Hidden

As I step through the threshold, I hear a few sharp intakes of breath. Ryan is the first to get to me. He is barely able to land a kiss on my right temple before Fin and Archer pull me away from him.

Both of them have glassy eyes as they nearly crush me. "Like mom." Fin manages, and I nod, the words won't come out. I had all but buried the memory of mom's implant color until Tessa had turned that tablet around. It's what had shocked me into speechlessness at first. Now, I have another piece of her to carry with me. A piece that's metallic gold and shimmers with every catch of the light.

"Is this okay? When I saw it, I just went for it. I probably should have asked you guys first."

Archer shakes his head so much that his hair starts to escape from the band he's tied it back with, "She would have been honored that you chose it."

Unlike my brothers, I can't stop the tears from falling. They wait until I've recovered before releasing me. Tara gets me next, "I saw it, but it's even more perfect now that it's real. You chose black in a few of my visions." She shudders before touching my temple, "But this...this is how you were meant to be."

Marcus, Ben, and Oliver all give nods of encouragement after Tara goes over and pushes them towards me. Michael, I notice, is pointedly ignoring Marcus' not so furtive glances while Nuri has allowed Archer to inspect her face more closely. Ryan's arms circle around me from behind, "I'm not going to get used to that anytime soon," I tell him. When Archer clearly slips his tongue into my friend's mouth, I spin and hide my face in Ryan's chest.

He chuckles and kisses the crown of my head. "What's funny?" I ask, frowning up at him.

"I had an image of you breaking them up in retribution for Archer catching us, and..." His arms turn into steel bands the minute I try to escape them, "Oh, no you don't, SS. I just built a bridge with him, and you are not burning it down by reminding him of that night."

"A bridge?" My tone is unforgiving, "Are you serious? A bridge that threatens death and maiming on a semi-regular basis?"

One corner of Ryan's mouth lifts, "I didn't say it was safe."

"Okay, weirdo. Keep your shoddy bridge with my ridiculous brother."

Marcus calls out to us all, effectively ending our bickering. He has to call out a second time because Nuri and Archer are still locked together. Neither of them look embarrassed when they peel themselves away from each other. "Training resumes tomorrow morning."

Groans fall from everyone, but our leader smirks unapologetically. "Until then," he continues, "I reserved the recreation area tonight for us and anyone you want to invite."

"Hell yeah!" Ben shouts and slaps a hand on Marcus' back.

Michael catches my eye. He looks about as excited about the announcement as Oliver does. Of course, they have different reasons for their irritation. Michael clearly doesn't want to be around Marcus anymore while Oliver has told us more than once that he hates anything close to socializing. And no one could mistake this for being anything other than what it is. A party.

Reserving the recreation space is always an option, but it's rare to get approval for it. Marcus getting it on short notice no less is an interesting development. I've been to exactly one party there that wasn't meant as a birthday celebration. It was a party in the truest sense held by one of Elder Winston's sons. Strictly speaking, I shouldn't have been there, and I fled the minute I caught sight of Archer grinding on some girl that I was never introduced to before or after that night.

"What time?" Nuri called, inching her way over to me.

"Reservation starts at seven." Marcus tells her, "But all of you," he makes stern eye contact with each of us on the mission team, "are to have your asses in bed by eleven. Don't make me regret this."

Nuri grabs my hand and drags us both over to Tara. Ryan doesn't spare a breath to protest. He sees the futility. Tara jumps up and down as we get closer, "Excellent. I have dresses for you both waiting in my room." Dresses? From where?

Tara takes Nuri's other hand before facing the others, "Michael, come by my room to escort us?" He looks taken aback but agrees. Tara continues, "Perfect. Now, Fin, of course we're including you, Oliver, yes, you do have to be there, Archer, bring that item you've been overthinking, Ryan, wear the black shirt, Ben, you'll ruin the surprise if you come by to see me, and Marcus," she's almost breathless by the time she gets to him. Her eyes narrow as she waits for him to look at her, "nothing changes. I checked last night."

The air thickens as we all try to puzzle that one out. Having addressed each of them in turn, she pulls Nuri and I down the hall, leaving the stunned men in her wake.

Entering Tara's room is like entering another planet. Bolts of fabric are strewn around the place in every color imaginable while a sewing machine dominates her desk area. "Where did you get all of this?" Nuri asks, passing her fingers over a piece of velvet draped on Tara's bed.

"My gift is good for something other than missions." Tara shrugs, then mischief lights in her eyes, "My face doesn't hurt either."

Nuri smirks and releases the fabric, "Something that probably stresses Ben out every day of his life.

Tara's answering laugh is musical. Then she half disappears behind a screen she has set up in a different corner of her room, "Nuri, this one's for you." It's a deep green velvet, the exact fabric Nuri had been interested in moment's earlier. My friend rushes toward it and squeezes behind the screen seconds before her clothes start being thrown over it.

Nuri emerges in the dress, and my brother...is never going to recover. The one shoulder number fits her like a second skin and is daringly short, but the confidence and satisfaction radiating on her face makes it a showstopper. Nuri saunters over to the full length mirror on the back of Tara's door and studies herself, "Tara, you are a goddess."

"I know." Tara beams, "Your turn, Sam." My jaw drops when she shows it to me. The color of the dress matches the new color on my temples. Tara shoves me behind the screen, and my hands tremble as I change. I've never worn a dress, let alone something like this. The fabric is cool as it slides against my skin. I put my arms through thin straps that look like they could snap with half a thought.

Thank goodness mine isn't as short as Nuri's. She looks fabulous, but I'd be an insecure mess pulling it down all night. The gold fabric flows like molten gold to my knees, and the only part about it that worries me is the low, scooped neckline, especially with the bra Tara passed to me that pushes my chest up in a way I didn't think my body was capable of achieving.

"You look beautiful." Tara asserts. Knowing that she believes her words because she's seen me already, gives me courage to step out. Nuri whistles at me and claps her hands together. "These men won't know what hit them..." her words fade away as I approach the mirror. Even barefooted with my hair still pulled back from my face, I see a stranger. Admittedly, a gorgeous stranger, but a stranger all the same.

Tara walks up behind me and puts a hand on my shoulder, "I have a more modest one too, just in case it's too much." I cover her hand with mine and shake my head.

"It's perfect."

"Hell yeah it is!" Calls Nuri, "Now, Tara, goddess of my heart, do you deal in shoes too?"