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Of Kings and Pawns (IC)

"Aunt Thalia," she smiled, batting her eyes rather shyly to the wording. A week ago, she would've never imagined herself to be good around children at all, not even to earn the title of that 'aunt' who probably isn't an aunt biologically. But now it might just happen with Karin's baby. After a long while of doubts... this felt good, finally. Even with her faults, she was still capable of caring for another young life. "Yeah, it does have a nice ring to it. I just hope by the time he or she's born, I can actually be up to that role as a better version of me. No more of what you saw or heard last night. Even if I have to hurt myself or someone has to hurt me to stop myself, let it be. I don't want to get angry like I did last night again. That's not what I want to be. Future Thalia, you mentioned... Yeah. Future me, a calmer, more normal me."

Karin went through a few tips as well for how Thalia should think if she feels she might just lose her mind again. Think not of herself, but of the one she cares about most. Karin and her child. Charlie and her mom. All of them mattered way more than her in some raging fit that could lead her to kill. If only they came to her mind when she went after James, because, unfortunately, they didn't last night. Perhaps she needed a release to get that anger out into something that wasn't another human. She figured she'd break a lot cups and tear through several punching bags, mainly because going through an experience like her own lead to aggressive tendencies that she didn't even know the potential of. That's not what she wanted to be a role model for to Charlie or the baby. She wished she could be a model woman that Charlie could look up to someday, maybe not a perfect replica of their mother, but one that is more of a hybrid - the woman Thalia wanted to be all along.

"I will. I... sorta have faith that I can get better and not do that as much. I'm just glad you believe me. Behavioral therapy, or whatever it's called. I'll do it. I'll go to whatever person I need and just... get better."

Seated there with Karin and speaking about the brighter future reminded her of the moments on Karin's couch when they did that before. It was... rather ideal. It gave her hope to know Karin still cared about her and hadn't lost all hope. Never again would she act to hurt her best friend or family.

Then came the shootout. Al-Asheera had gone to war with the Clover Boys, something that they never did under the old leadership. Thalia froze, unsure of how to respond. Hundreds dead, a gang war in full effect. This is definitely not what Ra's wanted. Reeves was certainly not trying to preserve the same legacy that she had heard of several times over. One that included making Charlie the next leader, which wasn't going to fly with her around. Her jaw dropped ever so slightly, trying to get the words of shock out to give her input on the massacre of the previous night.

"It's like I don't even recognize them anymore," she sighed. "Ra's used to shit on Bradan's doorstep all the time, but never to the point of declaring war or starting a full-on firefight. Ra's has taken land and stolen bases of operations, but as far as I know, he's never killed a member of the Clover Boys. If he ever had one for interrogation, he'd send them back permanently damaged. Part of his only-kill-if-necessary policy, I guess... But damn. Reeves just doesn't care anymore, throwing away everything Ra's built. N-Not that I care, but it's just amazing to see what new leadership can do to an empire. He's literally driving Al-Asheera in a nosedive into a pit of spikes. Like he wants it all to burn so he can start over. Beats me... At least Bradan did us a favor and thinned them out."

Then came the incident with Damien, something Karin was out of the loop for. "I don't even know what his motives were, but he's clearly not just some guy interested in me. Shortly after you left the hospital with your freedom, he broke in and took me out of the hospital for whatever sinister gain of his. Odd enough how he didn't go straight to Reeves, but it was pretty clear he was no good guy. But it seems like he had a direct contact with James, because he began spewing all sorts of shit about him. I guess... that's what partially provoked me." She shrugged and sighed, lowering her head slightly and holding it up with a single hand through her hair. "I had to stab him. But according to James, I can't be certain if I killed him, even if I spilled a lot of blood... Ugh. If he's with Al-Asheera, he might know where we are, and that's why I'm just as concerned for everyone else. I don't care what kinda army this Jackal guy has. Al-Asheera... they're still huge in numbers, even if a few hundreds were killed..." Even though they were now just 5, which she'd become aware of soon. "...I'm still worried for the kids, Charlie, Joe, Jordan..."

In that moment, it hit her: Jordan. Frank. Bradan. The agreement she made in the hospital. Her eyes shot out as she seemed to look out into space at a realization.

"Holy shit, Kar, did you... wait."

She immediately stood up from her place and power walked her way back to the mansion. She was desperately hoping Frank hadn't poked the bear after she'd made peace for good.

Then there was Charlie back in the kitchen, listening in to the wise words of his friend's protector. Charlie had been exposed to several dark truths in his short life, and there was no real way to cleanse them all from his mind in such a short time. So did Frank and Jordan. Everyone was coping in their own way, and Charlie desperately needed a pick-me-up. A beacon of hope that his relationship with his sister was meant to be, that she was alive and brought to him like for a reason. All of these events had some underlying meaning, including the death of his father. And Jon, too - not as a replacement for the Reverend, but more like the next man to help Charlie as he grows up to become a man. Just hearing how Frank's experience shaped him... gave him hope that even with the perils of the past week, he could still grow to see success. The going would get tough.... but it would all shape up to work in the future. Not only that, but Jordan also enjoyed his company, and his comforting touch. Best friends, and under Frank's care, he'd be okay. Charlie smiled back.

"You know it, Jordan," he replied. Maybe these two new great friends of his would prove to be great influences for the future. "Thank you, Mister Hale. You really are motivating. And encouraging."

The heart-to-heart moment was cut short by the quick footsteps of Charlie's big sister in her frantic rush to the kitchen in search of the detective she grew to know and even love. It was quite a convenience that he had met her brother in the kitchen and they were fast at work on breakfast in bed for Nicole. As she entered, her face grew a smile towards her brother, proud of his progress so far.

"Well, aren't you a pro chef in the making?"

Charlie grinned and walked closer to his sister, still showing his newfound happiness. "Yeah, and I got Mister Hale to help me out with the eggs. Jordan is helping out, too."

Thalia gasped in a slightly exaggerated manner, but one appropriate for Charlie. "Oohhh! Isn't that quite something? I didn't know about that, Frank. Say... You think I can borrow him for a second? I forgot when I came back, I had to ask him a question."

Charlie nodded. "Gotcha. Don't steal the food though, because it's all for Mommy."

"Wouldn't dream of it, buddy." Thalia grinned and walked away from her brother, closer to Frank, tapping his shoulder to signal him to leave and speak in private. It seemed urgent. And not in a good way. Thalia was seriously worried that Frank had done something that he'd regret. Something Thalia tried to fix.

She directed him out of the kitchen to the room just outside. It almost looked like she was shivering, and now wasn't the time to talk about her freakout yesterday.

"Frank..." she whimpered. "The Clover Boys are mad at Al-Asheera, and they're probably going to be more active. But I need to know something. Did you do anything to piss them off in the past few days? Anything that might make them target you and Jordan more than they already are?" She was praying he didn't. Maybe they would still be safe based on her truce for info about Al-Asheera.
 
"You don't even need to speak to a professional to do behavioral therapy." Karin said, "You can literally download a book that teaches you how to do it. It's all about self-perception and things like that, you see. Nothing else to it." She said, "We'll work it out together. I think if you have some professional therapy, the... Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a self-help thing would be really good to have on the side for you, as that would help you manage things in your own life. It could help a lot more with your state of mind and your self-control." She explained. "I only know about this because I experimented with it all when I was like... Fifteen, sixteen." She said. "I was an edgy kid, I wasn't lying when I said that." She laughed a tiny bit and wiped her eyes.

"And yes, Bradan thinned them out." She said, "We don't know what their current state of affairs is just yet, but, we're sure to find out sooner or later." She said. "But think about it, T. Now that they're thinned out, they've got a lot less resources. Police have been making moves on them - there was some big thing on TV about how... I don't know. There were a few guys that surrendered to the cops." She said, "I don't know much more about it because I've been avoiding it all as much as I can, really, but I know that happened. If it's getting that bad, then they must have lost most their connections to the police, right? And now that Reeves has been outed as the leader, he's been stripped of every badge and medal he ever earned. He's a dead man in the LAPD." She said.

"Their resources are gone. Now that the leader's been revealed, inside guys are going to be less inclined to do things for him. You even said it yourself - you don't even recognize them anymore. What if there are a lot of people that feel the same way as you?" She asked.

She had to think about the kids, though - what could they do with them to ensure they were safe?

Before she could reply to that, Thalia was on her feet and back into the house.

...

"Well, I'm glad I can offer some sort of encouragement." Frank nodded to him.

But then Thalia appeared. This was basically going to be one of the first times they'd talked since the breakup.

She wanted to borrow him?

Okay.

He patted Charlie on the head, "Keep up the good work, kid." He said, "If you could do me a favor and grab the butter and the milk from the fridge, I'll make use of that when I get back. Maybe we'll treat your mom - get a pack of bacon out, too, eh?" He winked, but then he walked out with Thalia and stood before her.

The redhead criminal-reformed that he'd grown to know, and at one point, had grown to love.

And the first thing she asked? Had he done anything to piss Bradan off?

"I mean, it depends on how you look at things." He said. "Initially, after everything that happened, yes..." He nodded, "Me and Tony killed one of the guys, one of the men responsible for that raid on Jordan's family... We killed him in his bakery, but there was no evidence pointing to it being us." He said. "But that was literally immediately after it happened, so... In some senses... In the last few days... No...?" He shrugged.

He paused.

"Why?"
 
With the road to recovery for herself ahead, and with peace of mind that the one thing she was told to worship might just perish soon enough, there was still Frank's road to help clear up. How could Thalia forget the deal she'd made to keep him safe in case she didn't make it? Bradan had everything he'd ever need to go after Al-Asheera, and, in return, he was to back off. Did she trust him to do so? Well... seeing an attack was made on Al-Asheera and thinned them out, it might be. All she could hope for was that Frank didn't give him another reason to retaliate. Her mind was flooded with ideas of her own recovery, taking ideas from Karin's recommendations, and even more. Even if she couldn't have any... she could imagine mothering a child for once. An odd fantasy she never had with Frank in the beginning, mainly due to fear, was that of having kids. Now, it became more of a possibility in her mind. A way to better motivate herself to change: to give another life a better future than she had. Thalia deserved more than a pair of guns, an abusive carer, and a world of trouble, but since there was no taking it back... why not keep another young child away from that grim fate?

First was Charlie, who she saw so happy and eagerly preparing food for his mother. How could she deprive him of that smile as he enthusiastically nodded to Frank and made his way to the fridge to look for the butter, milk, and even bacon. "Right on it," he confirmed. Thalia could even see him digging through the fridge as they stepped aside. He was priority one. She'd already talked to Karin about priority two: the kids in her life. Joseph, and the child to come. Then there was Jordan, the child under Frank's care, that she was initially scared of. Not anymore. She'd have to say at some point that she wanted to help in any way possible now with a clearer mind.

She calmed down when Frank admitted to... nothing. Just the one guy they killed at the bakery that she was already aware of - an event before the deal she'd made. Finally. Relief. She sighed and lowered her fiddling hands before her to actually go on about what he'd missed while she was under arrest.

"When I was in the hospital..." she gulped, unsure of how he'd react. "I don't know how, but he has to have connections. Bradan, the Clover Boys leader? He got in, passed all the security in the early morning yesterday. He approached me and wanted information about the new leader of Al-Asheera... He didn't torture me, before you ask." He might just be horrified if that were the case, but fortunately, that wasn't the case. "I gave him the information peacefully. I only did it because I thought Reeves would send someone after me personally, to kill me like they did the others. So I figured... if you and Tony and James and the others reached a dead end, at least I could trust a rival gang to use that information well. But I didn't hand it over unconditionally. You said Jordan has a lot of money on his head... right? Just to kill him? Well... what if I told you that you don't have to worry about that anymore?"

Here it comes... the words to set Frank free forever. And eventually, a proposition. But first... a hug, her face buried in his shoulder. Her shoulder hurt a bit from the movement, but she sucked it up. "You're safe. You and Jordan are safe," she admitted, smiling beneath the detective's body and close to tears of joy. "In exchange for me telling him everything I knew about The Hidden and the new Al-Asheera, he promised to lift the bounty off Jordan's head, and back off of you, off Tony, and to not go after Karin for that watch incident. I was hoping you didn't do anything that could further anger him or anything... because it might've broken that truce we made. But Jordan isn't in danger of being killed anymore, Frank. You can take him away from all of this. Maybe to the LAPD or wherever so that his family can be buried? Or back to Maryland to keep him safe? I don't know, but wherever you go, they won't follow you."

And so began the proposition. It wouldn't just include Frank. "If you do leave the state though..." she continued as she parted from his body, staying somewhat close to him. She still felt comfortable around him, like before. Hell, maybe closer than before. "Can you take my family with you? Charlie and my mom, and even Jon. You and him could serve as whatever protective figures you want to be in case Al-Asheera comes back for us with whatever they have left, but from what I understand... it's not much. It probably doesn't extend farther than California. I just don't want to risk people I care about getting hurt. I don't know if I can convince Karin to leave without James, but I know I can talk to my mom about it, get her to go along with it all. My brother's a target now, and if there's no more Al-Asheera, I'm afraid Reeves might just...."

She hesitated, so worried of what the madman might do to her precious brother.

"Y-You can guess."

There was still one last thing on her mind: the horrible way the two left things off before the day of her arrest. "I've treated you so horribly," she went on. "You didn't deserve for me to push you around or toy with your emotions because I couldn't control mine. I know I have a lot of work to do before I can be... normal. Before I can really deserve someone as great and... strong and kind as you." Her tattooed hand reached forward to try and take Frank's hand into her own. "I probably want to spend a lot of time with my mom and brother to make up for lost time, and to heal. But that doesn't have to be without you. Every time you asked to stay friends.... that's still on the table, right?"

Deep down, Thalia wanted more. She loved him, but she didn't know how to show it properly or in a stable manner. But first, make amends. Make sure Frank knows she wants their friendship back.
 
She had an interesting story to tell about what Bradan had done. He'd used connections, he came and spoke to her - initially, anyone would have thought that he was just coming there to kill her and that would be all. He'd finish her off as part of revenge against Reeves and Ra's and he'd be done with it. But that didn't happen, clearly, and Frank stayed quiet while he listened. She eventually trailed into the bounty on Jordan's head, and she asked him... What if he didn't have to worry about that anymore? Now he was certainly curious. He wouldn't ever admit that he'd be happy to take the easy way out, but in truth, part of him would. He was tired, and revenge wasn't really in his blood. The only person he wanted vengeance for was his sister. If he could find the man responsible for that, he'd have revenge in one form or the next.

For Jordan, he just wanted to be there to raise him, to give him a good life. He knew that revenge plots were risky, and really? If he died, Jordan would be left alone to be tossed into the system.

What she said next did take him by surprise.

After everything that she had to worry about, she tried to negotiate something for Jordan? To get the bounty cleared and to leave the little boy clean from all his active threats? He even got a hug out of her, which he fully embraced. He hugged her back and sat there in silence for a minute.

"Jesus, I don't know what to say." He said. "Thank you, Thalia... I just... This is coming as a shock to me, really. I never expected things to take this sort of turn of events." He said. "I can't take him to LAPD. I'll get slammed for kidnapping and I don't want him thrown into the system. I need to figure..." He shook his head, "I need to figure out a way to make him, y'know, in my care legally. Which isn't the easiest thing to do, in the current circumstance." He said.

But if they left, would he take her family?

"Of course your mom and brother could come along." He said, "My parents have a big place in Maryland. It's safe enough there." He said. "If it comes to it, we can pack our bags and leave tomorrow if we really wanted to. Hell, we could even leave today. I told them to take a vacation just in case someone tried making their way there to hurt them - but I more or less backed off from Al-Asheera, so, I think they're safe." He said. "The house is free for now. So if you think we can protect them better there, I don't mind leading the way for it." He said. "It's a long journey to make, but, if we're there long enough for my parents to get back, they'll love all the kids. It's just what they're like." He said. "After my sister... I guess they never really moved on from seeing their children as... Little. Even me." He said, "They love kids, what can I say?" He shrugged.

Then she started talking about deserving him, someone as strong and kind as him. He gulped quietly, but, he didn't pull his hand away when she took it. The ultimate question: was friendship still an option after all that had happened?

He nodded a few times.

"We all went through a lot." He said, "But I mean what I said. I didn't have any... Ulterior motives. I do want to help you. I want to be friends, yeah."
 
It was a huge relief for Thalia to get Frank in the clear so peacefully, without forcing his hand to resort to violence or murder any longer. If Jordan was going to be his priority, maybe he'd back off of Bradan with this chance he has. He even felt up for the idea of returning home to Maryland and get away from the final fight in LA. No other option seemed ideal in the moment, but there'd be a hell of a legal battle for custody of the boy later. Thalia was probably useless in any affairs of doing things through legal channels, so the most she could do is highly advise he leaves the city before Reeves tears it apart looking for her brother. And he even agreed to take that very brother and his mom along to keep them safe. It wasn't something as a condition or 'I scratched your back, now scratch mine' proposition; it was just two people trying to protect the people they love. But now more than ever did Thalia think he should back away from it all before he ends up with a bullet, purposefully or not. He was distanced from Al-Asheera; best keep it that way.

"I don't know if you're still on good terms with James. God knows I'm not," she sighed, trying to give him an idea for Jordan. "Maybe he could fake you two ID's and believable backstories so you can at least start somewhere? Maybe you could ask him. He's kinda... meh, about last night when I was mad at him. I'm trying to make it right, but I don't know how far he'll go in letting me do things or make calls around here again. You though... he might just do it, him and his soft spot for kids."

Frank's biggest thorn in his side from his past was the death of his sister, a problem she didn't know how to help him solve. From the sounds of it, it couldn't have possibly been Al-Asheera - Ra's, Roland, and Reeves hadn't assumed full control yet, and they sure as hell were never in Maryland. Whoever it was... might just be a mystery she can't help much with. If only she could do him that last favor before he packs his bags and leaves. Maybe she'd go with him to be with her own family? She didn't have anything to pack anyway - all of her belongings besides the clothes on her back were now seized by the LAPD for investigation. Not to mention that her name was tarnished thanks to Reeves' big mouth to the media. Thalia quite literally had nothing left to care about but her family.

"I'll talk to my mom and Jon when I get some privacy with them at breakfast. I'll find a reason for Charlie to go out of the room. I hate the idea of uprooting him again, but hopefully it's the last move he'll have to endure in a while. And hopefully not one that'll be rudely interrupted. I bet if your parents are anything like you, they'll be wonderful with him, too. He'll like that."

