Niko and Sam stood in a hospital room, both of them staring at each other for the first time in four years. Their younger brother was bed-ridden, still completely unconscious after passing out at the Blackbelly Concert. The light beeping of Iggy's heart monitor was the only sound that could be heard, echoing throughout the room. Sam stared at her older brother with hate in her eyes. She had thought time and time again about what she would say to him if he ever showed his face again, but for some reason, she couldn't find the words. She was too shocked to say anything. Niko gazed at her with a mixture of shame and pity.

"Samantha… I know what you must be thinking right now…" Niko started, his voice raspy and weak.

"Why are you here?" Sam interrupted him coldly. She was trying hard not to have a panic attack. Niko remained calm, as he was expecting her rash behavior.

"I came to see my brother. As soon as I heard about what happened… I came here immediately," he said honestly. She just continued glaring at him. "It was on the news. I couldn't just ignore it, so here I am," he explained. Niko noticed that his younger sister was trembling. He became slightly alarmed. "Samantha? Are you alright?" he asked cautiously.

"STUPID IDIOT!" she screamed, lunging at him. Before he could react, she tackled him onto the tile floor.

"OW! That was very unnecessary!" he protested, as she pinned him to the ground. She stared daggers at the confused boy, her eyes wet with tears

"YOU ABANDONED THE FAMILY!" she growled. "YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE!" Niko was slightly hurt by her statement, but he needed to focus on calming her down first.

"Samantha, please! I'm here for Ignacio, but I'm also here because you deserve to know… what happened," he said with hesitation. Sam just ignored his excuse as she abruptly climbed off of her older brother. She turned away from him, walking back over to Iggy's bedside. Niko watched as she looked at their little brother instead, her eyes full of worry. Niko gulped, trying to find the right words.

"There's a reason that I couldn't talk all these years…" Niko started. She didn't react. In her mind, there was no excuse would justify his abandonment of the family. "Please… could you just give me a chance and hear me out?" he begged. She turned and stared at him coldly.

"Y-you can't possibly think you can throw excuses at me to get out of this. Get out of here, I… I… I hate you!" she yelled at him. She turned her back to him, with slight guilt building in her heart. Niko stared at her in disbelief. He blinked a few times, as he was in shock that their previously close relationship had fallen into such a state of turmoil.

"Samantha… I… I just wanted to see our brother… I was worried…" Niko said, his voice breaking, but he choked back his tears. He watched as she ignored him, keeping her back to him. She grabbed hold of Iggy's hand and squeezed it tightly.

Ugh… Sam… find… Niko, Sam kept repeating his words over and over again in her head. Something was telling her that him being there was no coincidence. Niko sighed heavily, as if he were preparing for a long race.

"When I first moved to Inkopolis, things were just as I had expected. Turf Wars, Splatfests, the whole deal. I know you remember I would call home every night for the first few weeks," he started. Sam didn't budge, but she was listening to every word.

"After a little while of living here, I met a girl my age… who I became friends with after we played a few turf wars together," Niko said, a slight look of uneasiness appearing on his face. "We would hang out, every day. We told each other stories, she told me about her family, I told her about you two," Niko said, and he actually smiled for a second, but it quickly faded.

"But one night… completely out of nowhere… my friend…" Niko stopped himself, as his eyes began to water. He wiped it away quickly, cursing himself under his breath for being so soft. Sam finally looked at him, slightly curious about what he had to say.

"Niko, what happened?" she asked with slight urgency. He cleared his throat and looked at her.

"One night, she knocked on my door. I was a little concerned why she was up so late, but when I opened the door, she looked… empty… like all the life had drained away from her," he murmured. Sam blinked, she turned towards him completely, though still livid with him, slightly concerned as well.

"She stared into my eyes. She told me that there were dangerous people after her, and that she needed to flee Inkopolis," he said with a gaunt look.

