Please review!

"How did you sleep last night, Juliana?" Iliana asked, pouring cereal into a bowl for her. Juliana had been complaining of her fingers aching the night before from her nasty incident with the dresser.

"Good, Mommy, but my fingers are ouch still." Juliana replied, holding up her wrapped up hand.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Iliana said "It'll take a little while to heal."

"How come?" Juliana shrugged "Band-Aids?"

"Well yes, but it will still need time to feel better."

"Aren't Band-Aids s'pposed to work?" Juliana asked, tilting her head.

"They work alright, Juliana." Iliana replied with an amused smile. She handed her daughter a spoon and the little girl dug it into her cereal, taking a massive bite.

"Yum yummm." Juliana said, bouncing up and down in her chair with her mouth full. She looked back at the kitchen door "Can I eat out there with Max and Talya?"

"I don't know if they're eating out there, but you can go out." Iliana took her daughter's bowl and they walked out together.

"Can I play with beads and make brac-e-lets, Mommy?" Juliana asked.

"After breakfast. Make sure you eat it all and then I'll get them out."

Juliana went right over to Raven.

"Talya, can I sit by you?"

"Uhh…sure." Raven said, although the little girl had already started climbing up. Iliana handed the bowl to her and turned back to leave.

"So where did Alexis get off too?" Darkdoom asked, taking a drink out of his cup.

"Missing her, Diabolus?" Nathaniel asked and Nero shot him a look. His father hadn't been speaking as much as usual since their argument and Nero quite liked it that way.

"No, I was just wondering Nathaniel." Darkdoom said, raising an eyebrow.

"I think she went home last night. Well, her temporary place in Russia I guess." Raven replied.

"Lexis is my friend." Juliana said, stirring her cereal.

"She's my friend too." Raven responded.

"She gave me a flower." Juliana said "So when it grows bigder, I can wear it in my hair." she took a bite of cereal "And I have to water it every day so it can be healthy."

Darkdoom smiled slightly and Nero raised an eyebrow at him.

"Max, do you always drink wine in the morning?" his friend asked, looking at his glass.

"This isn't wine." Nero said, taking another sip of the dark colored liquid. He smiled slightly "It's brandy."

"They just happened to have that on hand here? I don't know how smart it is to get stoned in the morning." Darkdoom replied.

"This is my first glass. And besides I've never had so much to drink that I'm drunk." Nero replied, once again raising an eyebrow.

"That's debatable." Raven said.

Darkdoom's smiled broadened.

Nero looked at her testily "Fine. Have I ever had so much to drink to the point where I can't control my actions?"

"Well…no." Raven replied.

"I like juice." Juliana said, kicking her legs. Everyone smiled at her.

"It is healthy." Juliana went on, taking another bite of her cereal. A few pieces stuck on her face and she looked around as they chuckled.

"Talya, can you hold this?" she asked, handing Raven her bowl. The assassin took it slowly and Juliana hopped down. She ran towards and up the stairs before turning to Anastasia's room.

"She never runs out of energy." Darkdoom said, shaking his head.

"Did Nigel at that age?" Nathaniel asked.

"More than her. She never stops running." Darkdoom said.

"Well she does have an active assassin for a father and an energetic athlete for a mother." Nero said.

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, imagine Natalya's kids." Darkdoom said, smiling at her "They'd probably be running marathons as infants."

"What?" Raven echoed "Diabolus, I don't know what you're thinking, but get it out of your head."

Iliana pushed open the kitchen door again. She frowned "Where's Juliana?"

"She ran upstairs for something." Raven replied, still scowling at Darkdoom.

"She's probably just avoiding eating all her cereal." Iliana said, walking towards the stairs "Juliana!"

There were a few seconds of silence before Juliana appeared at the top of the stairs with a big box in her hands.

"Why are you getting the beads before you finished your breakfast?" Iliana asked, sternly "Come eat it, now."

Juliana came down the stairs and went to hand the box to her mother. Then she walked over to Raven and Raven handed her the bowl.

"Is she a picky eater?" Nathaniel asked Iliana in amusement.

"No, see the funny thing is is that she'll eat literally anything if you put it in front of her, but then she doesn't finish it." Iliana said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yummy." Juliana said, talking with her mouth full.

"I'm glad." Iliana replied "Just eat it all."

"All?" Juliana asked.

