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Ryan looked extremely displeased and made no attempt to hide it.
— Why is "that" one sitting here drinking expensive tequila with us!
Sophie took a deep breath, expecting a similar reaction from the entire Bat-team.
— Ryan, please, you know the situation...
Sophie didn't get a chance to finish before Ryan, already seething with anger, interrupted her.
— Just because you've been assigned to babysit a serial killer doesn't mean she should ruin everyone else's vacation with her presence. Chain her up out of public view, that's more than she deserves!
— Rai-Rai, didn't your mother teach you that talking about someone in their presence as if they weren't there is rather impolite?
Alice's voice sounded mocking, which caused Ryan to jump up from her seat, knocking into the small glass bedside table, which miraculously didn't break.
— Sophie, take away Mary, I don't want that bitch's dirty blood on her.
Sophie got between Ryan and Alice, preventing another fight from taking place.
— Calm down, both of you!
Suddenly, a loud voice made everyone around freeze.
— Fine, Ryan, please sit down, and Alice, be quiet for at least one minute, or I really will leave the room, leaving you alone!
Ryan cast a disgruntled glance at both girls, but complied anyway.
Mary, who had witnessed the quickly escalating altercation, didn't know what to say to defuse the situation, so she continued to monitor the situation.
— I hope now you're both ready for a normal conversation without any murderous attempts.
Ryan nodded briefly, trying not to look at Sophie. Alice, seemingly losing all interest in what was happening, pointedly turned away, which could be considered a slight lull. That was enough for Sophie.
— As for how things will go from here, no one's forcing you to be friends or even nice, but show respect, if not to each other, then to me. Do you think I'm happy with the current situation? Of course not, but I made a promise to someone important to me that I would look after Alice, and please let me keep it.
Ryan took a deep breath and leaned back on the couch, silently accepting this situation. Sophie's last words aroused undisguised curiosity on Alice's part, and a strange gleam appeared in her eyes. Mary had always possessed a high level of insight, and now she guessed who could have extracted such a promise and judging Alice's reaction, she understood it too.
The silence was almost deafening. While the others tried not to look at each other and carefully studied the floor, Mary fidgeted on the couch, feeling uncomfortable in such tension. A brilliant idea to defuse the situation came instantly as Mary's gaze fell on the tequila, which started the conflict. She didn`t have time to go through all the stages of the analytical thought process flew off her lips.
— I suggest play "Never Have I Ever", I think everyone knows the rules.
Without waiting for an answer, she deftly filled all the empty glasses.
Sophie smiled faintly, agreeing with the suggestion, and sat closer to the table. Ryan wasn't particularly enthusiastic, but she mimicked Sophie's movement. The only one who didn't move was Alice. Her face clearly reflected bewilderment, which she made no attempt to hide.
— For those whose childhoods were spent in the basement, a fast course in the rules is in order.
Alice tried to make her words lighter, but despite this, Mary felt a pang of guilt. Although her influence on Alice's plight was nonexistent and the rage over the loss of her mother had not dulled. She was able to understand the pain of a little girl locked away for years with a sick bastard.
—It's simple. You say any statement starting with 'Never Have I Ever...', like 'Never Have I Ever jumped out of a plane,' and those who have must drink.
Alice thought for a few seconds, and judging by her satisfied smile, she was already planning her moves in this game.
Mary decided to go first.
— To warm up, let's start with something light. "Never Have I Ever" used a butterfly knife.
Alice theatrically leaned her palm against chest, but drained the glass.
— I didn't think that you wanted to get me drunk from the very beginning, it's cruel.
Mary looked around at the others and their glasses were empty too.
— Not everything revolves around you, but yes, it was personal. Who could have known that others would drink too?
Ryan muttered something unintelligible under her breath, but no one paid much attention. Sophie was next in line, and after all the empty shot glasses had been refreshed, she used her move.
"Never have I ever" ended up behind bars.
This time, everyone present downed their tequila shots. The drink was truly potent, since the effects were already noticeable. Alice, speaking slightly slower, erupted in mock indignation.
— Agent Moore, did you want to drink so much that you set yourself up?
Sophie held up her palms, as if surrendering.
— Caught red-handed, but not prohibited by the rules.
After another refresh of the empty shot glasses, it was Ryan's turn.