It seemed like the two could stay friends even if things don't really work out. Thalia still thought to herself what things would be like in an alternate reality, one where she could have children of her own and possibly with Frank, too. Sadly, children would never be an option for her, not of her own flesh and blood at least. But a romantic opportunity with Frank was still buzzing in her mind. She'd already confessed to her mom and Karin that it's what she wanted all along. Not to mention how horrible it'd be to directly admit that after Jenny was just killed. But, as much as she was putting an effort to control her violent impulses, her more gentle, harmless ones were still harder to manage in her mind. Especially when feelings of love took over. Maybe it was a desire for a proper relationship after years of abuse. Whatever it was, her grip tightened against Frank's hand as she moved a bit closer, unsure of what to say. Why say it when she could do it? Except this time, not as a flirt or a teasing manner, but rather as a young woman who cared deeply about the man she was with and regretted ever becoming the reason his life was now this horrible.

She left him a soft kiss to the cheek, staying that for a moment before stepping away, staring back into his eyes. Perhaps that spoke for itself, even if it did show her impulsive side loud and clear. At least she wasn't strangling people or trying to kill anyone. Shit... what if he doesn't want that anymore? The doubtful half of her snapped in her mind. A few seconds passed of her being lost in Frank's eyes before she found a way to talk around it.

"I-I'm going to shower," she stuttered, then coughed again. She felt as if she was getting sick from the night in the freezer. "I really smell bad after last night, and I look like hell. I don't want my mom to see me like this, so... I'll catch up with you and the boys when I finish up, that sound good?"

At least the one counter to Thalia acting without thinking was that her regrets liked to eat her alive. And this was one of them. She gulped and let go of his hand before shyly walking away. She got her message across: she still loves Frank. But at what potential cost?

...

Though relatively innocent, Charlie wasn't oblivious to more grown-up topics around him. A lot of this was due to his trip from Philly to LA, the incident in San Francisco, his nightmares, and Thalia's long discussion about the truth about her disappearance and where she'd gone all these years. And in that conversation... included a truth about Frank. One of love. Thalia did tell the tale in a way similar to a kid's fantasy story where Frank seemed like a night in shining armor for a damsel in distress like Thalia - simply put, it was an oversimplified version of the true story that a child could comprehend. And Charlie picked up the message pretty clearly. So much so to the point that he could take a pretty good guess as to what was going on when Thalia pulled Frank aside like that. Charlie grinned as he shut the fridge behind him and reached up to the counter where Frank was to put the materials he asked for aside.

With that, Charlie took the moment to talk with his friend Jordan, but a bit of a more... fun one, about the two adults not far away. How much did Jordan know about it? Charlie hadn't a clue, but at least he give him the same happy thought for a motherly figure. Thalia caring for Jordan? Charlie, thinking years beyond his age, liked it.

"So... you think Thalia and Mister Hale are getting back together inside?" he grinned. "I heard that they used to be in love, but Thalia thought she needed some time away for some reason. I don't know, but I hope they do."
 
"I've not been very useful around here in recent days and all I've done is speak a lot about leaving. I don't know what James thinks of me but he was pretty pissed at me and Tony last night." He said. "Thalia... I'm fine handling me and Jordan. I can handle that. I can manage it, I'm sure, it's just... Whatever happened between you and James is something you need to fix." He said. "I know it sounds like the impossible, but I don't think it will be. We've all experienced a lot together." He said. "I don't think James is going to be angry about this forever. The main thing is no one got hurt. I think the only thing that truly got damaged is your pride." He gently rubbed her shoulder.

He sighed.

"You deserve a chance for things to go right as well, Thalia." He said. "I'm sure James wouldn't mind helping you and your family. You made a mistake, yes, but..." He shook his head. "There's no need to let that be the final thing you let happen between you. Things can always change between friends. Always. It'd be worth just sitting and chatting with him, once you've made amends with everyone else." He said. "I'm sure your mother wants to see you well again, and... I think she'd be upset if you didn't fix things with people. She wants what's best for you, I know that." He said. "Sadly, we can't fix those problems for you. It's the joy of having friends." He said. "Sometimes shit hits the fan and you just need to find a way to deal with it."

"You'll figure it out. I know you will." He nodded. "I know uprooting the kids again won't be easy, but... There's a lot to do in Maryland, and I'll take care of them, I promise." He nodded. "They'll love it there. My folks are pretty secluded, so, we'll be safe. As far as I'm aware, their house isn't on any grids. The most that's going to happen is... Well, I suppose LAPD are going to be asking my parents if they've seen me. But that's not going to be anything to worry about. They still believe me to be in LA, so..." He nodded.

Yeah, he did have a good point. If they believed him to be in LA, he had nothing to worry about. Maryland State Troopers wouldn't look for him. They wouldn't even think of him if they walked by him in the street, for god's sake. It was one of those things where he was going to be hidden in plain sight. Not a thing to worry about.

When she kissed his cheek, Frank didn't move for a while until she pulled away. He reached up and gently touched where she'd kissed. He gave a tiny smile. "Yeah. Talk soon." He said. "Thalia..." He pulled her into a hug rather quickly. "I know a lot's been going on lately, but... Thanks for clearing things up with me." He said, "It means a lot, and..." He gently touched her forehead. "You should try and stay wrapped up after last night. You're getting sick, I think." He said. "See you soon." He brushed her shoulder.

...

A fun conversation, indeed.

Jordan turned and smiled at Charlie. They were both at an age where relationships at least somewhat made sense - there were plenty of kids their age that had boyfriends and girlfriends in the school yard, so the whole idea of it was no stranger to them. It was just a lot more mystical when it was adults.

How did they fall in love?

How did they meet?

How do they know they love each other?

A lot of questions that a kid asks themselves, even about their parents. It'sq just one of those things that no one quite knows how to answer. It's just those questions that get answers like 'they just do'. It was going to be a mystery for a few more years, boys, so get used to it.

"I heard that, too, but I don't know if they're going to get back together." Jordan leaned forward and rested his head on top of his crossed arms. "Frank talked about it a little, but, he never told me why they broke up." He said. "All I know is I saw 'em kiss and stuff but then one day they didn't do it anymore." He said. "They talked outside, by James' pool. That was the last time they ever kissed." He said.

Jordan stayed curious, though, and he frowned. Not a sad frown, though.

"Have you ever loved someone like that before?" He asked.

It was a bizarre concept to picture his friend in love with anyone - or even having a crush on a girl - but Jordan would be lying if he said he never had a crush on a classmate. It was one of those things.
 
Though she did seek affection throughout her path to recovery... what Thalia didn't expect was for Frank to hug her again as he did, in response to her kiss. With a bit of a surprised - and mildly in pain - mumble, she hugged back, and that slight pain from her injuries went away as she saw that the two were okay with each other again. Her actions of reconciliation were really working now that she'd received the approval for another chance from three people she cared about. She expected Karin or Frank to be tough characters to convince, but it turned out they didn't fully lose faith in her. She'd made a mistake, one of many, but there was still room for forgiveness, it seemed. She smiled beneath Frank's embrace and blushed at the more gentle touches he left for her. It was a healthy reminder for her of the once-ignited intimacy they once had. She was prepared for rejection if anything, and to not handle it badly this time, but it seemed like Frank was keeping an open mind just as much as she did. In that moment, realizing there were people who loved her more than Jenny ever did made the former best friend simply become an afterthought - the same way Jenny was gone when Thalia ran away, she was gone once again.

"You're welcome," she answered. "Thanks for the second chance. A-At being friends, I mean. I trust you'll take care of Charlie if I can't follow you to Maryland immediately. Don't worry, he's a really good kid. Fun-loving, cute, good heart... I can't let Al-Asheera do to him what they did to me. If that means he'll be away for a few days, then so be it. I'll be with him as soon as things clear up here. But till then... I'll be back in a little."

It almost pained her to leave his side and have to take care of her own business. She wanted to stay and talk, even if things were straightened out once again. She just wanted to be happy again. Fortunately, that time would come again when she comes face to face with, not just her mother, but her whole family once again. It would be her first full family meal in eight years. A shame her father couldn't see for himself that his family had come back together, but she could only hope he was watching over her in some spiritual manner.

She stepped into a nearby bathroom not too far away. Good thing there was a shower and a towel to dry herself off as well - all part of the over-the-top lifestyle these criminals lived. As much as it was luxurious, Thalia wanted nothing to do with it once Reeves meets his maker. She was prepared to settle for a simple cottage house in the country side before ever stepping into or dreaming of living in a mansion again just because it all came with grim reminders of the past. She hoped that she wouldn't be pursued by the Jackal, who clearly wanted her dead for trespassing. At least she could depend on some safety for now. She coughed again, more convinced that she was getting sick, and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red, hair entirely a mess, and clothing filthy from the dirty she'd walked through in the forest. Her legs and feet were also filled with scratches and bruises due to the rough surfaces she was walking on and through before she actually got dressed. Her reflection brought her back to a point in time in which she would picture her own natural beauty as a motivator to keep living. Now, all she could really see is a horrible human being that had the capacity to do evil. Definitely not attractive, not in personality, and, in her physical condition, not in looks.

But rather than cry, she took a deep breath, sucked it up, and took that disturbing picture and kept telling herself she'd rid herself of it soon enough. For now, she was going to wash her clothing and her own body as fast as she could so that she wouldn't be late to breakfast with her brother and mom.

--

Jordan had seen Thalia and Frank's relationship on a more personal level than Charlie ever had - hell, Charlie hadn't seen the relationship at all, since they were broken up before he even showed up in LA. This was his first taste of his big sister's first romance that had potential. And he... didn't seem as optimistic as Charlie did. That is to be expected from a child who was far more traumatized than he was. Just the way he talked about his sister and parents being murdered was bone chilling to hear from a child, so odds are, he would have moments of hopelessness like that. He did, however, see moments of affection between the two in the past, before he'd even arrived to LA, so that on its own had very slight potential.

"Oh," he replied, looking down for a moment in disappointment. "Thalia talked to me for a while about times she and Mister Hale kissed. She sounds like she really likes him, but she really won't tell me more about what happened between them either. Grown up stuff, it's what my parents always said."

While whatever would happen between the grown ups was unknown... what about Charlie's love life? Hardly any, as an eight year old, but he'd be lying if he didn't say he once had a crush on a girl in his class.

"Well... not like the grown ups. But..." he smiled, looking away shyly. "I did like this one girl in my class last year. She and I played a lot on the playground at school, and we sat by each other in class a lot. My mommy liked her a lot, too, and even took her to come see one of my basketball games back in Philadelphia when her parents couldn't take her. I missed her when summer came, because she and her family went to Hawaii on vacation. So, I guess... I liked her like Thalia likes Mister Hale. I don't know if you consider it the same thing."

And while they were on the subject.... why not throw the question back at Jordan? He surely had his young schoolboy moments, even if it was just kindergarten. So, while waiting for Frank to come back... why not go there and just talk about the innocent image of love they have? "What about you? Did you have any nice girls around you in school? Anyone you.... like-liked?"
 
Frank didn't doubt that Charlie was a good kid. He wanted to be good friends with Thalia. Friends was fine, for now. As long as they could stay close, rely on each other. Even if love was never there again. He didn't know the future but he knew that at the very least he'd be happy with friendship. After all that had happened, he didn't quite know what his heart wanted. He didn't know if it was meant for Thalia or for someone else, but, he wasn't jumping at the idea of getting back together, and that was the bitter truth behind it. After a messy breakup, let's be real, it was a miracle that they even wanted to be friends again. Especially after...

Well. The day after they broke up, he went to talk to Thalia and found her in bed with Jenny.

That was something he'd never forget. Period.

Frank decided to return to the kitchen now. That was where he was going to find the boys having quite the cute little conversation. He hid around the corner and listened. Innocent talk was what he needed in a time like this one. And it gave him a chance to know more about the both of them.

"I don't think Frank likes talking about it, but, that's only 'cause he's sad." He said, "It's not 'cause he doesn't like Thalia. He does like her. But I don't know how he likes her, like... In what way, I mean." He said, "But yeah, Frank was just sad, and when you're sad it's hard to talk about stuff. Like me. After..." He paused. "After my family... I didn't talk at all for a while. But then I talked to Frank, and then to you, and then Joe, too." He said, "But not any other adults yet. I dunno' why, I just... Can't. Maybe there's just... Too much sad in me somewhere, I dunno'." He shook his head.

Made sense to him, he figured.

Frank continued listening, though.

Jordan smiled at Charlie's story, and because it was on the topic of love, he went a little red in the face. Just a little.

"Well, she sounds nice. Maybe you can see her again one day."

Unlikely.

"Uhm... Me...?" He went even redder now. ".. therewasonegirl..." He quickly murmured. "In my class... We held hands." He said. "We held hands and hugged and stuff. I liked her a lot but now I... Well, we were gonna' play during the summer but obviously... Yeah. She came to my birthday party, though." He said. "Her name was... Carly." He nodded.

Yup. So red in the face that he looked like his head would pop.

With that conversation over, Frank decided to make his entry.

"Hey, boys. Whatcha' talkin' about?"

"Nothing." Jordan quickly blurted out.

"Nothing? That sounds pretty interesting." He walked up and gently ruffled the hair on their heads. "Don't worry... I'm not gonna' tell anyone." He said.

Jordan went bright red again. And he suspected Charlie probably would, too.

Frank looked down at Charlie, anyway. "Don't you guys worry. Couple of handsome chaps like you are gonna' meet all the girls in the world at whatever school you go to." He said, quietly.

"Frank, stoooo-oooop." Jordan grinned shyly and buried his face in his arms.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm done." He said. He looked down at Charlie once more. "Well, sport... We better get breakfast rolling again. Back to work we go. Eggs, bacon, cheese rolls, too. Let's not forget those. You've got those all buttered up nice." He said.

He paused again.

"Charlie, you ever been to Maryland?" He asked.

He figured a subject change would be appreciated. After all, he didn't imagine that the boys wanted to talk about love again. If they wanted to, he would... But he wouldn't press it.
 
As much as the short, innocent romance stories of young boys amused Charlie on the inside, a change of subject was quite needed for him before he grows more red than his hair. At least Jordan wasn't only one a bit embarrassed talking about kid crushes with a grown adult in the room. Odds are, Frank might've even heard them talking about him and his love life behind his back, which only made Charlie feel even more embarrassed - especially because it was his sister in question and he didn't want to get her in trouble for what she told him in private. Still... no time for Charlie to go on and tell Jordan that Carly seemed like a nice girl, and no time for him to tell what his 'special someone's name was. He also couldn't help but equate Frank to the typical embarrassing father who tries to look cool in front of kids - Lord knows he's seen many of those in his school back in Philly, and his father was sometimes one of them. It was a more mature, older angle to Frank that didn't quite reflect his obvious youth, someone who slowed down quite early. It was strange, but given the circumstance, the change in lifestyle made sense for his new goals in life. Young or old, even if he was told he could refer to him on a first name basis, Charlie was still going to go on with his formalities like 'Detective' or 'Mister Hale', as he'd recently adopted since detective wasn't quite valid anymore.

No more gossip besides the initial "Ooooooh" that came out of him at first; back to work it is.

But not before being asked about Maryland. Seemed like Thalia's request for the kids to go there might just be in effect. Might be time for Charlie to pack his bags once again, and he kind of had a hunch it would come to that right off the bat. He froze in his place, dropped the bread in his hand, and looked over to Frank in a new sort of discomfort unlike the one about girl talk. All he wanted was to sleep in the same bed at least two nights in a row, but over the course of a few days, it seemed less and less likely to happen.

"Um..." he stuttered, an odd thing from a child who didn't really ever speak with one. "No? I haven't... I've been to Paris to see my grandparents and my uncle Jean. We wanted to go to Florida later this summer to see my other uncle Peter that I haven't really met yet, besides once on my mommy's Facetime. But other than that, I haven't been anywhere that's not Pennsylvania. I think these past few days have been the most travel I've been on. I've been somewhere different every day, on airplanes and buses and sportcars... and a weird place in the middle of the forest for an FBI agent. It's been more places than I've ever been in before, but the most fun so far has been San Francisco. Me and Jon had a lot of fun doing things together, and he even took me and mommy out for lunch and ice cream before we came over here. The hotel was nice too... But Maryland. No."

Charlie used to have an itching curiosity about travel, and had a temptation to explore without restriction, but after this? Not anymore. Part of him just wanted to stay in his bedroom and cuddle up with his pillow and stuffed dog. The most comforting thing about it all.... the house Jon showed him when they returned from Goodman's house. It was a sign for Charlie that they would stick around in LA for a long time, and Jon would take care of him and his mother, and even his sister if they manage to keep her out of trouble. It was a symbol of stability to come, but now Maryland was in the picture? This is precisely what Thalia wanted to avoid: taking that hope away from Charlie once again.

"Mister Hale?" he finally mustered the courage to look up at the ex-detective nervously. "Are we going to leave this place soon? Like, to Maryland or something?"

He wasn't going to bring up his mom's big surprise about the mansion; he was keeping his word to Jon to leave it to him to reveal it.

--

Not far away, though, told of a different story than child romance and friendships brought back to light, but rather a mother devastated by what she had come to realize was her life. Rooted out of her home, away from her friends and church community that had her back for all those years that her daughter disappeared. Husband murdered in front of the altar because of that same daughter, who'd joined a criminal organization for some strange reason. Daughter tortured, enduring eight years of hell before deciding to abandon it all when she realized it was all not worth it, and finding her way home in one way or another. Son traumatized by a week of loss and sights he should never have seen in the first place, and even almost hauled away by men in SWAT gear... and even the woman herself being held at gunpoint by a man out to kidnap her and her son so they could be executed later. Now, her son was an active target, her daughter was among the world's most wanted, and all she could do was weep and pray in the arms of a man she'd only met a matter of days ago but couldn't help but feel attracted to as a source of comfort at the end of the day. Indeed, Nicole had been through hell, and like her son, wanted to return to normal, or at least however normal it could all be after all this.

To make matters worse, Nicole felt yet another stab to her heart knowing that her presumably reformed daughter still had a killer's tendencies within her, and now was about to face death for it. And even if she knew Thalia was guilty, and her moral compass would've lead her to a conclusion to punish, her heart couldn't accept death as the punishment. She kept trying to reason with herself in the form of a clear mental breakdown, almost talking to herself while resting her head on Jon's shoulder with a box of tissues by her side to help with the tears.

