"Rise and shine."

Scout jolted awake as a fully packed suitcase hit his chest.

"Jeez, Sniper," he said as he shoved the suitcase to the floor, "you could've just told me to wake up."

Sniper chuckles, "We've got a long day ahead of us. No time to dawdle."

Scout groaned and drug himself over to the dresser, "Right...we're goin to the airport today."

"That's right, we have to get all the way to Albuquerque before 11."

Scout started to throw cloths in the suitcase, "Remind me why we can't just fly outta the Teufort airport."

"Because," Spy said as he stepped out from behind Sniper, "it's an airstrip that can barely accommodate a common Cessna, let alone a commercial craft."

Scout zipped up his suitcase, "Fine, let's just get going."

Sniper took the suitcase, then started off to his van. Behind him, Spy followed, the whole time watching Scout walk quietly with his head down.

Once they reached the van, Sniper went back to pack the suitcase in a lower compartment while Scout and Spy filed onto the camper.

"Ah, what the hell doc! Why are you here?"

Medic patted the first said kit on his lap, "Medical reasons, Herr Scout."

Scout groaned, threw up his hands, and plopped onto the couch with his arms crossed, "I already told you I'm not sick."

"Eizher vay, I already bought a plane ticket."

Scout let out a short huff of air before he turned his face into the beige fabric of the couch.

"Vhat's his problem?" Medic mumbled as Spy sat across from him at the small dining table.

"Most men become rather abrasive when discussing their mothers. I can only imagine Scout is less than pleased we are aware of his situation."

Medic sighed, "Perhaps. I still zhink he's acting far too un-scout like to truly be in good health."

"Believe what you will doctor. Some parents are worth grieving over."

Medic looked up to give Spy a venomous glare, but to no avail as his teammate had already busied himself with the latest edition of Dapper Cadaver.

Up front, Sniper swung himself into the driver's seat. Briefly, he turned to look through the tinted glass to see his teammates in the back of the camper. Medic and Spy were reading across from each other while Scout sat opposite them with his face buried in the couch.

The poor kid was probably back there trying his best not to cry in front of the others.

It can't be easy on him, he thought as he started up the camper, mums are the best sort of people. Losing one has to hurt more than a bird stuck in your chest.

With a heavy sigh, Sniper pulled the camper out and started down the highway.

On the plane, Sniper sat next to Scout to avoid Medic and Spy. While he didn't mind Medic's company, the doctor always insisted on keeping Spy company. Unfortunately for Sniper, that meant the two were always together, and since he hated Spy more than he liked Medic, he opted to sit with Scout.

Sniper nudged Scout's arm, "Hey mate, get a look at that Sheila over there."

Scout lifted his head to the dark haired young woman Sniper pointed out, "So?"

"She looks about your age, go talk to her."

Scout rested his chin on his palm, "I don't really feel like it."

"C'mon mate, she's quite the looker."

"I said no, Snipes."

Sniper crossed his arms, "I thought you liked talking to girls."

"I just don't want to right now, ok."

Sniper sighed, "You gonna tell me what's wrong?"

"I dunno Snipes, I'm on a flight to my ma's funeral, what do you think's wrong?"

Sniper held up his hands defensively, "Only tyrin to help, mate."

"Well stop tryin 'cause you suck at it," Scout huffed as he turned away from Sniper.

Sniper rested his head against the back of his chair and flopped his head to the side so he faced away from Scout. He lolled one arm over the edge of his chair to retrieve his hat, which he put over his face to shield it from the light. If Scout wasn't interested in talking, he was going to take the opportunity to nap.

"Uh…hey, Sniper?"

Sniper lifted the hat from his face, "Yeah Scout?"

Scout twirled a coin around on the folding tray for his seat, "Can…can I tell you something?"

Sniper raised an eyebrow, "I thought you said you didn't want to talk about it."

"I don't! I mean, like, not like that. I don't want to have like a conversation or anything. I just kinda want you to listen and stuff and maybe say something nice at the end. I…I just need that, I guess."

"Then I'm all ears, mate."

Scout took a deep breath, "My ma, she…she was a real great mom, ya know that? Like, even when she was super tired, she'd always come home from work with a smile for me and my bruthas. Every Saturday, she'd order us all pizza and watch whatever baseball game was on with all of us in the living room. We used to get so excited at every good play. Like, otha moms, they don't do that kinda stuff, ya know. Plus, my ma was always there for us. She used to miss meetings and stuff just so she could be at our baseball games. Which weren't even official or anything. It was just my bros and I as one team facin the otha neighborhood knuckleheads. Even when we lost, ma was right there in the beat up ol stands, rootin for us."

