[Normal P.O.V]

Ezra held Mia's hand tightly in hers, pressing them against her forehead and practically praying to the gods. She just sat there, staring at the unconscious form of the nurse lying on one of the infirmary cots where her patients are usually staying. But now, the doctor has become the patient. It's been a total of a week since they had found Mia braindead on the ground. They were lucky to find her and immediately treat her in the span of a few hours. If it was any longer, the nurse would've been dead. Word spread around rather quickly and soon, everyone knew about it, even Drakos' favorite Dragon. In fact, she was sitting down, listening to her Physics teacher ramble during one of her classes when she received a text from her mother. It took her a maximum of 24 seconds for her to reach from her school to Drakos' headquarters, much to the dislike of her teachers. Camilla, being her temporary guardian, already explained that it was a family emergency. Though the faculty bought it, they would appreciate it more if Ezra didn't jump out of a window on a two-story building and shattered through the glass, like James Bond.

She was confirmed brain dead, but not completely dead. The hydro-ethanol freezing her cerebral cortex was slowly melting at a very slow pace. It was a miracle that the chemical wasn't able to harm the inner part of the organ. However, the damage is still there and the brain is working in the lowest state of awareness. She's practically dead but there's just the tiny flame of life called her subconscious, burning to keep her alive as well as the life support pumping the proper nutrients and chemicals to keep that fire burning because if it dies out, the hydro-ethanol will proceed to freeze the rest of her brain and it'll be impossible for her to recover.

Even if the freezing melts, there's no definite answer whether the nurse would survive or not. There could be a possibility that some of the chemicals could've affected the cerebral cortex, permanently destroying her awareness, memory, thoughts, or maybe even her entire consciousness. But no matter what assumptions or hypotheses may come up, Ezra will continue to be by her side until the true answer will come.

Camilla watched as the Dragon remained motionless, staring at her best friend laying on the infirmary cot with less than a percent chance of surviving. It was a depressing atmosphere that anyone can experience. Everyone has lost someone or would eventually. But they all clutch onto that hope that everything will be alright. But Camilla, herself, has experienced this first-hand. She couldn't imagine the pain Ezra was feeling; to lose her father and then seeing her best friend nearing the same fate. It was horrible to watch.

A knock on the door took Camilla's attention away from Ezra for a moment. When she glanced at the doorway, a head of golden blonde hair poked out of the doors. Her crystal-blue asked the question that she would always ask whenever she would visit her daughter. But just like always, Camilla would respond with the shake of her head. Astrid, the general of Drakos' agency, slowly sneaked in and closed the doors quietly. She was wearing her usual General's uniform, excluding the cloak, her cap, and a few body armor. Her fur boots softly patted the ground as she walked towards Camilla.

It's been a hectic week for everyone in the organization. Shatter practically ordered a continental mission for every single agent in Drakos, save for a few agents who are essential to keeping the building safe like Finn. From the top agent of Drakos to the newly graduated newbies, everyone has been sent out, under the orders of the higher-ups. That's why headquarters was almost empty most of the time. Although she's been going out on missions, herself, almost every day for the past week, she always made time to visit her daughter.

But as always, Ezra was just sitting there with her hands closed in on Mia's, tears streaming down her cheeks. The first time she saw her crying, it surprised the blonde. She'd never seen her daughter sit like that, so deflated; except for a few times when she would remember her father. Her loose shoulders shook, her hands hanging low, making no attempt to conceal or even wipe away her own tears. Aside from her reddened face, she was so grey looking and her hair was as disheveled as the park under fall leaves. Astrid had seen others cry like that and in every case it was a transition from a person with hope to one without. It was how Camilla cried when she lost Heather; it was also how she cried whenever Hayden's Remembrance Day would come up. It's a kind of crying that shows the child underneath, that the hurt has cut right back through the protective layers acquired in maturity.

She had let Ezra cry her eyes out for Mia for an entire week. But now, it's just getting unhealthy. Astrid made a move to talk to her when Camilla's hand reached out and grabbed her wrist to stop her. When she glanced up back to the wild blonde, she was shaking her head.

"I think we should leaver her alone." She softly said, glancing at the weeping form of Ezra.

