They go through the evening together with a quiet dinner. Ewan spends the next three weeks keeping watch over Echo as he did before. She follows him on his hunt for the two names given by Maurice. The news of the technopath's death spreading as a hero, not an animal trafficker. They manage to avoid contact with other heroes, sometimes only narrowly. One evening, they arrive back at Echo's place, finding a letter stuck to the door with the ornate dagger.

"This seems... troublesome."

Echo plucks the letter off, only starting to read the three pages before ripping it to pieces. It disappears into nothingness as if falls to the ground. She plucks the knife from the door and goes inside.

"Who is it?" Ewan asks as he follows her inside.

"Nobody." She walks to the cabinet and takes out the whiskey, "Want some?"

"Seems like they piss you off."

She pours a tumbler about quarter way full, downing the contents.

"Who is it?"

"Nobody." She pours another quarter glass, this time adding ice to the liquid.

"Doesn't seem that way."

She takes both the glass and bottle, going to the living room. Falling down on the couch, she places he bottle on the end table next to her.

"Former lover?"

"Don't pry."

"Now prying is not allowed?"

"Not this. Not now."

"I won't." He takes a seat across from her.

Echo lets out a frustrated sigh, het breath almost shaky, "Any chance you'll let me be alone tonight?"

"You stick to promises, yes?"

She almost cuts him off, "Yes. I'm leaving."

"Leaving?"

"Yes."

"Permanently?"

"Probably."

"Why now?"

"Situation has changed."

She picks up the dagger by the tip, flipping it over a few times. Ewan only now notices her shakiness.

"You're pretty shook up. You good?"

She pegs he knife into the table beside her, "Fucking perfect."

"You're scared."

She doesn't answer.

"This guy's a problem?"

"Yes."

"Want me to help?"

"No, " she answers quickly, sitting upright.

"Why?"

"I'd prefer not to explain."

"I want to."

"Why even?"

He considers this a moment, "I'm not sure."

"No. I'm not making you any more a part of this."

"Why not?"

"Because they'll use you as further leverage," she answers as she pours more whiskey over the ice.

"You think I'll be easy to leverage?"

"Ewan Beckett. Born four cities over. Settling here after an apparent tragedy. From a man to a beast in the blink of an eye."

"Everyone knows that."

"Your family-"

He cuts her off, "How?" The feint line of a vein forms in his neck.

"You saw... I didn't finish reading the letter. It's not something you wished to share with me."

"They know?"

"They have a reliable information network." She swirls the whiskey in the glass, eyes focused on it, "So, I'm leaving."

"There's no way I'm letting them live after this."

"Your past being known to others isn't worth your life."

"I disagree."

She finishes the third glass, standing up, wobblily as the alcohol starts showing its effects, "Well, too bad."

"You're drunk."

"Mission accomplished, then." She plucks the knife from the table, Ewan immediately standing and taking it from her.

"Give it back."

"No."

She steps forward, reaching for it, "Give it back."

"No," he steps back, keeping her at arm's length.

"Why the fuck not? It belongs to me."

"Because you're drunk, and being stupid. Plus, you offered it to me."

"And just what do you care if I'm being stupid?" She attempts and fails another reach.

"I don't know."

"Just fucking give it back and let me be stupid."

Ewan notices the faintest traces of different scars over her arms and running up her neck. He frowns, she doesn't have any scars.

"No."

Her frustration clearly grows as he fumbles another attempt to grab it, "Fine. I'll ask nice once. Please give it back."

"I'm not doing that."

"Don't make me get mean. We've been peaceful towards one another for long now."

"Then leave it."

"You can't even give me a valid reason. Why the fuck would I listen to you?"

"You haven't given me a valid reason for anything since we met."

"I didn't say follow me around."

"I didn't say you should pick a fight with every hero."

"I was defending myself!"

"Every time?"

She falls back onto the couch with a sigh, patting next to her, "Fine. Ask me questions and I'll see if I want to answer them or not."

"Sober up." Ewan tucks the knife away, "Then we'll talk."

"Coffee and thirty minutes and I'll be just fine."

"I'll make."

Ewan moves to the kitchen, switching on he kettle. He keeps his eyes on Echo as she stares off into the distance, clearly having a lot on her mind. He can't think that he's ever seen her as anything but carefree, bored or horny until now. Fear is the last thing he thought he'd see from her. He returns with a cup of coffee. She seems to return from thought as he passes by to sit across from her again.

"What were you going to do?"

"Running. Searching some more."

"You're lying."

She glances to the clock on the wall, "Fine. To go face one of them."

"With a knife that's meant to kill you?"

"I was intending to hide it away again."