"M-Maybe she had some... perhaps dissociative identity disorder? Maybe it wasn't the Thalia I know that did it? I assume there's treatment for such a case. S-She can be helped, Jon, I'm sure of it," she tugged another tissue away from the box and parted from his shoulder to clean her face off. Her breaths were heavy and inconsistent, unable to breathe well from her tears. "Or... dare I say she was defending herself? Did that James maybe threaten her when she came home and he wasn't telling us? Are they even giving her a chance to explain herself down there, or are they simply going to let her freeze to death? They can't possibly do that without hearing her out first, right? She had to have a reason for it all, or even a cause. I... I can help her. Someone can help her. Someone should go talk to them down there before she... before they just let her die. And what will they do with her when it's over? Will I even get to tell her goodbye? I just want the truth from her, Jon, some sort of answer for why my daughter did this. Did Al-Asheera really destroy her innocent mind this much that it's all she knows how to do? There's no way, because she told me she had plans to improve. Y-Yeah... it might be that dissociative identity disorder, or some form of extreme paranoia that leads to... rash behavior? Oh Lord, please, my daughter's safety is all I've ever asked of you, please, grant her that in whatever she's enduring now, please!"

She was about ready to break out into tears again after her last prayer and random onslaught of phrases that she'd been repeating on and on between her sobs, venting her frustrations to Jon in an attempt to find comfort. If anyone passed by outside, it would seem like Nicole was losing her mind just as much as Thalia did last night, except her release was in tears, prayer, and verbal release.

Minutes passed for her to calm down. A good portion of the morning had passed of just sitting back in bed waiting for the bad news to reach the bedroom... but after so long, it hadn't come yet. Were they torturing Thalia for every last ounce of information she could provide before they off her? Or was there some other... hold up? Whatever it was certainly wasn't in the kitchen, and now that she'd let out many tears for the soon-to-be death of her daughter, she finally spoke in a more coherent manner.

"My apologies, Jon," she winced, then resting her head gently against his shoulder with one arm around his back, another reaching for his hand - a side-by-side hug of sorts. "I... I'm normally much more in control of my emotions than this. I don't think I've ever been this devastated since when Thalia first disappeared. T-Thank you for being here for me. I know you probably have something else to be doing... but do you think we can just... go to the kitchen so I could get some water? I think I've calmed down enough to do so, but, I would appreciate your company. Maybe we could fix up breakfast for ourselves and the kids while we're at it. Maybe it'll... take my mind off of this stress."

Her voice seemed much less lively than before, only really showing emotion in the form of desperate attachment to Jon, since she didn't have anyone else to express her sorrows to. How was she going to explain all this to Charlie? She already struggled to tell him about his father and had to watch him dash off in tears knowing his old man wasn't coming home. How would he take his longlost sister now being... dead? Executed, not far away from where he slept? Making food would be a distraction, although she didn't know how efficiently she could function alone, which is why she asked Jon to come. Her hand in his own was shaking as is, so she could use all the help she could get.
 
It seemed the talk of Maryland startled Charlie slightly.

Frank sighed. This wasn't going to be an easy talk, and it seemed that the kid had already clicked onto the fact that he was maybe considering taking them to Maryland. He saw that moment of panic in Charlie's face. This was going to butcher traveling for the poor boy, wasn't it? He wouldn't be surprised if it triggered some sort of anxiety after all he'd been through. They needed to associate planes and trains with vacations rather than... Well, moving away. No one wanted to imagine it as that. No one wanted to see traveling as leaving things behind. That's not what it was.

Could he change the way Charlie saw things right here and now? He didn't know. Maybe.

Charlie was too smart for his own good, in many ways.

He crouched down in front of him and smiled, "Don't be scared." He said. "Hey, you know those movies? Like... Uh... Those action ones with Liam Neeson and all that? Or... Mission Impossible?" He shrugged. "Those guys fly all over the world. They're doing it to fight crime and everything, and they're going it to save people. Us? No, we wouldn't be doing that." He said.

He gently rubbed Charlie's shoulder. "We might have to leave for a little while." He said, "But it's not going to be anything bad." He said, "Think. You and Jordan and Joe all get to go somewhere. Somewhere fun. You don't have to worry about everything that's been going on because it's far away - closer to your home, too - and there's plenty of room for all of us." He said. "I know this has been stressful. After I lost my sister, I was scared of crowds. Still am." He said. "But you? I think you're starting to just... You need to settle. You want to security." He said. "There's nothing wrong with that. Once all of this is sorted with your sister, you guys and Jon and your mom? You'll be in one place. The only time you'll ever get on a plane is for a vacation." He ruffled his hair.

He held out an extended pinkie finger.

"I'll give you a pinkie promise." He said, "We won't be going forever. We'll come back." He said, "You can't break pinkie promises. They're sacred." He said. "If I break this one, I owe you a year's supply of donuts and ice cream, alright? That sound fair?" He asked, and he smiled.

He wanted to keep it happy and fun. He didn't want to stress the kids out.

--

Jon rolled over and looked at her.

She seemed to be suffering over what her daughter was going through, and who could blame her? As far as Nicole was currently made aware, Thalia was either dead or at least very close to it by now. Crying and things could be expected, and Jon expected them from her more than anyone else. He hadn't had the chance to get to know Thalia just yet, though, so himself? He felt pain for Nicole and Charlie, but, he didn't feel the same pain himself. It was the same with the daughter that he never met.

He wished he met her, but at the same time... He never knew her, so he didn't really care that he didn't. It was one of those weird and kind of cold scenarios. But he couldn't feel any different.

He'd feel bad for Thalia, but, he wouldn't miss her.

Only because he never got the chance to get to know her, at least not beyond their talk at the old house.

And that? THAT factor made him sad. But there was nothing he could do right now. He just hugged Nicole to reassure her as

"Nicole, you've got nothing to apologize for." He whispered to her. "You know there's nothing for you to apologize for. This is your daughter we're talking about. I'm surprised you've managed to hold things together for this long as it is." He said, gently stroking her cheek with his index finger. "Look, yeah, we can go and get some breakfast. Try not to think too much about Thalia. In terms of mental health, after everything she's been through, I wouldn't be surprised if there was something underlying. But you know that's not for us to try and determine. She'd need to see a professional for that." He said. "I know James seems very blunt and cold at points, but, he's lost people, too." He said. "He knows how it feels to lose people. So he's going to think about that. He won't act on a whim." He stroked her hair this time. He smiled, and he kissed her forehead.

"We'll give it time. We'd know if the worst had happened. Remember, bad news travels fast. Good news travels slow." He said. "Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving." He said.

He helped her up from the bed and supported her.

"I think first we need to get you a drink of water." He said, holding her up and rubbing her back. "I've got a surprise for you, you know. Charlie's going to help me deliver it. I think over breakfast would be the perfect time to show you." He smiled.
 
It didn't take Charlie long to connect the dots between an unknown location and moving away as of lately. Not only that, Frank didn't beat around the bush and try to word it weirdly; he basically admitted to the fact they would have to leave again soon, at least until whatever was happening in LA comes to an end. He made it seem like it'd be fun, a vacation with his best friends somewhere a bit more.. familiar, closer to his birthplace that he's known all his life. It was all too sudden, not sleeping in the same bed for more than a day, and he immediately assumed he would probably sleep for one night in Maryland before being told he had to get out and move somewhere else he'd never been to before, and experience lord-knows-what horrors. Travel was now associated with those horrors and avoiding them, and as much as he once admired a spy or hero's life before, after getting a taste of the action, he wanted no more of it. His head hanged low and he sighed in disappointment when Frank confirmed the move might happen.

Charlie wanted to settle, have that sense of stability and security, and it only felt like it was getting farther and farther from his reach every time someone told him 'We have to leave', even if it was advertised as a fun experience. He simply didn't want to keep being dragged around anymore, and he was sure this couldn't be the last one because Frank even added on that once things were all clear in LA, he'd come back. Maybe even get to live in the place Jon showed him, but how long would that last? Sure, he trusted Jon, but it was the circumstances he'd lost faith in.

"I don't wanna leave my mommy. Or Jon," he mumbled. "Or my sister. She promised me she would come back for good, and she did. Just now. Plus...." He sniffled, hesitant to reveal what he was told to keep a secret. But why not, if it let him stay? "Jon bought a house for me and my mommy yesterday. It's a really big one, too. It's got a basketball court and a yard and a big kitchen and lots of rooms... What's going to happen to that? Did he sell it? Are we not moving there or something?"

He sighed and fixed the way he was seated in place. He still didn't want to look up for really show any sign for enthusiasm, even if Maryland was made out to seem like a vacation. "I don't want to keep moving, Mister Hale. I miss my friends in Philadelphia. I miss my bed and my house and my school... and the time before the police shot my sister... and my daddy..." Charlie's voice cracked as he remembered that the man of his house was gone, once again, and memories of the wolf he kept seeing in his dreams came back. He winced and looked away from Frank and Jordan, afraid once again. For someone who recently saw a member of his family shot at and abused, such behavior akin to that of trauma wasn't unexpected.

He did noticed Frank's pinky held out - a promise that they'd come back. Once more, never really staying in one place, which scared him even more. "I don't want to, no," he choked. "I don't want to keep moving anymore. I just want to be safe and stop being told I have to leave places. Why can't you and the people with guns here just keep me and my mommy safe?" Now empty-handed, he hopped out of his seat and walked out of the room rather quickly, heading for the direction of a nearby bathroom. Charlie hadn't been that unresponsive and unwilling to cooperate since he heard the news about his father and zoned out of reality - that was, until Jon came along and helped him loosen up to the idea. Maybe he could work his magic again? Or maybe he'd run into someone else who'd be able to talk him into leaving for one last time.

Because the bathroom he'd charged off to was the one Thalia was washing up in. They'd be in for quite the conversation about their adventures of the past day or two. And maybe Thalia could even talk him in to getting out of LA while he still can.

Odd timing for him to leave as well, because as he left, his mother and Jon had come along to... well, break the surprise, unintentionally of course. Neither were aware of Thalia being spared, nor that she was making amends for her wrongdoings. All Nicole was thinking about was whether they'd finally taken her out of her misery or not. But she needed some fresh air, or at least a way to cool down after being reduced to a broken woman in the course of one night. She allowed Jon to hold her hand, help her into her robe, and walk her to the kitchen for a glass of water, a priority before breakfast to see if she could stomach that. With her shaky hand, she might not even be able to hold the glass properly. The one thing she might've had motivation to be happy for... was the surprise Jon brought up. She hadn't the slightest clue what he meant, nor an idea of what she could be surprised with. Would it be that Thalia was surprisingly smuggled out behind James' back so she could avoid execution? No way... she knew too well Jon wouldn't betray his friend like that. Not for an impulsive, yet misunderstood, young woman who basically felt stuck in a childish mind set.

Fortunately, Nicole didn't see her son run away in fear of the idea of moving again, even though she was also one to push for the idea that he gets out of LA, too. She did introduce herself to the other two in the room, hiding her trembling hand and upset facial expression. "Good morning, Detective," she greeted to Frank with a smile, then directed her attention to young Jordan with a gentle graze of his cheek and a brighter smile, hiding away her own sorrows for her own child, and channeling her instinct to treat children like her own indiscriminately. "And good morning to you, handsome. I see you slept a bit better last night. That's great, and even better to see you're preparing breakfast with Detective Hale. I hope you don't mind if we join you two, hm? Perhaps I can give you hand as well, how does that sound?" A perfect way to forget for even a brief second: cooking.

Unless Frank brings up the good news, of course.
 
"No, no, Charlie, he definitely won't sell that house. I'm not lying when I say you'll get to come back. I promise you I'm not lying about that. Please don't think I'm lying." He said. "I don't say things I don't mean, and I mean what I say." He said. "You will come back. I just want this to be something that you don't see in too much of a negative light. I know it's not easy, it's just... It's complicated, kid, that's all it is. We don't want to keep doing this, and this will be the last time. The last time because Maryland is going to be completely safe for you."

Then there was where the talk went bad.

"Charlie, wait." Frank said, but it was too late.

It didn't go down quite as well as he thought, and that sucked. Frank pulled his hand back, slowly, and he shut his eyes. It was true. Why couldn't him and the other guys with guns keep his mom safe? That wasn't the point of it all, though. He didn't need to be around guns anymore. He didn't need to be around all of that, he didn't need to be at risk. Frank would have to talk to the kid later and just remind him - the whole reason that they wanted to send him off somewhere else was so that they could be safe. It wasn't going to be forever, and he wanted it to be clear that he meant what he promised.

He would let Thalia's family return to LA.

Frank felt bad.

He just wanted Charlie to be okay with this, he wanted him to be comfortable. He'd show him a good time in Maryland, and they'd have fun - but they would come back here. Even if they stayed there for a week or two, just to get the concept of 'settling' in their heads again... But not too much. He'd say it would be a vacation, and it would last as long as a vacation. It would be as simple as that. He knew it wasn't going to be easy for any of them...

But it had to be done. There was practically no way around it now.

Then Nicole and Jon walked in. This time, Jordan didn't flinch so much when Nicole came up and stroked his cheek. He just smiled at her. He knew she was Charlie's mom, Charlie loved her a lot, and there was clearly nothing to worry about. There was nothing to freak out about so this would be fine, right? Right.

He nodded to her question.

He wasn't quite ready to speak just yet. But that was the same with all other adults, so, he didn't want Nicole to take it personally. Frank was going to be the only adult he spoke to for a while, but, he was getting better. At least now he nodded and smiled instead of just freezing up and pretending to not exist. He was doing okay.

"You're free to help us. Charlie was giving us a hand but... I think he went to use the bathroom."

Yeah, he'd just roll with that for now.

He smiled at Nicole. "You're in for a surprise, too, and quite a big one."

"Oh, then that's two surprises." Jon said.

Confirmed, Nicole... It wasn't the same surprise they were talking about.

Could your dream be becoming true?
 
Charlie was almost in tears as he ran to the nearest bathroom, frantic and fearful of the next time he'd walk into his room and find another packed suitcase. Frank sure wasn't Jon who was able to talk him out of a panic attack last time he was in that exact situation, so that was why he took off in such a rush. He didn't want to keep moving, even if it was with friends and family. All he kept asking himself as he covered his eyes to stop the tears was: When will it all be over? He kept on hearing people say 'It's only for a short while' or 'James and Thalia are almost done finishing things up' among other similar phrases, but there was only so much more of that he could take before he just screams back in denial. Being young, that concept of 'almost done' was long broken. At this point, he feared he'd be moving everywhere across the country in an attempt to 'keep him safe'. Little did he know that a madman wanted him for his own nefarious purposes, to turn him into a puppet of mass destruction like his sister was. Or was it already being created just by being exposed to all of this? The nightmares, the trauma - he may not develop the violent tendencies and evil thoughts his sister had, but he sure was going to suffer some psychological setback now that his entire concept of traveling was now associated with danger and impending doom.

He pounded a few times on the door, a bit harder than he might've normally done so without thinking. He expected no answer, to which he'd enter without saying a word besides his sniffles. But he did.

"Just a sec."

The young boy froze in place at that familiar voice. Thalia, the most honest voice he'd heard this entire week. While he feared those horrible truths she spilled on him, now, he could really use something that sounds close to what he could call true. And if that meant that Thalia would tell him that he is a target, he'd accept it... But after her talk with that federal agent in the hospital, she wasn't going to throw that truth at him. That was more than any child should take. It was as if Isaac's comments about her behavior as a caregiver hurt her to a point that changed her perspective of what to tell Charlie. So... what was the young boy to expect from his honest big sister? He cleared the way from the door so she could step out and see him.

She opened the door shortly after to meet her brother wiping his red eyes not far from the frame of the door. She hadn't done anything more than just washing her face and part of her arms, but fortunately, her injuries were still covered by her clothing. The pain from the gunshots and getting the wind knocked out of her from the Jackal still ached, and slowly it was growing worse. Now more than ever did she have to take it easy and keep her pain away from her loved ones. She didn't need any more attention drawn towards herself, or a reason to scare Charlie. Now, it seemed like he needed her more, judging by his teary eyes.

"Hey, kiddo, what's wrong?" she sympathetically asked.

He sniffled and looked at her as she knelt to his level. He was scared and shivering, leaning against the wall as he trembled. "Are we leaving again?"

Well, that was quick, Frank, she groaned in her mind, realizing that Frank had brought up what they discussed in private to Charlie so quickly. She knew he had good intentions, but clearly, Charlie wasn't taking it very lightly. It must be due to his new fear of leaving home. It hurt to know he really didn't have a permanent place to rest his head. She still didn't know about the house in LA, though, but that hope seemed to be gone now. "Wait, what? What are you talking about?"

"Mister Hale," he gulped. "He told me we have to go to Maryland to run away from the bad people again."

"Maryland?" she faked astonishment for him, as if she didn't know this news before. "Why would we do that? I mean, we're well-protected here and all, and I think we're almost done anyway, so..."

"No!" he yelled at her, hearing those very lies once again. "Liar! That's not true and you know it! We're not safe here anymore! We're never safe!"

Thalia flinched. This was the first time she'd ever been snapped at by family in eight years, except this time it wasn't her parents, but her little brother. It seemed like there was no faking it. He was far too deep into this troubling situation to be lied to like that and still believe it. She felt awful that he had to get involved in all of this. It was now more than ever that she wished that Tony didn't kill Ra's at the port that evening. If the self-proclaimed god among men was still alive, Charlie might've still been relatively safe. At least he wouldn't be a target as he was now. She winced and thought over her next few words carefully. "Y-You're right. We're not safe here. It's still those bad people that were coming after me before. So we were thinking that we could get out of California for a short bit, just until... you know..."

"No!" he yelled again, bursting into tears more than before and covering his face with his palms, pressing his covered face against the wall. "No, no, no! We're never safe! You can't protect us! Nobody can! They want to kill Mommy and then us!"

What could a woman who had no experience in child care do to calm a child breaking down like that? Unlike anyone else who's calmed him, from his mother to Jon to Agent Goodman, Thalia had never raised a child to know what to do. She did notice that Charlie was losing his balance and falling to his knees on the hallway floor. She took a seat with her back against the wall and let his little head fall into her lap as he lost his train of speech and simply cried away his sorrows. "I-I'm sorry, little brother," she choked, bowing her head in shame. How could she know things would come to this? That Charlie would become a target? That his life would be completely uprooted and that he didn't want to keep moving like this? "Remember when I said I was here to stay? You believe that, right? Because wherever you are, I'm going to be there, too, okay?"

Charlie didn't answer and just kept weeping into her lap as she stroked his hair waiting for him to calm down. While waiting for some sort of answer that wasn't crying, Thalia could only wonder as she watched her brother reduced to a broken young boy, How does someone who did this to her brother deserve a second chance? That... that's my bad. If only there was a way to fix this...