— "Never have I ever" killed a man.
Ryan's gaze was fixed on a specific blonde, whose face didn't twitch as she poured the firewater down her throat in one swift motion. The question was clearly a provocation, and it would have triggered another conflict if another empty shot glass hadn't landed on the table with its characteristic clink. All attention shifted to Sophie, who tried not to look at anyone in particular. Everyone's gaze expressed completely different emotions: genuine shock from Mary, disgust, giving way to pity from Ryan, and burning interest from Alice.
— So, Crows can also show their teeth. Who was your "victim"?
Alice's fun went beyond all reasonable limits, but she did not try to restrain triumph over the highly moral Moore. Her joy was similar to the one when she saw the lifeless body of Cartwright and Kate with bloodied hands. Mary slapped Alice's shoulder hard to get her attention.
— Stop it, you can't interrogate her!
Alice's emotions went from unrestrained fun to cold calmness.
— Interrogate? How could you think that? I just wanted to gossip like a killer with a killer, it's not every day you meet a soulmate, isn't it, Agent Moore?
Sophie lowered her head slightly and stared straight ahead.
— During my first year, I was paired with an experienced agent, a decorated military man who wanted to feel the adrenaline of battle again, but without having to leave his family on the other side of the world. He was a tough teacher and didn't strive to minimize casualties; efficiency was more important than humanity, and as long as he completed all his assignments, his methods were never questioned by the higher-ups. One day, our group was supposed to launch a takedown of a drug cartel. But everything went awry immediately; they were already waiting for us and greeted us with all their warmth in a hail of bullets. The order came to retreat, but my partner ignored it and went head-on against one of those people. During the melee, he didn't notice another young man sneak up behind him, a large knife in his hand. Then my reflexes took over and I struck him in the heart with a single, precise shot. Death was instantaneous. My partner managed to escape the fight, and we finally retreated, but the nightmare began later. Killings are commonplace in such operations, but after the order to retreat, it's a completely different legal framework. Yes, I was saving my comrade, but I disobeyed. I don't know why he decided to take all the blame, thanks to which I got off with just a warning and a month of night shifts. And he...
Sophie fell silent, her throat dry after the long story, and she poured herself another shot tequila.
No one dared break the silence that followed, except for Alice, who wasn't known for patience in such matters, much less tact.
— So what happened to that military man?
Sophie slowly turned towards Alice and continued without blinking.
— He was fired and subsequently banned from working in all nearby military structures, even parking fines were not allowed. He started drinking heavily and a few months later he was found dead in the pantry of his own house. Therefore, we can say that I killed two people with one shooting.
Sophie finally drained the glass she had poured earlier and put it on the table, completing her story. Ryan reacted first.
— No need to blame yourself, you saved your partner, and he did...he made this decision himself.
Alice, who seemed to have fallen silent, raised her voice.
— Double standards aren`t too tight, batty?
Any warmth and empathy disappeared from Ryan's voice as she immediately responded to the attack.
— Sophie's not like you, you ruthless killer!
— Admit it, if my murders weren't directly related to you, you wouldn't even be worried about them!
Ryan didn't know what to say, and froze in shock.
— And for information, when your mother was beaten to death, I wasn't even there! Am I a killer? Of course, I stopped counting my victims a long time ago, but even so, Cora Lewis isn't among them. And you know who is? Look at sweet, kind, and oh-so-perfect Mary. She has every right to be angry about the murder of Catherine Hamilton, because I killed her, slowly and painfully, mercilessly, if you like that word. My sins are known, and I accept them, but I won't allow another one.
The already oppressive atmosphere became even more stifling.
Mary, who had been silent for the entire time of Sophie's story and the subsequent quarrel, suddenly spoke up.
— If we continue to hold a contest on who is the worst person in Gotham, we will come to nothing. Everyone was not doing the best things, some more, some less, and at the moment the intention not to commit greater evil is much more valuable than its complete absence.
Mary gently put her hand on Alice's tense shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.
Alice shuddered a little, but did not pull away from the friendly touch. After their joint adventure with Poison Ivy, such interactions have become the norm. Another deep breath from Ryan caught the attention of the others.
— Okay, Mary, just for you.
Sophie perked up a little after Ryan's words and became more like herself.
— We need to agree that we will not raise too provocative topics, and then maybe this evening can still be saved.
