Anubis' Family

Some ooc-ness on Pauls part. If it were strictly canon, Paul would probably have killed her soon after taking her, but then I'd lose a perfectly good character. Besides - I'm mellowing Paul out a little. I'll try to keep him as mean as we all love him, but I have plans for this bad boy.

When Paul is bored, it means trouble for us all.

I have half-memories of when Mary was trapped between, and Paul would try to take her from me to torment her in an effort to keep himself amused. Only half-memories, because we changed the past, so she was never trapped, but I still remember it. Just like the humans remember parts of what we did. They really are remarkable creatures, humans.

But I digress.

Zoe was seven when I taught her to phase. Soon she was wandering through the Old Kingdom frequently, but I warned her that she should only enter when I was with her. She agreed, and I left it at that. If only I'd known that Paul was watching the lesson.

He bided his time patiently, I'll give him that. I'd never have thought that Paul could be patient. But it wasn't until after Zoe's eighth birthday that he struck.

Paul was bored, wandering about in the new kingdom, playing tricks on those mortals who couldn't see him, avoiding those who could. It was then that he found Zoe alone in the children's ward.

She'd had her tonsils out a few days before, and was resting in bed. The other children were sleeping, but Zoe never slept during the day. She just wasn't built for it.

He slipped into her room, and stalked over to her bed.

Two hours later, I walked in with James. We both froze when we saw her empty bed. While he ran to check all the places she might have gone, I shifted to anteater form, hoping to track her by her scent.

Hanging in the air, silvery green, was the smell of saline and blood, mixed with decay. Paul.

I let out a roar that shook the hospital, then charged into the Old Kingdom. Beneath the anger was fear. I found myself praying to the higher God. 'Please let her be safe, please let her be safe, please let her be safe, please...'

I launched myself into the Pain Room, where I found Gottreich 'experimenting' on something. I saw it wasn't Zoe, so I bared my teeth and growled at him, then turned and took off again. A faint smell in the air made me smile later - I hadn't thought ghosts could do that. I guess I scared him more than I thought.

There was nothing in the Tank Room either, and I was getting very scared. I headed to the old locker rooms, when I stopped in my tracks. I was still for a moment, then heard it again. A giggle. Zoe. I turned and ran in the direction of her laugh, relief washing through me.

When I nudged the doors to the room open, a strange sight greeted me. In the middle of the floor, Zoe and Paul sat opposite each other, legs crossed, hands outstretched and palms down, fingertips touching. Zoe then quickly moved as if to slap Paul's hand, but he moved too quickly and she didn't even brush him. She tried again, this time hitting him. He pulled a face, at which she laughed, then he attempted to hit her hands. I watched, amazed, until the pair noticed me.

Their reactions were very different. Paul bared his fangs and made that hissing/growling noise that means he's angry, then stood and walked away. Zoe, however, squealed, jumped up, then huggle-attacked me. This I was used to - it was her usual greeting. She then sat on my back as I carried her back to the children's ward, where her father could take care of the discipline. I was just relieved that she was safe.

Apparently, my little Zoe could control the Bad Boy. I kept that piece of information in mind for a long time.