A/N: This takes place after DMC 4 leading into DMC 2 (Thank-you for clearing that up, Satanic Park Of Madness). Enjoy and please review. I don't own DMC, its characters, or any songs or artists mentioned in this fan fic.

Look at this photograph
Everytime I do it makes me laugh...

Every memory of looking out the back door
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor

-Nickelback

Chapter 1: "Photograph"

There hadn't been any reports of demons or calls to the Devil May Cry offices for weeks. This afforded a rare opportunity for the team to relax and take some time off. Lady and Dante had fled to the beach four days ago and were sure to return any day now. Trish had decided to stay and keep an eye on the place. This was not to say that she had no life outside of work. No, quite the contrary; she used her time off to shop for new clothes and go club hopping with Lucia. When she wasn't out and finally determined that club H2O and Platinum seemed too much alike, she resolved herself to clean the pigsty that Dante dare called an office.

In the span of two days, she and Lucia had cleaned and waxed the hardwood floors, dusted the demon skulls, cleaned and sharpened the Devil Arms, rearranged the furniture, and fully stocked the refrigerator. "Whew! I'm exhausted," exclaimed Lucia plopping down on the red leather sofa now located on the right side of the lobby in front of a thirty-inch plasma screen. Once settled she grabbed the remote on the end table closest to her and began flipping through channels.

"I know what you mean," said Trish sitting next to her, "Don't forget we still have to contend with the rooms upstairs."

"I know," Lucia sighed, settling on a channel.

"Well… at least he's gotten a lot better at picking up after himself." Lucia agreed to Trish's statement. It was still true that Dante was a messy, messy man; however he was wasn't the same loud mouth kid from years ago. Since his battle with Arius and the other devils that were almost raised, Dante became a little mature. Not only did he help keep his shop "tidy," but he even cooked. And he cooked well! He had his usual pizza and strawberry sundaes; however he was able to provide something tasty and different for those who ate over.

He still had that arrogance and charm that attracted the ladies and the smart mouth to egg on those devils, but he had the skill to back it up. He trained harder to be better and faster… even as far as to take on all of his female counterparts and when available, his own brother in sparring matches. His speed (with Quicksilver) could now rival Vergil's teleportation.

Rest was over and it was time to tackle those bedrooms. "The mission," Trish started dramatically, "if you so choose it, is to clean and organize Dante's room." She began humming the Mission: Impossible theme. Lucia stared at Trish who was now getting way into her theme song. Seeing Lucia's expression, Trish slowed to a halt. Lucia finally parted her lips to emphatically say, "HELL, NO!"

"Awww! Come on!"

"No!"

"Let's play rock, paper, scissor. Best two out of three," Trish trying her best to exude Dante's charm.

"No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No."

"Fine… I'll help you," said a defeated Trish.

"Mmmm… Okay," Lucia finally agreed, "but you are not bailing on me this time."

In the past, it had always been the same. Trish would decide that the shop needed an entire overhaul. This included Dante's room. Few would enter and even fewer would the leave the same. Trish and Lucia would enter the room together; wade though a sea of clothes covered in blood and demon entrails. Once in the center of the room, Trish would leave at the last second, leaving poor Lucia to fend for herself in the "jungle." Eventually, maybe even hours later, Lucia would stumble back into the hall, leaving behind pieces of her sanity.

Both women rummaged through Dante's desk for some "liquid courage" before they braved the wilds. Clad in blue jumpsuits, hair tied up, and sporting paper filter masks, they climbed the stairs with cleaning supplies in hand.

"Okay," said Lucia, "On three. One… Two… THREE!" She and Trish kicked the door open. To their surprise they found… absolutely… nothing. Sure Dante's bed was unmade and there were some dirty laundry left in the far corner, but his room was relatively clean. Both women stared confused at each other for a few moments. "Maybe it's all stuffed in the closet," suggested Trish. Lucia nodded and carefully opened the door. Once again, nothing. Clothes were neatly hung while shoes and boots lay against the walls. "Wow," Lucia said in quiet astonishment, "You think Dante's been replaced?"

Trish leaned against the wall closest to the closet and chuckled to herself, "He's a big boy now… no need for us to pick up after him." Lucia started snooping through the closet. She spied a book jutting out from under a cardboard box on the top shelf.

"What are you doing?"

"I figure since… Argh," she grunted with effort, "since Dante isn't here, why not take a peek." She motioned to the book.

"Didn't you know that curiosity killed the cat," her stern voice no more than a whisper, "And it will kill you when he gets home."

"Awww, come on… we'll look and put it back. Besides, what's the harm?"

Trish gave in and helped Lucia dislodge the book. As much she would hate to admit it, she was interested in Dante's past. It wasn't like he went around advertising it. Even when questioned he would change the subject. All she knew was that Mudus killed Dante's mother and kidnapped his brother. Mudus then created her to look and act like his mother just to mess with his head.

The whole thing about him being forced to "kill" his long lost brother only came out when she met Lady. To her, it seemed that he hung out with Lady or Lucia more because Trish reminded him so much of his beloved mother. He would deny it of course. Up until Vergil elected to leave the Underworld, Dante even avoided mirrors as to not catch his twin's gaze. Although his problems happened years ago, the sight of Trish and mirrors would still dredge up some guilt.

They manage to get the book out and place it on the floor. Both sat next to each other to see it clearly. It was black leather bound with red corners on the covers. "A photo album," Lucia cooed, "Awww, Dante keeps family photos." Trish opened the album to see an old and somewhat grainy picture of young man dressed in a white button down shirt and dress pants.

His face was handsome, yet it had some soft boyish features. His ethereal blue eyes seemed to look out past the photo. His hair was white as snow and neatly slicked back. He seemed nervous for he held in his arms a pair of screaming platinum haired boys. "Is that the Legendary Sparda," Lucia gaped in shock. "Yeah, fancy that," said Trish in a more subdued form of surprise.

They flipped to the second page and saw photograph of a thirteen year old Dante clad in red dress shirt and black slacks, Vergil dressed in the same fashion, only with a blue shirt; both sporting their trademark hair-do's and a middle-aged woman in a yellow floral dress seated in front of them. Under the photo read a message: Your mother would be so proud of the young men I see in front of me. What would be a greater honor to her memory than to take a photograph of you two each moment I get?

The photograph told more than it probably intended. Vergil and Dante were not at each other's throats, which was queer to the personality clashes of the half-demons. Judging by the quiet demeanor of their poses they had a great respect for this woman, almost as much as they respected Eva. Who was this woman and just how was she able to calm them?

Trish and Lucia find themselves downstairs at Dante's desk fingering through the photo album. One of Dante in a football team photo and another with Vergil dressed a fencing uniform complete with foil in hand. "Amazing," Lucia said glancing at the pictures, "why would he keep these hidden?" They were so engrossed in the album that they hardly noticed when Dante and Lady walked in arguing.

Please feed me! I live on reviews.

Dante: (sidles away) You're wierd.