Did the last five months fly by for anyone else? *chuckles nervously and dodges any items thrown*

In all seriousness though: This story is NOT abandoned! Those of you still with me, thank you so much for your continued support. Did anyone call for a dose of fluff with a dash of angst?

Chapter Fourteen

"Gah! Akko, I swear to God, stop cutting my head off!"

After a tender moment on the front porch of Chariot and Croix's, Diana now found herself with a front row seat to a quickly-getting-out-of-hand video game war between Akko and Croix. She had been a bit repulsed at first by the game's over the top violence—ripping guts out of someone, really?—but Akko and Croix's hilarious commentary was soon having her look beyond any imperfections. The two were obviously very competitive; so much so that they were constantly on their feet in a flash and mashing buttons if they weren't leaning heavily on one another on the couch and trying to throw off each other's concentration.

"That's three in a row for me!" Akko boasted, swinging her controller around by its cord. Diana was just waiting for it to hit her in the head.

"Yeah, well let's put in Smash Bros and I'll put you in your place," Croix shot back with an uncanny impression of a tiger's growl.

Diana couldn't help but laugh at how quickly Akko's face then paled as she quieted down. Croix smirked and rolled her eyes, nudging Akko playfully.

"I'll go easy on you~," she cooed.

Akko stuck her tongue out at the cop—her new guardian, Diana thought with a flutter of her heart—before shoving the lilac-haired woman.

"Yeah, right!" Akko retorted. "I'm not even good at the newest one, and you know I think the N64 version is even harder!"

Croix shrugged. "Then play against Diana," she supplied casually with a shrug.

"What?"

"W-What?"

Diana faltered, caught off guard. Ever since they had been welcomed inside, Diana had for the most part remained silent and out of the way. She honestly felt a bit out of place. This was Akko's moment; Akko's new life. Should she be intruding on it as she was? But then, what other option did she have but return to her aunt and essentially roll over in submission?

"Diana?"

Diana blinked, finding both Akko and Croix looking at her curiously.

"I-I'm sorry, come again?" she spoke as she felt her cheeks flush.

"I asked if you wanted to play a game with me," Akko repeated, a small smile appearing no doubt from Diana's flustered state.

"Well, I- um..." Diana looked away from the two shamefully. "I've never really played a video game before."

"Don't worry," Croix quipped, "Akko has and she still isn't any good!"

That had Diana giggling briefly as Akko glared and deflated. Croix rolled her eyes again before tossing her controller on the couch and walking into the kitchen. With the space now open between them, Akko scooted to Diana's end of the couch.

"Are you okay?" the brunette asked, hesitating momentarily before taking Diana's hand in hers. Diana knew she was blushing once more. "You've been quiet since we got here."

Did she tell Akko the thoughts churning in her mind? No doubt Akko would cast them aside with a laugh and playful jibe, but Diana wasn't as comforted by that thought as she thought she would be.

"I don't know," Diana told her, avoiding the inquisitive rubies before her that held nothing but care for the blonde. "You will think it's silly, but I just feel like I shouldn't really be here right now. This is something huge, and to be celebrated definitely, but I don't feel I rightfully am a part of it." Finally glancing up at Akko, she smiled shyly before adding, "I guess now I know how you felt about being a burden."

"I totally get that, Diana, really, but there's no reason for you to feel that way, okay?" Akko squeezed her hands as if she hoped it would make her words even more convincing. "Yeah, I have people to look after me and take care of me now, and I guess that means I have a family by law, but as hard as I try, I don't think I'll ever be able to really think of Croix and Officer du Nord as 'mom,' you know? Heck, I'm gonna have a hard enough time just switching to 'Chariot!'" They shared a laugh and Diana felt herself relaxing gradually. "But they're my friends and you're my friend, so for all I care you're family too, Diana!"

Flattered and overcome, Diana averted her gaze back to her lap.

"I'd... I would like to be a part of your family, Akko," she mumbled.

Akko beamed in response, leaning forward to kiss her. "Then you belong here! Okay?"

Diana nodded, eyes fixed on Akko's. "Okay."

"Hey, lovebirds," a smooth voice took the moment to cut in then, barely containing a laugh, "hate to interrupt, but dinner's ready."

Akko's whine of "Croix~!" only had the rest of Diana's unease desert her with another smile. If she were to indeed become a part of this little ragtag family, she supposed she was going to have to learn to take Croix's teasing in stride.