Everyone nodded in agreement to such conditions and continued the game with fairly innocent questions, returning to the previous pace.
Mary tried her best to maintain a friendly atmosphere, as did Sophie. Alice and Ryan, for their part, didn't display the same hostility as before, but weren't overly welcoming either, which suited everyone. After a few more quiet circles, the questions began to take a more hot turn.
Sophie, who had unwittingly drunk the most, lost her shyness and let everyone know it during her turn.
— "Never have I ever" slept with multiple girls at the same time.
When Ryan finished drinking, Sophie raised an eyebrow, though she wasn't entirely surprised, but Mary's empty glass caught their attention. All eyes turned to her, as they weren't expecting such adventures from the straight-Mary, but she only deigned to answer the eager crowd briefly.
— First-year college with their parties, ughhhh."
And with a swift movement, she grabbed a lime wedge, stopping any further questioning.
Ryan's question was simple, and after a brief revelation, it served as a well-deserved respite.
By the time Mary reached the point, the alcohol had reached her consciousness, and next question rang out louder than the others.
— "Never have I ever" kissed the Batwoman.
Sophie clicked her tongue in displeasure and raised her tequila glass in a salute.
— You're playing dirty, Mary.
When the shot was empty, she noticed a similar movement next to her out of the corner of her eye.
Mary and Sophie's gazes shifted nervously between Ryan and Alice, because another empty shot was on the latter's side.
Ryan reacted with a quick movement of her hands and a convulsive denial.
— It wasn't me! I need more than tequila to make out with "that".
Mary and Sophie breathed a sigh of relief, but the respite was short. Almost simultaneously, the thought reached them: "If it's not Ryan, then who is it?" There weren't many options, and without Ryan, he was left with only one. And already three pairs of eyes were looking at Alice with wariness and curiosity.
Alice was visibly nervous under the intense gaze. Ryan was the first to ask the obvious question hanging in the air.
— If it wasn't me, and it definitely wasn't me, then that leaves only Kate Kane?
When the question that had been swirling around everyone's minds finally came out, everyone waited for Alice to explain. She was in no hurry to clarify, merely scratching the remaining chipped nail polish off her index fingers. Alice couldn't bear the intense stares directed at her for long.
— Why are you looking at me like that? You didn't have any questions for Mary!
— A straight girl sleeps with girls at university parties? No offense, Mary, but that's the most classic experience, almost banal, while your case seems far more interesting.
Sophie's voice was clear and calm, if not for the words, as if trying to incriminate yet another criminal in the interrogation room.
Alice assumed the lotus position and began to sway slightly in place.
— There's not much to tell. Not long before our bat mitzvah, we stole a bottle of wine and, while our parents were out, threw a party for two. While wine has virtually no effect on me now, back then, even a few sips left my head feeling pleasantly foggy. We decided it would be funny to impersonate a classic 1950s couple, where the husband goes to work and the wife stays home, trying not to mix up a lethal dose of sedatives. Kate decided she was definitely the "husband" and was getting ready to go "work," and I, like a proper "wife," kissed her on the cheek goodbye...
— That won't do! What a childish level, I also kissed Kate on the cheek a couple of times, but she wasn't particularly happy about it, so it doesn't even count, you're sisters.
— Shh, Mary, let her finish."
There was an undisguised curiosity in Sophie's voice.
Alice smiled and continued.
— Where was I? Oh, yes, at some point it became our inside joke. If Kate left or returned anywhere, it was always with a 'wife's kiss.' Let's jump back in time to the moment when I returned to that awful town and Kate couldn't believe I was her beloved 'Beth'...
Alice uttered the last word, the word dried sand passed through her throat, and fell silent for a few seconds.
— Kate doubted it, but I hope she sensed a little that I was her. The vaunted twin bond should have made itself felt at least this time..."
Alice wilted completely at this point in the story, and Mary gently stroked her back in a circular motion, realizing what moment she was remembering. After Kate found out the truth, she lamented this more than once. Mary reassured that she was not to blame for not being able to "feel" Beth, but it was useless.
It was even harder for Alice to realize that their palms were separated only by the metal door, and that one movement, a slight scraping sound, would have reconnected them, but fear for her father's and Kate's lives gripped more tightly. She could not make this bet on her freedom, not at such a price.