Astrid shook her head, "I gave her enough time, Camilla. I'm not going to let her wallow herself in sorrow. This is not good for her." She argued in the same voice, but her tone was sterner and firmer. Camilla pursed her lips in concern, glancing again at the infirmary cot before letting her wrist go. The crystal-eyed blonde noticed the caring yet sad spark in her eyes and she knew at that moment that all she wanted for Ezra is for her to be happy again. No one more than Astrid wants that to happen. She knows full-well how her daughter is feeling. As a matter of fact, all three people in the room experienced it at least once. But because of their past experiences, she knows that this road will only lead to more misery,

Astrid's expression softened, "I want Ezra to be happy too. But it's not going to happen if she keeps torturing herself like this." She said in a calmer tone. When Camilla nodded in understanding, she made her way towards Ezra. Hesitantly reaching her hand out, it sooner or later landed on her daughter's shoulders. The brunette didn't even flinch at her touch and simply acted like she wasn't there. But Astrid refused to give up.

"Ezra?" No response. "I know you can hear me..." Ezra continued to not acknowledge the presence of her mother. "Look, I'm sorry about Mia and I... I wish she can recover. But don't do this to yourself."

That elicited a response, but not quite what Astrid was thinking. "What... do you mean?" She croaked out, her voice as rough as sandpaper; almost as if she hasn't drunk water or slept for days.

"Sitting here... waiting for Mia to wake up. Depriving yourself of food and energy..." Astrid replied in a tender yet firm tone. "She wouldn't want you to do this... Mia will-"

"I know, Mom." Ezra's expression remained still but her eyes started to give out a little bit of light. "You know what this reminded me of?" She licked her dry lips and then pursed them, holding in the tears that were threatening to fall. "Dad was in a similar situation like this... and just like before, I'm fucking useless!"

Astrid immediately took hold of Ezra's shoulders and forced her to turn towards her, "Don't you say that, Ezra. I already told you that no one could've done anything at that point!" She scolded her. "He made a choice..."

"And who was the reason why he had to make a choice in the first place?" Ezra replied with heat in her voice, but there was the anger wasn't aimed at her mother but more at herself. "I let myself get captured and here we are now, Mom. It's a fucking cycle and it's happening again in front of me!"

"Ezra..." Astrid's voice came out as a whisper, her eyes filled with shock. "Don't tell me you're blaming yourself because of Mia." When the brunette kept quiet, that answered all the questions she needed. "It's not your fault. There's no possible way that you could've predicted this..."

Ezra's eyes wandered to her hands, staring at the lines snaking down her palm. Ever so slightly, plasma energy began to seep out of the creases in her hand. Purple meets purple as her eyes stared at it before it died out. "I can fly, Mom..." She started, her voice filled with wonder and exhilaration. "I can shoot plasma beams from my hands... I- I can do things, normal people can't! I'm not even human!" Her voice cracked. "I have all these things yet... I- I can't do shit about anything!"

Tears were now streaming down her face as she yelled out those words across the entire room. There was something in that shout, a pain behind it. Astrid watched. She watched Ezra's eyes. Then he knew. The anger was nothing but a shield for pain, like a cornered soldier randomly throwing out grenades, scared for his life, lonely, desperate. However, the enemy is herself and she's trying her best to outdo her. But no matter what she does, she'll always end up pinned down in the trenches, drenched in mud and dirt while bombs hailed from the sky.

She thought continuing her father's legacy would make her feel better; that it would erase all the guilt she was holding in her heart... she couldn't be more wrong. In fact, it's beginning to take some toll on her. Whenever she took another life, it would no longer affect her. So much so that death is becoming a part of her life. The only reason why she's numb towards death is because she cared about none of them. To her eyes, they were nothing but trash that needed to be taken out. But when she comes face to face with the dying form of her best friend, all that emotion that she had tucked in, suddenly burst out into the open. It reminded her how helpless she was, six years ago, when she listened to her father's last words before she left him with a ticking time bomb buried into his stomach. Now, here she is, waiting for the results like a bystander.