"Well," Akko said with a sigh as she and Diana got ready for bed later that night, "guess it's safe to say Croix will be taking on the role of 'overly annoying dad' in this situation."

"I find it highly amusing, actually," Diana replied from behind the bathroom door. She and Akko had borrowed a random assortment of clothes from Croix and Chariot respectively, and Diana was finishing changing into Croix's old police academy tee and some very baggy—yet extremely comfortable—Manchester United sweatpants. She opened the door to find Akko sitting on the single queen bed in the room and looking at her expectantly. Diana smirked. "Cute shirt."

Akko glanced down briefly before realizing she had changed into Chariot's academy tee unknowingly. Diana couldn't help but think the older women set it up that way. Smiling with a slight blush, Akko looked back up. "Y-Yours too."

Diana stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment, analyzing her next move. Both girls had erupted in red upon being led to the guest room—or really, Akko's bedroom—to see one bed. Obviously Diana hadn't been expecting there to be more than one bed, but now the situation was real and looming and Diana shouldn't be nervous about sharing a bed with Akko because she had essentially done just that when she went home with Akko just a few short nights ago, but she had also just been hit by Daryl and seeking comfort and it wasn't like Akko knew Diana liked her like she did now so things hadn't been as uncomfortable—at least for her—and now, wow, was she rambling.

She blamed Akko.

Luckily, Akko made the first move, scooting up to the head of the bed before patting the middle, inviting Diana to join her. Diana was unsure how red her cheeks really were as she approached, but if Akko's were any indication, hers were absolutely glowing.

"So!" Akko chirped once Diana had stiffly seated herself cross-legged before Akko. "Tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?" Diana repeated, confused.

"Tomorrow we start taking your family back!"

Diana laughed, and the tense atmosphere around them dissolved away instantly. "Akko, I have school tomorrow," She said.

Akko just shrugged. "You can miss one more day."

The old Diana, the one that so wanted to keep living behind the walls her new self kept vigorously destroying, decried the idea instantly, insisting she had a duty to uphold and that skipping school for a girl was not reflecting the ideals of her family she so wanted to live up to. The new Diana, however, the free-to-live-as-she-pleased Diana, was teetering on the edge. This very girl before her was the one that had taught her to open her mind, to let loose, to have fun; how could she turn away now after tasting such tantalizing freedom?

Surely one more day wouldn't be too detrimental, Diana warred with herself. It's still the middle of the semester, I'll have plenty of time to devote to finals, and no projects are due immediately either. Taking my family back from Aunt Daryl has to be as important—if not more so—than succeeding in school. And I wasn't even doing well because it was what I wanted, but because it was expected of me. With my conscience clear, I can start to enjoy school again. I can re-apply to colleges for what I want to study. I can...

Diana grinned, looking back to Akko resolutely.

"I can miss one more day," she said with confidence.

Akko mirrored her grin and fist-pumped the air. "Score!"

Diana chuckled, leaning forward in anticipation for whatever the girl surely had up her sleeve.

"I assume you have already come up with some kind of plan?"

There was a glint in Akko's eyes Diana didn't know if she liked. Akko leaned closer to her as well to whisper conspiratorially in her ear.

"We break in."

Any mounting excitement quickly fled Diana as she sighed. "Akko, we don't need to break into my own house," she said in a deadpan tone.

"No, no, no!" Akko wailed, her hands waving haphazardly in front of her face. "We break into your aunt's office!"

Diana still wasn't too impressed.

"I've tried that already."

"But now you have me!"

"That's reassuring."

A pillow promptly hit Diana in the face. "Hey!" She tossed the pillow away to find Akko pouting cutely before her, looking away and lower lip jutting out.

"I thought it was a good plan..." she mumbled.

Diana laughed once more, taking the pillow and lightly hitting Akko back with it.

"It's a plan," Diana relented, "but knowing Aunt Daryl, I'm honestly at a loss on how many good plans are even out there."

"You think she's gonna have like laser traps and spikes and a giant boulder behind her door or something?" Akko snickered. "You're not related to Indiana Jones, are you?"

"No," Dianna rolled her eyes, "I'm just saying even if we do get in to her office, what then? I'm certain she's taken multiple measures to keep anything that could possibly be used against her hidden."

It was only when Akko covered one of her hands that Diana realized she had balled them into fists to begin with. Gently, Akko unfurled her hand to lace her fingers through Diana's own. The touch was so deliberate, so tender, Diana didn't stand a chance against the smile that took her over.