"All."

"Lots of food for Juliana." the little girl said and Iliana couldn't help but smile.

"Finish your breakfast and then you can play with your beads."

"Yes, Mommy." Juliana replied.

"Hey, Pietor!" Iliana called up the stairs.

"What?" the assassin called back, although his voice was muffled.

"What are you doing up there, man? You and Anastasia should stop being hermits and come down here!"

"I am not a hermit." Anastasia said, rounding the corner to go down the stairs.

"Good. Alexis texted. She wants to know if everyone would like to go out to dinner tonight." Iliana said, shaking her hips slightly.

"Yay! Can I go with you, Mommy?" Juliana asked.

"Sure, if you finish your breakfast."

The little girl ducked her head and started shoveling the cereal down. But it didn't really help because her bites were about three pieces of cereal.

"We can go." Anastasia said "If everyone wants too."

"Let me ask Pietor too." Iliana opened her mouth to yell up again.

"Pietor's going. I already said we can go." Anastasia said, walking over to sit down "If I tell him to go, he'll go."

"Yes, your majesty." Iliana responded. Anastasia didn't even react to it and Iliana smiled.

"Done, Mommy!" Juliana said, lifting her head.

Iliana held out the box and the little girl set down her bowl and ran over to grab it. Pietor came walking down the stairs.

"What do you want?"

"We get to out to dinner tonight." Iliana said.

"With whom?" Pietor asked, raising an eyebrow with obvious annoyance.

"Alexis. And everyone else." Iliana replied.

"Oy." Pietor said "Does Alexis ever keep to herself?"

Raven leaned over to Nero "I wonder what would happen if we told Iliana no to going out to dinner. She doesn't really bother to ask does she?"

"Shhh…." Nero replied, trying to keep a smile off his face while looking at the woman to see if she'd heard.

"She'd be appalled. 'Oh you don't have all the time in the world?'" Raven said, eyebrow up.

"Natalya, shh…she'll hear." Nero said quietly, but he was still trying not to smile.

"Daddy, look." Juliana said, as she opened her giant box of beads. There were hundreds of different colors and shapes in little square boxes. They were all separated by shape and size, some by color.

"Wow. Don't drop those." Pietor said, looking at all the little beads for a second.

"I won't Daddy." Juliana replied as she picked up a string to begin making a bracelet.

"No seriously, Max. What do you think she'd do if we said no?" Raven whispered.

###

Later that day…early afternoon…

Nero was just getting off his Blackbox from another call with the Colonel. Him and Raven had spoken to him and luckily none of the Furans had come in the room during the conversation. Darkdoom had listened and put out a few words of his opinion, which the Colonel replied to spitefully. Nathaniel had mostly kept his mouth shut, as Nero would shut him down the minute he began talking. Raven and Darkdoom were slightly uneasy about this, but neither of them said anything about it.

Juliana was still playing in front of them with her beads, but Darkdoom had distracted her a few times to avoid her hearing anything about her father. Nero hadn't wanted to be talking to the Colonel in the main room like that, but that hadn't been their original discussion. No other threats had been received while they were gone as the Colonel reported.

"Watch me put on the beads." Juliana said, walking over to Nero as he put away his Blackbox. He looked back up.

"Hold this end." Juliana said, handing him one end of her string. Nero smiled slightly as he took it.

"See and now I can put them on easy." the little girl said, beginning to slide on the beads.

"Hey Juliana!" Iliana called from upstairs "As soon as you finish your next one, I'll help you start putting your beads away. We have to get ready for dinner tonight."

"Okay, Mommy!" Juliana said, quickening her pace putting the jewels on. She looked at Nero, making a silly face without even knowing it.

"The colors are very pretty." she said "I like colors."

Nero just smiled at her.

"It's done." Juliana said, putting a hand on his to carefully pull it away "You have to be very gentle." she started tying it off and scowled slightly as it came undone.

"Can you tie it?" Juliana asked, holding it out to Nero "I can't do it."

Nero took the string of beads and she toddled back over to the box to start putting it away.

"Here you go." he said about a second later. Juliana looked over, eyes big.

"You're fast." she said, running back over to grab it "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Nero replied.

"It's Shelby." Juliana said, pointing at the stairs. He glanced behind him.

"What have you three been doing up there since breakfast?" Nero asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sleeping." Shelby replied, with a giant yawn.