The rhythmic movements on back brought her back to reality and allowed to continue.
— When Kate conveyed the message about meeting at our place, a glimmer of hope began rise in my heart that if she saw me there, she would believe me and finally feel me. But she still rejected any thought of that, and then the only option left was to prove that I was Beth, whom neither the media nor our parents knew.
Everyone had already guessed what might have happened, but they listened intently. Even Ryan couldn't hide her curiosity and awaited the outcome.
— Kate was about to leave, and then the hands themselves laid on her shoulder and stopped any movement. There was nothing strange about one sister trying to kiss the other on the cheek until one of them turned her head.
Sophie covered face with hands. Mary desperately tried not to grimace too much. They both knew Kate well enough to understand. Ryan was the only one who felt lost, which she hastened to report.
— Not that I'm very interested, but still, what happened next, Kate turned her head and?
Sophie turned around and after a deep exhale, hurried to explain.
— Ryan, if you try to kiss me on the cheek now, but I turn sharply to you at that moment, what do you think will happen?
For a few seconds, Ryan analyzed her and Sophie's position when she was able to put these facts together, the picture took shape. Ryan's emotions were rapidly changing from disgust to confusion.
— Are you both from some kind of twisted romantic comedy of the 00s?
Alice didn't respond to this mocking comment and continued.
— When Kate turned her sweet but empty head, the kiss landed on her lips instead of cheek, which lasted a little longer than the usual accident, that's the whole story.
Without waiting for the reaction of the bewildered audience, Alice poured herself another shot and drank it as quickly as if it were water, and not a liquid close to pure alcohol.
Ryan was deep in thought, her elbows firmly planted on her knees, her hands clasped together, propping up her head, adding to her pensive appearance. Mary seemed to have lost all connection with those around her, while Sophie nervously tapped her foot. No one could figure out what exactly was causing the uneasiness. The story itself was more awkward than incriminating.
The sound of a key turning in the thick front door was deafeningly loud in the resulting silence.
While hand was reaching for a pistol hidden nearby, Sophie decided to ask the temporary landlady about a possible unexpected guest.
— Did you invite someone else?
Mary shook her head, not taking her eyes off the door.
— Only those who are in this room have keys, and Mary didn't invite anyone, that's all that remains...
Before she could finish, the old lock gave way, and the front door revealed the intruder.
Kate Kane rattled a huge bunch of keys and simultaneously tried to carry a heavy bag.
— Mary, we need to do something about this rusty lock, I had to crack it to get to my house.
Kate stopped for a moment and looked around the room, where several surprised pairs of eyes stared intently in her direction.
— Did you have a party in honor of my return? You really shouldn't have.
Dropping her heavy bag in the hallway, Kate jumped over the back of an empty sofa, sitting down exactly in the middle with her arms outstretched.
Mary was the first to recover.
— We didn't know you were coming back, you haven't written to any of us in weeks.
A loud snort of displeasure came from one of the sofas. Alice was the only one who didn't look at Kate, hugging herself with arms, trying to blend in with the upholstery.
— Nevertheless, I'm here now and I want to join the bachelorette party.
Sophie took out another glass from the nearest bedside table and placed it in front of Kate, having filled it in advance.
— Don't you think it's worth telling us where you've been all this time, we've been worried.
Sophie glanced briefly at Alice, who continued to try to get even smaller, but there were tears in her eyes.
— Here and there, I usually didn't stay anywhere for more than a couple of days. Bruce was found in the Nepal , and he is not eager to come out of his vacation, especially when there is a new heroine in Gotham.
Kate looked at Ryan and winked.
— And here I am.
Kate hissed at the tartness of the tequila, but drained the shot. No one dared to start talking, they just kept looking at Kate, like she was a ghost.
— Why are you all so tense? It's me, Kate Kane, relax. What did you talk about before that? Let's get back to that.
Several sympathetic glances turned towards Alice, who still hadn't said a word. Mary, Sophie, and Ryan exchanged glances and came to a tacit agreement that Kate shouldn't know what story they were talking about, and they stopped.
Kate turned her gaze to the others, who were acting extremely suspiciously and to the unusually quiet Alice.