"Being the scared little Inkling I was, all I did was hug her goodbye. I didn't ask her any more questions, I didn't refute. But I watched her go. I watched as she left my front door in a hurry… and… after that… I never saw her again," Niko finished, with a dead stare into Sam's eyes. She was about to retort that he still could have called. But before she spoke, she froze as a tear ran down Niko's face. She had never seen him cry before, and a wave of despair washed over her, as seeing her older brother cry was something she never imagined she would witness.

"These dangerous people she spoke of… who knows, Sam?! What if they had tried to hurt our family?" he sobbed. Sam tried to process what he just said. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words. "I mean, if they were after one of the kindest, noble, and innocent inklings I had ever met, then what's to stop them from hurting someone else?" he whimpered. Sam couldn't speak. She wanted to tell him he was insane, but something about his demeanor, she felt like this had really left an impact on him.

"But Niko… nobody is after us…?" she whispered. He wiped his tears away, as he was being quite hysterical.

"I know… I doubt it Samantha… I really do. But when I saw Iggy on the news… I couldn't bear to think that these 'dangerous people' had something to do with it," he said somberly, as he slowly went to his knees. Sam gave him a confused look.

"Why are you telling me this now?" she demanded.

"Because… I was too afraid to… I didn't know what to do Sam. I act like I know what I'm doing… But I don't. I really don't. If I could go back and change things, I would have. I was a fool to let her leave," he admitted. "I've been miserable for the last four years… and I bet you have been too," he finished. Sam watched as her older brother broke down. Not even she could hold a grudge at this point. Her empathy got the best of her, as she kneeled down to comfort him.

"Niko… nobody is in danger…" she sighed. "Come on… I know what happened really must feel awful… But we're fine… seriously," she assured him.

"I know… I'm being overly dramatic…" he sighed, standing up. He brushed himself off and blinked a few times. "Anyway… I've been trying to forget about it," he told her. Sam put her hand on his shoulder.

"Niko… you don't have to talk about it if it hurts. I understand what it feels like losing someone you love," she whispered. His eyes met hers, as he realized what she meant.

"Sam… I'm so sorry I put you through this," he said shamefully. "You, mother, and Ignacio. I understand why you hate me now," he said, his eyes drooping. The guilt in Sam's chest began to hurt.

"Oh… I'm so sorry Niko… I didn't mean it. I just…" she faltered. Her mind raced as she tried to explain her feelings. "I just couldn't deal with losing you… I really missed you," she admitted, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I'll never let this happen again. I'll always be here for you," he promised. The two siblings hugged each other for a long time. After they let go, they awkwardly looked around for a few minutes.

"So… does the doc know what happened?" he asked, attempting to break the silence. Sam shrugged meekly, as she returned her attention to her younger brother.

"He's said he needed run a diagnosis. His best guess was that Iggy passed out from stress… which is quite strange to me," she told him. Niko glanced at the bedridden boy. He was purring softly in his sleep.

"I saw that you guys were at a concert?" he asked.

"Yeah… we were," she replied, not looking away from Iggy. "He seemed to be having a great time… so I have no idea what the doctor is talking about," she said with a slightly irritated expression. Niko thought about seeing his brother earlier that morning.

Looks like he didn't tell her, he thought while eying Sam. "You never know," Niko responded. He caught a glimpse of her face noticing that she looked strained. "Hey… why don't you take a quick walk through the hallways? I don't need you passing out on me too… you look flustered," he suggested with a small smile. She became self-aware of her attitude.

"Oh… okay, maybe you're right… I could use some fresh air…" she said quietly. She walked towards the door, turning to give one last look at Niko. He noticed her looking at him and they exchanged awkward looks. "Niko?" she blurted after a few seconds. "Yes?" he asked expectantly. "You're still a stupid idiot," she whispered. A small smile appeared on her face.

I knew you'd come through, sis, Niko thought to himself, relieved. She sighed to herself and walked out the door into the bright hallway.

The hospital halls were quiet, with only a few muffled beeps coming from Iggy's heart monitor in the other room. An adult inkling wearing nurse scrubs typed slowly at her keyboard behind a desk, she was the only hospital staff that Sam noticed. She exhaled sharply, wondering what to do next.