He looks at her, skeptical.

"The encounter might've drawn the attention of heroes. I wanted to hide it so it couldn't be used against me."

"Why not unmake it?"

"That's one of the few things I cannot do. I've tried. It's not from our universe."

"Sounds like bullshit."

"It's one of their abilities. They can play with paradoxes and bend space."

"So you didn't make the knife?"

"I did not."

"Looked like you did."

"I simply have it in my possession. The fucking thing keeps appearing to haunt me. No matter what I do."

"But you wanted to give it to me. Why?"

She shrugs, "I got tired of seeing it, and you seemed like you wouldn't immediately use it."

"What do you mean? I want to kill you."

"I know. Yet you seemed as though you'd think twice. Even if only for a moment."

"Because I was unsure."

The faint traces of scars no longer linger on her skin. This causes Ewan to frown again.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure if it will be able to kill me. I just know it can hurt me."

"So you've already brought me in, yet refuse to do so even more?"

"Yes, yes. I did not think it through. I rarely do. My life on the line is one thing..."

"Yet here we are."

"I can see that."

"I can understand not wanting me to, but then you shouldn't have brought me in on this in the first place."

"I've been refusing you every bit of information. Not giving valid reasons or explanations. I just wanted to take the knife and leave. I wanted to see if it would work."

"If you were less of a threat, I might've. I don't know."

"Just give me the knife and I'll leave. You'll never have to see me again. And they'll leave you be, too."

"I'm not doing that."

"You're aware I can just... take it and leave, right?"

"You won't"

"What makes you so confident?"

"Call it a feeling."

She remains quiet a moment, "Next question?"

"Would I be able to kill them?"

"You alone? No. Brute strength will not get to him."

"You and I as a team?"

"I don't do teams anymore."

"I didn't say we would. I asked if we would be able to."

"It might be possible."

"How long have they been a problem?"

"Define problem."

"A difficulty you've had to face."

"Three years, give or take. Though, they've thought me dead for five years prior to that. So, seven for me."

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"That's quite a time."

She shrugs, "I've known them for 15 years now. Things used to be different with the two of them."

"Two?"

"Yes. Siblings."

"Interesting."

"What's so interesting about that?"

"Siblings. Not usual in this line of work."

"They were born into it."

"Also fairly unusual."

"What else do you want to know?"

"Why not kill me when you had the chance?"

"I could kill you now. Not just the day we met."

"Point is."

"I've grow tired of the routine. I do something villainous, heroes come to "take revenge" or "protect their little town", said heroes can't stand against me, I kill them, I move on." She sighs, "I'm not accepted by your side. I've tried after I nearly died. I tried to be better. But it doesn't matter hat I tried. My past ruled. My previous associations were more important. So, I isolated. I drove myself mad. I returned to killing to ease the boredom. Yet here I am. Bored of the routine once more."

"And I'm the exception?"

"Seems so."

"What's next, then?"

"I'll have to work out a way to actually deal with facing them. Any other questions?"

"You don't seem to want to answer."

"Be fair. Most of this is sensitive and personal information I haven't shared before. I'm trying."

"I see. Then I suppose I'll have to finish asking."

She sighs again, "Just... ask what you want. You might not get this opportunity again."

"I've tried wrapping my head around your abilities. You know mine, now tell me yours."

Echo smiles, "No."

"I suppose that's fair. But you did tell me to ask."

"It's quite literally no. It's the power of denial."

"Then how..." Ewan rubs his chin, "No..."

"If I deny something's existence, then it doesn't exist. If I deny something will happen, then it doesn't happen. There are exceptions, of course, like the knife. But, I've managed to take it even further than simple denial."

"Double negatives, I assume?"

"It's almost like you know me."

"I've been getting to."

"So, basically, if you can deny or not deny it, I can probably make it happen. It just takes a lot of gymnastics up here." She taps the side of her head.

"Makes sense."

Her expression changes, "I just... can't apply it to them."

"Why's that."

Her finger lingers against her head, "My experience makes it difficult."

"Experience?"

"They left me for dead after some... rigorous interrogations. It spanned over a few weeks. Slow, long weeks. You want to know what I remember the most vividly?"

"Sure?"

"Begging them to stop. Saying no over and over again."

He nods in understanding.

"Whenever I think of seeing them again, I remember those weeks. The pain and betrayal."

"I would too."

"That's why I've been delaying with it."

"And refuse to let me help?"

"I don't want you to be collateral."

"I understand. But you're also not going to be able to beat them alone."

"I can't give them more leverage against me."

"I'd be leverage against you?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I believe I said it before. I like you."

"That's a mistake."