"Hey," Akko said, her tone of voice causing Diana to shiver, "we're gonna do this, okay?"

"I have no doubt that we will," Diana replied softly with a gentle sigh. "I'm just a bit anxious at what we may find...if anything."

Akko cocked her head. "I mean...your aunt wouldn't be able to write you out of the will, right? Isn't that...like, illegal or something?"

"Knowing my aunt, I'm sure the thought has crossed her mind." Diana scowled as she focused at a spot on the bed before her. "She thinks she is so above the law, or that she should be able to get away with anything by using her last name. It's appalling, truly. Anyone trying to use their name for any kind of gain should be seen as wrong, but there's so much corruption in this world, especially the wealthier the family, things get overlooked."

"But you also have Chariot and Croix on your side now," Akko pointed out, doing her best to stay optimistic against Diana's increasing pessimism. "They'll fight tooth and nail for you, you know? If it's illegal, they won't allow it. Even if your aunt tries to buy them or something."

Diana shrugged, still refusing to see any good. Taking action yet again, Akko tugged on Diana's hand, finally getting the blonde to look up once more. Akko had her arms open wide and a shining smile on her face. Affection was swimming in her eyes and Diana couldn't look away. Accepting the invitation with a blush and a smile, Diana crawled up beside Akko. The brunette laid back until she was just slightly propped up by the pillows and headboard, Diana nestling into her side once Akko was settled. Wrapped in Akko's arms, Diana could feel her bleak outlook on the situation gradually brightening.

"We're going to do this, Diana," Akko repeated, one hand rubbing up and down Diana's arm as the other stroked through her still damp locks. "I promise you everything will turn out right in the end."

"How can you be so sure?" Diana mumbled into Akko's shirt. "How, when so much is still up in the air and the task so daunting?"

This time Akko shrugged. "I've been pessimistic enough in my life," she explained simply. "Believing I wasn't going to get anywhere in life, that I might not even be able to eat anything that day... Well, you've seen what it's done to me. But now?" Akko's grip on her tightened, likely unconsciously. "Now I have a family. I have you. There was a part of me that always held on to a little bit of hope, but most of me just couldn't fathom that something so good could happen to me. But it did."

Another sigh came from the girl before Diana felt a soft yet searing kiss press against her forehead.

"I don't want you to turn into me," Akko whispered. "I don't want you tormented by demons you don't think you will ever escape from. I don't want your spirit crushed, your will depleted. I want you to be confident; strong. That's how I know you, that's how I..." she blushed, choosing the mumble the rest in Diana's hair, "fell in love with you."

Diana swallowed back tears. "Akko..."

"Sh-Shut up..." Akko retorted with a wet laugh.

Diana looked up to indeed see tears lining those rubies she so adored and her heart skipped a beat. Akko noticed her looking and quickly brought one hand up to wipe at her eyes before wrapping Diana back up in her embrace. Still, there was a smile on her face, unashamed of the falling tears and showing there were no lies behind any facade. With another flush, and her heart fluttering madly, Diana moved to press her nose into Akko's neck, unable to contain yet wanting to conceal the wide, giddy grin that had overtaken her.

"I didn't say anything," she replied softly with a chuckle.

"A-Anyway," a fake cough, "yeah... It's gonna be okay. The only way it won't is if you keep telling yourself it won't."

Diana nodded, knowing Akko could feel it.

"Okay, Akko."

Chariot and Croix couldn't resist checking on them later that night, and upon seeing the two curled tightly up against the other, smiles on both of their faces as the girls rested peacefully for likely the first time in a while, the two older women joined hands.

"Told ya we didn't need to worry about a sleeping bag," Croix joshed in a whisper.

"Croix!"

The next morning, Diana awoke to the smell of breakfast cooking. Rolling over, she opened her eyes to find the space in the bed next to her empty. Blinking as she came to her bearings, she sat up, a single blanket pooling at her waist atop the still-made bed.

Where was Akko?

As if on cue, she heard a clatter from downstairs, the cry of an expletive, and a highly amused guffaw. Diana grinned and rolled her eyes as she headed out of the bedroom.

"Nice try, kid," she could hear Croix saying, the laugh still evident in her voice.

"The handle broke off!" Akko was bickering. "That would have been a perfect flip if your pans weren't so cheap!"

