the time and left her alone. Since then he had made a point of using doors when he could with her and otherwise acting normally.

Once done with this menial task, Tom climbed into the bed next to her sitting with her at the headboard and putting a hand around her.

"Tom, no shoes in the bed." He flicked his fingers and they were suddenly under the chair where his coat was.

"Hey, we talked about that. None of that weird magic stuff if you can help it. I want my normal angel here." She snuggled into him as he took the bottle from her hand and placed it on the night table.