She got up and walked over to the sofa where her sister was sitting in the corner. Kate sat down opposite and tried to look up into the woman's face. Alice's pose remained quite closed, and her face was hidden under overgrown hair. Kate's hand went to Alice's lap and sank into one of those puffy skirts that Alice loved to wear. Her knees jerked at the unexpected touch, but the rest of his posture remained unchanged.
— Won't you even look at your sister after a long separation?
Kate's voice was gentle, but with a hint of childish moodiness.
Alice turned abruptly and met the gaze of blue eyes so similar to her own.
— This 'sister' never came to visit me or sent me even a silly postcard, and then she dumped me on her ex to look after like a child.
Resentment was evident in every word and eventually turned into outright indignation.
Kate's face remained impenetrable, only her hand, which remained on Alice's lap, clenched. She had nothing to say to the accusations, but she didn't feel ashamed either.
— Would you rather rot in Arkham than be under Sophie's watch?
As soon as the question left Kate's lips, Alice pushed sister's hand away from her, getting dangerously close to her face.
— If that's the only thing you care about, then 'no', I wouldn't prefer it. Being in a company where only a few people hate you is much nicer than being "treated" with electricity, but I needed a sister by my side, nothing more. Why don't you get it?
Alice spoke softly, but everyone in the room froze and could hear every word and felt that they were witnessing something they shouldn't.
Mary pointed Sophie and Ryan to a place behind the bar, which was further away from the common room, but still in the aisles of visibility. She wanted to leave the Kane sisters alone, but curiosity to find out what was going on between them won out. The three of them settled into the kitchen and continued to talk quietly, not taking their eyes off Kate and Alice, who did not even notice their disappearance.
— It matters to me what you think, but things are more complicated than they appear.
Kate tried not to look Alice in the eye, but because of their position, it was almost impossible.
Alice laughed her crazy laugh, which was almost hysterical. The laughter started just as abruptly and stopped.
— Is it complicated? Of course, it's much easier to leave everyone once again and get away from problems and from...
Alice's voice faltered on the last sentence. If Kate hadn't been close enough, she wouldn't have heard the quiet word.
— ...me.
Kate hadn't felt guilty for her actions before, but the sight of Alice's hurt and fragile expression made wonder that she wasn't the only one going through this.
Kate suddenly remembered the thing that was burning the inside pocket of her leather jacket, and hurried to get it out. A small object appeared in the palm of hand. She wanted to hand it to the real owner as soon as possible. Kate took Alice's hand in her free one, meeting no resistance and placed the cold metal, which contrasted sharply with the warmth of their hands.
Alice's face changed from disbelief to delight in a matter of seconds when the familiar weight appeared in her hand.
— I know it's not a stupid postcard, but it's better than nothing.
Kate flashed one of her childish solemn smiles.
Alice couldn't say anything from shock as looked at what she thought was a long-lost knife with a red stone in the center. With practiced ease, she opened it and the blade shimmered in the light. Garnet, the stone they shared with Kate, shone the brightest. She didn't expect to find it, but now it's in hands, just like before. Alice looked at Kate, who had a chain with the same stone in the most visible place. She gripped the handle of the knife tightly and tried to calm the surging emotions.
When it came to Kate, her feelings were always fighting between burning hatred and doomed love. With one act, she once again managed to swing the scales in the other direction.
— Aren't you afraid to hand a weapon into the hands of a serial killer?
Alice pointed the open knife at Kate.
— We both know that if you wanted to, this knife would have been in my neck for a long time.
Kate spoke with firm conviction and leaned forward fearlessly, letting the blade rest against her skin. Alice chuckled but put the knife away.
— Overconfidence never led to anything good..
She opened the knife again, but this time she aimed it at Kate's chest.
— And if I wanted to kill you, I'd aim for your heart.
On the last word, the blade pressed against the rough leather of the jacket, leaving a barely noticeable cut.
There was no fear in Kate's eyes, only bewilderment, so stared frantically at Alice and the weapon in her hands.
— Why in the heart?
Kate didn't notice the question coming out of her mouth, but froze, waiting for an answer.
Without removing the knife, Alice moved closer to Kate's ear, her hot breath making her skin tingle.
— The only way to take a place in your heart is to hit it directly.
Kate's breathing had stopped, and she couldn't move.