The hands clutching her shoulders held her firmer. When she glanced up, Astrid was kneeling to her level, her eyes overflowing with compassion and sympathy for her daughter. Ezra didn't expect it, so when her mother's arms suddenly wrapped themselves around her neck, she was left there stunned. But Astrid simply tightened her hug and won't let go until the brunette hugs her back. Hesitantly, Ezra slowly wrapped them around her mother's back and let her head rest on her shoulder. She had been hugged before, but never like this since forever. There was something so warm, something that felt relaxing. She let her body sag, her muscles become loose. For the first time in weeks, she was at peace. Astrid held her close as any mother would do to her cherished child. Although Ezra would rather not have her treat her like a kid, she was able to ignore it for the moment.

"I know that you feel guilty, Ezra..." Astrid said softly. "But if Hayden was given the choice to do it all over again, he would still pick you. He wouldn't want to see you like this, broken for him. The reason why he chose you is because he wanted you to live your life to the fullest. I'm not telling you to forget him, but I'm telling you that the past is set in stone and there's nothing we can do to mend it. All we can do is move forward."

Astrid felt her heart ache at her own words. She knows deep inside that she's being hypocritical. If she, herself, can't even get over Hayden, what right does she have to tell her daughter to move on? She wished that Ezra didn't notice the slight guilty undertone in her voice since it's pretty obvious. If she did, then she's doing a hell of a good job on hiding it. Besides, she wouldn't know because Ezra had her face buried on her shoulder, sobbing.

"Just..." The Dragon choked out, her voice a bit muffled. "Just please... don't..."

The blonde already knew what she meant by that, and it broke her heart just thinking about the pain her daughter will experience if she ever left her. "Don't worry, Ezra. I promise..." When they broke the hug, Astrid was greeted by her daughter's smiling face, which lightened her heart at the somewhat positive emotion she was radiating. She reached to wipe the tears off her face with her thumb.

"I love you, Ezra. Remember that..." She returned the smile.

For the first time in a long time, Ezra had the courage and the heart to say it back, "Love you too, Mom."

A smile curved up Camilla's lips. She was more than happy that the Haddock family had made up again. To be honest, she's not exactly the type to help restore relationships nor bother with anything related to that, even before Heather's death. All that sappy and emotional stuff never really connected with her until she met the raven-haired beauty. She brought something out of Camilla that not even she realized she had. But without Heather, her heart closed off again, and once again, she returned to the usual old Captain. However, seeing the Haddock family mend their bonds brought happiness in her heart and she couldn't help but blame Heather for it.

An idea suddenly popped in Camilla's head, one that would surely help ease the tension even more. "Hey!" She slapped her hands together, grabbing the Haddocks' attentions. "Why don't we go out to eat? My treat!"

If the idea of food didn't activate any triggers in them, the idea of free food did. Astrid practically jumped to her feet with one of the biggest smiles in all of Drakos, which is a pretty impressive feat to those who personally don't know her. "I'll make sure you'll regret that statement!" Astrid slammed her hands down on Camilla's shoulders so hard, her knees nearly buckled.

"I think I regret it already..." The wild blonde groaned out as she rolled her aching shoulder.

"Oh, you haven't regretted enough!" The General of Drakos let out a laugh before turning to leave. "I'll be requesting a temporary leave from Shatter. In the meantime, you guys wait here. I'll meet you back here!"

And with that, Astrid disappeared through the doors. Camilla turned to Ezra, who certainly looks happier but there were still remains of her grim expression on her face as her eyes fell to the ground. Pursing her lips, the wild blonde had a whole inner conversation with herself on what to do. By the way, all arguments that occur in Camilla's head always end up in a screaming match. Luckily, everyone was calm enough to discuss. In the end, they came to a decision. Walking over to her, she pulled up a chair and plopped down on the seat with flair. Ezra glanced away from the floor and arched a brow at the Captain, who had her leg up propped over the other and her arms crossed over her unbelievably large chest,

"Listen, I'm probably not going to be the best at giving what you want but I'll try my best to give you what you need." Camilla started, much to Ezra's confusion. "This wasn't an accident. Mia was attacked deliberately."

The sound of the chair falling backward and hitting the floor reverberated across the room. Ezra stood in place, her eyes shaking in a mix of dubiety and distress. "Wh- what does... what does that mean?" She stammered.