--

It brought a brief smile on Nicole's face to see even the slightest of a positive reaction out of Jordan. All of the children had been through enough of an ordeal for one lifetime, especially young Jordan. She heard he was extremely unresponsive when he was first taken in, but was improving day by day, especially with the company of the other boys. She could also clearly see the close bond between him and Charlie. Both of them seemed rather weak alone in these moments of distress, but together, they brought out a better side of one another, one that even a mother couldn't properly channel. At least he wouldn't be without a friend in this new environment, or whenever they leave for a short time for the east coast. From what she could tell from Charlie, the one thing he feared the most was being alone.

Nicole still felt rather uneasy with the idea of her daughter being executed just beneath her feet, which is what prompted her to step towards the counter, take an empty glass in her hand with help from Jon holding her other, then walk towards the water cooler to fill up some water to calm her nerves. Her hands were clearly shaking, and if it weren't for Jon, she might've accidentally dropped it to the ground, shattering it to pieces, which she'd feel obliged to clean up. She already felt like a burden enough for bringing the horrors Thalia brought along. She didn't want the added bad reputation for breaking the Jackal's belongings. It was enough for her to fear that she and Charlie would be next on the chopping block, with James not objecting to it at all and Jon being stuck keeping his distance with his hands tied. If only Charlie were here to go on in his usual cheery manner to tell his mom that he saw his sister for the first time this morning.

Her hand trembled as the glass rose to her lips. She probably wouldn't be as much help in the kitchen as she'd initially expected. Best she stays away from sharp objects or hot frying pans for the time being and simply takes a seat, which she did across the table from Jordan. She sat down very slowly and carefully, taking small sips out of her water, her breathing slowly steadying after. She typically didn't like cold water, but there was something about the colder temperature that soothed her in a situation like this. It didn't seem to make her any more happy to hear that Charlie wasn't here. At this point, she was even more concerned that the remainder of her family might just be as good as dead.

"O-Oh," she choked. She didn't hear anything from Charlie's crying or yelling, fortunately. That might've crushed her even more than she had already felt. "Well, I hope he wasn't causing you any trouble, Detective. I know he's a good boy, but sometimes he gets a tad... hyper, and rushes in his work to impress. I just hope he was on his best behavior. I know he likes to help in the kitchen. It might just be the atmosphere around me. I know Thalia.... used to love that, too."

Thalia... she was probably gone by now. She shut her eyes rather tightly at the painful memory of her daughter so many years ago... if only there was a way to bring her back.

But the sad thoughts went away because... two surprises? From Frank and Jon, it seemed. Her eyes cracked open as she sipped from her glass once again. "I... Come again? Surprises?" She faked a smile in the moment. Maybe they were good surprises, after all.

--

The next step after capturing that small camera and the serial number on the webcam carried around by the mystery assailant was tracking it, and with the details they were given, it's all down to the IT department to return the results to Richie and Heather, who watched as Officer Hendrix and his wife were placed in body bags and taken away to be stored in the morgue as next of kin were contacted. Not knowing the beat cop all that well, the older, injured detective wasn't affected in any way more than the fact that Reeves was a cop killer and a true traitor to everything he believed in. Heather, though, knew him closely, and even worked several cases with him. She didn't blame the poor man for not protecting Angie - he did all he could - but she blamed herself for putting him and his wife in harm's way. She had no idea who they were dealing with to have been able to predict this would happen. She could only wonder how he was found out in the first place... how? She held a rolled fist to her forehead as she pondered a solution. Some way to explain this to herself and convince her that it's not her fault.

As she did so, her new partner approached her from her left and gave her a gentle touch to the shoulder. Richie was her source of comfort yesterday; he would do the same today for the new blood. "I'm sorry about Hendrix."

"His name was Alex. And he was my friend," she sighed, not looking up from her thinking position. "I got him into this. I told him to keep Angie safe, and it costed him his life to do so. And his wife, who literally had nothing to do with it."

Richie sighed, clenching her shoulder a bit tighter. "I can't even imagine the pain you're going through. The guilt, too. I mean... I have my own demons I used to fight every day it took me to get out of the wheelchair."

Heather exhaled deeply. "With all due respect, Detective, your friends aren't dead. They weren't shot on the front door by some guy following the words of a cruel prophet."

"You think I don't hold responsibility for what happened to Mel?"

Hearing her sister's name actually made her glance aside towards Richie. Did they both really have a similar woe they wept over? "Your partner's fiancee."

He nodded. "I heard she went missing. Her co-workers filed a missing person's report, and the department was looking for her up until they found her on the port. News gets around fast, even to cops on leave. And to think that I could've stopped Al-Asheera from going this far if they hadn't already taken me out of the equation.... It only makes me feel like they did it on purpose. Some... sick part of Al-Asheera left my family be, but made their suffering different. The way my sons would look at me every day that I could barely wiggle my toes or keep asking them to do basic household chores that I should be able to do. They have a very particular way of making everyone's suffering different. Just... remember we're not going to let them get away with ruining lives like this, okay? Officer...." He hesitated, once again, choosing his wording carefully. "Alex, and his wife, as well. Their deaths won't be in vain."

Heather remained quiet for a short bit, processing the experienced detective's words. "You shouldn't hold the burden for what happened to Mel."

He shrugged. "I can't help it. It's just an endless string of 'what if's. And you're going to have plenty of those in your future as a detective, just constantly wondering what might've happened if the situation were just slightly different. But it shouldn't take you out of the game. You have a great mind from what I've seen. You.... We. We might've failed this time around, but don't let that failure stop you from doing what you do so well. You have room for growth, potential beyond your wildest dreams. Trust me, when the old dogs like myself or Tony hang up our guns and badges for good, it'll be people like you leading the future LAPD. You just... You live with the faults like these and persevere in their loving memory. Cuz dwelling isn't going to bring them back. But you can still save Angie, and I'm sure Alex would want you to do that."

She nodded. "I know he would."

Richie let his hand part from her shoulder as he reached over for his inner suit pocket. Out from it emerged a pair of familiar aviators and a folded piece of paper in a transparent police evidence bag. He lowered it down to Heather's hand level, as if to place it in her own. "Forensics found these in the bedroom Angie was sleeping in. I managed to get my hands on them to get to you. I remember you gave her the shades, so I couldn't have those go through evidence processing... and I think you'll want a look at what she left next to them."

Heather never would've so much as asked for the aviators back from Angie; they were just a symbol that she'd be back to boost Angie's morale. But what really piqued her curiosity was the piece of paper. She opened the bag, first removing the glasses and placing them back in the inner pocket of her blazer, then taking the folded sheet and leaving the evidence bag on the ground. Unfolding it revealed a mediocre drawing by an 11-year-old girl drawing a young woman who, in one way or another, looked like Heather from yesterday - same darker hair color, shorter figure (at least in comparison to taller men like Richie), same cheap blazer and pants she wore yesterday, and the same aviators over her eyes. Next to it was the name 'Detective Heather'. Seeing that brought a near tear to the supposedly stone-cold Heather's eyes. She thought back to the conversation she had with Officer Hendrix about having children and her lack of a desire to be a mother, despite her touch for young girls. That sure changed now that she saw how much Angie admired her after one short sitting. She looked up for a moment to compose herself and catch her breath. She sure as hell wasn't going to leave Angie for dead - even if it meant risking her own livelihood, this kid's life mattered way more.

"She wouldn't want you just backing down," Richie added on. "She needs you."

The younger detective nodded, returning to her hardened, professional persona. "Where to now?" she asked, folding the paper back into a fourth and storing it in her jacket pocket with her glasses.

Richie couldn't help but smile at the reinvigorated Heather. That's the woman he wanted to see at the end of the day. But before he could express his gratitude for her persistence, his hand emerged from his pocket with his phone in hand. It only took him one glance at the lockscreen before he tapped Heather's shoulder and began his power walk back to their vehicle. "You're driving. We got a hit on the device we saw on the neighbor's security footage. Whoever was wearing it didn't bother to turn it off, cuz now we've got eyes on it. It's heading outbound and is already out of the LA area."

Following in suit, Heather asked, "Heading to the port or something?"

"Doesn't look like it, but we're tracing it as it moves. Hope you're good in a high-speed chase, cuz we might need that."

The pursuit was on; they had a lock on the man who kidnapped Angie, one of the dumber brutes in Reeves' ranks. It wouldn't be long until two high-rise detectives meet once again.
 
One thing about all of this made Jon ever so slightly uneasy. Everyone seemed to be going somewhere. Thalia was missing, they got to the kitchen and then Charlie had vanished off, too - that alone was enough to put him on edge. Charlie had just gone to the bathroom, potentially, but what if he hadn't? What if he was on his way there and... He didn't know. He wasn't sure what to think. All he knew was he didn't like how tense things were getting around here, and part of him just wanted to get Nicole and Charlie out of here at the next chance they got without warning, but he knew that would be a selfish thing to do. He knew that would be cruel on the other kids, and it would be hard for Charlie to just abandon his friends. In a time like this they all needed to stick together, and that was important for all of them. At the end of the day, it was their friends who could protect them the most.

Little did Jon know that there was a huge panic attack and breakdown going on in the other room, but, maybe it was just fate that he now wanted to go and check on Charlie and make sure that he was okay. Maybe it was just by chance that that feeling kicked in right as Charlie needed someone the most. Maybe it was some sort of paternal instinct or maybe it was just good luck. Who knew? Either way, Jon was getting more and more uncomfortable. For all he knew, Thalia said something that was really going to piss them off, to the point where they'd get Charlie down there and do something horrible to him just to spite her.

Bathroom, huh?

"Oh, he wasn't any trouble at all. He was good as gold." He nodded, "He's quite handy in the kitchen, actually. We've still got some stuff to finish up so I certainly hope he's back soon enough. A clue, though..." He whispered, "This is all for you guys." He motioned over to all the breakfast stuff they had ready. Nicole could see the cheese rolls and everything. "But you didn't hear that from me." He winked.

Jon looked around.

Come on, Charlie...

"You're going to love the surprise we've got in store for you here, though." Frank nodded. "Trust me."

"You're going to love ours, too. Mine and Charlie's." Jon said. "Frank, how long has Charlie been gone?" He asked.

"Only a couple of minutes before you guys got here, if that."

"Huh." He looked around the room, then at Nicole, then at Frank and Jordan, and then he looked back towards the direction Charlie would have had to have gone to reach the nearest bathroom. Surely by now he would have come back... Kids are quick in the bathroom. Their bodies are just... Perfectly-functioning and not completely fucked from years of eating complete shit and taking a mass of beatings. Kids were faster than this in the bathroom, right? At least from what Jon knew they were.

Fuck.

"You know, I'm just gonna' go and--" He motioned a thumb off behind him. "See where Charlie's gotten to, make sure he's okay." He nodded, "I'll be right back."

And with that he turned away and made a straight run for the nearest bathroom, but he didn't have to go far. In the hallway he saw poor Charlie on his knees and sobbing his heart out, his head against the wall. Oh, god.

And there was Thalia.

They weren't happy sobs, though, and Thalia looked distressed. Something had gone wrong.

Jon slowly walked up and crouched behind Charlie, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, buddy?" He said to him, "Come on... Come give me a hug. Tell me what's up." He rubbed his back. "We'll talk, pal... Come on." He held one arm open for the young boy.

He looked at Thalia.

"Your mom's really worried about you. I'm glad you're okay." He whispered, "You want to go see her? We'll join you in a sec?" He asked.

She looked overwhelmed.
 
Walking in on her brother crying into her lap would be the first of Thalia alive and well that Jon would get to see. She wasn't quite sure if he'd heard the good news or not, but he seemed more concerned about the weeping Charlie in her lap, much like herself. After all, the fact she was still alive spoke for itself, even if the reasons were still unclear. There was much to tell him, but she'd wait to tell her mom and him at the same time at some point. Charlie was both of their priorities now at a sensitive time when he really couldn't trust anyone anymore. After being dragged from place to place over the course of a week, watching his mother get taken hostage, witnessing a SWAT raid and live shooting, and hearing some of the horrors his sister spoke of, his untrusting nature certainly wasn't unjustified. Was this finally his breaking point when calmer, more sensible people like Frank were now telling him to pack a bag and get ready to leave? He'd already lost hope in Jon never doing that after he walked Charlie into a room with a packed suitcase and tried to explain at a time where he could try to suppress his hidden feelings. Not anymore.

Although he didn't quite trust Jon to tell him they were staying, he did trust him more than Thalia for a comforting hug. Once he heard his voice, he lifted his head from his sister, still hanging rather low, then threw himself into Jon's arms, hugging him as tight as possible, crying all the same. Thalia felt the discomfort at how her brother just walked away from her like that and accused her of being a liar. At least he was comfortable with somebody, but she felt awful that he'd picked up on how people were skewing the truth in his favor. It's why she spilled a series of unfortunate truths, just to allow him to trust her. It wasn't until after she got lectured in her hospital bed that she considered toning down, only for him to scream at her and call her a liar. It put her in a troubled place of what to do for her brother.

Her mom was in the kitchen, worried sick about her for obvious reasons. There she was, the last person to make amends with, and the one that'd be the most disappointed. After all the attempts to show she was reformed, the intention to murder someone would never get her on the good books of her mother again. It might've been that Thalia was just too afraid to face her, which is why she saved her for last. She wanted to stay here with Charlie, but it seemed like Jon wanted the room for the two of them. This was the closest he was getting to a fatherly figure to help him overcome his phobias, so she really felt no other choice than to nod and stand up from her place against the wall. She gave her brother a quick ruffle to his hair, then told him, "I... It'll be okay, Charlie. Alright?"

He didn't answer, and instead, just kept crying into Jon's larger shoulder. As painful as it was to just walk away, Thalia did exactly that, worried that even Jon won't be able to make him budge. Odds are, if they put their escape plan in motion, he will cling to the bedroom wall and refuse to let go in attempt to resist another change. Her walk to the kitchen was filled with a series of doubts and attempts to shift the blame off of herself, all failing. Was that all she was capable of, failure? She failed to keep her family safe by trusting a savage with a vague promise not to touch her family. Now, with her family nearby, she failed to even provide the slightest bit of security to a vulnerable child. Maybe Isaac was right; she probably wasn't child material.

Charlie, though, remained focused on Jon, the man who acted as his second father in the absence of his own. He wanted to know what was wrong; odds are, he didn't hear his outburst earlier.

"I don't wanna leave California!" he yelled in a muffled manner into his larger shoulder. "I don't wanna keep leaving places anymore, Jon! I don't want you to sell the house you bought for me and Mommy! I don't wanna see guns anymore! I want to be safe, but no one is here! I want it to stop! I don't wanna play spies anymore! I just wanna go home, please!"

Thing was... where was home? For the past week, he'd been sleeping in a different place each time. Was he referring to the new mansion that Jon had on the side for them? Or back in Philly where he'd felt as home for eight years? One thing was clear: Charlie didn't want to keep moving anymore. He'd reached his breaking point.

Meanwhile, Nicole felt the uneasiness of anticipation, even though the surprises in question were frequently referred to as good ones. It didn't help that Charlie wasn't there, where he just was a few minutes ago, and that Jon felt compelled to go after him like that. Sure, kids don't usually take long in the bathroom, but she was far too focused on the idea of her daughter as a savage killer to realize that Charlie was gone for a little while. What kind of surprise could even remedy her broken heart, anyway? Not like it was going to bring her daughter back anyway...

Unless the surprise was that her daughter was back. Frank did hint that the surprise had to do with her and Jon.

And there she was, slowly entering the kitchen again with a gentle knock on the frame of the door. Her hair still looked a bit messy, but at least her face and arms looked somewhat washed. Her injuries were covered by her clothing too, fortunately, and Thalia was naturally good at covering up her pain in the shortrun. The beats on the door frame caught Nicole's eye and forced her attention off her shaking hand with the glass and towards the entry. It was almost as if she'd seen a ghost upon seeing the girl at the door, as if it were a hallucination created by her subconscious to satisfy her desire for her daughter to be alive. The look went beyond that, though - it spoke of love for her daughter and a fear of losing her again. It spoke of a hatred for her daughter's actions and a longlasting disappointment from a mother to her daughter for poor life choices. It spoke of sorrow and guilt that her daughter had become this sort of a savage character instead of a gentle, civilized young woman. Too many conflicting emotions left the mother unsure of how to react other than a permanent stare to her daughter's eyes.

Thalia could see the different emotions her mother's eyes. She, too, didn't know how to even approach an apology. She'd already said sorry many times to Karin for almost killing her boyfriend, why was it so much harder to do the same to her mother? Was it a fear of her old childhood instincts from a strict discipline system that she knew her friend wouldn't implement? Or was it some fear of being disowned, which she didn't see as that distant a possibility? She stepped further into the room, looking to Frank for a brief second, then down to Jordan, then back at her mother.

"Hi, Maman..." she shivered in her place, getting closer to the table that her mother sat at. She wanted to throw herself into her mother's arms for comfort much like Charlie did with Jon, but as she got closer, she could tell her mother was retreating in her seat, keeping distance. This probably wasn't a good time for a hug, so Thalia just took a seat at the table, opposite to her mother, her hands folded before her, just begging to reach forward for her mother's, only for those to fall back as well. "I... I'm..."

"No," Nicole choked, her voice suffering from the emotional confusion as well. She'd now officially established that her daughter was alive, but clearly, unlike what she'd been told, hadn't learned a thing from her past in Al-Asheera, and was still just as violent as the next clansman. "You told me you weren't going to behave that way, that you were going to change, and here you are. You wanted to bite the hand that feeds, and they were prepared to punish you for it."

There really was no way to justify her actions, except by defending Jenny, which nobody else under that roof was prepared to do. "He... he killed Jenny. Think what you want, but I wasn't going to sit back and do nothing after he just wiped her off the face of the earth. At least, when I was mad, I didn't handle it the way I should've."

"No, you didn't handle it properly at all," she scolded, becoming more angry, but still evidently upset and emotional. "You can't prance about like you can get away with whatever you please, young lady. That's a lesson you didn't even learn from childhood, and apparently still can't embrace now."

"B--But..."

"You listen to me until I finish. Do not interrupt."

Thalia shut up, wincing in response to her mother's more bitter words. The teacher side of Nicole was showing, the one that kept Thalia under an umbrella of strict discipline, the very one she ran away from eight years ago. The mother was troubled, but trying to rationalize it the one way she knew how to, the one way she figured would work on her firstborn.

"I was willing to forgive you for one wrongdoing and scaring me like that by running away, but now that you have everything, you choose to throw it all away over one person? And you resort to murder to solve your problems. Tell me, would killing James have brought your precious Jennifer back from the dead?"

The daughter gulped, now feeling belittled in front of the man she had evident feelings for. "I... No, but even you should understand that when I get mad, I don't think clearly..."