"Hey, how is he?" a familiar voice asked her. She turned to see Alex sitting on a nearby chair in the waiting room area.

"Oh, you're still here!" she exclaimed. She always cheered up when Alex was around, due to his positive and polite nature.

"Well I wasn't going to just leave you guys," he said, smiling at her. She smiled back and sat down on the chair. She sighed, as she let herself finally relax.

"Rough night," she said. Alex nodded in agreement.

"True that. At least we got to watch half of a concert," he joked. Sam chuckled. They sat together in awkward silence for a while, waiting for the doctor to return with the diagnosis. She looked around at the empty seats.

"Hey… where did Dani and Felix go?" she asked the green inkling. Alex gestured towards the nearby exit.

"Oh, the twins? They left a bit ago, they told me to tell you they were hoping for Iggy's speedy recovery, so we can continue having fun," he told her. Sam smiled at the thought.

"They're really kind people," she marveled. He nodded in agreement.

"And so are you," she said with a thoughtful glance in his eyes. He laughed at her compliment.

"Thank you, Sam. You're really kind for saying that," he said with a smile. He was unintentionally avoiding eye-contact with her. Sam realized he looked pretty exhausted.

"Hey… I feel bad for making you wait around. If you need to go get some rest, then you can," she offered. A stern expression appeared on his face.

"Nonsense. I know Iggy would wait for me, so I'm doing the same for him. I can stay a little while longer," he promised, not wanting to be rude. Sam grinned.

"Daww… you're too nice," she said, instinctively giving his arm a light punch, as if he were Iggy. She blushed in realization of her gesture. "Uh… sorry," she said quickly, wanting to face-palm herself. He chuckled.

"Sorry? For what, hitting me? Don't be ashamed, it's not like you hurt me or anything," he assured her. They both laughed, despite the recent events. Alex's smile faded. "Huh… isn't a bit inconsiderate to be laughing when your brother isn't well? Maybe it's just me… it seems wrong," he mumbled. Sam shook her head quickly.

"No, you're fine! Sometimes it's better to laugh during the hard times. It makes them less terrible," she beamed. Alex glanced at her.

"You know what? I think that's a really good point, Sam. You're a very smart girl," he complimented her. She felt giddy inside.

"Th-thanks!" she yelled a bit too loudly. The nurse from behind the desk gave the two a strange glance, before returning to her keyboard.

"I'm serious," he said with a slow nod. "It's really a good way to think," he added. He suddenly stood from his chair. "Well if you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom," he stated.

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit," she said to him. He smiled, then walked down the hall and around the corner. Sam sighed, as she looked around at her surroundings. She looked at the small table next to her and noticed a few magazines, a dehumidifier, and a toy to keep needy children busy.

It's so quiet, she thought to herself. For the first time in Inkopolis, it was truly quiet. During the night, the sounds of the city would put her to sleep. Since the city was so populated, silence was a rarity. She began to doze off, but before she went completely under, the door from Iggy's recovery room swung open, the dark inkling stepping out. He noticed her slumping in her chair.

"Hey, Sammie… I want you to get some rest. It's not good for you to be up so late," he told her. She sneered at him.

"As if! I'm staying right here!" she protested. Niko gave a slight scowl.

"I'm being serious… I need you to get some rest. I want Iggy to have a better day tomorrow, so I want you well rested. If you're all tired you know he'll blame himself," he added.

"But…" Sam started, trying to make another excuse before yawning in defeat. Niko shook his head.

"Leave it. I'm sure he will recover by morning. Tomorrow, I'll bring him home," he promised. Sam considered his offer for a moment. She was about to agree with him, but one thing resurfaced in her mind.

"What about you?" she asked him. Niko blinked a few times and scratched the back of his head.

"Well… um… I guess I can stay… with you?" he said slowly. Sam eyed him curiously. "I mean, you're alright with that… right?" he asked, slightly more nervous. They exchanged another awkward glance.

"I guess we'll figure it out," she concluded.