"Evidence shows that there was a struggle. Though the needle was found in Mia's hand, there's no definite proof that she was the one who stuck herself." The Dragon's eyes grew wider at each revelation.

Her breath hitched, "S- so, she wasn't the one that..." She started but her voice trailed off.

However, Camilla caught what she was trying to say, "There's no proof that she did it herself other than the fact that it was in her hand. The syringe had no fingerprints, which is odd since it's in her hand. There's also the fact that hydro-ethanol is very sensitive to the skin and will react almost immediately. If you concentrate that shit, which is what the needle is for, there's no way you can plug it in your head without any outside help." She noticed that a huge weight left Ezra's body, judging by the sigh of relief that escaped her lips. "Did you... think that she tried to kill herself and... that's why you blame yourself."

Ezra glanced away, blushing. "I- It's complicated. I think it's better if you just... don't ask." When Camilla realized that she can't force any information out of her, she relented. "By the way..." The Dragon started. "Why are you telling me this?"

Camilla closed her eyes and sucked a deep breath, preparing for the expected response that she's about to receive. "Because I want- no, I need you to stay close. I'll allow you to investigate if you promise me one thing; stop your vigilante activities."

"What?!"

'There it is...'

Ezra was in utter disbelief. Lightning crackled in the air, seeping through her veins and rendering her motionless. The words entered her brain but it got stuck in one of the gears in the process, only because she forced it to get stuck. She didn't want to believe what she had heard but as time slowly passed, it began to sink in.

"Wh- why?" Ezra exclaimed, obviously upset. Camilla couldn't blame her, but with the things are going on right now, she needs to cease her nightly activities. Vigilantes, mercenaries, and other non-agents are being hunted and if Ezra isn't careful, she might get herself killed. Even if she defended herself, everyone would be able to notice the plasma bullets flying off her hands. If one of Drakos' agents saw her, they would immediately recognize her. This would lead to a complicated and controversial situation that would probably take a long time to recover.

Plus, Camilla doesn't think that Astrid would take kindly to her daughter flying off into the night and stopping terrorists. But in order for her to avoid that, she has to hold Ezra to the ground without telling her the actual reason. This is already a confidential topic in Drakos and not everyone is supposed to know about it; only the higher-ups such as herself. The other lower-ranked agents are simply following orders. If word goes out that Camilla is actually 'conspiring' with a vigilante, then not only will she be fired from her position, she'll most likely be locked up somewhere by the UN. But that's not her problem for now. Her problem is that she needs to stop Ezra from continuing her activities because if anyone finds out, she'll suffer a much worse fate than Camilla's.

"There's a threat going around right now and I need you to stay back." When she noticed that Ezra was about to retort, she cut her off almost immediately. "I know you can protect yourself, but this involves every agent around the world. If anyone sees a kid flying across the air, shooting energy out of your hands like a spirit gun, I guarantee you that the information about it will reach Drakos and more importantly; your mom."

The Dragon bit her lip in frustration, "I- I can do things discreetly. I can-"

"You say that, but you can't avoid chaos when you're out there, Ezra." Camilla intervened, already predicting all the arguments and retortions she was going to make. "Also, did you forget that the reason why I know the reason why you disappear almost every night is because I happen to stumble upon you? I'm not the only person out there, Ezra. If someone finds out, there would be consequences. So, do you promise to stop this vigilante stuff? At least until all of this blows over?"

Every single thought in Ezra's head screamed the word 'no', over and over again. She's been doing this gig for a few weeks now and it's practically her life now. Sure, she knows that it's affecting her a bit and that it's not something she should do at her age. But the only thing that's keeping her going is that it gives her temporary happiness. Even though the guilt inside of her doesn't disappear, she feels a connection with him whenever she's out in the field. It's like her way to talk to him. But now, it's going to be taken from her.

"I- I don't..." Ezra wanted to continue this argument, but the stern look from Camilla's eyes struck her back. "Okay..."

The captain nodded in approval, despite knowing how the Dragon felt. "I'll keep you updated. You can ask anyone for help if you need to." She said, but her words fell deaf in Ezra's ears.