Now with some reinvigorated form of energy, Nicole stood up, embracing the livid teacher and overprotective mother within her. Thalia stood up as well, as if a fearful reaction. Nicole wagged her finger before her daughter, her attacking words continuing, "Is that the excuse you'd give me too when you were thirteen? You weren't thinking clearly? Perhaps you weren't thinking at all."

On the defensive, Thalia had to fight back now. "Hey, that's not fair. I want to come back, but..."

"Answer this: did you only call your father that day because you had found Jennifer here in California and decided to turn over some other unhealthy leaf with her? Would you have marched off into the sunset with her in some sort of carriage and just left us all over again? Your father is gone because of what is happening around you. Charlie had to hear the news from me and spent an hour crying in his room before he had to get dragged out of his room by a stranger. Do you have any idea what your actions have done to your family? Do you know what kinds of nightmares your brother has because of this? Or was this all your little sweatheart Jennifer's idea to do? Is that the only reason you'd prefer to die defending a heartless, disrespectful excuse for a woman and kill the man that is the only reason you're not dead? The reason your family wasn't murdered in an airport?!"

Thalia began breathing heavily, trying not to let that angry part of her take over and do something grievous to her mother, because the personal attacks were getting out of hand, now. "I met Jenny after I called Dad. I had no idea she was here until later that same day, okay? Ask anyone, ask Karin. I told her everything about that. And so what if I ended up running off with her? She was just as human as the rest of us, and you'd argue that, too, if you didn't hate her so much. I loved her, even if she was indecent, and it took me a while to grasp that she betrayed us. Why can't you understand that? Why is it you're trying to make this entire situation my fault? It wasn't me that they were blaming in the news for being a shitty mom, you know."

That... was uncalled for, and Thalia realized that as her mother's hand rose open, and flew across her cheek as a solid slap in the face, something she'd never do to a student, but something she did do to her daughter several times. The slap to to her cheek reminded Thalia of all of the harsh punishments she'd received for so much as getting a B- in class. Thing was, as a child, it was only one at a time. Now as an adult, and with the mother's anger also surfacing, she received a second one, harder than the first, sending her face to the side. Thalia clenched her eyes shut, trying not to cry after she'd been humiliated by her mother in front of Frank and Jordan like this. "Tais-toi, imbécile ingrate," she scowled. [Shut up, you ungrateful imbecile.] With those words would've come another slap, but this time, the equally angry Thalia stopped it, almost by reflex, equating multiple slaps to torture from Ra's rather than her mother, a treatment she no longer feared now that her past abuser was now dead. She clenched her mom's wrist tightly to prevent her from doing anything further, but didn't reciprocate the blows.

"What are you doing, Maman?" she whimpered. "I'm sorry. I know what I did was stupid. I'm sorry I called you a shitty mom, but there's no sense in arguing now. James is pissed with me, and probably isn't going to let me near anything anymore. Karin's heartbroken, so I might just be left without a best friend. Jenny's dead, and that's just breaking my heart every time I remember..." In her mind, she kept remembering how Frank's priorities have changed at that he wasn't thinking so much about a relationship between them, which ached far more than Jenny's passing. "And every time I see Charlie crying about his nightmares, it makes me feel even more guilty. I'm probably getting all sorts of dirty looks or strict eyes on me now just waiting to see when I have another outburst again. Everyone just flat out hates me, inside and outside these walls. Haven't I suffered enough?"

In that moment, Nicole's aggression finally settled, after having let it out in a few solid slaps. She felt offended at how her daughter resisted punishment for the first time in her life... but was this even necessary? Was punishing her daughter for her actions with words and physical abuse really worth losing her again? This is exactly why she ran away in the first place. It wasn't worth losing her family all over again. She froze in her place as her eyes leaked tears once again, but in a calmer manner than the aggressive way she wept around Jon. The mother and daughter remained frozen in their places, both calming down...

Up until Nicole fell forward into Thalia's arms, both clutching each other in a hug tighter than before. Thalia suppressed the pain of her injuries as she felt her mother's weight fall upon her own. Her mom was mad, obviously, but there's no way she could be mad forever. Neither could anyone else around here. Would that same thing apply to James as well? Would he be mad at her forever?

"Don't leave us, darling," Nicole muffled into Thalia's shoulder. "Please, don't do this again."

Thalia sniffled, feeling heartbroken at her mother begging her to never leave again. But the answer was obvious: "Never."
 
Poor Charlie really had seen more than what he deserved in this life, and for a boy as young as him, a lot of it was going to be hard to cope with. His feelings towards it would no doubt continue to stack until it was just too much to hold in anymore. It had happened a couple of times already and Jon expected that now... It was happening again. This time, though... Jon would take a slightly different approach. He would take a calmer and more honest approach. He'd cushion the heavy news but he wouldn't be vague. He would be honest and direct about it, and he'd keep Charlie in the loop on all of it. It was going to be hard for all of them to cope in a time like this, but... Not many people had stopped to think about how the kids would feel in all of this. It was easy to view the kids as adults when there was so much stress flying around.

Jon was worried he wouldn't be able to console him, but, he needed to find a way. He needed to find something that would calm him down in one way or another. But it was the first thing that Charlie said that made Jon realize this talk was going to be a lot deeper than 'there's no need to be scared' - Charlie needed to know what was going on. He needed and wanted to understand. He wanted a say in things instead of just being... Picked up and dragged around. Frank did indeed have the best intentions... But in his defense, he didn't know what Charlie had been through so far and how he felt about travelling right now. The poor kid had moved around so much in one week.

Jon immediately picked him up and walked to his and Nicole's bedroom. He shut the door behind him, and he walked over to the bed and sat down. He sat Charlie on his lap and started rocking him, but... Charlie begged. Charlie sobbed and begged. Poor boy was frantic. He just wanted it all to stop. He wanted things to go back to being normal. He wanted to stay in one place and that was all. He didn't want to keep moving around - and there was one big fear. Was Jon going to sell the house that they'd gone and seen together? Was he going to sell the house that young Charlie was so excited for him and his family to live in together?

"Okay, okay." Jon said, softly, rubbing his back. He held Charlie to his chest and continued rocking him, "Okay, buddy... Shhhh... I'm hearing you. I'm hearing you and I understand what you're saying, and I'm sorry you feel that way about things." He said. "Listen to me... Just hear me out for a second." He said. "I understand that moving around, packing bags and just... Running instead of staying grounded... It hurts. I've been there. There were times I'd sometimes travel to different places all over the world, sometimes all in the same week. After a while, it gets tiring, doesn't it?" He asked. "You get sick of sleeping in a different bed every other night. You get sick of having to unpack your bags only to pack them up again. Sometimes all you want is to know that... Well, one place is going to stay home. It's going to stay being the place where you live and it won't change." He said, "I understand, Charlie. I understand that it's hard."

The rocking and back-rubbing continued. "Take some deep breaths with me, son. You're having a panic attack, I think." He said, "And the more you panic, the harder it's going to be to work this out together, isn't it? Remember what those pieces of paper that Andrew gave you said?" He asked, "Take deep breaths. Count to ten. Find someone who can help. Well, I'm right here and I'm here to help you, so, just take a few steps back... Breathe... Try and calm down. The more you panic, the more your brain is going to make everything seem much worse than it is." He said. "It's going to feel like the end of the world, or your stomach's gonna' go all twisty and you're going to feel like you need to fight or run away when there's no reason to. Just nice long, deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth."

He gave a guidance breath. He took a deep breath in himself. "Just follow my breathing. Nice and easy." He said, and out through the mouth.

In, out.

In, out.

In, out.

He repeated this for just a couple of minutes. He wanted Charlie to vent, yes, but not panic. Panicking wasn't good for his health at his age. It would make him sick with worry. Panic could cause everything from nausea to a badly upset stomach, and that wasn't what Jon wanted for him (it might already be too late for it, but, damage control was still important). Right now, Charlie needed to be calm, controlled, and... Well, just filled in on everything that was happening, because right now he seemed too distraught to even think straight.

Jon just gave it a couple of minutes.

"Okay, listen to me..." He whispered, "First thing's first... I want you to know that no matter what happens, I am NEVER going to sell that house I bought. I don't care what happens. I don't care where we end up... That house? I bought that for us. For you. I'm not just going to give it away." He said, "It's all paid for now, son... It's all bought, it's ours. It's got my name on it and that basketball court out back is just itching to be tried out by you." He said, "One of those nice comfy bedrooms has got your name on it, and I tell you, I can't wait to help you move all of your stuff into one. I can't wait to help you decorate it and make it yours." He said, "That dining room is waiting for us to have dinner in it, as a family. Thalia included. That kitchen is waiting for your mom to whip up something delicious." He said.

"You've seen so much, Charlie." He rested his head on top of his. "You've been through and witnessed so much, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you from seeing all of that." He said, "You've been a good boy. You've been very good and exceptionally brave, and you've managed to keep a happy face this whole time. But I think deep down that happy face isn't really as happy as it looks." He said, "So, it's okay to crumble and break. It's okay to admit that you're scared, that you've had enough, that you don't like the way things are. It's alright. You can do that and I'm not going to be angry at you." He said. "You and your mom, Charlie... I love you guys more than anything else in the whole world." He said, "Your mom, she cares about you so much that she'd be willing to swim to the deepest depths of the ocean if it meant keeping you safe. I care about you so much that I'd be willing to run around the world 3 times over if it meant giving you the life you deserve." He whispered.

He paused for a while.

"But we never stopped to ask you how you felt about it." He said. "And I'm sorry we did that to you. I'm sorry we never checked to see what you thought of all of this. We pulled you around the country and just... We assumed you were fine. We knew it was stressful, but, it was hard on all of us. We were so focused on keeping you safe that we forgot how it might have been affecting you in other ways." He said. "So... Keep on taking deep breaths. You and me are gonna' talk about this. Heart-to-heart. I'm going to be honest with you, but that means you need to be honest with me, okay? Whatever you're going through... I need to know so I can help you get past it." He said. "So... Nice and calm... I just want you to tell me everything that's on your mind." He said, "I want you to tell me everything that's got you worried, everything that makes you anxious and keeps you awake at night... Everything you're scared of." He said, "You've got nothing to be ashamed of, okay? But I want you to be calm when we talk about this. We're going to work this out together. You're smart and brave, but... This time I want you to let me be the brave one. I can be brave for both of us." He rubbed his back.

--

Meanwhile in the kitchen, well... Everything looked like it was all going to go to plan, and Frank smiled and stayed quiet. He was going to watch this sweet and happy-

No.

Oh. Nicole said no. This time she wasn't accepting an apology. Nicole had been the calm and collected one this whole time, she had forgiven Thalia for the things she had done time and time again, and now she was sick of it. She was sick of the fact that her daughter kept getting herself into trouble, and that was she was so willing to bite the hand that fed her. In all honesty... Nicole definitely had some fair points, and as much as Frank hated to admit it, he agreed with her side of the argument far more than he did Thalia's. It was a painful thought to have but Nicole raised some very valid concerns.

Frank wasn't expecting things to go down this way, though, because... Well, it was just a little extreme, and right now? This wasn't the sort of thing that Frank expected them to be doing in front of Jordan. It was Jordan he was thinking about more than anything else, and yes, he flinched as soon as he saw Nicole hit Thalia. He started looking desparately between Frank and the ladies. Frank was about to step up and step in, but... It wasn't his place. He wasn't expecting Nicole to slap her daughter, but at the same time... Well, Thalia did say something that left her in a spot where she deserved it.

A shitty mom?

Ouch. Anyone would get slapped by their mom if they said that. Even though after that... They had their much needed heart to heart and Thalia explained how she basically deserved to catch a break. She was sorry. But the damage was done, ultimately, and mother and daughter alike would need time to move past this, and they would no doubt look at each other differently for a while. Nicole would no doubt question her ability as a mother, and Thalia would no doubt question her ability as a decent person in general. It was a heavy spot for them to be in.

And here Frank and Jordan were, caught right in the middle.

Jordan tugged at Frank's arm. "Frank, I'm not hungry no more." He whispered, "Can we please go outside now?"

Frank looked down at him, sighing. He could see the panic in his eyes. He leaned over and picked him up, holding him to his chest. "Of course we can, buddy." He whispered back.

He silently stepped past Thalia and Nicole, and he walked out the back door with Jordan in his arms.

Nicole and Thalia were left in silence once again.
 
Charlie felt comfortable enough to just let all of his emotions out into Jon's shoulder, crying his eyes out and begging and pleading for some form of stability instead of getting uprooted from every single place he thought he could call home and being forced to see people he loves get shot at. He just needed, to start off with, those first moments to let out whatever tears he needed to into someone. He'd already started that off with Thalia, and now that Jon was here, he could continue with his fatherly figure, one that knew exactly what made Charlie tick over the past few days. Indeed, he'd grown sick of being dragged about without having a single say in it all. A cross-country trip to California was one thing. His little vacation turning into a situation where he's hopping between houses every day? Something entirely different, and something he clearly didn't like, and it went back to the adults prioritizing safety so much that the feelings of the children really took a backseat. Charlie wanted to be heard. He wanted someone to understand that he wanted to stay in California for good, in that big house that he'd been shown just yesterday. He wanted to be around his two new friends without getting taken somewhere else by another federal agent or cop. Like he's mentioned before, he just wanted to go home.

Jon's form of comfort of holding him close and gently rubbing his back and rocking him gently made him feel safe, which was a good start as he slowly calmed down enough to be able to listen to someone. They'd moved to another room, one he immediately recognized as his mother's by her distinctive red suitcase with a keychain of the flag of France on it. The very location he'd been taken to was also somewhere he could feel peace in, which helped soothe his uneasy nerves. At least here, he could listen to Jon talk him into calming down, step by step.

The young boy knew Jon could easily relate to his situation. He remembered a lot of the stories about Jon leaving his home frequently, so hearing all this from someone who understood his pain helped, rather than someone he barely knew. Frank was a nice man, sure, but Charlie didn't have that same connection to be able to understand so easily. It was that connection that was going to stop his mind from collapsing into a horrible slippery slope of thoughts that would show in erratic behavior like he did at Andrew's house when he woke up from his nightmare. He had just remembered after hearing Jon's words about that paper given to him at the federal agent's house about what to do in case he panicked again. Deep breaths. Count to ten. It was either that, or fall deeper into his scary thoughts.

In, out. In, then out. With each breath, he counted up to ten. It was a slow process, but it was helping. His mind cleared, and his stomach sure felt a lot less upset. His crying also died down as he was able to think more clearly and sit up on his own without the need for Jon to hold him close. That calming process really helped him settle down and feel less stressed and slowly brought his panic attack to a close. Hopefully, these wouldn't be as frequent in the future when the 'settling' part kicks in. Though not freaking out, Charlie still had thoughts and dreams of stability in his mind. Something he just wanted to happen already.

First step to it: the house wasn't going to be sold. Thank goodness. That was a huge thing that Charlie feared wasn't going to stay, especially because Frank brought up Maryland. He loved that house at the first sight of it and couldn't wait to tell his mom about it, which might happen soon. He had those happy thoughts of a happy family just living in peace, but it all seemed to get yanked from beneath him when he realized that they were moving again. He feared they wouldn't come back, that the 'bad people' or the police took it and used it for their own reasons and left it uninhabitable. At least that was still on the table, and it made Charlie smile for a brief moment. Something about Jon calling him 'son' felt comforting. Like he was the man that would serve as the head of his real family after his father had passed away. It felt... right.

Next came an apology. An apology for everything moving so quickly and nobody really taking the time to ask the kids if they were okay with all of the change and chaos around them. That's all Charlie could ask for: a chance to be heard to see if he was okay with all of this. At least Jon was acknowledging this now, at long last. The poor boy had seen and been through a lot. Why should he have to go through more after being ripped out of different homes every day? Jon went on about Charlie and his mother caring for him so much, doing the impossible to satisfy him, to try to keep him happy. Sadly, a lot of his happiness was, indeed, masking his deeper fears and true unhappiness. Maybe it was time for Charlie to stop stressing himself out about being brave and strong and let Jon take care of the heavylifting now. Hopefully it would be over soon. A boy can dream, after all.

"I keep having nightmares," he whimpered, able to speak without breaking down into tears so tragically. "I keep seeing that wolf eating my daddy that I saw in the first dream at the hotel. And it gets worse every day. When I was sleeping at Mister Goodman's house, I saw the wolf shooting Thalia. I see people with guns hurting people I love back in Pennsylvania. It doesn't feel like anything is safe anymore. Why can't the bad people just leave us alone? Why can't we just go with Mommy and Thalia to the house you bought? Do the... Do the bad people know where that is or something? If it's safe, why can't we just go there instead of Maryland? I don't wanna leave California anymore, Jon. I was scared to leave Pennsylvania, but now I'm comfortable here for once. Why do I have to leave again? You said you wanted to hear what I think of this stuff. And I don't like the moving thing. I just want to stay in one place. I want the nightmares to stop. I don't want anyone here to get hurt. I don't want people to shoot my friends or my mommy like they did to Thalia back... well, a few days ago." He gulped, but took yet another deep breath in order to calm himself. He was being honest, even if it was bringing him close to breaking again.

He leaned over onto Jon's shoulder for comfort again, just to feel that security blanket over him again. "I'm mostly scared that the moving around and the guns aren't going to end. Because it feels like it isn't... it really doesn't. It feels like things are going to get worse."

--

After the personal attacks and physical engagement began, both Nicole and Thalia wished that Jordan would've spoken up and asked to leave sooner. Why would a traumatized six year old who'd just lost his family want to see another family tear themselves apart? He wouldn't, and it was a good thing he got out of there. Same for Frank, so the room was clear for the two to discuss things more privately. Sure, this wasn't quite the conversation for the public kitchen, but seeing things just... happened, they might as well not spread the toxicity elsewhere. A few seconds passed after the two bystanders left the room, and the two parted from their embrace and returned to their seats at the table, hopefully to continue a more civilized conversation without deep-cutting personal attacks. However, after having heard the words out of each other's mouths, they'd both forever question themselves and whether they were good enough, Nicole as a mother, and Thalia as a person capable to reform. It might just be that broken nature and uncertainty that might allow them to see eye to eye and understand why each other have acted as they did.

Thalia's head hung low as she sat with her hands folded on the table like a young child in trouble with her teacher - not so far off from the reality of things, after all. Nicole kept her gaze elevated so she could stare eye to eye with her daughter whenever the latter decided to actually look up. This was it; probably the deepest of conversations the two would have.

It started with silence for a good minute, until...

"You seem to have suffered a great deal in eight years, and sadly, it has set you back a great deal in your developmental process as a whole," Nicole began, more composed than before.

"Yeah, no shit," Thalia grumbled, still not looking up. "I know I'm fucked up in the head. What else is new?"

