They arrived through the warp gate and were hailed as the heroes they were. Once they docked their ships on one of Corneria's flagships, they wasted no time in telling their story of the defeat of the menacing Aparoid Queen. Unnamed soldiers listened with enthralled ears to how big a part the once feared Star Wolf played in the victory.

Despite their role in saving the galaxy, Star Wolf still felt a bit alarmed at being aboard a Cornerian ship. It couldn't be helped, however, as their Wolfens were too damaged to fly the long distance back to their flagship and home base in Sargasso. Wolf was very careful to make sure Fox or someone from the Star Fox team were within eyesight, should anyone need any verification on their change for the better. Once the ailing general had been debriefed via hologram, the teams were shown to their rooms where they could stay until they arrived in Corneria. According to the old hound dog, a huge banquet was to be held in their honor upon their return. He made sure to point out that Star Wolf would also be honored at the banquet and their records expunged.

They tiredly made their way to their rooms and got some well deserved rest...well, most of them did. A lone fox stood on the observation deck and walked through the inner garden. He looked out at the deep vacuum of space. He was deep in thought, so deep in fact, that he didn't realize he had company.

"Thought you'd be up with your team celebrating or something, pup." Wolf's deep, robust voice cut through both the silence and Fox's thoughts.

"Not in a celebrating mood." He softly said.

"What? You save the galaxy from an alien invasion and you're not in a celebrating mood? Geez, what does it take to get you goin'?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy about that. There's just so much else."

"Like?"

"Like the fact that the Great Fox, my father's flagship is now destroyed. Like the fact that two of the people I consider family are severely injured and possibly leaving the team for good. Or how about the fact that I'm going on a date with one of the people responsible for my father's death."

"Look, Fox..."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not regretting it. I meant what I said. It's just I worry about what he would think if he saw me now. He's been dead for so long and I'm still trying to gain his approval. Pathetic, huh?"

"Yeah...yeah it is."

"Gee, thanks." Fox bristled.

"What I mean is, you're a grown man. You were pretty much an adult when he died. At some point you have to stop thinking about what he wants, and worry about you. He's not here anymore. You can't live to please the dead. Believe me."

Fox was silent for a while after that. Wolf had begun to think that he was ignoring him until he spoke again.

"So, what about you? What brings you out to Melancholy Corner?"

"I was following a new friend of mine. Maybe you know him. Blond mohawk, red fur, hero complex?"

"Ha, ha" Fox enunciated, but he was starting to lighten up a bit.

"There was something I wanted to ask him, but I have to help you first."

"...and how do you plan to do that?"

"By pointing some things out. First, you will be getting paid very handsomely for everything you've done, more than enough to build a new flagship. Second, you saved the world, what father wouldn't be proud of that? Third, you have to learn to live by your own expectations or you're gonna bog yourself down. Did I go too fast for ya, pup?"

"Again with the 'pup' business. You're a YEAR older than me. That's all!"

"Not my fault you're so immature." Wolf joked.

"I-I'M?! You...urgh." Fox just pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "You said there was something you wanted to ask me?

"Yeah, Panther and Krystal are planning on going to the big banquet or whatever as a couple. I was just wondering if you wanna...y'know...do the same thing."

"So you're basically asking me out on a date again? I thought I was clear the first time." Fox smirked. He wasn't used to seeing Wolf so unsure of himself. He was kind of enjoying it. "Do you even own a suit?" he joked.

"What, I can't be classy?"

"Do you or don't you?"

"...I can rent one."

"As I thought." he shook his head with laughter, then his face became serious again. "Hey Wolf, what brought all this on?"

"All what?"

"Don't give me that. All these years we've fought, shot at each other, and done some real damage. You've been on one side of the law and I've been on the other. Now you want to date me...it's just a big switch, dont'cha think?"

It was Wolf's turn to get introspective. He figured he owed it to Fox to tell him the truth, and now was as good a time as any.