But do you know what didn't? Astrid's ecstatic scream from outside the infirmary as she came barreling through the hallway. Her feet slid across the floor to stop herself, nearly missing the entrance but she was able to grab onto the doorknob. When she poked her head out the doors, both Ezra and Camilla blinked in bewilderment at Astrid's outfit. She donned a Miami Heat baseball cap, which was more similar to what soccer moms would wear rather than a sports fan. Her clothes consisted of a black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, which is tucked in her navy blue skinny jeans. To complete her look, she wore her usual fur boots that seem to never leave her body.

Although her fashion is directed more towards masculine clothes, Camilla had to give her props because this is the most feminine she had ever seen Astrid wear. Maybe it's just because her jeans hugged her curves very dangerously. Camilla's inner self literally had to pinch herself in order for her to avert her eyes. Even if they're friends, she couldn't her gaze from wandering around. But then, much to her disappointment and relief, Astrid pulled out a maroon jacket and tied the sleeves around her waist.

Ezra arched a brow at her mom's clothes, "Uh, mom? I thought we were just going out to eat?" She asked.

"Yeah, and Camilla's taking us to a festival to eat out. Isn't that right, Camilla?" Astrid smiled at the wild blonde, who was just about to speak up. But underneath that smile is something much deeper and scarier. You could almost describe it as a sadistic smile, one that forces you to do things that you thought you would never do, which is exactly like what's happening right now.

"Y- yeah... Sure!" Camilla replied in fake enthusiasm, which Ezra didn't fail to notice. However, she's just as excited to go to a festival as her mother. They haven't gone out together as a family for weeks and it's slightly bothering her. She blames her teenage rebellion for her creating problems that don't necessarily need to happen. Maybe it needed to happen just because of character development for all she knows.

Ezra clapped her hands together, "So, where are we going?" She said zealously. To be honest, if there's anything that'll cheer her up a bit, it's free food. "I'm getting a bit riled up!"

"There's an ongoing food festival near Exposition Park. It's just a thirty-minute drive-with traffic." Astrid replied. "So, Camilla. Are we taking your car or mine?"

The wild blonde regretted everything she ever said. The only reason why she offered to buy them free food is because she wants to help them restore their bonds... and because she has enough money for the three of them. But she never expected to go to a festival, where stomachs will feel like a bottomless pit out there. People would lose track of money because the euphoria clouded their heads. If they do eat in the festival, not only will she have to keep track of two hungry food-monsters, but she'll have to check herself as well. She knows herself and festivals are one of her known weaknesses. If she's going to lose all her money, she might as well lose it with dignity and joy.

"Mine..." Camilla replied with a groan as she got up from her seat and began to walk out the door with her back arched like a humpback. Astrid followed with a skip in her step, while Ezra waited for them to leave so that she could bid goodbye to her best friend.

She turned to the sleeping form of Mia, "I'll find out who did this to you, Mia. I promise..." Ezra leaned over the cot and pecked the nurse's forehead, her skin still as pale as a sheet. A sad smile graced her lips before she followed her mother and her aunt to their car.

The drive to Exposition Park didn't take that long if you ignore the time when they almost ran over a dog across the pedestrian line. When they arrived, they were surprised to see how lively it was. They parked on top of a hill, where the entrance to the festival lies. As they stepped out of the car, they looked over the entire area with astonishment. Down below, the houses are empty, but the village is all alive, bustling with festivity, warmth, and noise. People of all generations walk through the streets, clad in the most colorful clothes they had. The hustle and bustle of chatter, cheers of celebration; the tantalizing smell of warm stew, fried meat, caramel desserts wafted the air. The festival emitted a golden glow, with hundreds of different stalls set up across the streets.

The three wasted no time in rushing down to the festival. Ezra was so excited, she nearly took off in the air. Luckily, her mother was there to keep her in check. "Whoa, slow down, kiddo." Astrid chuckled as she wrapped her hand around Ezra's wrist and pulling her back to the ground. "You don't want everyone to freak out about a teenager flying through the sky. Even if half the people here are probably too drunk to comprehend that."

"O- oh, yeah..." Ezra stammered with a nervous smile on her lips before hovering back down to the grass. "Thanks..."

