Several hours after a long lecture on what was and was not acceptable to do with Alison, Dantae and I had returned from Basically Burger and were back in our apartment overlooking the Boston Common.

"So... what are you both doing here?" I wiped my hands on my apron and looked over from the boiling pot of beef soup that I started cooking for dinner to gaze at the four freeloaders watching a TV show on my couch.

"Vanessa invited Angelina, and she invited us.” Maria gave an explanation and tilted her head while looking at me. No, in the first place, why do you look so unsure about your own explanation.

“I think you mean you invited yourselves. Leo offered the apartment across the hall, not ours.” Dantae, stood next to me in her own apron, handed me some cilantro from the shelf but had a dangerous glare on and looked like she wanted to strangle Maria, Alison, and Rob.

"Okay, fair point but what is she doing then?" Rob turned and stared at Angelina, who was holding a piece of clothing to her face.

“Uhh… good question” Dantae stared at her clone’s appearance, the beautiful woman having invited her to talk over some dinner. Instead she ended up with one of- hey, is that my shirt!?

I watched in abject disturbance as she sniffed it deeply and finally set it down on the couch beside her. "Why does that seem so familiar to me? I've never been to this house before... I don't think?"

Dantae and I exchanged a glance before she smiled at Angelina. "What are you talking about silly? It's probably just your imagination." The confused girl nodded and went back to watching a history program with a look of disinterest.

I turned back to watch the pot with a smile on my face, but I was stressing hard on the inside. What did she mean it seemed familiar? Did they actually clone her cells or did they...? No I can't come to conclusions just yet. But if this behavior progresses like-

"Leo" I look to my left and Maria is standing there holding a suspicious looking mushroom.

"What in the fuck is that?" I backed away slightly but Maria persistently got closer.

"Oh, apparently it's a really nice mushroom, really good for you as well. Some old man in the Common was selling it next to an interesting smelling potted plant, so I bought it! He said it would help with my emotional stress!

She looked so proud of herself that I didn't know whether or not to tell her she bought a recreational drug. I decided on the latter and 'accidentally' threw it into the fire below the pot.

"No! My hard work was-!" She broke down right there next to me, so I just decided to stroke her hair as I continued what I was doing and added the last bit of spices to the soup.

"Dinners ready!" I call out and the kids all gather around the large table. After pouring each of them a bowl, I set one down for myself before following Dantae towards the coat hanger to take off my apron.

I suddenly hear a cat-calling whistle and turn my head around to see Angelina, Rob, and Maria all staring at Dantae’s ass.

"Why is my sensei so perfect?" Maria cooed while rob tilted his head.

"You know, I'm not even into ladies but I have to say you look fine in that apron." Meanwhile, while I wasn't paying attention, Angelina had changed into a... wait?

"Angelina... what are you wearing?" The other four turned around and both went slack jawed.

"Ally, that's a... that's a..." Maria started but Dantae ended up finishing for her.

"Why are you wearing my virgin-killer sweater?" She looked upset and held her head in one hand while making a fist with the other.

The clone looked confused, then pointed down the corridor. "I got it from Dantae's room. It felt right so I just put it on."

“What are you, a child!? Does everything stir your curiosity!?” Dantae was livid and blushing, embarrassed that something we used in private was exposed to the recruits.

Alison was the first to laugh, that is, until she noticed Maria trying to take a picture of Angelina on her phone.

"Maria! Put your phone away at the table and eat!"

She sighed and said a resigned, "Yes mom," and put her phone away without much complaint.

Good, now I can focus on eating and figuring out everything that happened today.

---

It had to be past midnight when Vanessa felt someone crawl inside her bed. Vanessa, being half-asleep and forgetful absentmindedly called out, "Leo?"

A melodious yet monotone voice responded, "Sorry, guess again."

Upon hearing this she bolted upright and nearly had a heart attack when Angelina's face met her own. She hadn’t gotten used to it yet, it was like constantly looking at a sculpture of herself, complete with all the imperfections she tried to forget about during the day.

"Oh Jesus Christ! Don't ever sneak in here again, you almost killed me!" Angelina cocked her head and replied with a 'sorry' that severely lacked any sympathy. After noting the rain falling outside onto the windows, Vanessa sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

She sat up and pulled the covers over her green negligee and looked at Angelina once more. "So? What did you come in here for?"

"Why does Leo calm me? His scent, it's... comforting. It makes me feel safe." Vanessa face-palmed realizing that she and her clone shared some intrinsic attraction to Leo, probably on a molecular level due to the Walker Gene flowing in his veins.

She resigned herself and motioned for Angelina to sit on the side of the king-sized bed. She threw on one of Leo's bathrobes, a tight fit but it did the job nonetheless, and sat next to her.

"You took the Walker Gene, didn’t you?” Angelina nodded and Vanessa continued, “Leo Jones is an American Hunter, like you. He was the progenitor of your powers and has control over them like you can't even imagine."

Lightning flashed outside and Vanessa thought she saw a slight frown play itself out on Angelina’s face but in an instant she recovered, which made her question whether she'd seen it at all. "Why does his name make my heart feel warm? Does it do that for you as well?"

"Yes," Vanessa smiled, "it does. I think that's because we’ve been each other’s moral support for so long and have a very special relationship, and because of the Walker Gene, we- and now you- might even have compatibility on a genetic level."

“Are you sure? I feel like it’s something more for me…” Vanessa nodded so Angelina accepted reluctantly and got up to leave. "Goodnight Vanessa. I hope you sleep well."

"Goodnight to you as well Angelina. You’re like my sister, so if you even need to talk to me again-" A crack of lightning danced across the sky again, illuminating her face once more.

"No thanks." A frown Vanessa definitely didn't imagine that time showed on Angelina’s face. "I've heard all I needed. Thanks for your time."

Vanessa shivered from the cold, pulling the robe closer around her, and while thinking of her lover’s charming smile, went back under the covers to sleep.