"It's not as much of a switch as you might think. I guess in order to really explain, I have to go back to the day your father was targeted by Andross. I had a strong rivalry with you in school, but despite that you were the only one to try to talk me out of the path I was going down. You really were my only friend, so when Andross told us that we had to take out StarFox, I was against it. I knew what it was like to unfairly lose a father, I couldn't do it to you. So I was about to take my Wolfen out and ride around..."

"Where do ya think you're goin', Fearless leader?" Pigma called out as Wolf headed towards his ship.

"What's it to ya, pig?"

"We've go a job, don't we?"

"You know what I don't get? Why you're so gung-ho about taking out your teammates."

"I believe that's none of your business, kid."

"Just like where I'm going," he turned again and was about to jump in when a siren rang out in the hangar. 'Star Fox is attacking the base, get to work!" Andross bellowed over the speakers.

"You heard the man." the pig sneered and headed towards his own ship.

Wolf was in a bind. He'd seen what happened when you didn't show full loyalty to Andross, and he quite liked being alive. So he devised a plan of his own.

As Star Fox made continued their assault, Leon, Andrew, Pigma, and Wolf were high-tailing it towards them. As soon as Peppy and James recognized their former team-mate, the battle intensified immediately. Shots were filling the sky and hitting their targets. Wolf was firing haphazardly, or so it seemed. He was actually trying to get his teammates away from Star Fox long enough for the remaining members to at least retreat.

Suddenly he someone was opening a comm link with him.

"You...you're my son's friend." James called out. "W-What are you doing, kid?"

"I'm trying to buy you some time to get out of here. You can't take Andross on with your army of two."

"Thanks for the advice, but I think we can handle ourselves. What are you doing here?"

"Look, I just needed some work and Andross was hiring. I didn't know I'd be fighting you."

"You have to see that this isn't the way. You could join us!"

"No, I can't. Andross would..."

"Live for yourself. Follow your own instincts and never give them up."

The next second, James was shot down by Pigma in what was a sneak attack.

"NOOOOOO!" Wolf shouted. He banged his hands on the controls.

Peppy distraught by his friend's death made a hasty retreat back to the flagship. Andross rewarded the group handsomely, but Wolf didn't care he had to get to Fox to try to explain.

Unfortunately, by the time he'd got there Peppy and the media had gotten to him first.

"You BASTARD!" Fox yelled as he landed a right hook to Wolf's jaw.

"Fox, let me..."

"Let you what?! Explain HOW your MURDERED my father?!"

"It's not what you think, I..."

"Save it. I've tried and tried to make you see reason, but you seem to be content on being the bad guy."

"Now wait a minute, I was just..."

Fox raised his blaster and aimed just between Wolf's feet. "I don't miss twice. Get out of my sight."

Wolf slowly backed away and made his way back to his ship. Wolf didn't see Fox drop the blaster and begin to sob. Fox didn't see the tears threatening to fall from Wolf's eyes as he walked away.

"So you mean to tell me, you actually tried to help my dad?" Fox asked, one eyebrow raised.

"I really did. You know how my dad died. I tried to do what I thought was right in the end. Then when you rejected me. I just...I didn't have it in me to even try any more."

"Well I was understandably upset!"

"I know! I know! It's just, I wish you had given me a chance to explain, but it probably would have sounded like some sort of excuse then."

"More than likely. But that doesn't explain the sudden attraction."

"I told you, it wasn't sudden. Why do you think I competed with you so hard in everything at the Academy? Why do you think when we fight, I never actually shoot to kill. I've kept up the bitterness and anger between us, because I was sure that was how you felt towards me. But the Aparaoids...they gave me a chance to show you...show you what I can be. I'm not perfect, I committed many crimes in my life, but I want to be better. I don't want to compete or fight against you anymore. I want to fight for and protect you."

"Che, as if I need protecting," Fox said, playfully punching the wolf's arm. "Well, I feel like I owe it to you and to myself to at least give you a shot. Just don't let me down, alright?" he held out his hand for Wolf to shake.

"Deal." Wolf took Fox's hand and pulled him into a brief kiss. He then stood and walked away with a smug grin while Fox sat looking flustered for a while.