"No problem." Astrid smiled, ignoring the anxious tone in her daughter's voice. She just chalked it up to their still-tense relationship. "Anyway, why don't we check out some of the stalls. You can get anything you want..." Her eyes mischievously glanced at Camilla, who immediately responded with a groan at her gaze. "Right, Aunt Camilla?" Astrid emphasized the word just to trigger her friend.

Everyone in the trio knows what Astrid was doing, but no one is willing to call her out. Simply because they may want the same thing. With a sigh, the captain of Drakos pulled out her wallet and fished out a couple of bills. Before she could even give it to them, Astrid had already swiped the notecase off of her hands and began running away with Ezra, leaving Camilla with a couple of hundred-dollar bills while the mother and daughter duo sped away with thousands of bucks. It was at this day forward that she would never trust the Haddock family ever again.

Just as expected, both Astrid and Ezra spent Camilla's money very well, by literally buying every sample of food from every stall. They walked past many and they couldn't help but smell the mouthwatering aroma that filled the air. The variety of vivid colors of the food spoke to its freshness and the bold flavors to come. First, they stopped by a food stall that showed a live cooking station of pizza. Three guys worked around the stand, shifting positions from tossing the dough with expertise, sprinkling a variety of toppings, and baking the pizza through a large oven that's burning with the heat of cooling lava. They worked like a machine and it was obviously entertaining enough to draw a large crowd. Some were just there to watch the show. But people like Ezra and Astrid don't give two shits about how the pizza is made, just as long as it tasted good.

It took less than 20 minutes before a brand new Sicilian pizza was presented in front of the stall. Astrid paid ten dollars for two slices, even though they could consume the entire thing but they're being considerate for the other people and they wanted to try every food in the festival. There were a series of free toppings to add and the Haddocks agreed to blanket their slices with a snow of Parmesan cheese. Once they bit into it, it was a blur. They didn't even realize that they had already eaten the entire thing until they reached their fingers. They didn't have the right words to describe what they just ate and they just left it in their thoughts.

"Fuck! That shit is so good!" Ezra moaned. [Pause...]

"I'm only allowing you to say that because I agree." Astrid couldn't even bring out the anger to scold her daughter because the fluffy and heavenly feeling resting in her stomach is clouding her head. But then they realized that the flavor would only last for a few seconds before they crave for more, which is happening right now. They wanted to buy another slice but they have yet visited the rest of the stalls. So they forced their hunger down for a mere moment, just until they arrived on the next one, which happens to be a burger stall.

After they tore their Bison burgers to shreds, they went to the next stall and the next until they completely circled around the entire festival, their stomachs stuffed and the wallet empty. By the time they finished, the sun was already beginning to set but their expectations and hunger had been filled and satisfied. Astrid even let Ezra have a cocktail since she's practically infinitely tolerant to alcohol. The former? Not so much. But she made sure that she only drank enough so that she could walk in a straight line without stumbling down. They ended up walking back to the parking lot, having a great time with their chocolate-chip ice cream.

"How was it?" Astrid asked in a soft tone as they made their way up the hill. A faint pink blush tainted her cheeks, slightly buzzed from the alcohol. Although her vision was clear enough, she still had a hard time walking up the hill.

"Hm, it's alright. I prefer vanilla though." Ezra replied, biting into the cone of her ice cream.

The blonde chuckled, "No, I meant the festival." She explained, which earned her an embarrassed blush from her daughter.

"Oh... I guess it was fun. Better than just sitting around the house all day." The Dragon replied, swallowing the entire cone in her mouth.

"Are your night outs aren't fun anymore?"

This nearly made Ezra choke on her ice cream cone. She bent over, coughing out the piece of wafer that got lodged in her throat. Astrid simply arched a brow as Ezra finally spat it out. "Wh- what?" She asked, wondering if she heard it right.

The blonde tilted her head in interest, "I mean, I know spending time with Camilla can be overwhelming, but it can't be that bad." She replied.

Ezra's mouth formed an 'o' as realization dawned on her. She felt stupid for thinking that her mother had caught her. She's been as silent and slick as a ninja, sneaking out at night and returning before the sun rises. She would record every single time her mom would get up in the middle of the night, just so she can avoid them. It was a bit tiring and a hassle, but it's definitely worth it once she applied the system into it. Now, everything is just a breeze, and most of the time, she would a different route just to test the waters if she feels a bit more confident.