"Alright, go get some rest, sis. I'll bring Iggy back in the morning. We'll have things sorted out tomorrow, okay?" he promised. She eyed him one more time, then started towards the nearby exit door. "Take the train, it's just a few blocks from here," Niko suggested.

"Alright… thanks…" she said with a weak smile. She was still in shock from his presence, but internally she was relieved that he wasn't dead or anything. Her older brother was finally back.

…

Niko watched as his younger sister walked out of the hospital doors into the night. As soon as she was gone, his expression hardened. The sound of footsteps shuffling caused him to whirl around. Standing before him was a confused Alex.

"What the hell do you think YOU'RE doing here?" Niko barked, marching over to the boy.

"N-Niko please… it's not what you think," Alex begged. Niko violently grabbed hold of the boy's shoulders, and slammed him against the wall, causing him to wince.

"P-please… Niko… I still respect you… I'm n-not going to let Jack do anything… I p-promise," he choked. Niko narrowed his eyes.

"You must think I'm an idiot to ever trust you," he snarled. The nurse from behind her desk eyed the boys. She slipped on a pair of noise-canceling headphones and proceeded to type on her computer. Alex squirmed helplessly.

"Now, why are you here?" Niko demanded, his grip tightening on his shoulders. The green inkling began to hyperventilate.

"I'm a friend of Iggy. I had no idea… you two knew each other," he wheezed.

Niko gritted his teeth. "FRIEND?" he roared. "Ignacio is my brother, don't even act like you don't know that! There's no way I'll ever let you near him!" he snapped. Alex looked like he was about to cry.

"I p-promise… we aren't after him…" he muttered. "Please Niko…" he begged with the last of his strength. Niko released the boy and he pathetically fell to the ground.

"This is your last chance. You even think about hurting my family again, I will tear you to shreds," he threatened. Alex gulped and clumsily stood up. They both stared at each other for a while.

"Niko… I won't forget everything you've done," he whispered.

"Get out of my sight!" Niko yelled gesturing at his hip, where his concealed metal Splattershot was holstered. Alex backed away towards the exit, an alarmed look on his face. "Leave before I change my mind!" Niko thundered. The boy scurried out the door. Leaving Niko alone in the hallway. A few seconds later, Iggy's doctor approached him.

"The diagnosis is ready, shall we step inside?" the kind older inkling suggested, gesturing towards Iggy's room. Niko nodded, still looking at the exit, and followed the doctor inside.

…

Alex exited the hospital, sighing to himself. "Well look what we have here," a voice hissed from the shadows. Alex jumped, turning to see Jack leaning against the wall facing him. "It's your day off, and how exactly do you spend it? Befriending the enemy? What on earth do you think you're doing?" Jack demanded.

"Geez, what are you going on about now?" Alex huffed, still disoriented from being roughed up. Jack moved from the wall and approached his colleague.

"I saw you talking to that girl. Do you not realize she is Niko's sister?" he muttered. Alex sighed in frustration.

"Yeah… I recently was reminded of that…" he mumbled, rubbing his shoulders. Jack cursed under his breath.

"Seriously, Alex… we're running out of time! That kid is becoming a liability. Also, I'm done trying to work around mister shadow boy. It's about time we take care of him," he proclaimed. Alex didn't respond. Jack looked back at him expectantly. "You aren't going to say anything? Of course you aren't," he growled. He pinched his temples, planning out his next move. "Oh yeah, I've informed Ace about the kid," Jack told him nonchalantly. Alex glared at him incredulously.

"Damn it, Jack! You told our freaking boss that the boy is the target? What's wrong with you?! Now both of us are going to be punished when he finds out you're playing the guessing game again," Alex grumbled.

"I don't care if anyone believes me or not!" Jack scoffed. "I've done this long enough to know what I'm doing. I'm telling you, he's the one. Regardless, if we can get the boy, then we get Niko as well, which kills two birds with one stone," he retorted.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" he asked. Jack turned his back to his friend and chuckled.

"You'll see, buddy, you'll see."