"Sure, blame it on something other than yourself."

"Good morning," Diana greeted as she walked into the kitchen, finding the scene exactly as she had pictured it.

Akko and Croix stood before the stove, Akko holding just the handle to a pan which lay on the floor between them, a single poor pancake the victim.

"'Morning..." Akko grumbled before stomping over to the trash can and depositing the handle in it. "You were supposed to stay asleep a bit longer so I could bring you breakfast."

Diana immediately erupted in red, making a point to ignore whatever look Croix was giving her.

"You... You didn't-."

"Ah, ah, ah!" Akko chided, back to her now as she tended to the remaining pancakes and what smelled like bacon. "I wanted to."

"Seriously," Croix added. "She woke us up at 8am asking us to show her how to make eggs, bacon, pancakes, and..."

"There's biscuits in the oven too!"

"Biscuits," Croix finished.

Diana gaped. She figured mentioning that she rarely ate anything in the morning would be the wrong move. Instead, she just asked, "Do you want any help?"

"No way!" Akko shot back. "You just sit down and relax! You're going to take it easy and let me cook and serve you and then we're gonna pay your aunt's office a visit!"

Diana chuckled as she took a seat at the kitchen table. "I hope you still got some sleep last night with all the planning you seem to have done."

"I slept great!" Turning to face Diana, she saw Akko now was blushing, looking meek. "Did... Did you?"

"I did," Diana assured her. Unable to help herself, her eyes darted over to Croix who rolled her eyes before going back to supervising Akko.

As Akko finished plating the final batch of pancakes, Chariot meandered into the kitchen, stopping briefly by Croix to kiss the woman on the cheek before plopping down in the chair next to Diana. The blonde couldn't help the giggle that escaped her.

"Akko, you really did get them up early," she tried to admonished but was enjoying Chariot's out-of-character drowsiness too much.

"Right?" Akko chuckled as she somehow managed to carry over the plate of pancakes stacked twelve high, a plate of bacon with a wide range of crispiness, a skillet of scrambled eggs that actually looked fairly decent, and a plate of biscuits where all had somehow managed to be half burnt. "I had always pegged Croix as the one who hates mornings."

"Why does everyone assume that?!" Croix whined, nearly spilling the coffee she was in the middle of pouring during her outburst.

Diana just chuckled before looking to Akko who stood triumphant and proud at the head of the table.

"Well, even though this breakfast was intended to just be for Diana and me, I did end up going a bit overboard, so everyone dig in!"

"My, how gracious of you," Chariot mumbled, so sarcastically that it had Akko, Diana, and Croix staring wide eyed at the redhead. "What?" she mumbled over mouthful of biscuit.

"Akko," Croix said, not taking her eyes off her fellow copper, "I'm sorry to totally rescind the offer of adoption, but I think you broke Chariot."

As a biscuit sailed across the table, Diana continued to try her best to contain her peals of laughter.

This is what a proper home felt like, she thought fondly.

After the eventful affair that was breakfast, Diana and Akko changed—thankfully their clothes had been properly washed and dried the night before—the brunette going over a suddenly elaborate and meticulous plan to break in to Aunt Daryl's office.

"Akko, I promise there won't be a pitfall of snakes on the other side of the door," Diana jumped in, dashing any imaginative scenario playing out in the girl's mind. "A state-of-the-art alarm system maybe, but leave the Indiana Jones traps to Indiana Jones."

"Sounds like you kids are going to have a bunch of fun storming the castle," Croix quipped from the couch as the girls lingered by the front door.

"Please be careful," Chariot implored from the kitchen where she had stayed behind to do the dishes. "And call us if you need anything."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be fine!" Akko replied with a huff. "It hasn't even been a full twenty-four hours yet and you're already such a mom!" Locking eyes with Croix and seeing a matching gleam in ruby and emerald, both added, purposefully loud enough for the other woman to hear, "Although she's always been like that."

Diana simply rolled her eyes as she followed Akko out the front door, thanking Croix for the hospitality before it swung shut. Akko had jumped down the porch steps and was now stretching and basking in the warm sunlight. It really was a beautiful nearly-Spring morning.

"So, how are we getting to your place?" Akko asked as they headed to the end of the driveway. "Bus? Subway?"

Diana worried her lip briefly before suggesting, "Or I could call my driver."

Akko immediately stilled and spun to face her wide-eyed.