"Oh.. y- yeah. It's still fun. But I think things are much better if you're joining us." She recovered. Astrid was bemused at first, a bit shocked at the sudden affection her daughter was giving. But eventually, a tiny smile crept up her lips and in the next second, she was smiling from ear to ear.

She wrapped her arm around Ezra's shoulder in a friendly way, "Aw, how sweet of you..." Astrid gushed mockingly, but there was a hint of a tease and genuinity underneath her voice.

Ezra felt a bit guilty for spouting it out in a spur of the moment but she simply hid it with a strained smile that Astrid's drunken mind might not pick up. It's not that she's lying about it, she genuinely meant what she said but she just hates how she said it just to cover up the truth. If this hiding goes any longer, she'll lose her mind. She just doesn't want to ruin their bonding right now. They just repaired their shaky relationship and if something happens to it, she doesn't know what to do. For the first time in a long time, she didn't long for her father since she has Astrid beside her.

"Hey, that reminds me..." Her mother suddenly said, bringing Ezra's attention to her face. "Lucas, your English teacher, I haven't seen him lately. Usually, he would try to use every chance to see me but now, I don't see him anymore. I wonder why is that."

Whatever the young Dragon was expecting, this was certainly not what she was expecting. She blinked, words unable to form in her mouth for some reason. Astrid took this as her response and proceeded to let out a laugh, more amused at Ezra's dumbfounded expression. She wasn't that oblivious to the stares she would feel around her. She's spent most of her youth breaking horny boys' arms and glaring at the perverts who dared to leer at her. At the age of 32, she learned to ignore their gazes because she found out that ninety-percent of them are too cowardly to actually approach her. The other ten percent ended up with a broken arm. She's lucky to retain some of her youth and maybe even grew physically more beautiful as she got older. While part of her is glad, the other part of her groaned in frustration since she's already expecting that ten percent to grow.

The young Dragon soon blinked out of carbonite state, realizing that she was expecting an answer. "Oh, uh... I- I don't know what you're talking about?" Ezra tried, but even drunk Astrid was able to catch the unsure tone in her voice. She raised a judging brow, both annoyed and amused at the situation. In the end, the brunette relented with a throaty groan. "Fine! Yes, I stopped him from asking you out. It's getting a bit annoying and stalkery." She huffed, biting the inner part of her cheek. "Why are you asking? Are you going to give him a chance if he did ask you out?"

Her voice may seem to appear nonchalant but in reality, she was a bit scared of what Astrid may answer. It's not like she hates Mr. Olivera or anything... it's just that he's filling a spot that's doomed to fail. If her mom does accept him and learns to love him, Ezra won't. But it's not like she despises the idea of her mom finding happiness. She already tried imagining the possibilities that may happen in the future and all ended up with them becoming a dysfunctional family. She couldn't help but compare every possibility with Hayden.

The problem with her relationship with Hayden is that it lacks certain qualities that complete a relationship. They didn't spend enough time for them to have a long history with each other. She knew him for less than two months but during that time, she had already latched onto him like a leech. Ezra doesn't know if it's because she was a mentally, physically, emotionally messed up child, to begin with, or it has something to do with her Dragon genes. Either way, she didn't care because Hayden ended up returning that same feeling to her. From what she learned, her father didn't exactly have a nice and proper childhood. He only had a small circle of friends and an even smaller circle of trusted people. They were similar, in a way. Both had many horrible experiences that couldn't be forgotten. However, when she met him, not only did was she able to dismiss those moments in her head, but she was also able to cover them with the best experiences she had with Hayden, despite it being a lot fewer.

She hoped that she was able to affect her father the same way. But what she does know for sure is that her mom was one of the big reasons he was able to spend his last few weeks in somewhat satisfaction. The amount of time she spent with Hayden isn't enough for her to call him her father. She had no right to call him that yet she didn't care. Even if she crawled under his wing just because he was the only person there for her, what mattered was that Hayden accepted her... and that's enough on her part. That quality cannot be replicated by anyone of her or anyone else's choice. If someone did manage to steal her mother's heart, that man will never hear Ezra calling him her father because she knows that deep down in her heart, only one person deserves that title.