"Reading." Laura said.

"Studying." Wing said.

"Wow." Darkdoom said an amused nod "You have studious students, Max."

"Two anyway." Nero said, looking at Shelby.

"Sleeping is healthy." she said innocently. She glanced at Juliana "So what did Iliana say about dinner?"

"I believe Alexis invited us." Nero said.

"Yay!" Shelby replied.

Juliana closed the lid to the box just as her parents came down the stairs.

"I picked them up Mommy." she said, holding up the box.

"Good job. I'll take it upstairs and you go up with Dad." Iliana replied.

"Okay." Juliana wound around the table and a stray bead fell to the floor. The little girl glanced back to look and tripped over her own feet. The box of beads crashed to the floor with her and the little shapes went flying everywhere.

Pietor closed his eyes, before scowling grouchily at his daughter and Iliana winced. Everyone else in the room jumped about two feet besides Nero, Wing, and Raven, although everyone looked over.

Juliana stood up with the empty box, face slightly panicky. She looked at her parents, eyes big. Iliana let out a deep breath and walked over to her. She knelt down as Pietor went into the kitchen to grab the broom.

Darkdoom and Nathaniel both chuckled at Juliana, before getting down as well. The others followed after a minute, sweeping the beads into piles with their hands.

"You guys don't have to help." Iliana said, waving them away "We can do it."

"Well considering the fact that this is probably around a thousand beads, you need all the help you can get." Darkdoom replied.

Iliana just grumbled.

"What was that?" Anastasia asked from the top of the stairs. She winced.

"An accident." Iliana replied with a sigh.

"Damn." Anastasia said, coming down "I'll grab the broom."

"I think Pietor's getting it." Iliana replied. She looked up at Juliana who was standing by the couch, watching them with big eyes. She raised an eyebrow "Do you want to get down and help us, young lady?"

Juliana shook her head, face rather distraught for someone so little. Her fingers were clasped together nervously.

"Excuse me?" Iliana asked as the kitchen door opened.

"No." Juliana whined, looking slightly mortified as she said it. She looked down at her mess with her innocently worried eyes.

"Just come down here by us." Darkdoom suggested, but she didn't move.

"Juliana you dropped them. We're just being nice and helping you pick them up." Iliana said sternly "I think you should get down and do your share."

"Daddy told me not to drop them." Juliana said mutinously.

"And it was an accident." Iliana replied "So it's alright. Just help us fix it."

But the little girl shook her head again. Iliana couldn't tell if she just felt too bad or just didn't want to help them clean it up. Pietor looked at his daughter, eyes narrowed a bit.

"I think someone's going to have to spend time in their room." she said, getting to her feet.

"No, Mommy." Juliana said, her voice sad. She looked at Pietor, eyes big, who nodded at her, eyes serious.

"Then you need to obey me. Now." Iliana said.

"It was an ac-ci-dent." Juliana said, her voice ringing out with its usual cuteness. Iliana, however, was clearly not happy.

"I know, but you need to fix what you did wrong." she replied.

"But I didn't mean too." Juliana said, eyes getting teary.

"Juliana, I've asked you four times to please help us pick up. Now if I have to ask again, there's going to be consequences."

"No, Mommy." Juliana repeated, looking more anxious.

"Juliana." Pietor growled.

"You're going to stay in your room tonight instead of going out to dinner, if you don't watch it, missy." Iliana said.

"No!" Juliana said, raising her voice to a wail.

"You're not listening to me." Iliana said.

"Mommy, I want to go with Lexis." Juliana whined.

"I'm sorry, you're not helping us clean up. If we have to put you in your room, then that's your consequence." Iliana replied.

"No!" Juliana responded, her voice more like a yell this time.

Iliana walked over and took her arm. The little girl pulled it away, stumbling back slightly.

"Juliana." Pietor growled "That's enough."

"No, Daddy!" Juliana complained.

"Then you're going in your room." he said warningly.

"No!" Juliana cried.

Iliana went for her arm again, eyebrows up acutely, but Juliana pushed her away. She started running, but Pietor swooped in and grabbed her. Juliana starting kicking furiously as he picked her up, trying to get away. She wasn't a match for her father however and he walked over to the stairs, wrestling the little girl all the way. Iliana winced as she watched; knowing Pietor had little patience for that. His lips were pressed together angrily as he tightened his grip to hold her. She was crying loudly and reaching her hand back toward Iliana, while hitting Pietor with her other as she struggled. She began screaming and twisting to break away.