"You mean, like…" finishing with a whisper for whatever, she added, "a limo?"

"N-No!" Diana exclaimed. "My aunt may be posh enough to use a limousine for her every beck and call, but I was just thinking the SUV that usually takes me to and from school."

Akko shrugged, though her wide eyes remained, now coupled with a smile. "Beats public transport, that's for sure! Call Franz up!"

"Hank…" Diana corrected halfheartedly as she fished her phone from her pocket.

In no time, they were pulling up the long drive to Diana's, Akko's face plastered to the window as it had been since they had gotten in the SUV fifteen minutes earlier.

"Diana, this isn't a house, this is a freaking museum! You've even got a freaking courtyard garden out front!"

"Akko, please…"

The brunette pulled herself from the window, and upon noticing Diana sitting there with her head bowed, hands worrying in her lap, immediately slid down the seat and took one of those hands in hers.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Diana looked up and tried to bite back the tears that were burning in her eyes. Those rubies shining back at her were just too innocent. Too honest. Her blonde hair swayed as she shook her head.

"It's not you, Akko," she mumbled. "Just…this place never held good memories for me since my parents, and with the last time I was here being when I was hit…" She sighed, feeling unable to watch as the house loomed even closer. "I didn't think it would be like this coming back."

Akko squeezed her hand. "We'll be in and out," she reassured, smiling when Diana glanced her way. "Your aunt and cousins aren't here currently, right? We'll get what we need, you can even grab a few things from your room, and then we'll be back at Chariot and Croix's okay? You can stay with us until this all gets sorted out."

"Are you sure?" Diana nearly whimpered and hated herself for it.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Akko said with another shrug. Grinning, she added, "It's my house too, now, right?"

Diana managed to chuckle as the SUV came to a stop. "Right."

As Diana helped Akko from the car, she tensed instinctively as she heard the front door open behind her.

"Milday?"

Diana didn't try and hide her relief as she spun to face Anna. "Anna, hel—!"

"Oh, Diana, the staff and I were so worried!" Anna had interrupted her and had her in a tight embrace before Diana could finish. "Daryl wouldn't say what happened, but I just know it was her doing when you didn't return home. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Anna, really," Diana assured. "I was with a friend."

Anna looked over Diana's shoulder and smiled. "This young lady here?"

"You even have a maid too?!" Akko shrieked, but with a pointed look from Diana quickly added with a clumsy curtsey, "I-I mean, I'm Akko."

Anna quickly enveloped Akko in a similar hug which was very unlike her. She and the staff must really have been worried about her, Diana figured.

"Thank you for your kindness, miss. I am so grateful you were there for the lady."

Akko shifted her beanie. "Heh. N-No problem!"

Noticing Akko was becoming uncomfortable with the praise and attention, Diana cleared her throat, getting Anna to turn back to her.

"Anna, my aunt and cousins are out currently, correct?"

"Yes," the maid answered, "they've had tickets for some play in town for months."

Diana sighed. She had gotten the date right after all.

"Thank you. We shouldn't be here too long; I've just stopped by to get some of my things. I think it's wisest if I stay with Akko for the time being. Give Aunt Daryl some more…time to cool off."

Anna merely nodded, though Diana didn't miss the slight look of suspicion flickering in her serious gaze.

"Of course, milady."

Gesturing to Akko, Diana led them inside. She could feel Anna's eyes still on her, so Diana decided to go to her bedroom first. Tension immediately left her when she heard Anna stop at the beginning of the hall. She shuffled Akko inside before shutting and locking the door.

"In lieu of balking over the size of your bedroom, I'm going to assume you didn't want your maid following us to your aunt's office?"

Diana laughed—more out of nerves than anything else—as she quickly went for her bookbag on her desk, piling in her school supplies before heading to her dresser.

"Anna's on my side over my aunt's, but I don't want her to have to lie for me," she began explaining. "The less she knows about our true motives here, the better it is for her."

"So her having a spare key to the office is a bust?"

"Unfortunately."

Akko perked up then seemingly out of nowhere. "Can I look around in your desk?"

Diana shrugged as she continued to stuff as many changes of clothes as she could into her bookbag. She heard Akko shuffling around in the drawers soon after, a triumphant "ah-ha!" following shortly.

"Score!" the brunette exclaimed with a gleeful chuckle.

"A…paperclip?" Diana asked skeptically once her bookbag was secured on her shoulder.

