"I divorced your mom when you were six, that's why she framed me, she only married me for the money so when I divorced her she set me up so that she'd be the executor of the Barron fortune, with you as the only viable heir," Ben said looking down at his feet.

"But that doesn't make any sense when I turned 18 I'd automatically get all the money, if she really wanted money all these years then why wasn't she nicer to me? Why didn't she suck up to me and try and get her way?" Warren asked very confused

"Because when a Battle turns 20 we have a ceremony that binds them and their future spouse, this includes a transfer of all the knowledge from father to son. The tradition started when the Battles ruled in Europe to pass down knowledge of other countries and wisdom. So even though I still would have been in prison the ceremony would have taken place and you would have received all the knowledge that I have including how she betrayed me and the reason we got divorced in the first place. Obviously she knew that you wouldn't want anything to do with her, so she's planning on having you killed," Ben finished quietly not daring to look at Warren.

"She's…she's trying…what?" Warren asked shocked from the information he'd just received, after all it's not everyday that you hear that your mom is trying to kill you, even if she was a royal bitch to you.

"Warren," Will whispered scooting closer to Warren wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "I think that we should probably finish this up another time, dad you can get all the details I'm taking Warren home, okay?"

"Yeah, you guys go ahead," Steve said standing up to hug his son and Warren looking into his eyes just to make sure he wasn't too bad.

"I'm sorry Warren but its coming up I just thought you ought to know, after all if she hears that I'm getting a retrial she might try sooner," Ben said whispering into his son's ear as he hugged him tightly, "I'm so sorry,"

"Its okay dad, I get it," Warren said hugging back the initial shock starting to wear off, "I love you dad,"

"I love you too, Warren," Ben said giving one last squeeze before letting his son go.

"It was nice to meet you," Will said shyly not exactly sure how he was supposed to end this particular conversation.

Instead of returning the sentiment Ben pulled Will in for a hug as well, "Take care of him," He whispered into Will's ear.

"I will…no matter what," Will said hugging back then pulling away and pulling Warren out the door.

As they got out of security, Will pulled on Warren's sleeve in silent query of how the other was. Warren looked up fixing his eyes on Will's letting everything come through in one intense stare, the hurt, the anger, the pain, even the relief that he finally knew, but mostly the astonishment that it didn't astonish him. Will pulled him into a deep hug bury his face in Warren's shoulder as the older boy pulled him tight sighing.

"Let's go pick up your stuff, okay?" Will whispered breathing softly on Warren's ear.

"Yeah, let's go," Warren whispered back into Will's jacket pulling him tighter.

Will set off in just that position, over Maxville. He flew over the city singing softly to Warren hoping to soften the blow of the knowledge of his mother's full betrayal. As they reached the neighborhood where Warren currently resided in, he slowed gently landing in Warren's backyard. He let go of Warren and looked up into the other teen's eyes just like his father had to see what Warren was thinking, seeing that it would work only slightly better for him than it did for his father he took his hand and began to walk towards the house.

"You know this is the first time I've ever been to your house," Will said in a low tone slightly afraid of the big house.

"Well with my mom this is one of the few times that I'm here," Warren smiled gently afraid as well but more of the feeling of the house than the size.

"I guess this means I get to see your bedroom huh?" Will grinned effectively pulling them out of the shocked and silent mood that they'd been in, that was before…

"Warren!" A voice shouted from the shadows that the veranda cast.

"Hi mom," Warren slightly cringed turning to face the woman who hired people to raise him.

"What are you doing home so late, you weren't here yesterday at all and you didn't even call Sophia," Hanne slightly slurred giving a clear indication that she was drunk.

"I didn't think you'd notice, not to mention that I did call Sophia, she probably just didn't tell you because she didn't think you'd care either, that's what you hire her for isn't it?" Warren asked adopting a cold tone, showing his disdain for the woman who hadn't spoken to him in three weeks but was upset that he didn't call.