Ignoring her daughter's potty mouth, the mother continued, "But that doesn't mean you can't be helped. I'm sure you aren't the only child who's been estranged in her teenage years and suddenly returns all of these years to a changed word and a changed self."

"All you're telling me is everything I've already been told before you showed up. Again, what else is new?"

The shame was kicking in for Thalia, and Nicole had to understand that and accommodate in order to reach out to her like no other person could. "I'm sure you have. I haven't forgotten your tales from the other night at dinner. It just confused me as to why you would even attempt to murder a friend of yours after you told me you'd attempt to improve on your own. I almost didn't believe it."

Thalia gulped, trying to formulate a convincing response for a woman that was naturally hard to meet eye to eye with. "Did Jenny really sell us out?"

"Pardon?"

Thalia finally looked up, though her head didn't raise very much. "James said Jenny ratted us all out to the police, and that's why they found us. That's why I got arrested. That's why Charlie got taken away by SWAT. Did she really?"

It seemed as if Thalia might be looking for another reason to go attack James again. Or was she just trying to seek the truth? "I..."

"Maman, put your prejudice aside for once and answer me. Do you know for certain if Jenny called the police and told them where we were?"

Nicole sighed. True, she was very biased against Jenny, but she also stood by honesty and integrity. She wasn't going to lie about this, but she'd have to be ready to stop Thalia if she decides to storm off in a blaze of anger again. "Jennifer returned to the mansion after the police cleared it. We were hidden in an underground bunker and came up when the police had departed. She came making rather... bold threats about telling the police to come back and take the rest of us. She came asking about you, rather shocked that you were taken, and blaming us for not protecting you."

Thalia trusted her mother's code of honesty far beyond James'. He was a criminal, and probably knew how to lie for his teeth to get his way - she could do the same, after all. Nicole, though, was a different story, which made her more credible. "Talk is worth shit. Does James have hard proof that Jenny did this?"

There wasn't a need for hesitation, because Nicole knew the answer immediately. But she feared the outcome of it. "No. He did this off of a hunch. She only made herself seem more guilty through her previous actions, especially her hostility towards me ever since she stepped foot in the house."

There it was, all Thalia needed: James had no proof that Jenny did it, but he killed her anyway. It was, indeed, a hasty security call to get rid of a potential threat, but not one that was confirmed. "I knew it. And do you, in your good conscience, think that was fair? That justice was served by the fact she got shot in the goddamn forest so no one can ever find her?"

"Of... Of course not, darling," she responded, "But did it look like I could do anything? I'd just lost you and Charlie because of the police raid. You can ask anyone; I could only think of you two when you were gone. I was quite distant from any of James' executive decisions for our protection..."

The daughter scoffed. "Oh, so killing my friend was for my 'protection'? I know she was a piece of shit, but you didn't have to kill her on a hunch, you know!"

"Please, don't scream, dear," Nicole ordered her, remaining calm, trying to prevent them from drawing more attention to themselves. "Of course, I wouldn't have allowed for this if I had any power over it. It just concerns me and others that you are so adamant on defending Jennifer like this. Especially after all she's put you through."

Thalia's head sunk into her palms, clenching her teeth together as she tried to remain calm. "I loved her. As much as nobody wants to accept it, some sick part of me still wants what she wanted to give, even if it was just endless hours of sex and drugs and whatever else she had in mind, okay? It's the same sick part of me that never gave me the courage to leave Ra's for all those years. All because I am horrified of being alone." She slammed her palms back on the table, leaving some of her hair to carelessly fall over her face. "I tried something stable and serious with Frank, and I fucked that up. I tried something careless and stupid with Jenny, and everyone judges me for it. Can't you see my dilemma here?"

It was more clear than ever now, the source of Thalia's mental issues as a whole: the fear of being alone. It would explain why she was at her best with a true friend like Karin around her, why that friend was able to take her out of her dark place in Al-Asheera. Nicole extended a hand over to Thalia's and placed hers over. "Of course I do. I understand... far more clearly now that we were able to talk about this properly."

The younger woman raised her head up properly now, looking her mother in the eye as she listened in. It seemed like they'd met halfway at long last.

"You aren't going to be alone any longer, dear. Just look up and see all the people that support you."

"Yeah. You mean used to support me. Half of them can't even look at me properly. I just got myself blacklisted entirely."

"Well, what about Charlie? He still doesn't know what you've done. He still sees you as his good big sister, you know. And he's been dying to see you."

"I...." Boy, was that spot-on. Charlie did still see Thalia positively. Frank and Karin might be guarded, but her little brother still had her in his heart as the girl she was before the raid. "I already ran into Charlie. His excitement to see me, his smile..." Thalia couldn't help but smile as well at the pleasant recent memory. "I think that's been the best thing that happened to me in the past few days."

"See? You do have people that still love you. I just need to count on the fact you're going to be a good role model for Charlie as he grows up. I don't want him to have this horrible image of his sister for the rest of his life. From what you told me the other night, you wanted to... come live with us for a bit while you get your life together? You know you're going to have my support the entire way, right? You'll get to spend time with me and your brother, and he'll get to see what kind of woman his sister is about to become."

"Kinda hard, seeing the news is doing nothing but slander me. James was gonna help in that department, but something tells me he's not gonna be helping me with anything anytime soon."

"Well, if that's the case, you can always show him that you've changed. But that's not going to happen if you're going to be threatening to attack people whenever something doesn't go your way. You know that, right?"

Thalia nodded, sniffling. "I just.... part of me felt something for her. And to know that everyone else hated her and nobody was going to stand up for her when she was basically pitted against someone willing to kill her..."

"I know. You may not find sincerity in this, but I'm sorry for your loss. If only there was another way to seek justice for why you were arrested that wasn't just a hunch."

"Yeah... if only. I just wish I could bury her properly. I wish we could bury all the people we've lost because of me."

Nicole felt the sharp pain of the reminder of her lost husband, and perhaps an ounce of guilt for finding comfort on Jon so quickly. "I know, dear. I'm sure your father would be proud of your attempts to change. All you can do now is show that you mean it. Then, perhaps everyone around you will see it for themselves. Just don't focus too much on being alone. You don't need some romantic partner to feel comfort. No matter what, you're going to have us. Your family. You're always welcome back into our arms. Me, Charlie... even Jon, if you'd like. You always have a place with us. Alright?"

Thalia finally managed to give her mother a smile that was directed towards her, one of some form of comfort in her mother once again. "Yes. I know that. Thank you."

Forgiveness... finally. But how different would things be now, family or not?

--

The race was on for the police: get to the moving blip on a radar before it performs the unthinkable and a young 11-year-old girl is harmed as a result. The highly-motivated and overly-heroic Richie and Heather made no hesitation or stops in their race to the outskirts of LA, following the active blip to wherever it was off to, which was also in motion with no signs of stopping any time soon. They took a civilian car to traverse the streets, but placed a small attachable light similar to one on a police car on top of the hood until they escaped the morning traffic. It was a way to get the civilians to clear the way, but not scare off the men on the other side of the chase upon the first glimpse of a cop inbound, simply by removing the light. Not only that, but they traveled alone to avoid that very same panic. A major risk, but there was a theory behind it all, one that Richie was confident enough in to send two cops after Angie's kidnappers. After the 'entirety' of Al-Asheera, most notably.

"You know..." Heather spoke as her eyes flickered between the road and her GPS system hooked to a claw on the dashboard. "I always thought your partner was the crazy one, but you clearly aren't short of the deathwish gene, now aren't you? Two men against a legion of monsters?"

The older cop similarly kept an eye on the surroundings as they slowly began to leave the more urban environment behind them and come to more quiet areas of the city. He'd take the light off the hood of the roof once he was sure they were somewhere less inhabited. Judging by the location of the blip on screen, they'd sure be going somewhere rather remote. "While we were waiting on a response from forensics, I looked into Thalia Griffin's recorded confession. Specifically about the specifications of Al-Asheera."

"Her claims were under the rule of Rami Younes, the guy they called Ra's. She even said Reeves was doing things differently."

Richie grinned, impressed with Heather's memory when they reviewed the testimony. "True, so there is room for inaccuracy in her words. But under new leadership, I'd expect the head count of Al-Asheera to go down, not up. And that's especially after the shitshow with the Clover Boys when half of them literally chickened out and ran away. Honestly, I don't think any of them had the nerve to face their brute for a master after exhibiting what Reeves would call cowardice."

"There's the death toll, too, at the Lucky Jack and the port. And all of the members of Al-Asheera who turned themselves in...." She was catching on, bit by bit. "Though she couldn't give an exact number. Only about 400 to 500, she claimed, and that they were trying to expand."

"But how much did they get a chance to? And how many probably ran off on their own accord?"

Heather paused for a moment, exhaling sharply as she made a quick left turn. "You do realize that doesn't mean we're just taking on Reeves, right? He can't possibly be alone. Some loons probably still believe in that prophecy BS."

"I never expected one. But it will be enough for us to make a tactical takedown, just you and I." As he spoke, he reached into his suit pocket for the compartment where he'd keep his painkillers. It was a move that Heather, though keeping her eyes on the road caught on to quickly.

"Tactical?" she scoffed. "While you're barely walking and are only able to resist pain because of your meds?"

A tad offended by her observation, Richie pulled out, but empty-handed. Heather was doubting his competency, especially in a tight situation. He'd have to prove her wrong, even if it was against his wife's wishes. "I was just scratching an itch. I'm fine. No pain at all."

Still suspicious, Heather dismissed his actions and kept her eyes on the road. She still found Richie's plans bordering on impossible, but if pulling off the impossible is what would get her name out there and avenge Melissa's death, so be it. "I hope so," she sighed.

As the duo entered a more rural environment, the upcoming events would put them to a full stop. Up ahead, they saw two semi trucks parked horizontally, head to head, in such a way that would block the entire road. No traffic jam here, though, mainly since it wasn't a highly populated area. Or maybe it was planted there because someone wanted Richie and Heather to stop there, and no one else. Who knows? Whatever it was, it brought Heather to step on the breaks rather than swerve offroad. But the fact two semi trucks were stopped in the middle of the road wasn't the scariest par to it. What made it even more crazy was the red inscriptions written across the cargo departments of them both. It wasn't English, but in Arabic, with the marking of a familiar tattoo painted on the far left of the first semi. It certainly didn't take a genius to know what was going on here: Al-Asheera must've figured out that they were hot on their tails and blocked the road to stall them.

"The hell..." Richie huffed as he undid his seatbelt and stepped out of the halted car. Heather did the same, both of them unholstering their weapons as they approached the creepy roadblock before them. Getting closer to the vehicles made them notice a few other grim details about the scene...

Right in front of the road block were a dozen dead bodies of what looked like truck drivers and construction workers, all of them dead for several hours with several cuts around their bodies, but blood seemingly... drained. It made it even more clear what the writing on the trucks was made out of: the blood of these victims. It sounded like something straight out of Reeves' playbook, something horrible and gruesome that could make anyone throw up in their mouth ever so slightly. Heather didn't know Arabic to be able to read the inscriptions, but Richie could at least read the letters, yet not quite understand most of it.... [left word is on the left semi, right one on the right]

خسرنا - العشيرة
[We have lost - Al-Asheera]
​
Now wasn't the time to pull out phones to try to translate that, but Richie sure did know the word on the left semi. "Al-Asheera is on to us. This might be an ambush."

Before either of them could make a run for it, from the left of the blockade came a familiar scruffy individual who fled the gang war just last night, holding a heavy revolver in his left hand. His hand clearly had the mark of Al-Asheera, both hands covered in blood, and it looked like he hadn't slept the past night. He looked deranged, but also committed to some cause. Probably one of Reeves' henchmen, but just one? "Don't you move, you fucks!" he called as he began to step forward, waving his firearm about very carelessly, oddly enough, not aiming it at the two detectives, who both didn't hesitate to point their weapons at him.

"Don't you move," Richie hissed. "Not another step closer, buddy."

The man didn't bother to stop, but rather grew a maniacal grin across his face, clearly not afraid of being shot. "I am the servant of Al-Ra's the Second, also known to the common folk as Jordan Reeves. And I come with tidings you may like."

"You can shove those tidings up your ass," Heather pitched in. "Drop the weapon, then we can talk. Slowly."

Indeed, this was the servant that Reeves had on his tail up until the Clover Boys gang war. Seems like he had some sort of message to pass on... but what? "Al-Ra's the Second is a charlatan. A fake prophet. A heresy. He has disobeyed the many rules that his predecessor had set forth and has deviated from the path of righteousness. He has lost nearly his entire army due to his sins and wrongdoings, for which we have quit because of, but furthermore, he must be punished by the local law enforcement."

Richie and Heather were... understandably confused. What was going on here? Some sort of confession? He wasn't obeying them, which made him far more unpredictable and scary. "You can keep telling us this crap at the station, but for now, hands. Up," Richie repeated.

The servant seemed to be getting off at the detectives creeping closer and threatening him to obey them, obvious because he snickered upon the older man's orders. "Oh, Richard Hart. Al-Ra's the Second would never have achieved the sort of notoriety he'd received now if it weren't for the sins of your closest."

With that... Richie stopped. His closest? That was enough to catch him off-guard, but still at the ready to shoot if he had to. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Truths were exchanged between men of the higher ranks of Al-Ra's the First at the expense of your partner, Tony Walsh, Al-Mohakik, but I believe you have already extracted them from Al-Yed. Oh, but don't you know him as Roland Simmons?"

Roland... who told him nothing, had something to say? Did Richie kill him off before finding out some rather crucial detail? "Roland Simmons is dead. He suffered permanent brain damage, and he succumbed to his other injuries. He wasn't able to talk. What did he know?"

"Oh, but he told you without even saying a word. Didn't you figure it out? Hah. It's a good thing you never got to continue for your Sergeant's exam, because you would've certainly failed if you couldn't piece this together."

This only got Richie thinking even harder about his encounter with Roland. Amidst the slew of 'fuck yourself's he threw about, was there some sort of message? Now even more desperate to find out, Richie lowered his gun to the servant's feet and pulled the trigger to release a shot just between his legs. Odd how the freak didn't even flinch, but there was more where that came from if he didn't cooperate. Heather appeared shocked at first at this new desperate side she'd seen from Richie, but clearly, whatever happened with Roland Simmons was... personal. Something darker than meets the eye. "Next time I won't miss your foot. Tell me what Roland Simmons was hiding, NOW!"

The servant cackled. "Al-Ra's the Second had a police radio to monitor all of your activities, up until I stole it last night. I used it for good to anticipate that you two would show up here around this time. But him.... He used that information you spread on your radio to find out the location of a sweet innocent girl that we could manipulate to coerce a former member of ours... what was her name, Angie Romanos?"

Now he was clearly and intentionally taking jabs at Heather, who tightened her grip on her weapon. She was very tempted to barely miss him as well, simply to scare him, and because the area was deserted enough that nobody would care. "Where's the girl, psycho?"

"That bastard is sending the innocent 11 year old girl with several explosives attached to her out to the location of the Blessed Child. If anyone so much as gets close to her, she'll be blown up. The only way he'll disarm it is if the Blessed Child surrenders himself to be purified by the false prophet. And I cannot let that happen... which is why you now know the truth."

It was that moment that he stopped flailing the revolver about randomly and brought it beneath his chin. It was clear now what was about to happen. "Don't you fucking dare!" Richie barked.

"Sawfa itala'ak fe jenne, Mawlaye... samahni lakhatayati," [I'm coming to meet you in Heaven, Your Highness... forgive me for my sins.] he uttered to himself in broken Arabic before opening his mouth and placing the barrel inside.

"NO!" Richie yelled, charging forward in an attempt to stop him from doing what the two knew what was about to happen, but the distance between them was far too great to be able to stop him in time. Richie was only in time to just avoid getting the servant's blood splattered all over his face and suit. One relief, but two livid detectives, losing a gold mine of information to a suicide right before their eyes, all while Reeves was getting away, farther away from their location thanks to this hold up. A line of dead bodies, a road block, a man who blew his own brains out, and a series of cryptic hints.

So, what now?

"FUCK, DAMN IT!" Richie yelled, violently kicking the asphalt below him, his hand running through his shorter hair, trying to process everything they'd just seen and heard. Much like Tony and Frank, they, too, witnessed a ceremonial Al-Asheera suicide right before their eyes. Only this time, it was without the suspicion towards them.

Heather, meanwhile, had never seen anything this brutal before. She'd seen dead bodies and blood, but never a live suicide. Never someone's brain and skull being blown out by a bullet and spraying on the ground and semi behind him. It almost made her want to throw up, but she resisted that urge for the moment. Not in front of Richie, who she saw as a mentor of sorts. But clearly, he was coping in his own way: anger. The female detective had her own way of saving her mind from falling apart: repeating the words they'd just heard in her mind.

Tony Walsh was more suspicious than meets the eye.

Angie was in trouble, and they were using her as leverage over Damien.

Charlie Griffin was the target of yet another bomb scheme.

And the gang of thieves was a shell of its former self. Reeves had ruined the Al-Asheera they once believed in and caused its downfall on his own.

"You sure you don't wanna call for backup now?" she asked Richie. But that answer was pretty obvious. They weren't going to just leave this mess. And they had to report their findings before moving on. A setback, but they weren't going to go dark like the past Al-Asheera task force leaders did.
 
"Okay." Jon paused and rubbed his back, "Okay, right, let's start with all nightmares." He said, "The nightmares... The wolf you're seeing, right, that's your brain filling in the blanks. Your brain doesn't know exactly what it was that took your father away and this is just your brain's way of... Finding answers." He said. "I know it sounds crazy, son, but that's what it is. It's called PTSD. A lot of people see their flashbacks or night terrors as monsters or things that would be otherwise unrelated." He said. "It's a normal thing, as weird as it sounds. It's perfectly normal for someone who's been through something traumatic and is just looking to fill in the gaps." He said. "It's something we all do. Like... I used to dream about my car crash, but I didn't dream about it in the exact same way. I'd dream about seeing another car crash... I'd dream about a horse carriage crashing, or even a road or a highway collapsing and breaking." He said.

"A lot of people never dream about things how they actually happened, so..." He shrugged, "Because you don't know how it all went down, because you don't know a face for the person that's caused so much pain..." He sighed. "Well, that's where the wolf comes from. But the wolf isn't real, son. He's not real and he never will be." He said, "We need to help you see that." He said, "I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding, Charlie." He said, "I think in our efforts to keep you safe, all we've done was make you feel worse. All we did was panic you more." He said. "We made you feel unsafe even in the times that you didn't need to feel unsafe. I'm sorry for that, kid." He held him against his chest once more.