Pietor squeezed her upper arms so she didn't fall backwards, although she didn't seem to care if she did.

As they neared the top, Juliana found her words.

"I want to help clean up! I want to help clean up!" she screamed, reaching both hands back down the stairs.

Iliana opened her mouth at that, eyebrows creased, but decided against it.

"You had a chance to do that before." Pietor said, heaving her up repeatedly as she fought him.

"No! I don't want to go to my room!" Juliana wailed, sobbing at the same time "Let me go! Mommy!"

She kicked harder and Pietor had to flip her to stomach to hold her under one arm as she continued throwing a fit.

Iliana heaved an irritated sigh as they rounded the corner and Juliana was still screaming at the top of her lungs. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"She shouldn't kick and scream, that's what makes Pietor mad." she said.

Everyone nodded in sympathy and Anastasia glanced up the stairs as Pietor shut the door to Juliana's room, muffling her cries.

"You know, I feel bad because she had a shock yesterday and her hand probably still hurts and she didn't get much sleep last night." Iliana went on with a sigh "She's only three after all."

"Well all that and she doesn't want to miss going to dinner tonight." Anastasia said.

"For some reason, being taken to her room is the ultimate punishment." Iliana said "If Pietor spanks her, she cries for about five minutes and then she's playing with him two seconds later, but for some reason, putting her in her room just breaks her heart."

After a few more seconds, Pietor came trotting back down the stairs.

"Pietor, I need to get her ready for dinner tonight." Iliana said.

"Well if she doesn't stop crying them she doesn't get to go." Pietor replied.

Iliana sighed again, but she continued cleaning up her daughter's beads. Juliana still shrieked upstairs and she would break off to cry every few seconds. Occasionally she would scream for her mother, but Iliana did not go up. The little girl just kept crying.

###

"Wow, finally." Iliana breathed as she closed the lid to the bead box. Pietor was walking over to put the broom back in the kitchen. With all of them combined, they'd been able to clean all the jewels up in about thirty minutes. Now Iliana just had to worry about sorting them, but that could be done later.

"Now imagine doing that all alone." Anastasia said, letting out a deep breath.

"What time is it?" Iliana asked, leaning over to click her phone on the coffee table. It was about three-thirty. She glanced over to where Pietor had disappeared. Juliana had stopped screaming from her room around ten minutes ago, most likely because her throat was starting to hurt.

"When did Alexis say she wanted us to come?" Anastasia asked.

"Around six I believe, but I'll text her just in case." Iliana replied.

Nathaniel leaned closer to Darkdoom "They're not really going to make the poor girl stay here are they?" he whispered "I feel like she has too many expectations for a little girl."

Nero glanced at him, overhearing. He certainly seemed to have grown a liking for the little Furan girl. Darkdoom replied something too quietly to hear and Nero sat back.

It was a few more moments before Pietor walked back out of the kitchen and over to the stairs. Iliana glanced after him for a second.

"He'll grab her." Anastasia said, spotting her concern.

"I don't know. You know how much it bugs him when she has a fit." Iliana replied "I mean I don't blame him if he decides she doesn't deserve to go, but she stopped crying pretty quickly for being in her room."

Nathaniel almost looked like he was going to say something, but Nero shook a head at him, scowling warningly. Darkdoom shot Nero a look, as he had seen the exchange. He mouthed "What is up with you?" to him.

Nero just shook his head slightly and looked away in annoyance.

"Yep, Alexis says six if possible." Iliana informed them "That's possible right?"

"I'm pretty sure we can get ready in two hours." Anastasia responded.

It was silent for a moment as Iliana replied on her phone. Pietor appeared back at the top of the stairs, holding Juliana with one arm around her back while reading something on his phone with his other. She was hanging from his neck and laying her head against him, almost as if asleep. Iliana looked at up at her.

When Pietor reached the bottom of the stairs, he said something quietly and Juliana slowly nodded her head, without moving it from his chest. He walked over to Iliana and gently lowered her into her mother's lap. Iliana took her and Juliana turned around to hug her as she put her arms around the little girl. Her eyes were mostly closed from her tears and her face was blotchy, particularly around her eyes.