"I can't believe it!" the youngest member of Star Fox whined. "I mean, I get that they helped us out an all, but we've been fighting them for years! How could they just...do that? Fox especially!"

"Why is it a bigger deal that Fox is dating Star Wolf and not Krystal?" the wizened old hare asked.

"Really? Peppy, I thought you of all people would understand. They killed his dad, your best friend! They've been on our tails forever and have been on Corneria's most wanted list for ages! Besides all that, Fox is a guy!"

"So now we come to the real problem, eh?" Peppy stared at the toad in disappointment.

"Look, Slippy as much as I hate to say it, we would have been toast without Wolf and his crew...and I REALLY hate to say it. Besides, Fox is a grown man, who he dates is his business and no one else's, male or female." The blue falcon coolly stated. He wasn't completely ok with the newfound relationship, but he meant what he said, Fox was his best friend and he was going to support him, no matter what.

"Is there a problem here?" a familiar voice called out. The trio turned around to see a furious Fox McCloud standing before them.

"Yes, there is! How could you?!" Slippy yelled.

"How could I what? As far as I know I've done nothing wrong and nothing that I need to answer to anyone for, least of all you. Don't forget your place."

"My place? Look, I was just freaked out about everything. Don't go trying to pull rank on me now."

"I feel that I have to. You seem to forget just how expendable you are."

"Fox..." Peppy warned, but the warning fell on deaf ears.

"Nearly every mission we're on turns into "Save Slippy" within minutes. You're piloting leaves a lot to be desired and all of our ships are equipped with the enemy energy reader. Sure, you fix things, and you do quite well, but that does not by any means make you irreplaceable!"

Slippy looked down at his shoes, he didn't want anyone to see the tears forming in his eyes. "Well, excuse me for saying what everyone's thinking! You dating Wolf is just sick and I won't stand by and watch you tear this team apart!"

Fox then stood straighter and looked around towards his teammates. "Is he telling the truth? Do you all feel this way?"

"Look, Fox," Falco began. " We've been buds for a long time. I've seen you date woman after woman, and have it end for one reason or another. Now I, personally, wouldn't bat for the other team, but it's your call. If you think you can handle whatever it is you and Wolf have, you've got my support." He then turned and glowered at the now flabbergasted toad. "I have NEVER needed anyone to speak for me, remember that, Toad."

Peppy just adjusted his bifocals and cleared his throat. "Fox, I've watched you grow into the young man before me. You've always been known to make the right decisions for yourself when the time called for it, I hope that this continues. Am I thrilled about this? No. Not for some reason as petty as you both being male, but because I know Wolf's past. You're family, Freddy. You can't get rid of me that easy!" He winked.

"Freddy?!" Falco shouted before bursting out laughing.

"Peppy! I haven't gone by that name since I was a child!" Fox said, going if possible a darker shade of red.

"I have got to hear this story!" Falco whooped in between gasps for breath.

"There's not really a story to it. My legal first name is Fredrick. Fox was just a nickname Wolf gave me back in Academy. It stuck ever since. We weren't very creative. You should hear Wolf's real name!"

"Do tell!" The falcon was just eating this up.

"He'd kill me if I told you, but...Reginald."

"REGINALD?!" Falco was now on the floor with laughter. Peppy was trying his hardest to cover his laugh with a cough but it wasn't working.

"Yeah, we got into the habit of calling each other by our species names and after a while, people assumed those were our names, so we went with it."

"That's cute! You two gave each other nicknames!" Falco said batting his eyelashes. He was then punched in the arm for his effort.

"Knock it off! We can't all have names as 'cool' as Falco," he smirked.

"I'll have you know that my name is pretty awesome!"

"Yeah, saves you the trouble of having to know how to spell 'falcon'. Amazing." Fox snarked and was chased around the room by a playfully angry blue bird.

"Get back here, Freddy!" They then began to wrestle and spar in the middle of the room. Peppy just sighed the sigh of a much put upon man. No one noticed that the green toad had silently left the room ages ago.