Alice pulled back and found herself in the same position. The sound of metal brought Kate out of her stupor, and she noticed how Alice put the knife in a hidden pocket of her skirt. For the first time since Alice returned to Gotham instead of Beth, Kate felt such a suffocating sense of guilt.
She didn't know what to do with trembling hands until someone else's warm palms took them and placed on the lap, slowly stroking them with thumb. Kate wasn't the best sister for either Mary or Beth, but the certainty that they knew she cared was firmly ingrained in mind.
It turned out that it wasn't that simple.
The hands that held her own tenderly, despite the fact that she didn't deserve it, hurt the most. To raise head and face the consequences of her actions with sister seemed to be the hardest task. Only reckless bravery allowed to make this effort on herself. Kate expected to be met with contempt, but there was nothing but a look full of love. Why is she looking like that?
— How am I looking?
Alice's voice sounded unusually loud, and Kate realized that asked the question out loud.
— Like you're not mad at all.
Alice looked away, considering her answer.
— Not angry? Of course I'm angry, but I've never been able to resist your puppy looks for too long.
Alice released Kate's hands, but turned in her direction. With free hand, she held it near Kate's temple, as if she were going to tuck in a stray hair, but because of the short hairstyle, only a soft touch came out.
The gesture reminded Kate of a time when she still wore hair long and Beth often tried to make her hairstyle look neat. Kate closed eyes and lowered her head into Alice's lap, involuntarily burrowing into the full skirt. The already familiar hand rested on her head and began to stroke slowly. None of them dared to continue the difficult conversation for some time.
***
— Are we going to continue ignoring the elephant in the room, even two, or are we going to discuss what is happening?
Ryan was visibly nervous and couldn't focus on just one thing.
Mary lazily bit into the cheese she found in the half-empty refrigerator and was surprised by Ryan's outburst.
Sophie followed Mary's example and studied the meager snacks, but reacted to the question.
— What do you mean?
Ryan tried to point with her eyes at Alice and Kate on the other side of the room, but no one understood what she wanted from them.
— Okay, I'll say it myself.
She leaned over to Mary and Sophie and whispered.
— Are you not embarrassed by the too close relationship between these two?
This time, she pointed at the sisters, who were still ignoring the others.
Mary opened one eye and took a quick look where Ryan was pointing.
— I don't know what you mean, they always act like that, don't they, Sophie?
Sophie also looked at Alice and Kate and nodded.
— Yes, they've always been like this, ever since Alice's return.
Sophie thought for a moment, and then continued.
— Ryan, isn't this the first time you've been in the same space with them? Then it's not surprising that you're confused, but don't worry, it's normal for them, the sisterbond, etc.
After Alice soft smiled at Kate, everyone lost interest in what was happening, not even noticing the gleam of the knife, and returned their focus to the forgotten tequila. All except Ryan, who, on the contrary, became even more wary and periodically cast brief glances in their direction.
Sophie was wrong. Ryan had seen their interaction, but it only brought new cause for concern, which she was quick to report.
— Then by the river...
Everyone turned to Ryan.
— When Kate inhaled the toxin, regaining her own mind, she and Alice fell off the bridge right after that. By some miracle, only Kate swallowed water, and despite all the disagreements, Alice and I tried to start the heart and help the water get out of the lungs. I didn't pay attention at the time, but comparing what happened then with Alice's story and the scene that is unfolding right now. It seems that breathing air into her mouth was unprofessional not because of Alice's lack of experience, but for a completely different reason.
Ryan fell silent, and the glances of Mary and Sophie, dispelling the alcoholic veil, became more impatient and interested.
— And for what reason?
Mary couldn't stand the silence first and forced Ryan to continue.
— You weren't there, and you'll probably think that I'm going too far in accusing them, but artificial respiration shouldn't look like kissing in any way, unless it was intentional...
Mary and Sophie seemed frozen by what they had heard.
— Are you saying that Alice, instead of trying to bring Kate back to life, selflessly kissed her unconscious body, and healing was more like a side effect?
Sophie spoke softly enough that her words didn't go beyond their small circle, but they still felt louder than any scream.
— In your retelling, it sounds even worse than it might seem. Alice is far from an angel, but kissing someone against them will is too much even for her.
Mary reflexively began to defend Alice, but no one was impressed by this argument.
— Girls, it seems that you are missing a small but very important detail.