Nathaniel tilted his head to see her and waved. Juliana looked at him for a second, before slowly wiggling her little fingers back at him. Then she closed her eyes and relaxed against her mother. Nathaniel smiled.

Iliana murmured something to her and Juliana nodded and slowly started wiping her eyes with her arm.

"Sorry, mommy." she asked, her voice pitched and soft.

"It's alright." Iliana replied gently.

"Can I go to dinner with you?" the little girl asked. It was easy to hear now that her voice was slightly hoarse.

"Yes, Juliana." Iliana said "We can go get you ready now."

She helped the little girl to the floor and Juliana rubbed her eyes, then the side of her head.

"My head is ouch." she said, taking her mother's hand.

"Well we'll get you in a bath and that'll help your head ache." Iliana replied. Juliana slowly nodded, eyes still halfway closed and they began to walk towards the stairs together.

###

"My goodness, did you hear that little girl's voice?" Nathaniel asked, sounding irritated "It was like she swallowed a grater!"

Nero shot him a look as he pulled on his coat upstairs.

"She was screaming for a good twenty minutes." Darkdoom said.

"Why would they let her do that?" Nathaniel asked, more to himself than anyone else.

"It's their way of discipline." Darkdoom replied with a shrug "Juliana's a good enough kid so I won't judge."

"Besides, when did you get such a big heart for little kids?" Nero asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nathaniel didn't reply back to him, as he knew that was a retort meant for him about his own parenting skills.

"I think he's been a father too, Max." Darkdoom said, scowling slightly at their tension.

"Anyway, Diabolus, I understand Alexis invited us to dinner, including you." Nathaniel said, trying to ignore it.

"Indeed." Darkdoom replied, with a slight smile "We did have some words together."

"Did you now?" Nathaniel asked, smiling slightly "May I ask what?"

"No, it was nothing." Darkdoom said, waving it off.

"Oh I don't know, you seem pretty defensive." Nathaniel replied "I can just ask Alexis tonight, can't I?"

"Please, I doubt she'll even talk to me." Darkdoom said, walking towards the door. Nero and Nathaniel both watched him and Nero went to follow without looking at his father.

Nathaniel looked after his son for a moment, before doing the same. AS he walked out, Juliana shot out from her room, now full of energy.

"Hi!" she said, waving at him as she flew by. She hopped down the stairs, one stair at a time. Nathaniel smiled at her and shook his head. He followed her down.

Raven was next to Nero and he was saying something quietly to her. She responded so surreptitiously it was hard to see her lips move and Nero nodded in reply. Juliana sprinted over to them.

"Guess what?" she asked, stopping right in front of them, eyes huge.

"What?" Nero asked, turning to look down at the little girl.

"Lexis is making me another flower!" she informed them, putting her hands on her hips "So then I can water two flowers every day just like I have to feed two dogs every day."

"Yay." Nero replied.

"Do you know where Daddy is?" Juliana asked.

Nathaniel watched as his son pointed at Pietor's room and Juliana sprinted in there. Nero seemed to work so well with little children and for a moment there, Nathaniel almost felt guilty, but he shook it off.

"Where did you go Juliana?" Iliana called from upstairs.

"She's in Pietor's room." Nero replied to her.

"What's my name being said for?" Pietor asked from inside his room. Nero and Raven just chuckled and he came out a few minutes later. Juliana was clinging to his leg while sitting on his foot as he walked. It didn't seem to have that much of an effect on his stride however.

Nero noticed that as Pietor came out with his daughter, Raven almost seemed to narrow her eyes. He didn't need to ask why, but he still found it odd that she was jealous of someone that was very loved by the person that she had hated so much.

"And then I am going to have to water them every day." Juliana was telling her father "Mommy said we can put them in my room on my dresser for sun."

Drake came following his master out, tail waving. He followed Juliana until Pietor stopped and began licking her face. Juliana petted his furry muzzle and turned her head, but the dog kept going, clearly determined to prove that he loved her. Pietor finally waved him away and Drake circled them, tongue hanging.

Keesha came bounding out as well and went over to Nero and the others.

"Well the men are ready. And I'm ready." Raven said, glancing at the stairs.

"What are you inferring?" Nero asked.

"That these women are slow." Raven said.

