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If Acubens wasn't near by Keren in the days following her kidnapping, then she was never away for long. She lingered outside of her window, searching thuroughly for youma and negas. And even when she was sure it was safe for her page to go to sleep, she checked again, in case something slipped in while she was checking elsewhere. She left only when she was certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Keren was safe.

But then, there always was that shadow, wasn't there? That lingering feeling of "what if" when Acubens could not be with her. You're not there anymore, what if they took her again? What if they hurt her? What if...? What if...? It didn't help that Acubens' hadn't exactly forgiven herself for allowing Keren to be taken in the first place.

And now, on top of all that, she was a page. A warrior for the order. The chaos would flock to her like they did all the rest of her kind. If Keren powered up, for Acubens knew she was curious, chaos would know where she slept. Where her family slept... oh god...

It was thinking like that which leda Acubens from her own bed to that of Keren's. She crouched on the foot board, balls of her feet balanced precariously on the edge with her knees bent and her hands between her legs, keeping herself steady like the dark protector from the comic books. She didn't even blink when Keren gasped awake.

"Nightmares," she asked softly, not wanting to frighten her, but needing to let her know she was there. This was, after all, the first time she'd been in her room.

Acubens jumped at Keren screamed, truly not meaning to frighten her. She flashed an apologetic smile, leaning forward on her footboard, hands resting ont he matress instead of the wooden frame. After her arms, her legs followed, crossing under her body so she could sit Indian-Style on top of Keren's comforter. "I got in through the window," she explained quietly, though she knew Keren already worked that peice of the puzzle out. "I got in so I could make sure you're alright. After what happened..." Acubens trailed off, eyes down cast in residual shame of her own failure. "After what happened, I find that I can't sleep until I know you're safe and sound in bed. Though I have taken to keeping out of sight. Lesath won't try the same thing twice, but I don't want anything else coming after you too."

Something more dangerous.

She didn't vocalize the concern, but it was implied. Lesath was easy. Acubens was lucky that Lesath still loved her enough not to want to hurt her in any significant way. But another foe... Xenotime for instance... they wouldn't be so forgiving.

Oh god, she had a teddy bear. It brought a sentimental smile to Acubens' lips. And as Keren brought her lips down onto it's head, her heart only swelled with greater affection. Had she been in another state of mind, one not so fogged over by concern and confusion, she would have reached out, gathing the girl and the bear in her arms. But how would Keren take to having the girl who she had recently believed to be a traitor, and still might not totally believe to be loyal, holding her again? Last time drained energy and shock of discovery knocked her out, making her complacent, but now.

Now Keren could fight her off. And rejection of Acubens would be rejection of Micah. Keren wouldn't intend it, but Acubens' mind would make the connection regardless. She woldn't even really mean to. Baring that in mind, Acubens stayed in her place, sitting on the foot of Keren's bed, sparkling farses aside.

And if she wasn't already off kilter enough, Keren's questions certainly pushed her over the edge. Damn. Keren was smart. Acubens had lost track of that somewhere between her own revenge and her desparate quest to save her. And now it was coming back to bite her.

She had to look away as she thought.

"Micah..." she began carefully, "well... let's just say that... I wouldn't exist if it weren't for her. She sort of... gave me my life back." In a sense. Not a true lie, but also not a true truth. It was somewhere between. An omition of sorts, really. "It's very complicated. I don't even really understand it. Just accept my protection and thank Micah for it when you can. Don't try and find the reasons." You may not like what you find.

Acubens visibly leaned back at Keren's sudden onslaught of pop culture and internet references. Her mouth fell open in obvious surprise, act of the strange hero melting away. And through it all... through it all the only thinkg Acubens could think of to say was "But baby... I am the night..." And she didn't castize her mind for not sending that through her censor because it worked with Keren. Her surprise eventually gave way to calm and then her face split into a smile. She should have known. Keren was far too smart to keep in the dark for very long.

"I guess if I really wanted to protect you from this... I should have just left you alone, right?" Maybe then she wouldn't have even awakened as Megiddo. She crawled forward, settling herself closer to Keren, her knees touching Keren's like they were grade-schoolers about to play patty cake. "If it makes you feel any better, this is the first time I've come to your window. Other nights I patrol, and I only cover your street once a week." And then Acubens' face fell, serious expressing taking the place of the smile. "And in my defense, Bella was never in real danger of actually dying."

And then the guilt. "Like I said, if I left you alone, Lesath never would have kidnapped you, and you probably would never be Megiddo, and you wouldn't be having these nightmares."

Acubens watched as Keren got up form the head, frozen somewhere between dying, wanting to tell Keren everything that she was and agonizingly terrified that Keren will not want her, knowing that she is a traitor waiting to turn to the enemy.

And then that transformation. That damned dress that should have looked frumpy but was just so hopelessly Keren that Acubens wanted to run to her, rip her hair from those stupid braids and just ravish her because Keren was be beautiful no matter what she was wearing and Acubens had never been so in love. Or maybe it was just the adrenaline talking.

And also moving her off of Keren's bed, forward, towards the new page. It was only when she was standing in front of Keren, far shorter and still looking like she wanted to hit something. Like maybe if she just looked scary enough, Keren would drop the subject and leave her alone for a moment so Acubens could go back to feeling sorry for herself.

But instead of the outburst of aggression, Acubens only dropped to her knees, hands seizing Keren's, pitcher and all. And then her guise faded away, leaving Micah in her normal outfit of denim jeans and white tank top.

"Of course I'm Micah. I've always been Micah, and I'm sorry I lied to you. And what Lesath told you was completely true. If you weren't with me, I'd betray all that was good for her, but you are here and please don't leave me because I will burn down all of heaven for you." She talked herself breathless and she couldn't even try, and that made her insanely angry, but then she iddn't care. "Just don't leave me."

It was odd that only relief could allow tears to sting at Micah's eyes. As Keren proclaimed Micah as her own, it allowed her mind to release the emotions that flowed so freely for her. And still she laughed. Oh god, she was suddenly someone's mentor? She who still clung so to Polaris' side. Teach me, Polaris, because now I have someone who depends on me. And she'd have to teach Keren about space... she'd not even been yet! Oh, this would be fun.

"I'll..." Micah stopped to sniff. "I'll teach you what I know. It's not much, but it's something, right?" After all, how much different could pages be from senshi? They were all magical space warriors, right? Ah, she'd just wing it. That's how she dealt with everyone else.

And as Keren kissed her, there was a sudden calm that rushed over Micah. there was someone she knew on the outside, someone from normal life who could do this with her. It wasn't Alexij, of course. This might just be better, actually. It took Micah a moment to be able to feel her lips again, and whens he did it was only for a moment before she pushed away again. "And I'll make good on that debt, but later. When I'm not... trespassing and when it's not late. When we train. Together. Tomorrow night, I'll meet you at the park. Then I'll pay you back as many kisses as you want, alright?"

She suited and stood, clad again in her tattered skirt and claws shoes. "Sleep well, Megiddo," she cooed, hopping up onto the window sill and then out into the night. She wouldn't stop patrolling Keren's street once a week, but she wouldn't patrol her house anymore. Megiddo was competent, if only because Keren was a spit fire. And that would help Acubens sleep that night.