Sveta wouldn't mind him being there? Jude blinked as he desperately tried to keep himself from spiraling down his usual insecurities. Just because she said she wanted to keep him, didn't mean anything. He really needed to stop jumping into things any time that someone expressed that they wanted him around in some capacity. After all, her amusement over the whole situation was obvious. Her laughter still rang in the back of his ears.

"The Ranger worked for both BlacTac and Haven for a time. I don't see why they have to be mutually exclusive." It was possible. He'd seen Michael have his cake and eat it too and that had worked out, for the most part.

Was he seriously considering this?

She reminded him that they weren't a cult and he nodded, feeling somehow more and more vulnerable. Yeah, the last time he'd been on a team that hadn't worked out either. This was stupid. He needed to stop.

"We'll redraw the contract to assist in recruitment." He took a deep, cleansing breath. "Ready for your power back?"

Jude looked thrown off balance by her jokes. Did he really think she was trying to recruit him? Or did he just take 'keep you' in the wrong way? Because one of those ships had sailed, blown up and sunk. The other, well, was entirely up to him.

>>"The Ranger worked for both BlacTac and Haven for a time. I don't see why they have to be mutually exclusive."

"You can join up any time. But I'm not gonna trick you into it." she clarified. Jude, with his powers and experience, would have been a very valuable asset to Haven.

>>"We'll redraw the contract to assist in recruitment. Ready for your power back?"

"Nope" she smirked "Go ahead."

It was always nice to take a break.

"Just make sure we don't light up the whole building."

"I know." And a part of him wished she would try to trick him. Then, at least, he'd know she was serious.

She was and wasn't ready. That reinstalled his usual smirk. He could just let go, it would snap back in place like a pop, but she had a point. Instead, Jude closed his eyes and tried to visualize that same arm that reached out to grab powers, but this time it was reaching out to gently set it back into place. As soon as he'd let go, he slurped that arm back into place and locked it down.

See? He'd grown.

A familiar coffee buzz rolled over him.

"If there's nothing else, I'll have my people call your people. Or, just let me know when you're in need of recruiting."