###

After they ate dinner together that evening, Alexis accompanied them on their way home, Juliana was back to her happy self and it was hard to imagine she has ever been sad. They were walking in the parking lot toward their cars and the little girl was bouncing with energy.

"How are her stitches doing by the way?" Alexis asked, gesturing at her.

"They seem fine. But I've never dealt with stitches before." Iliana said, sounding slightly uncertain "She hasn't said they hurt."

"Then they're fine." Alexis said, with a slight smile.

"So you never had stitches in your young life?" Raven asked "What did your parents do, wrap you up in bubble wrap?"

"Parent." Iliana corrected "I had like four fathers, who all left for one reason or another."

"Gabdin being the most permanent departure." Darkdoom asked.

Iliana grumbled "Yeah, the only really rotten one. But I still feel bad for my mom. I mean, they seemed to be happy, but I guess she didn't know how horrible he really was. But anyway." she looked back at Raven "I just never did anything out of my comfort zone. Heck, I haven't even been stung by a bee in my life."

"Oh heaven forbid. That's just like a needle." Anastasia said, raising an eyebrow.

"My mom is just particular with things. Except men. She just dives right into that nest." Iliana replied.

"She's not particular with men? She hates me." Pietor said.

"She does not!" Iliana replied indignantly.

Pietor snorted in disbelief "Couldn't fool me."

"You married her daughter. What do you want her to do?" Anastasia asked.

"Nothing. I don't really mind. It keeps her away." Pietor replied.

"You know, you say she hates you, but you seem to hate her." Iliana said

"I don't." Pietor said.

"But you don't like her." Iliana checked.

"She let Gabdin torture you right under her nose." Pietor growled.

"Aww…" Iliana turned around to face him, walking backwards. She put two hands on her chest "So you don't like her because she didn't stop me from getting hurt? Awww…"

"Oy." Pietor growled, rolling his eyes irritably as Alexis joined in.

"This woman sounds interesting." Darkdoom said, referring to Iliana's mother "Now she's married to your father?" he gestured at Alexis.

"Yeah, seems like an extremely huge coincidence that I would travel to Russia with my father and he would find a wife." Alexis replied.

Anastasia looked at Nero, eyebrow raised and Nero gave a slight smile.

"Puppies!" Juliana suddenly screamed. She was literally bouncing on her toes and pointing across the parking lot. It was true. A man and woman were sitting in the back of a truck with at least seven cages of different puppies. The sign above it read: Щенки для продажи! Дешевые : 1750 рублей, Puppies for sale! Cheap: 1750 rubles.

"Yeah, they're cute aren't they?" Iliana asked, without slowing her pace. Juliana just kept staring, eyes wide, before following a few seconds later.

"Is Drake still a puppy?" she asked.

"Well Drake's about six years old." Iliana said "So he still has a little bit before he's old."

Juliana seemed to think this over "That's good."

They continued to the truck and Anastasia's car and Alexis went to her car.

"Do you want to come with me Juliana?" she asked, clicking a button on her keys to unlock the car.

Juliana looked at Iliana "Can I go with Lexis?"

"Sure, just make sure you wear your seatbelt since you won't have your car seat." Iliana replied. The little girl skipped over to Alexis and she opened the car door to jump in.

"You'd think it was her kid." Pietor said as he opened his car door.

"Well she is her first cousin once removed." Anastasia replied.

"Although she is more like her aunt." Iliana said. Anastasia shot her a scowl.

"But not her favorite aunt." Iliana added, smiling.

"Mmmhmm." Anastasia replied.

Alexis spun her car around and proceeded to drive out of the parking lot.

"She won't crash and kill her will she?" Iliana asked, suddenly looking slightly concerned.

"Alexis may drive fast, but she's careful." Darkdoom said, without really thinking.

"Ooooh that's sweet." Iliana said, smiling "Please go on about her."

"Oh my gosh, you're so weird." Darkdoom said "We were married, so yes, I know random facts about her."

"Uh oh, Pietor, he just called your wife weird." Raven said.

"I'll allow it." Pietor replied.

"But you remember them." Iliana said, nudging Pietor, while still looking at Darkdoom "That's a sign."

"Of a good memory." Nero said.

"Do you two always team up?" Iliana asked "There's like a little bro-mance going on here."

"They only team up when it's about something they agree." Raven said.

They continued to the truck with both Nero and Darkdoom denying her words profusely.