"You can't talk to me like that, I'm your mother," Hanne said raging and attempting to hit Warren it was her mistake though as Will quickly grabbed her and shoved her softly, well for him, to the other side of the porch.

"Actually the fact that you couldn't remember my birthday with out Soph reminding you, the fact that you didn't know that I had broken my arm until three days after it happened, and the fact that you don't have a clue who I am, does give me the right to talk to you like that, mother," Warren shot at her while grabbing his boyfriend as close as possible.

"I've got things I have to do Warren, I can't be expected to coddle you all the time," Warren's mom said as she glared at Will.

"Like what? We're living off of dad's money, you don't have a job. Please inform what you do all day except for get loaded and fuck the guys that come crawling in and out of here?" Warren spat out at his mother

Looking like she'd been stung Hanne lashed out at the one thing she had left, "Who is this Warren? Huh, you seem awfully close to him. Maybe I should call his grandfather, I'm sure Navy Seal would love to hear that his grandson is with my son, would probably disinherit the entire family don't you think,"

"I don't think that really matters now, after all I'm the last Battle I've got more than enough money for everyone, what you don't seem to understand is that we've told everyone who matters, Will's parents, dad, our friends, in fact I think that the only person we haven't told is Sophia and I know she'll be cool considering I met her girlfriend a month ago." Warren fired back looking coolly at his mother who was now reaching for straws.

"You two can never get married…they won't even let you in the Battle ceremony, or did your father neglect to tell you about that?" Hanne shouted in a rage, stumbling off to do god knows what.

There was a moment of silence before, "Warren,"

"I know Will but I just really need to get out of here, let's get my stuff I can call Sophia for the rest of it later, okay?" Warren said wrapping an arm around Will, trying to comfort him that he was still at there he just wasn't going to talk about it until they got out of his house.

"Okay," Will smiled following Warren into his huge house.

They walked into the kitchen up the stairs, down the hallway, past another staircase, and finally stopped at the only door that was painted red. Warren opened the door and ushered them inside.

"Perfect," Will said looking around the room; it was exactly like he'd expected it to be. The walls were a deep blood red except for one wall that had a mural of a castle on it. The bed was on the ground and had a black cover on it. But what surprised Will was that he had an easel sitting in the middle of his room. "Wow,"

"What?" Warren asked turning around from where he was stuffing some clothes into an army duffle. "Oh yeah, the loner kid who wears black all the time paints, big surprise huh?"

"It is actually…I never knew, can I see?" Will asked pointing to the box that held Warrens latest works.

"Sure," Warren said a small smirk creeping onto his face as he turned to continue packing.

Will sat down on the floor next to the crate, he pulled out the first painting, it was of a forest, completely green and a panther sitting on the border as if protecting it. The second was a bright light, you could see a room because of the shadows but the picture was definitely of the light. The next was a castle, but this castle was made of books and there was a little boy you could see in the top left tower staring sadly out on the world. Then a painting of a purple lagoon, fog surrounded it making it mysterious and slightly apart from the world. He pulled out the second to last painting and saw a dragon, with green scales, purple fur, yellow spikes, orange fire, and very vivid red eyes. Finally when he pulled out the last painting he realized what the box was, it was a collection of Warrens friends, and Warren and him were the last painting, a swallow and a phoenix sat together almost as if hugging, the bright afternoon sun behind them.

"Warren," Will breathed, turning to face Warren. "This is…"

"Will I told you I was in love with you," Warren said smiling back, kneeling next to Will, and pulling him into the hug depicted in his painting. " That's what we are just birds,"

"Warren, god I love you, you know that?" Will smiled as he pulled away to look at Warren, "We are so taking these with us,"

"Only if you carry them," Warren smiled back lifting the younger to his feet.

"I think I can do that," Will smiled easily pulling the heavy crate under his arm. "You got everything?"

"Just one more thing," Warren said as he grabbed a leather photo album off his bedside table. "Lets go home,"

Will grinned at this and pulled Warren down the stairs into the kitchen out the door and flew them home.