"You see, we're not trying to scare you. We're not trying to rip you away from your home. We're not trying to scare you. We're not trying to make you feel like you're in danger, either. We don't want to leave California." He said, "We don't want to take you away from that awesome house we bought together, no... We're not trying to make it feel like you don't have a say in any of this. Now's the time." He said.

He took a deep breath.

"We'll go over a few things here." He said. "I know for a fact that the house is staying... If we did go to Maryland, which is still only a maybe..." He stopped him. "I'd be with you. Mom would be with you. Joseph and Jordan would be there." He said, "You see, Charlie, there's a few things behind this." He said. "I don't think they'd be able to find the new house. I have no links to those people and we have no reason to be scared of them at all." He said. "But that's not the point." He said, "The point is I'm worried. I'm worried about the what if. In the spy job you need to think about the what if, you know?" He shrugged.

"The house means a lot to all of us." He said, "It means a lot to you and me, and that's what I'm worried about. I'd rather have you and mom 100% safe and the house untouched, rather than risk having the house get damaged, or having a bad memory get put in there, y'know? Right now... I just want everything to be okay. I want that house to be there for us when we're a family and we can settle down, not when we're trying to dodge danger." He said, "But... If you'd rather find somewhere to stay in California... I'm happy to look into that." He smiled.

He went quiet for a moment.

"You remember a little while ago we spoke about conquering fears?" He asked. "You feel like doing that today with me for a little while?" He asked.
 
Though it was a simplified way of describing what Charlie was going through, it helped to have some sort of explanation as to why he kept having nightmares and panic attacks as he was this past week. He sure didn't know what PTSD meant exactly, but he could definitely pick up that it was a way of his mind to understand what's been going on and filling in the blanks, and that process of understanding was terrifying him in his sleep. He wished he had some sort of finer control over it so that the monsters he was seeing and the flashbacks that were running through his head, even if they weren't firsthand observations, could just be turned off. While there wasn't quite a way to do that immediately, at least being heard for once and understood instead of told with an already-packed suitcase in front of him to get ready to go was a more pleasing experience.

Another thing that felt good to hear from Jon in particular was that the house he saw yesterday was here to stay. No one was going to take it away, no one was going to sell it, and none of the bad people after them were going to find it. The only reason they weren't there now was the age-old question of 'what if'. What if the bad people found them? What if the police did and pulled off a similar raid to the one in Encino, one that they might not be so fortunate to survive or escape. It did go back to actions for the sake of protection, but in a softer way than before. At least this time, he wasn't being reminded about being moved around or an imminent threat.

If now was a time for Charlie to be heard, then he'd sure take it. When it came to staying or leaving the state, that much went without saying, but he was prepared to do it anyway. But it seemed like Jon was prepared to give it to him no matter what. "Please, I don't wanna leave California. I wanna stay here, somewhere close. I don't wanna go to Maryland."

He was quick and to the point: no leaving Cali, and it didn't seem like they would be judging by Jon's tone and way of talking to Charlie. The boy leaned his head on the man's shoulder, now calmer than before, no longer crying so heavily, and able to relax, putting his faith in Jon that he'd talk to whoever he needed to in order to prevent a move to the other side of the country again.

But that wasn't all. There was still that time that Jon talked about Charlie facing his fears before. A way to get over his bone-rattling fear of guns and the nightmares about his father's death, some way to overcome that trauma and move passed it. How could he say no? Maybe that would function as his off switch. He sniffled and nodded, though a tad confused as to the nature of what to expect.

"Yeah, I remember that," he said, "I guess we could. But what are we going to do? And where? You'll tell my mommy where we are, right?" Typical Charlie, overly-worried about leaving the house without his mom's permission, and wondering where they would be off to in the first place.

--

With amends made with most of her friends and family, Thalia finally had some time to herself, and in a way she could actually enjoy that wasn't a night tied up in a freezer. A time for one of her cooldown walks, though not far from the mansion - quite literally around the perimeter in full view of the hawkeyed guards keeping her in their sights at all times, giving her dirty glares at every opportunity. She didn't fight or start a verbal encounter, but simply tried to ignore their judgmental eyes in order to avoid an outburst from her. She sure wanted to get revenge and try to wipe out the guards and run away, but she knew that'd be far too dangerous and pointless. Besides, where would she go if she lashed out so senselessly? She just minded her own business, until strolling around in a circle bored her and she strayed off into the backyard towards a stray log in the dirt path. She laid back on the long piece of wood, staring at the sky in an attempt to meditate.

She reached into her pocket to pull out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter she'd snagged from the kitchen. It'd been so long since she'd smoked. Maybe it was partially her trying to quit, but a good deal of it had to do with her being in a hospital with her ankle handcuffed to a bed for a night. She wasn't dangerously hooked to the point of feeling withdrawal without her smokes for a single night, but she definitely needed one now after the past few days. As she laid back to try and forget her injuries, her right arm did most of the maneuvering to place the stick in her mouth and raise the lighter to the end. Her eyes wandered around the backyard to ensure nobody of meaning would come by. She didn't want her mom or brother to catch her smoking, and she hoped the guards didn't interpret it as a murder weapon if she was quite literally on her back and not in any sort of preparation for combat.

But then there was Frank, who she'd promised she'd stop, yet here she was huffing on another stick of nicotine once again. With their breakup and the events behind it, even up until now, that promise seemed... less relevant, unfortunately. Top that off with her mother talking her down from chasing after intimacy, she gave herself permission to throw that promise out the window as she indulged in her old habit, just thinking back at all the damage she'd caused, and now how useless she was to the end of this.

Al-Asheera was basically no more thanks to that gang shooting. Could they really depend on Bradan to kill off Reeves, though? Or was the whole 'let's wait' act going to continue? She didn't even have the nerve to get up and find James to ask. She didn't even think he'd get close without security now that she was more mobile and awake than before.

As she huffed, she began to let out a series of heavy, hoarse coughs. She covered her mouth and put out the cigarette on the log beneath her. Maybe smoking while she was getting sick wasn't such a good idea.
 
"Okay, right, no leaving Cali. That's fine." He said, "For someone your age, traveling can be a scary thing. Sure, vacations are different." He said. "We're going to go on lots of vacations over the years, you know. Me, you, mom, Thalia." He nodded, "And you're going to help me get my business set up. You need to help me with all those cars, remember? We'll fix up a nice car for Thalia to drive around in, then we'll get my business going and I can teach you all about that." He said, "I've already been looking at places close to where we live for an office to be built, and a garage attached." He said, "It'll be really cool, I promise, and you can help me after school and on weekends, too." He ruffled his hair.

"We've got a lot to look forward to, son. You need to see what's going on as... Something temporary. As you grow up and get older, you're going to find a lot of challenges in life. That's just what life is. Life is unfair, but you know what, it's still good." He nodded. "It has its hard moments. One day you'll have kids of your own and you'll give your boy the same message I'm giving you - things are going to get tough, but, pain is just a temporary thing. There's always going to be more chances to build happy memories." He smiled, "Life is whatever you make of it. If you cling to the bad things, then yes, the bad things are going to take over, but if you tell yourself 'no, I'm going to move on and I'm going to do what I can to be happy', then it's going to work out." He nodded.

He held him against his chest again. "You and me are going to be good business partners, and soon enough you'll be tucked into a nice comfy bed that'll be yours for a long, long time." He said, "I promise. I'll tear the world in two if it means giving you that, you understand?" He said.

As for what they were going to do?

"Well, that's a surprise, but it's going to be perfectly safe and I'm not going to leave your side." He said, "We're going to face your fears but you're not going to be in any danger at all, because no one there is going to hurt you, and you're going to be with me. Nothing's going to even come close to hurting you if I'm there." He smiled. "We're going to have fun eventually. We're going to make a game out of it, almost like... Like laser tag. Completely safe." He said.

He did pull out his phone, though, and he pulled up a whole album of pictures of that new house.

He went over to a chest of drawers with Charlie in his arms, and he pulled out an envelope. It had something weighted in there.

"This right here is the key to the house." He said. "I want you to be the one to surprise mom with it, buddy." He said. "You can throw me in there and obviously say that I bought it, but..." He smiled. "I want you to be the one to surprise her. It would mean a lot coming from her son." He ruffled his hair and set him down, holding out the phone and the envelope. "We can surprise her together, but, you can be the messenger for this one. Then we'll head out after." He nodded.

James, however... James was watching Thalia, 100%. James was watching her from a window, discreetly.

All was already forgiven. He was just waiting. He was just waiting for her now. He was waiting for her to approach him - it would be a big step in her recovery process. For once, it was going to have to be her that extended the olive branch, not the other way around.

Only time would tell how that panned out.
 
Now much, much calmer than he was not long ago, Charlie could finally end his tears and pick himself up after his mini-breakdown. He came to relax after hearing the calming, fatherly words from Jon about things being just temporary and that the future would hold someplace to settle, some stability. He'd learn in time that change happens, sometimes with nothing he can do about it, much like now. Hopefully in the future, it wouldn't have to be such radical changes all at once, and without the trauma behind it all, too. Maybe someday he'd have a son that he'd be giving the same sort of help. He just hoped his son would never have to endure something this scary.

But out of the scary and into the rather exciting. Jon had a series of pictures of the newly bought house, as well as an envelope with the key inside it. Now was the time to break the surprise to Charlie's mom, and the boy himself was going to lead with it. That frown was instantly turned upside down as he took both objects into each of his hands and sat up on his own, ready to get up and head off to the kitchen to reunite with his mother again, who was probably wondering where he was this whole time. He sure had been a while, and he and Jon never returned after a 'trip to the bathroom'. Nicole could guess there was something deeper, but wasn't quite sure. She just assumed, for now, it was related to the surprise, which it was about to look like now.

"Awesome! Let's go tell her now!" he cheered as he hopped off the edge of the bed, now back to his old, positive self that seemed to have his head up all the time. The encouraging words and promises for having fun at some point, along with the news to spread, kicked things into gear.

Although.... relating the coming experience to face his fears to laser tag did bring back a not-so-pleasant memory of one of Charlie's breakdowns just a few days ago, but he tried not to think of it and just suppress the memory. That was a bad day in general for everyone anyway.

But off the young boy went, his instinct guiding him back to the kitchen, a place where he knew he could always find his mother, a place she spent most of her day anyway. Fortunately, even in a house that wasn't even hers, that was still the case as she remained at the table she'd sat at moments ago talking to her daughter, digesting the truth about the events of the previous night and trying to envision a peaceful future as a happy family, if that could ever be possible with Thalia. Part of her was considering to tell her daughter to stay away until she gets help, but the other half wanted her to stick around to get help with her mother's helping hand. It was a dilemma bugging her ever since she heard from Jon the truth about her daughter's actions and realized her daughter was given a second chance at life. And there was no simple answer at the end of the day. No average mother has a child who ends up in a place like her own...

At least her young boy was still rather close to his former self, and all she could do is pray he doesn't fall into the same trap as his sister. And she'd make an effort to reassure that.

"Mommy!" Charlie called out as he set foot into the kitchen, his hands behind his back with the two items in each one. Being the first time they'd seen each other this morning, it was an all-too-perfect moment for greetings. He noticed his mother stressed and troubled, her hands folded in front of her face, pressed against her forehead, but once she heard the voice of her son, Nicole looked up, resting her palms on the table. Finally, a face she could take pride in.

"Charlie," she smiled as she watched the boy get closer. Nicole didn't even have to stand up, so she simply reached forward, gently stroking his hair away from his forehead. His ear-to-ear grin clearly meant he was happy for something. Was it a good night's sleep? A happy dream? Some fun with Joseph and Jordan this early? Or more about the 'surprises' that she was constantly teased about, which only troubled her more than they should? "How are you, mon fils?"

"I'm great," he responded, trying to overlook her sadness in hopes that the surprise of the new house would do the same sort of cheering-up treatment to her as it did to him. "I was just talking with Jon. He wants to take me out to show me a way to try and face my fears, but first, he and I have something we want to show you."

Nicole froze for a moment, but didn't show much in the way of being bothered by more secrets being kept from her. Facing fears? Most probably that fear of guns he had gone on about many times in his nightmares. She hadn't asked about that, still unaware of his breakdown at the federal agent's home. But a surprise... that was the more pressing thought at hand. "Oh?"

"It's a really good one," he went on, his face showing as if he were about to explode. His left hand flew from behind his back and in Nicole's direction. It had the envelope with the key. It didn't look too clear that there was a key inside, and even if, it wasn't the first thing coming into the mother's mind. She reached forward to accept it, gently tearing the seal left on it.

"Well, what do we have here...?" she said to herself, painting a smile on her face for her exuberant son. Upon breaking it open with an even tear across the top, she reached inside to unveil the key. A key on its own, in that shape.... It certainly wasn't a car, that much she could guess. It looked like one for a house...

Is it what she thought it was? "Charlie..." she began with an ounce of uncertainty and shock. "Where does this..."

Charlie couldn't hold back much more, and he then presented the phone, still unlocked and viewing the album of pictures of the house. Nicole took it as well, now more sure of what this was. And knowing Jon was involved in this 'surprise'.... "Jon found this for us, and bought it for you, and me, and him, and Thalia, for when all this is over. It's AWESOME!"

Still trying to process the idea of Jon preparing her a house in California for them all to stay in, she placed the key down to get a better look at the smartphone, sliding her finger every few seconds to get a view of everything. A smile appeared over her face at the more glamorous and notable features that she knew would be ones loved by each member of the Griffins. A happy surprise, indeed it was. It all came with a degree of disbelief. It was almost too good to be true. Nicole had always lived a simple, modest lifestyle without ever needing more than the average family. A house like this was.... excessive, so to say, something completely outside her lifestyle. Sure, her parents in Paris were on the wealthier side, but Jacob never really was, and Nicole appreciated that from her late husband. This wasn't an attempt at being bought, though, but rather one to finally allow her and her family to relax and be comfortable for their lives. Charlie loved it, and part of Nicole did, too.

"It's beautiful," Nicole commented, her smile no longer feigned. She looked up to her son and lowered the screen from her sights. "It's.... so much. More than I could ever imagine or ask for. Quite marvelous house, really, nothing quite like it back home.... You said he picked this for us?"

"Mhm," Charlie nodded. "There's a super awesome basketball court, and a pool, and the bedrooms are HUGE with walk-in closets and our own bathrooms. It even has a really fancy kitchen, and we knew you'd love that."

"He certainly wasn't wrong there. Come here Charlie," she extended her arms forward to hug her son, who swung his own arms around her neck as far as he could reach.

"Does that mean you'll let us move there?" he cheered to himself.

In her past life, Nicole probably would've never given Charlie this answer. But Jon had this paid for. And though she doubted the legitimacy of the purchase, she'd have a chat with him about that later. For now... "It seems so."

"Yes!" he parted from the hug to shake his hands in front of him in a victorious manner to show his overjoyed reaction to his mother's approval, or as close to a solid 'yes' as he was going to get. There was plenty to talk about, though, but between the grown ups. "I'm going to get tell the guys about it. I'll be back!"

With that, Charlie charged off into the hallway behind her in search for his two new friends. This gave Nicole the opportunity to find Jon and find out more about this place he'd found. She watched her son run off, never this happy in his life. She didn't even bother tell him not to run in the house this time, not willing to burst his bubble. She slowly stood up from the table with him out of the room, looking towards the hallway he'd come from. There he was, the man who'd changed her life forever and was now prepared to allow her to settle like never before. With the value of a property like that, she could have more money than she knows what to do with. She may never have to work another day in her life, and given the million dollars that Ra's never got from the very beginning, she may never have to.

"Jon..." she began, still in shock and smiling after what she'd seen. "That house is incredible. Almost too good to be true. It seems Charlie agrees with you. He seems to really love it more than anything. Although..." There was the 'but', but not exactly a bad one. "We've never really lead such a lifestyle. You must've looked into us before, and you've seen our house. We were never drowning in money, and never wanted to be, either. It's a very different type of life we'd lead there, and part of me.... wonders if that's truly me. But it seems to make Charlie happy, and he deserves a chance at happiness after everything he's been through. And so does Thalia. My Lord, she needs a lot of help, and a pleasing environment will be all the better for her. Believe me, I appreciate how much thought you put into this house and picking it out tailored to me and my children's liking, but it feels like more than I can ever pay you back for. It must've costed a fortune, and I don't even want to know where you got the money to purchase it from. I'm not trying to throw your gift back in your face but...." She stuttered for a moment, lost as to where to go now. She was confused, in shock, unsure of how to respond to such an amazing gesture.

He cared for her and her family, that seemed to be the clearest thing. So what other words would fit than a few steps forward for a hug, then... "Thank you, Jon. For everything."

--

Although she was very well aware of at least three pairs of eyes keeping watch over her, Thalia wasn't aware of James watching over her from a nearby window. She wasn't even concerned as to where he was after all of this. Part of her thought he might've been hiding just in case she flips again and tries to kill him, but why would he do that if he could probably outperform her in one-on-one combat? Which brought the other possibility to mind: he's probably waiting for a moment to tie the loose end, that being her life. Those two possibilities were convincing enough for her to not even bother. It went back to her begging her mother to cut her a break; by now, she's got the worst reputation among their ragtag crew, probably worse than early-game skeptic Tony. After all, Tony has never tried to raise a weapon at James. Thalia dared to challenge a superpower when it did wrong, thinking she could get her way, when really, what was there to gain but vengeance and unhappy, disappointed friends and family?

Was she still bitter about him offing Jenny without due process? In a way, yes. Was she going to whine and scream about it, then try to sever the hand that feeds? No.

One thing that was tempting to do as she choked on her attempt to return to an unhealthy habit was return to the forest and try to find a body. It'd been two days, but odds are, there'd still be clothing or some remains of her body to find and try to give a proper burial, that is if the body was left to rot and not cremated or dumped elsewhere. It bugged her that nobody even bothered look into who ratted them out and assumed Jenny's narcissistic, vengeful mannerisms were enough to punish her for the crime. It didn't bode well for her, but part of Thalia just doubted she'd go that far if it mean that the so-called 'love of her life' was going to get hurt as well. She was well aware of Thalia's crimes and notoriety, which meant for a heavy sentence if she were to be caught, alongside maximum security. Then again, if Damien could get her out with ease, then so could literally anyone. Perhaps her cooperation made the police soft. That, along with the thoughts planted in her mind before leaving the traitor behind, were what fueled her rage towards James. Why didn't he come to her rescue sooner if a private citizen could do this so easily? Why did he kill a suspect without confirming it was her that committed the crime? Was the cocky, reserved criminal mastermind... possibly wrong, for once? Maybe Thalia just wanted to believe that.