"So are we going to have a girl car and a man car?" Iliana asked "All girls in Anastasia's and boys in Pietor's."

"What's wrong with having a mixture of genders?" Raven asked.

"Oh and Natalya's spunky side comes out." Iliana said, grinning "We won't miss the men for long, sweetheart."

"Don't call me that." Raven said.

"At least that way we have one assassin in each car." Shelby said.

Raven rolled her eyes as they continued to go to their segregated cars. Nero and Nathaniel got in on separate sides, as Nero still wasn't speaking.

Nathaniel grabbed the door as the women walked over to their car and suddenly his eyes rolled back and he collapsed backwards.

"Dad?" Nero asked, leaning to see. It was the first time any of them had heard him call his father that. He slid around the car just as the others came over quickly. He knelt down to search for a pulse and Raven got down with him.

"Call nine one one."

###

Darkdoom paced back and forth outside of the hospital room, chin resting on his knuckle as he thought. Pietor and Anastasia were standing next to the wall opposite of the room, talking quietly but quickly to one another. Nero was in the room were Nathaniel had been taken. Raven was with Darkdoom and Iliana had driven the students home at Nero's request.

They hadn't heard anything from inside yet and it had been at least thirty minutes. Darkdoom was getting worried. He knew Nero didn't always care for his father's actions, but he knew he cared for his father and he didn't want to see Nero lose him, nor did he want Nathaniel to die period.

The hospital room door opened and Darkdoom turned around as two nurses walked out. They were talking quietly together and after a second, one turned to walk down the hall and the other turned to Darkdoom.

"What's happened?" he asked. Raven and the Furans migrated forward slightly to hear.

"He had a minor heart attack, it wasn't too serious." the nurse said and he let out a breath of relief.

"At his age, this isn't uncommon. In fact, the doctor was surprised it wasn't worse. But yes, he's doing alright." the nurse said.

"Thank you." Darkdoom replied.

"You're quite welcome." she replied, turning to walk down the hall after her fellow nurse.

###

Nero watched from the door as the nurses performed their routine check up on Nathaniel, who was wide awake and rather irritated with all of them. He sat up in the hospital bed as they took blood, checked his blood pressure, and several other things he clearly didn't like.

Nero waited until the nurses slowly drifted away and his father was alone. Nathaniel shuffled uncomfortably as he had to make sure his I.V. line wasn't pulled.

He sighed in annoyance "How many of these damn tests are they going to make me take before they let me out of this place." he muttered.

"Dad." Nero said in exasperation as he walked forward "You had a heart attack."

"It was a minor heart attack." Nathaniel growled "I'm fine."

Nero stared at him for several long moments, knowing from the way his father looked that the experience had shaken him.

"Has this happened before?"

"No, Maximilian. It hasn't." Nathaniel replied "I wish everyone would stop talking to me like I'm a child. I know what happened."

"If you know, then you should be grateful it wasn't worse." Nero said firmly.

"Well I don't think you need an old man in your life, Maximilian." Nathaniel replied.

"Listen." Nero said "You just had a heart attack, I'd rather not argue."

They both were silent for a few seconds.

"I'm sorry." Nathaniel said finally "I'm sorry if what I said before about Raven offended you."

"No." Nero said, waving a hand "Don't worry about it, you don't have to apologize. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."

"Are you sure you're not just saying that because I'm rather disabled at the moment?" Nathaniel asked, moving to read adjust his sitting position.

"That might have added to it." Nero replied with a slight smile "But it's not the full reason."

A nurse opened the door behind him and went past, excusing herself as she went over to Nathaniel. A few more came in and Nero backed up.

"I'll see you in a bit." he said and Nathaniel nodded.

Nero exited the room and found Darkdoom waiting for him right outside.

"How's he doing?" his friend asked.

"He's restless and impatient about being in there, but that's nothing new." Nero replied "He's a little embarrassed about it I'm guessing too, so…"

"Refrain from mentioning it." Darkdoom finished with a wink "Got it."

So sailorraven, it wasn't death, it was just something that could've very easily caused death. :)

So uhh…the part with Juliana and Pietor was just for me to write a part about Pietor being a sweetheart after he had to discipline his daughter. :) I love that kind of thing.

Sorry guys, the next chapter of I Will Be There for You will be up soon! School just started and I have to mourn first!

Please review!