"That's her" Pietro nodded, "She almost took me to... but no... never again...never again..."

"Juno, I'm sorry... she's my sister. I'm sorry..."

"Pietro?" Ciara came racing down the street, three baby filled bubbles following her. "Pietro!" She knelt down, "Love, what's wrong?"

Pietro wrapped his arms around Ciara and breathed deeply, "Ci... It's alright, I'm okay. Everything's okay"

"Juno attacked him..."
"Is she a psycho?"
"At the moment..."
Ciara wrapped her arms around him tightly, "It's ok, love.... You're safe." She held him protective in her arms.

"She almost got me-but I wouldn't let her" he kissed Ciara gently, "I came back to you"

"And to our adorable babies," The three bubbles floated in between them, two giggling boys and one rather unimpressed smarty pants gal.

"I'm so sorry Pietro. I had no idea she'd be there. I'm glad you're safe." Ceres bowed rather low. She'd never meant to put Pietro in danger.

Pietro reached out to take the little girl in his arms, "it's alright" he breathed a sigh of relief, "I managed. I had to hold the stone hostage, but I managed."

Ceres paused in her walking back to the house, "YOU DID WHAT?"

"... I figured if she wanted it so bad, she wouldn't risk anything happening to it." Pietro looked at her, "It was literally my only option. Besides, the thing is fine"

Ceres eye twitched, "You were gonna try and break it weren't you?" There was a pause and within an instant Ceres was on Pietro, digging her knuckles into the sides of his head, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE POWER YOU COULD HAVE UNLEASHED?!"

"Nyaah!!!" Pietro yelped, "Geeze! I wasn't gonna do it! I just threatened to! There's a difference y'know!"

"Vesta's a PERSON! My sister! You could have... You could have...." Ceres remember the large fire that engulfed her home. She paused and let Pietro go. "...Just don't do it again." She pulled Vesta's soul gem out of her pocket and headed inside.

"Better than getting taken again!" Pietro snapped, a bit irked.

"Thank you for running this errand.." Ceres walked inside the house, holding the soul gem tightly to her chest.

Horatio was asleep on the couch.

~
"Hope..Hope!"
"Coming Uncle!" Horatio could hear the sound of little footsteps and soon found himself looking at a blurred face of a tall slender man.
"Ready to go?" The man held his hand out for Horatio to take and the walked through a round portal.
~

Earth, New York, Year 2001

The man lead Horatio through the portal into central park.

"Wow!"
"This is one of the worlds we've created." He explained, "I believe they've called this Central Park."

The park was busy with life. From people running, children playing, to pets and animals running about.

Hope looked around in awe, "It's beautiful." He rushed forward, seeing some kids his own age but his Uncle took hold of his shoulder.

"Hope, they can't see you."
"What do you mean?"
His Uncle knelt, "We are on a different plain then them... A different layer. "
"But they're right there." Hope protested.
"You're still learning. Here." He touched his silver soul gem and then Hope's "Concentrate Hope, Do you see the difference?"

He narrowed his eyes and the colour's of the world dimmed about 15%. "I do! I see it."
"And do you see the red strings?"
"...*GASP* What are those?"
"Those are the strings of fate. That bind people together. The thicker the string, the tighter the bond.... That's my job, Hope. To weave and bind these strings together."
"Wow..." Hope noticed one girl, brown hair and white bangs walking past them, A black string was wrapped around her pinkie and the few strings attached to her were tinted black and barely holding. "What's wrong with hers?" Hope walked over to the girl confused.

"Sometimes..." His Uncle sighed, his father really should be the one to introduce all this to him... "This world is bond by a system, rules of nature, just like ours.... Not everyone gets a happy ending..." He said softly.
~

"Hope...Horatio? You awake?" Ceres called softly, knelt beside the couch.

"mmmnnn..." Horatio groaned and rolled over, trying to return to his dream, "what's gonna happen to her?" he mumbled

"Happen to who?" She asked tilting her head to the side. A few feet away stood the blurred image of the man from his dream. He was only there for a moment.

"Hope." Horatio heard his voice before it faded and was replaced by Ceres'
"Horatio. Hey, you ok?"

"huh?" Horatio rubbed his eyes and shook his head, "yeah... is there someone else here?" he asked, trying to listen for other noises.

"Just Max. Pietro just got back with Vesta's Soul gem... Why do you ask?"

"I... never mind" he shook his head again and sat up.

"It seems Pietro ran into Juno, trying to get a hold of Vesta's Soul Gem. He's alright. How are you feeling?"

"Not great-is he okay?" Horatio questioned

"Ummm..." Ceres rubbed the back of her head, "He was pretty freaked out. Juno is really off her rocker.. He seems calmer now that Ciara came over. Max can you remind me I need to treat Pietro to a nice meal or something..."

"Alright, but only if I can come" Max replied.

Horatio held out his hand, "may I have the stone please?"