With the guilt and burned bridges behind her, her solitude lead to her contemplating finding Richard Hart again and begging for his forgiveness. She hoped she could explain herself when they met again, hoping he'd listen and understand she had no power over the escape attempt and was, indeed, knocked out before getting a chance to act. Sure, her mother asked her to never leave again, but Nicole would also admire her daughter living up to her mistakes and taking her punishment rightfully, even if it meant the worst case scenario extradition and capital punishment. The news may now be focused more on her mom and brother, as well as the perverse nature of Jordan Reeves and the now-declared gang way, but she knew they'd come back to the mystery redhead soon enough once Al-Asheera ceases to exist. And how likely would it be that James keeps his word about dealing with the media himself to stop them from covering her again? At least if she met up with the detective who gave her a chance, he'd be able to promise her some form of humane treatment and due process, unlike what'd happened to Jenny.

Her head hung back for a moment off the end of the log, forcing a cough out of her again and springing her back upright. She must've really been getting sick, and not keeping warm was just making it worse for her. She placed the back of her hand over her own forward to feel the heat. She didn't have much in the way of an extreme fever, but she was definitely warmer than she should normally be. Did she have the nerve to ask for help? No way. But she did feel the urge to go back inside. She slowly got off the log and made her way to the door, her arms wrapped around her stomach in a sickly manner. Her head hung low as she passed by the nosy guards staring at her. She exchanged unpleasant glares with one of them until she reached the door and allowed herself back in side.

What is taking them so long? Why haven't they just killed me yet? Maybe a part of her thought death would've been a deserving punishment. She wouldn't do it to herself though; it'd been too long since she'd attempted suicide and wasn't going to try again. If she were going to go down, it'd be face-to-face with another. She'd fight for her life, just to make herself go out thinking she had purpose.

But upon entering, without even meaning to, she finally bumped into the main offender to her wrongdoings the previous night. Besides the moment of being saved by the bell, she hadn't really talked to James. She apologized and begged for mercy, but what more did she have to say? At this point, she was just expecting the bullet that would end her and get her out of his hair for good. She didn't look good in front of him, hugging her stomach in pain, her body hunched forward slightly, her face colorless, and her eyes restless and red.

What could she possibly say?

"I-I'm not feeling so good," she groaned, not really hiding that she wasn't feeling well. He probably already knew this just by watching over, but she clearly wasn't aware. "Doesn't help that I can't get any privacy. Just makes it all more... uncomfortable."

Speaking of comfort, the redhead returned to a rather old habit of hers of seating herself on the floor up against a wall, all in the pursuit of not feeling so horrible. She looked up at James, seeing that they clearly needed to talk.

"I talked to everyone, okay?" she continued, "Charlie, Karin, my mom, Frank, all of them. Charlie clearly knows something's up, Frank desperately wants his distance from me, Karin barely forgives me for this, and I'm lucky my mom hasn't disowned me. Along with the physical shit your friend did to me, haven't I suffered enough? What are you waiting for in the way of just getting rid of me for good? All I've done for you is cause problems, and you know that. And now that things are pretty much done and Jon is more of a guardian for my family than you, what's stopping you from just throwing me and my family out, or just leaving me for dead, if not just putting the bullet in me as is? I just don't get what your motives are."

Thalia had no idea what the point of talking to him was anyway, besides just begging to stay alive and protected. But at this point, she had just given up. She didn't even want to ask to find Jenny's body or get some sort of closure. He wasn't going to provide. Like the very beginning, Jame's rules, not hers.
 
It was a grand reveal for Nicole. She was finally getting to see the surprise that Jon had been waiting so long to reveal. It was a big house where they could all live and grow old together. Jon acted on that house not only out of care, but out of love. He loved Nicole deeply, and he loved Charlie like a son. He could never throw that away. He wanted them to have the best life, a life that they deserved. A good life. He managed to calm the boy down which in itself was nothing short of a miracle - but he knew what it was like. He knew what it was like to be a kid with a single mother. He knew mothers did a great job, especially Nicole, but... There's just some emotions that come out and some topics that only get talked about with a dad.

Sometimes, well, they needed to talk about a lot of things:

Mom.
Girls.
Boy stuff.
Things a mom could never (apparently) possibly never understand.

That's just the way it is when you're that age. It's linear. There's some things only your dad can understand or know about, and then there's some things only your mom can know about. You know your mom is going to make the best meals and be the best at tucking you into bed, but dad? Dad's the one who lifts you up in the air in complete joy when you win a big game; he's the one who does the best voices for the characters in a bedtime story.

Linear. But it was important. Jon knew he could never replace Jacob. No two men are the same. But that didn't mean he couldn't take on the fatherly role. He could be a dad to this boy, and he knew it. He didn't know an awful lot about being a father, as he hadn't been part of that practice for many years now. But he knew he was going to try his hardest to ensure that the kid got what he needed, and got a good start in life. As a dad he would let Charlie get into situations where he could fall down - but only so he could learn. He'd let him take a bump or a bruise here and there if it meant getting a lesson that every kid deserved to get.

Like falling off your bike while learning to ride. It's an important thing.

Jon watched the whole thing unfold, and it made him happy to see. Or he at least listened. He wanted to hear the reaction as it was - he didn't want her to sway her reaction just because he was stood there watching them. She seemed happy with it, but Charlie seemed completely over the moon. He couldn't help but feel that Nicole was a little reluctant, though, which would have only made sense, given how much there was going on. It was a lot to take in.

Eventually, he saw Charlie bolt past him, no doubt rushing to go and tell Joseph the good news. Jordan would have to wait, considering he was currently sat outside with Frank, after he requested to leave as the big fight kicked off with Thalia and Nicole. He didn't like seeing them hit each other, after all. But still.

Nicole came and spoke to him, too.

He was waiting for this moment.

Where to start?

"I know the lifestyle you had before was completely different to this, and I don't expect you to be 100% comfortable with it at first." He said, "I just want you to know - I'm going to keep this short and simple - that I'm not doing this to win over any more of your trust. Nor am I doing it to get Charlie any closer to me, or to get Thalia to settle with me any quicker. I'm doing this because I love you, and I see Charlie as a son now." He said. Love was a strong word, but it was true. Considering that him and Nicole had... Well, done the dirty, in essence... Yeah. Love was applicable here. "I'm doing this for you because I love all of you. I care about all of you, and after everything that's happened... You deserve a good life." He said.

"The money I used to get it was all the money I made legitimately through my business. I promise." He said. "The stuff on the side was... All for freedom and for pleasure, I suppose. The money, I mean. Not so much what I did." He said, "The house is clean. Even the bank notes that were used to pay for it. You have my word." He said.

He hugged her back.

"Thank you too, Nicole." He whispered, setting his head down on her shoulder. "You gave me my life back." He said.

--

James and Thalia, on the other hand...

Things ended up not being so happy.

He crouched down in front of her when she rested herself against the wall, and he took in a deep breath. Yeah, she had seen a lot. She had suffered, but in his eyes, all was deserved. Bad things happened, and the heat of the moment always looks twisted when you're looking at it from the outside. The heat of the moment ultimately doesn't mean shit to anyone else but you. You make bad decisions in the heat of the moment, sometimes they're not accurate - but you do it out of instinct.

For a man that lived alone for the longest of time, evading police and trying to stay safe from all sorts of criminals... His reaction was quite understandable if you looked at it like that. If you looked at him protecting the only people he'd had in close to a decade, yes, things were much different. He had his best friend, his lover, his sort-of-adoptive son, his unborn child, and a handful of friends all under one roof. If one bitch comes along and even whispers the idea of taking that all away? Yes, a man like him was destined to explode and act on it in the only way he knew was effective. He knew that a girl with a big mouth like that would live up to her threats... If she was given the chance and felt the need to.

So, silence her permanently. It was effective.

"I haven't thrown anyone out, Thalia, because contrary to your beliefs, some people stilll care." He said. "I know it may seem hard to believe, the concept of someone else giving a damn, the concept of someone else wanting to protect you other than yourself. But it happens." He said. "Yes, you've suffered enough. You suffered in the way you needed to suffer. You suffered in the way I wanted you to suffer." He said, "You got to see from a first person perspective what it was like to willingly throw away or damage everything you cared about, everything you held close to you, everything that fueled your very existence." He said. "Now... You've named how things are." He said.

"Your mother nearly disowned you."
"Karin barely forgave you."
"Charlie knows you're not being completely straight about what's going on."
"Frank's seen the 'darker side' of you yet again."

He sighed and shook his head, "All of these things are necessary for learning, for becoming a better person. Because right now, all of those things have happened based off the fact that you have little to no trust or belief in anyone. Think of all the kind acts you've experienced from other people." He said, "How many times did you think to yourself 'this is all bullshit'?" He asked. "I'm willing to bet that you thought that every single time, and that's okay. You've been abused. You've been made to think that the world is plotting against you. Like a puppy who got kicked one too many times. Instead of trusting, he shows his teeth." He said, "But it's nothing to be ashamed of. We've all been there."

He looked around. "Despite all of this, I forgive you." He said, "Because it's about time that someone truly does." He said, "I have been nothing but honest with you, Thalia. You and I both know that." He said, "And right now, my priority is finishing this. My priority is keeping you, your family, and the rest of the people here, safe." He said, "I would like the chance to meet my unborn child. I would like you to have the chance to go on and live a good life, to see what the world has to offer." He said, "I would like for your brother to grow and forget the horrors we've so selfishly subjected him to. I would like the same for Joseph and Jordan." He said.

He scratched his chin.

"If we don't have that in common, Thalia, then I'm afraid we've reached the end." He said. "I'm willing to make peace if you are, to go back to being the team we were before this little bump in the road." He said, "But if you're not willing to help yourself make changes, well..." He shook his head slowly. "Then that is up to you. You're free to fold your hand and leave, no questions asked." He said, "Cash out. Run while you can." He said, "But you're not like that. Because deep down somewhere." He poked the center of her chest with his index finger. "There's a heart. There's a burning desire to chase the life you want. There's a desire to get everyone out of this mess." He said.

"What's it going to be?"
 
With an impossible to refuse offer, and a son eager to see brighter days despite how it's not quite what his mother imagined for her family, Nicole felt no other option than to accept this kind of lifestyle. She didn't like extravagance or excess, and that mansion in the pictures just screamed both of those. She wouldn't have minded a small apartment for her and her children, still able to put Charlie through school and his activities, and her still holding a job to try to support herself. Although, unlike her life in Philadelphia, she wouldn't have the support of friends, the church, and most notably, her husband, to keep her going. She did, however, have Jon, and his one way of helping was to allow her to relax and live comfortably, even if that meant throwing some cash around. Even more reassuring to know that it was legitimate savings, and not something that he or his friends had embezzled under people's noses.

There was also the father figure Charlie needed more than ever, not just from the past week of horrors, but as a whole. He may have a few years until puberty when the big questions like girls, attraction, and dating would come up in full force, but when they come, there were just some bits of advice that a mother just can't give on her own. He needed a man for those questions, and so far, Jon had proven to be the most ideal figure for him. There was already a well-built trust between the two; why not allow it to continue to grow in a closer, calmer environment?

Furthermore, Nicole had her own other suspicions and concerns regarding two nights ago. Obviously, now was not the time to break that to him, but in time, soon enough... At least Jon could be the father he always wondered about being with her son.

"You've already earned that trust from me, and it's no question that you've earned it from Charlie, too," she answered. "I can't quite speak for Thalia, however, seeing she hasn't been around as much as I'd like. I'm sure she'll grow to enjoy your company like Charlie has. There's not much left to gain in the way of trust with me, Jon. You've saved my life, taken care of Charlie, brought him home at his worst... I can't be more thankful for that."

She'd been going on so much about being grateful, but those words that Jon mentioned, 'I love you' were hard to give back, especially for a woman who'd just lost her husband. It is natural for a widow to find comfort and love in another, but this fast? A week hadn't even gone by since Jacob's murder. She'd already gave a confession to having feelings for Jon, but the words barely came out, and they were rather out of shame, out of fear of the internal guilt of betraying her late husband. She feared Jacob would be disappointed that she'd abandoned her love for him so quickly, before the reverend was even buried properly, that ceremony waiting until his wife and son were found. It didn't help that his longlost daughter's name was making waves in national news as well.

'I love you' was going to be a difficult phrase to tell someone that wasn't blood or her first husband. But that didn't mean those feelings couldn't be implied in some other, less direct fashion.

In the hug, Nicole held him tightly and continued speaking, "I feel similarly, Jon. You've truly been a blessing in these troublesome times, and I'm thankful that you're here to stay, and you're doing your best to give us the best. I'm sure that even my husband would find you a perfect replacement for him."

Though Jon wasn't religious, Jacob would, indeed, admire his work to keep the Griffins happy. Charlie admired him, Nicole felt a connection, and Thalia would soon work under his wing when she tries to get herself started.

--

Hearing that James cared was difficult for Thalia to believe, but restraint was her best option now. Deep down, the more violent side of her wanted to take advantage of the proximity and grip his throat until he stops breathing. It was telling her to shout obscenities in his face, blaming him for much of her suffering, even if it wasn't quite in sound logic. It would blame him for Jenny's death, might even call him out for Charlie getting taken by a federal agent. That side of her, if it didn't kill, would beg for answers. It would try to make James confess that he did this because he simply hated Jenny and was quick to act. It wanted to make him take her to where she was left to rot. It wanted to give her violent rampage a second go now that she had some leeway, all to make him pay for making her suffer, which she felt kept on happening, whether it was her fault or not...

But, once again, restraint. She didn't reach forward to try to strangle him, or even open her mouth and argue with him. Not about anything. Her friend was gone, and it didn't seem like anything she said could redeem her image in the eyes of anyone. No one was crying over her but Thalia, and nothing she could say would change that.

She clenched her fists as she heard the reminder of how everyone she cares about thinks of her, trying to let out the anger in a different way, her nails grinding against her palms to try and let the rage out differently than in another person. Yes, she had no trust in anyone, all thanks to her past experiences of trusting an older man who did nothing but hurt her and people she loved, and that distrust was projected on everyone around her, and even the slightest bit of anger was interpreted as betrayal, and therefore set her off.

James got one thing right, though. She wanted this all to end, and wanted to chase some better life. Even if she was tempted to find Richard Hart again and turn herself in once and for all, she still wanted her happy ending, in a jail cell or in a cottage in the countryside. Rather than bite as he touched her chest, she remained still, just looking up at him with barely any change in her facial expression. When he asked what her choice would be, she sniffled and stayed silent for a moment, contemplating her words. She wasn't going to verbally assault him or beg for an explanation, because she knew she wasn't going to get one beyond the usual 'she had to go, she was a threat'. She probably would never get to find the body, either. So, why not focus on the more pressing matter, Al-Asheera?

"What exactly are we doing, though?" she asked. "All I've seen us do is hide, because Reeves is doing a good job at killing what Ra's started. He's not going to find Charlie, either, if we're stuck in this remote place. He's probably not going to off himself unless he's arrested, which seems harder than I thought for a cop." She gently rubbed her eye and rested her head back against the wall behind her. Her words were peaceful, not attacking or anything, but rather curious... What can they do? "That being said, I don't think he's going to lay down, even if everyone he trusts leaves him for dead. We can't know that either, cuz I have no clue about numbers before or after. Too many of them either died or just up and left."

Rather than threaten, why not ask questions about her family's safety. "And the kids, and my mom. They're all innocent. Frank had an idea of getting them out of the state, but Charlie's not on board. He doesn't want to leave. Can I blame him?" she shrugged. "I know I didn't wanna leave Philly, either. He's just not safe here, and he was in tears after hearing that there was a possibility of leaving. I don't know if you've got a solution for that, but who's to say that Reeves won't disappear and strike when we don't expect? It'll do us no good if we just sit with our hands folded like this, just in case he leaves Cali and comes back someday to murder my family. Hope you see my concern, and my questions about what the hell we're going to do from here on out. Got any ideas?"
 
"We're going to be okay, Nicole." He said.

"I'm not going to let you down. Or Charlie. Or Thalia. I'm going to take Charlie to face his fears, or at least one of them today, and it's not going to be easy, but I do believe in him. I believe he can get past this. He's going to be a strong boy." He smiled, "Don't worry, Nicole. I'm not going to let anything happen to him, either. He's going to be perfectly safe." He nodded, "We're going to be back before you know it." He rubbed her arm.

"I'll get him some lunch while we're out, and I'll bring something back for me and you, too. I'll leave him to get ready, though. We've got some time." He said.

They had all the time in the world.

Little did they know how much of a blessing it would be to have Jon and Charlie safe. Or at least Charlie. If Charlie was in the house all day... Oh dear.

--

"Well, right now we're sitting in a house in a forest feeling sorry for ourselves. I've lost 90% of my resources, Thalia, so we're having to play it safe." He said, "I'm in deadlock. Like computer code. Your hacker friend likely explained deadlock before. It's where the code does the same thing over and over, but it never finds a solution. It never finds a way out of it all. It just runs infinitely looking for a solution that isn't there." He said. "Now, it's the same for me. I have to be here to look after the people in the house. But I'm also needed out on the front lines. There is no solution, so, we need to make one." He said.

"What if we just stop running?" He asked, eventually. "What if we just sit here and wait for them to find us? Set traps?" He asked. "They only want Charlie. As far as they're concerned, they're in for an easy fight." He said. "What if we show them otherwise? We know Reeves is cocky and he doesn't give a fuck about who's on his side or not. That's going to be his downfall. When what's left see how hard things are, they're going to run away scared and leave Reeves to take the flak. Which is what he deserves. You know it's bad when you're pissing off your own followers." He said.

"And I'm going to be completely honest - in terms of leaving the state, if it's necessary to keep everyone alive, I couldn't give two shits about who's on board or not. I'm not trying to be harsh when I say that, just honest." He said, "No one likes running constantly. No one likes leaving. No one likes packing their bags time and time again - sometimes it's necessary. But in this scenario, as it seems to be the least preferred... I'll try and make sure we can avoid that. Hence what I said. Setting traps." He said.

He paused.

"Okay, right, before you say anything - I apologize. I know I'm very blunt with the things I say. I like to be direct. Please don't take it personally. I care a lot about how Charlie and you and your mom feel about things - just please keep it in mind that if it comes down to it, we might not have much choice but to leave. But I don't want that, either. Karin and Joseph... They don't deserve to get carted around, either." He said.

He scratched his chin.

"Action plan is what we need. Bradan isn't anything to worry about..." He paused. "What if we changed our truce with Bradan to an allegiance? He slaughtered all of Reeves' men, and he barely lost any. Not in comparison to how much manpower he has on his side." He said, "What if we gave him the chance to have LA back? All he has to do is help us wipe out Reeves." He said. "You think he'd be down for it?"
 
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