The seatbelt light flicked off, allowing Scout to remove his seatbelt to pull his knees up to his chin, "What I really remember, though, was when ma did stuff just for me. She used to read to me at night and tuck me in. She'd always read the stories in funny voices to make the characters more interesting, that was the best."
He sighed, "I remember my first day a kindergarten, I was so scared, I was just about ready to cry when my ma took me by the shoulders and looked me in the eye. She told me 'Jackie, I know everythin seems real scary, but just remember that you're way tougher than them. If they try and mess with you, beat the shit out of em.' I did too. Ended up takin out the bully and becomin the new tough guy on the playground. Man, those were the days…but it was all cause of my ma. Cause she believed in me and stuff…now, I dunno what I'm gonna do without her."

He wiped his face with the back of his hand, "I dunno how I'm ever gonna be able to do anything, ever cause all the stuff I do is for her. Like, I don't really even wanna work for BLU, but they gimme a lota money for the stuff I do, so I can make life easy for ma."

Sniper reached over and patted his teammate's shoulder, "Hey mate, it's gonna be alright. I know it hurts now, but you're gonna have ta move on and keep goin without her. I can imagine that's what she'd want."

I know that's what my mum'd want, Sniper added to himself.

Scout shrugged, "Yeah, I guess…"

"Eh, we'll deal with it after the funeral. Right now, let's enjoy some cheap airline peanuts and soda."

Scout picked up his flimsy pack of peanuts and cracked a small smile, "Yeah, let's do that."

Sniper smiled, "That's the spirit, mate."

Together, they opened their peanuts and ate them all in one go.

"Alright," Scout said as he turned to face his teammates before the door of an upscale apartment, "So, like, promise me you guys won't freak out when we go inside, ok?"

Medic raised an eyebrow, "Vhy vould ve freak out?"

"Uh, well, because-"

The door to the apartment burst open to reveal a well-muscled man with a thick mustache and gray streaks running through his ebony hair, "Jackie! Ya made it! We we're startin to think ya weren't gonna make it."

"Oh hey Ben," Scout said as he was pulled into a side hug, "How's it goin?"

"Eh, great, mostly. 'cept for…ah, we won't dwell on that." He looked over Scout's shoulder, "Who're these guys?"

Scout rocked on his heels, "Er, they're my friends from work."

"Ve're helping him zhrough zhese troubling times. Ve didn't vant him to be alone," Medic explained, "My name is Hans, I'm his psychiatrist."

Ben chuckled, "Didn't realize ya needed a shrink, Jackie."

"I…uh, it's complicated."

"And who are these otha guys?" Ben asked.

Sniper nodded once, "Call me Alexander."

Spy looked up from brushing lint from his suit, "Jean. For the record, the mask is to hide a terrible bought of exema. Apparently, people are disgusted by the mere sight of it."

Ben grimaced, "I'll uh, take your word for it." He opened the door all the way, "Well, no use standin around out here, come on in. It's not much, but it's far betta then stayin in a hotel. We got Harley an his family, Clyde an his fiancé, Xander an his kid, an you guys. The others are with Al a few blocks down. Sorry we don't have much sleepin room. But, the couch's made up into a bed and I got a mat on the livin room floor for all of you to stay in. This apartment building belongs to me, so don't worry about botherin anyone. I told em my family would be over, and they were fine with it."

Spy beelined for the bed and perched on its edge as if claiming it for himself. Sniper threw his stuff on the mat and went to look at the view out the nine story window. Medic wandered to the kitchen to help himself to the fridge.

Scout looked around the massive living room, "So, where is everyone?"

"Oh, you're the only ones here," Ben explained, "I stayed here to wait for you. Everyone else went out to the park. They should be back any minute though for dinner."

Just as he finished his sentence, the front door opened to admit a hoard of young children.

"Hey look everyone!" An incredibly exhausted looking Harley called, "Uncle Jackie finally showed up!"

"Dog pile 'im!" One little girl called.

Scout backed up, but to no avail. In seconds, everyone under the age of 12 was piled onto him.

Harley burst out laughing.

"Help…me," Scout wheezed.

Ben folded his arms, "Alright, alright, Uncle Jackie's had enough."

Scout flopped onto his stomach the moment he was free, "Thanks Ben."

Ben nodded, then went to help the others round up the children.

Medic glanced at Scout from behind a whale anatomy picture book, "Perhaps eve should have stayed in a hotel?"

"No…hell no. This is important, bein here. Trust me."

Medic shrugged, "Suit yourself. Oh, and brace yourself."

Scout opened his mouth to speak, but quickly found himself once again buried beneath his nieces and nephews.