Dick was putting Albert to bed, he had just finished reading a story to the little boy and was about to hit the light switch before heading out the door when Albert stopped him, "Daddy?" Dick swiftly turned on his heel and stood at attention.

"Yes, dear?"

"Why are we-" the boy struggled with the words, "Why are we... D- dif-"

"Take your time kiddo," Dick chuckled, "Lemme guess. Why are we different?"

"No."

"Distant?"

"Nope."

"Directed-"

"Dysfunctional." The ginger fell silent and furrowed his brows tilted his head, "Daddy, why are we a dysfunctional family?" Dick blinked before sitting on the foot of Albert's bed, he was shocked someone of five years of age would ask such a thing- then again, Dick wasn't even human so how would he even know what knowledge a five year old brain was capable of holding?- it was even more shocking that Albert said it with such a calm tone.

"Excuse me?" Dick squinted, "Dysfunctional? Where did you hear that?"

"Ray taught me it. They said it means 'crappy' or 'broken' or whack."

"Ah." Dick clicked his tongue with a nod, of course he had heard this from Ray. But what ever gave the boy the idea that the Winters-Nixon family was dysfunctional? Was it the fact that Lewis and Dick were openly gay? No, that can't be it. The fact that Dick wasn't human? That him and Lew would come home covered in vampire blood? That sometimes they'd leave for weeks or they'd drop off Ray and Albert at a family friend's? None of these could have been the reason as to why such a pure child would ask.

"Albie," Dick sighed as he brushed a strand of hair from the boy's face, "Our family is not dysfunctional in any way. What ever gave you that idea?"

"Ray did." Albert said cheerfully, figures.

"Ray did...? Right... Okay... Your sister, Ray, has- well... A short fuse."

"Ray says that they don't like it when you say that they're my sister, that you're their parent, Ray says that they don't fit in our family." Dick's heart dropped. He knew Rachel was an edgy and emotional teenager- a nephilim teenager- but he never thought of Ray as just another kid, but as family. Unfortunately, Ray was stubborn enough to not call them family. Was that why she called them dysfunctional? The Winters-Nixon family hardly argued, there had been no legal disputes- they were a happy apple pie and picket fence family- no divorces, no abuse, no neglect... They weren't dysfunctional at all...

"Good night, dad." Albert's yawn dragged Dick back into the present, the ginger glanced down at the sleepy little boy and smiled.

"Night kiddo." he gently kissed his forehead, "Sleep tight."

"I won't let the bed bugs bite..." Dick smiled and flicked off the light as he left. The man groaned as he ran a hand over his face, being a parent was harder than it looked, now he knew why parents are so tired. "Hey, Lew." he smiled as his husband descended the stairs.

"Hey hun." the man smiled, "Is Goldilocks alseep?" Lew warmly kissed the ginger as he wrapped his arm around his waist and guided him to the couch.

"The little guy's out like a light," Dick giggled as he leaned his head against Lew's shoulder, "Although I think, Ray is turning him into a pessimist."

"She's 17," Lew rolled his eyes as the two of them sat down, "17 year olds are like that. Plus, Albert looks up to her and he hangs around her because he wants to be like her."

"She better not be teaching him crude language." Lew laughed and leaned back in the couch, Dick smiled, they weren't dysfunctional. They were just... odd.

The next morning

Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm went off and Ray sluggishly rolled out of bed, took a thick school binder and smacked the snooze button on the clock with it, they stepped in front of the mirror to see that their hair was a disheveled mess and their eyes had dark circles surrounding them. "What scenes are we doing again today...?" they yawned as they made a beckoning gesture to the script on their nightstand, the documents flew into her hand and she began to read the calendar attached to it.

Looks like they're doing act 2, scenes 1-4 today, the part where Patch is telling the ghost about the girl they like. "Ugh," Ray groaned as they tossed the script behind them, "I'm gonna need my tie for this... Gel my hair back, and a binder. God, dancing around in that thing's gonna give me a heat stroke- wait, I'm a nephilim, I'll be fine!"

"Rachel!" Bill called from downstairs, "Quit talkin to yourself and hurry the hell up!"

"I'm coming!" Ray snapped back, "Geez, hold on..." they glanced one last time at their reflection in the mirror, displeased with the way their golden hair went in all directions, running fingers through her hair while shaking her head to make herself presentable. Good morning, Sunshine. She shrugged and shuffled down the stairs and to the bathroom to get ready.

Down in the kitchen John was making the girl's lunch, a peanutbutter and grape jelly sandwich, while Bill was chugging down unholy amounts of coffee with his phone in his hand. In less than five minutes the sounds of feet stomping down the stairs, "What took ya so long?" Bill grumbled as he slid a box of Froot Loop cereal her way, "We was bout to leave without you!" he laughed, Ray groaned and flipped him off as they took a seat.

"Good morning, Ray." John smiled, "How'd you sleep?" Ray glared at him before answering.

"On me back, John." They finished pouring cereal in their bowl and shoved a spoonful in their mouth.

"That's not what I meant-"

"The damn kid's quotin the 92sies," Bill placed his plates in the sink, "Just ignore it."

"92sies...?"

"Newsies!!!!" Ray hissed, her blue eyes sparked like a flashlight, concerning her brother, "God, John, you got a lot to learn dude!" the nephilim chuckled. John's gaze was still locked on Ray, the nephilim's eyes still glowing- like Dick's eyes would when he'd spread his wings- and it scared him. Bill didn't even seem to be phased by this, was Ray going to attack?

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ray furrowed their brows, her face dropped and the glow in their eyes dimmed down to the natural glow that eyes should be, like a lost puppy.

"U-uh nothing," John blinked and shook his head, "Just nothing, here's your lunch for the day." he placed a bag of food next to her.

"It was my eyes, wasn't it?" Ray blurted, John froze. Bill could sense the tension growing in the air, "You're scared of me, aren't you?"

"No, no it wasn't."

"You're lying!" she stood up and once again her eyes flared up.

"Ray, just stop this."

"Not until you tell me the truth."

"Fine," John snarled, "I was scared."

"Why?" John brushed past her without a word which lead to Ray following him, "Is it because it's a reminder of me not being human?"

"Rachel," the man spoke softly, "Just finish your breakfast." He turned to face her only to see that she had carried her bowl of cereal with her. Well then.

"Just tell her, cowboy." Bill groaned as he twirled the car keys around, "Make things easier for yourself."

"Yes," John finally admitted with a sigh, "Because you're not human, because I saw what happened. What you did." silence soon followed. Ray blinked, her eyes were back to normal- they were clouded with pain- in an act of impulsivity Ray quickly dumped the rest of their cereal in their mouth and grabbed their lunch bag along with their satchel, yanked open the door and glanced at Bill before disappearing.

"That," Bill pressed the button to unlock the car, "Is our cue. Let's go."