Ryan was visibly shaking, but she continued to control the volume of her voice.
— Which one?
The question came from two women at the same time.
— They're sisters!
Mary and Sophie exchanged glances and looked at Ryan again, as if she were speaking a different language.
Sophie shrugged, quickly accepting the new information.
— That makes sense, doesn't it? Alice's obsession with Kate has always been obvious.
Ryan couldn't believe what she was hearing and looked hopefully at Mary.
— Sophie's right, Alice was acting crazier depending on Kate's actions. When Kate chose to save Beth from another universe, do you know what happened?
Ryan knew and didn't want Mary to live through that moment again.
—Yes, and that's why I still can't understand how you can protect her after that.
Mary smiled, but she was filled with sadness through and through.
— We had a long journey, and despite the fact that she took away the most important person for me, it was Alice who became the sister I dreamed of living with Kate. The replacement is not equivalent, but I am ready to take what is given.
Ryan decided not to continue arguing with Mary about her relationship with Alice, but to return to another sister drama.
— Don't you both see a problem with all this?
Sophie looked across the room to where Kate's head was resting on Alice's lap while she ran her hand through her short hair.
This felt so right, but if it had been someone else, then all the magic of peace would have been dispelled.
Sophie shook her head and looked at Ryan.
— At Point Rock, Kate talked so lovingly about her childhood with Beth, but she always got discouraged afterwards because she wasn't around right now. Even then, it seemed to me that I was taking the wrong place, you know?
Ryan didn't say anything, just nodded, and Sophie continued.
— It was like she was trying to fill a void. It's hard to believe, but Alice and I have a lot in common when she's not hiding behind her theatrical mask. It was worth living with her and it became obvious. Then everything fell into right place, why Kate started showing signs of attention and why nothing worked out for us in the end. I looked like Beth, but I wasn't her. That's why what you're trying to say doesn't shock me, I've known this for a long time, and when I met Alice, I became convinced that they both have this "problem."
Sophie emphasized the last word in particular.
Mary, who had been quiet for a while, found something to say.
— Kate and I had never been close before the whole Batwoman thing. And they only really met Alice recently, but it's impossible to deny that their relationship with Kate is something special, no matter how it looks from the outside.
Ryan stood amazed by such responses from her friends, but she was able to understand the most important thing.
— To be honest, I didn't have a family, much less a sister, and I'll never be able to understand what connects them, maybe it's really a special bond.
Mary patted her on the shoulder in usual comforting gesture.
Sophie smiled to herself, which caught the attention of the others.
— I'm sorry, I remembered how on one of the movie nights with Alice, when she wasn't behaving completely disgusting, we watched "Frozen" and how she was worried about Anna and Elsa, it was interesting to see this sweet side of her.
Mary and Ryan looked at Sophie in shock.
— Of all the cartoons, did you decide to show the one where, after an accident, the sisters are separated for many years and one of them is locked in a room? Sophie, I don't know how to thank you for choosing a military specialty over psychiatry, because it's hard to imagine such an accurate shot at the psyche.
Mary tried to sound calm, but her professional assessment was bursting out.
Sophie blinked vigorously several times, processing the information, and when she put everything in her head, she was horrified.
— What have I done? I didn't even think about it. Alice seemed to bear it calmly, she was interested.
Ryan snorted and spoke softly.
— Of course she was interested...
Sophie and Mary looked at her, waiting for a suggestion.
— Come on, don't you see the connection? The story of two separated sisters, where one accepts the other for who she is, and they live happily ever after, it literally sounds like what Alice wanted with Kate!
Mary looked from Ryan to Kate, who had moved from the floor to the sofa, but continued to lie on Alice's lap, who did not take eyes off her.
— Maybe it really helped her more than it broke again, but anyway, Sophie, you should be careful, she's stable so far, unnecessary triggers are not needed.
Sophie raised her hands guiltily.
— Of course, Doc, I'll be more careful, in the future only the G rating.
Ryan took a deep breath. She realized that would not be able to find support for her indignation about the Kane sisters too close relationship, but this does not prevent her from returning to the forgotten tequila.
One day, Mary and Sophie will see for themselves what is hurting they mind and she will be able to smugly say "I told you!," and judging by what is happening on the sofa at the other end of the apartment, she won't have to wait too long.