ALIVE

S5B-91: STRONGER THAN YOU THINK

Weeks passed, and Aliyah tried everything she could to turn her emotions back on, but none of them worked. Now, she stood in the middle of combat with Veronica, wondering if this really would be enough to prove herself worthy of being her fathers daughter.

Sparing with the boa staffs, Aliyah's thoughts kept interfering with her, causing her to miss her steps. Hitting the boa staff out of Aliyah's hands, Veronica flips Aliyah's body, causing her body to hit the ground.

The institute cheered in Veronica's victory, displaying who they favored. Clapping, Mason smiled, walking through the crowd of people, reaching Aliyah and Veronica. Holding out his hand, the institute grows silent, as Aliyah takes his hand. Lifting her up, Mason reassures her. "You did well." He smiles.

"I won, not her." Veronica interrupts, but Mason puts her in her place. "Whether you win or Lose doesn't matter, it's how long you hold out, even when you're enemy tries to break you." His words confirmed what Aliyah was thinking in that moment. She wasn't worthy, because she didn't need to be.

Watching as he walked away from the scene, Aliyah stared at his back, looking up to her father, wondering why him and Melisa didn't work out. Hugging Aliyah, Maya and Alec giggled. "Not to be that guy, but he's kind of cool." Alec gushes, causing a smile to appear on Aliyah's face.

Passing by them, Jason heads to the top of the loft, following him, Aliyah ignored Maya, and Alec calling out to her. Stopping in the hallway, where the rooms reside, she sees Jason leaning against his room door. "You know, what you're doing is called stalking from where I'm from." He smiles.

"I figured you weren't talking to me." She changes the subject to something valuable. "I was distancing myself." His smile drops, revealing his true emotions. "Why?" She takes a few steps forward. "I didn't want to hurt you, with everything that happened at the construction site." He says, crossing his arms.

"I can protect myself." She defends, but Jason corrects her. "You're saying that when your mind is split in two." Pushing himself off of the wall, walking towards her. "Let me help you." He looks into her eyes, while holding her hands.

Sighing, Aliyah knew she couldn't do things alone anymore, letting him in was all she could do. "Turn my emotions back on." Looking up at him, eagerly, Aliyah put her faith in Jason.