"And allowing me to live isn't?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm nowhere near stable after all I've gone through. Not to mention with the powers I have."

"It's because I'm not certain."

"Certain of what, exactly."

"You. In general."

"I don't understand?"

"You have all the power you do, yet don't use it for anything other than amusement. I'm not sure whether to admire or hate you."

She chuckles, "You've made it quite clear that you hate me."

"I do. But I struggle to fully do so."

"And here I thought I've given you enough reason to."

"Again. Uncertain."

"Now that... that is a mistake."

"I know."

"What else am I supposed to use my powers for? I don't want domination. Never have. I no longer wish to fight against evil, either. The heroes made quite sure of that."

'I don't know."

"And with the powers I have, there's little that offers a challenge to me."

"That I can relate to. At least until you came."

"Maybe that's why you don't entirely want to kill me. If you do, The challenge is gone. Possibly forever."

"I suppose."

"Unless, of course, you've fallen for my irresistible charm." Her voice is sarcastic as she speaks this.

"Or you for mine."

"Again, I already admitted that I have, " she laughs.

"You said that you like me. Meaning you dislike me less."

"No, Ewan, I said like. Not tolerate."

"Then you really are crazier than I thought."

She shrugs, "Is that really such a surprise?"

"Suppose not."

She glances towards the bottle, then stands, "I need another coffee."

"You making?"

"I am. You want?"

"Sure."

Echo makes coffee in the percolator, staring at the water dripping through the filter, lost in thought once more. Ewan checks his phone for notifications. Nothing comes up. She brings their cups, sitting next to him on the couch. He shifts away slightly, sipping his coffee.

She leans her head back on the couch, "I'm wondering if it was a mistake sharing this with you."

"Why?"

"Simply because now you know more about me. Since... then, I don't particularly like opening up."

"If it matters, no one will know."

"Thank you. I haven't spoken like this in a very long time."

"Neither have I. Been used to speaking short sentences, crushing bones."

"Threats and action. I don't even threaten anymore."

"They were more warnings than threats. But I agree."

"You keep going on about the city needing heroes. Have you considered the implications of killing each and every villain present here?"

"I suppose I haven't. But there aren't many."

"Only problematic ones."

He nods, "Ones that slip through the cracks."

"No. Not that."

"What, then?"

"Villains tend to be quite territorial. So they keep each other in line. You remove all the easy to defeat, easy to control ones, those that move into their place... they tend to be the real bad news. More dangerous. Stronger. Smarter. Further reach."

"Makes it difficult."

She leans her head against his shoulder, "People are shit. Villains and heroes alike."

"They are."

Echo shuffles closer to him on the couch, laying her head down again.

He looks down at her, "What are you doing?"

She meets his gaze, the lust for him clear in her eyes. She holds his eyes a few seconds before looking away, "Being comfortable."

Ewan lifts her face by her chin to look at him again. They stare at one another in silence. Then he kisses her deeply. She returns his kiss, eager, almost breathless. He pulls back, a single string connecting their mouths. Echo looks at Ewan again, uncertain if she should continue. He pushes her to her back, their cups falling and spilling over the floor. He kisses her again, hands now groping as her own explores him. She lifts a leg at his side, biting his lip playfully. He unbuckles her belt, followed by his own. She lifts her hips slightly to help push her pants lower. He exposes the top of her thighs, kissing her again as he fumbles with his own. Finally, the obstacles of their pants are removed. He presses his tip to her, not braking the kiss. She thrusts up, slipping him in. He pushes forward, gasping as their hips meet.

"F-fuck," Echo moans, Ewan steadying himself on the couch. He builds a rhythm, their bodies smacking together. A short time later, Echo stops him, letting him slip out.

"Ewan."

"What?"

She sits up, kissing him, "Let's go to the room."

He nods, following her upstairs. She pushes him back onto the bed as they enter, immediately getting over him and kissing him again. Ewan pulls her shirt of, then she makes their clothes disappear, chuckling, looking down at him. He presses his face to her chest, running hands up her back. She entangles her fingers in his hair as he licks upwards along the center of her torso, now looking up at her. She bites her lip, swaying her hips ever so slightly. Ewan reaches down, attempting to put himself in again. Echo kisses him deeply, pushing him to lay back. He makes a sound of frustration, but returns the kiss. She smiles into the kiss before breaking it, leaning forward to speak in his ear, "Don't rush, now."

"I want to."

She plants kisses in his neck, "Not yet."

"When?"

"I want to share one more thing first," she bites softly.

"Yeah?"

She pulls away enough to look at him, "Amity. My name. I want to hear you moan it."

She kisses him again, more eagerly this time.

"Make me."