"Nooooo, it's our key inside the office!" Akko said in a sing-song voice as she grabbed a second one.

Diana couldn't help her deadpan tone as she replied, "You mean, after all that talk of crazy schemes and death-defying traps, we're going with picking the lock?"

Akko looked equally deadpan as she quipped, "I mean, if you've got the materials for a pipe bomb…"

They both held it together for all of another second before the two were doubled over in laughter, Diana actually having to fight back tears for a different reason this time. With two steps she met Akko before her desk, pulled the girl by her hoodie, and claimed her lips in a searing yet affectionate kiss. Akko made an adorable squeak before she completely melted.

"Wh-What was that f-for?" she balked, breath intermingling with Diana's as the blonde refused to let her pull away too far.

With another peck, Diana grinned. "For being you."

Akko cocked her head, her cheeks glowing and hoodie crumpled seizing Diana's heart pleasantly.

"T-Thanks?"

"You're welcome."

Akko was grinning like mad the entire way to aunt Daryl's office.

"Okay, this is it," Diana whispered as they came to a stop before a large oak door. She tried the lock for the hell of it and wasn't surprised to find it locked tight. "Do whatever is you do as fast as you can, okay, Akko?"

Quickly, Akko got to work. Every click of the paperclips, every hushed curse from Akko, every creak of the foundation had Diana on edge. She could just see her aunt turning down the hall to see them. Diana would spin to warn Akko only to find her in her cousins' lecherous grasp before she would stumble backwards in Daryl's likewise vice grip.

The hand on her shoulder had her jumping and she swallowed her scream. Spinning, she waited for the piercing cobalt to glare straight through her, for the sting of another slap…

"Diana?"

She opened her eyes hesitantly only to see Akko staring back at her. The glare was a look of concern, the slap a comforting hand on her shoulder.

And the door was open behind them.

"You… You did it?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Akko replied. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah," Diana echoed, shaking her head to dispel any haunting images. "Help me look for anything useful."

"Right," Akko said, obvious she didn't want to just drop what had Diana afraid of her own shadow seconds ago. "What exactly would be useful?"

"The physical, original copy of my mother's will would be ideal, but I'm not optimistic," Diana explained as she made a beeline for the single desk in the middle of the room. "Just… Anything that looks like it has to do with a will, or inheritance. Records of a deal, or…o-or evidence of paying someone off. Hell, I don't know, but there has to be something!"

"Diana!" Akko was at her side again and had her wrapped in her arms before the blonde knew it. "I'm going to ask again: Are you okay?"

Diana knew they didn't have the time, but she took it anyway, burying her face into Akko's hoodie as she shuddered violently.

"I-I don't know," she croaked, trying her hardest to save the tears for later, when there was actually a point. "I'm just overwhelmed, I guess. I never thought I'd get in here and now that I am I don't know what to look for, and maybe there's not even anything to find and then what? What do I do if there's nothing?"

Akko's fingers were at work in her hair and had Diana relaxing ever so slightly. With one final shudder, she gently pulled away from Akko. The brunette smiled at her before kissing her swiftly.

"There won't be nothing, Diana," she said so convincingly Diana could just believe it. "You look in the desk, I'll look in the cabinets along the wall. Okay?"

Diana nodded. "Okay," she said on a breath.

With a final smile, Akko scurried over to two filing cabinets sitting next to each other on a far wall. With a sigh, Diana continued on to the desk. Sitting in the dark plush chair filled Diana with dread and pride, but she didn't dare try delving into that now. She opened a drawer at random.

Files of business deals. Interesting, but no.

Novels. Not helpful.

A laptop. Likely password protected, but maybe.

A bottle of gin? Diana rolled her eyes.

She opened the final drawer.

It was stuck.

"Akko!"

The brunette was at her side in a flash, a manila folder under her arm. "What's up?"

Diana pulled at the final drawer. "Stuck or locked?"

Akko grinned. "Let's find out."

With a bit more tinkering, there was a telltale 'click' and both Diana and Akko grinned.

"You're amazing."

"I know."

Diana opened the drawer and gasped, a knot immediately forming in her throat.

Bernedette Cavendish

"Is…that your mom?"

Her hands were shaking as she lifted the heavy duty file onto the surface of the desk, scooting the laptop off to the side without a second thought. Tears were blurring her vision as she carefully flipped open the dark green cover.

Diana couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down.