"Well, to be blunt, no," Astrid replied with an emotionless smile on her lips. Ezra was more than glad about her answer, but she's not going to say that out loud. She is, however, interested in why, despite not needing an actual explanation since she's satisfied with just that. "He's a good guy but he's not exactly my type..."

"To be fair, your type is specifically related to auburn males with green eyes and wears black armor all day so it's pretty obvious polo-wearing teachers aren't your type. " Ezra replied sarcastically, earning her a chuckle from Astrid.

"You didn't have to call me out like that." She joked. "But in all seriousness, that was just the least of it. My main reason is... I'm not ready to move on. And I know, I know that I said that you should move on." Astrid immediately defended once she was Ezra's eyebrow raise at her statement. "But... I guess there's a difference. I may or may not have moved on yet. But what I do know is that I'm not ready to... y'know, start dating again. I also don't want to burden you with anything else. We're... still in process, I guess. I-"

She stopped when she felt someone's hand fall on her shoulder, "Don't worry, Mom. I was just messing with you." Ezra smiled. "I understand. Plus, I don't think Mr. Olivera is that attractive. I mean, just look at his face! That guy could be my uncle!"

"Hey, that's still your English teacher you're dissing." Astrid quipped, before bursting out in laughter with Ezra. They weren't able to notice the foot, tapping impatiently in front of them, let alone the angry steam billowing out of Camilla's head, with a lonely waffle sandwich in her hand a warm cup of iced tea. It wasn't until she cleared her throat, interrupting the Haddock family's bonding time.

"I see you had fun... with my money." She seethed out, causing the two girls to gulp and flash the wild blonde a nervous smile. "Did you even leave some for me?"

An empty chuckle left Astrid's lips, "Um, not exactly." She replied anxiously as she presented her wallet, opening the flaps to reveal a handful of loose change that might not be enough to buy a plate of Maple-Glazed Chicken from Red Lobster.

With shaky hands, Camilla took her wallet from Astrid's hands with tears nearly falling from her eyes. "You just spent more than two thousand dollars..." She whispered, her voice cracking. "...for food?"

"Yeeaaahhhh..." Astrid clenched her teeth, rubbing the back of her neck. "Sorry about that?" Thanks to her fast reflexes, she was able to dodge the cup filled with iced tea, despite being a bit intoxicated, as it spilled across the grass. Her gaze shifted back to Camilla, who was already in motion to grab her by the neck and strangle her. Luckily, she managed to duck her first attack and proceeded to drunkenly run up the hill and into the car.

Ezra watched the two, act like children in amusement. "Are you really mad?" She asked her aunt, who was aggressively taking a bite out of her waffle sandwich.

"Nah, I'm just kidding. I was a bit irritated at first that you left me with three-hundred bucks but I got over it rather quickly. Money isn't really an issue but I like to keep things cheap."

"Do you think Mom knows?" The brunette gestured to the blonde woman sitting on top of the hood of the car, her legs crossed over each other and a nervous look on her face.

"Maybe. But I think your mom's too drunk to notice." Camilla replied with a smirk. She then turned to the young Dragon with an anticipating look as they began making their way to the car. "So, how was all..." She gestured towards the entire running festival, which was still bursting with energy and life, despite the sun slowly disappearing under the horizon. "...this?"

"It was... refreshing," Ezra replied, after taking a second to think of a word to describe the experience. "I'll be down to this again."

"Yeah... but next time, bring your own goddamn money." Camilla huffed out, earning her a light chuckle from the young Dragon. A question began to linger in the blonde's head and she debated on whether she should ask it or not. Her eyes wandered to the waving grass below them as the wind began to pick up around the area, causing their hair to flow against the wind. She pursed her lips, sucking air and creating a high-pitched noise. "So... how is school?"

A blank stare was all that Camilla met, "Of all the questions you could've asked, you decided to ask that one?" She asked bluntly, but the corner of her lips threatened to rise.

"To be fair, I had a way worse question than that so be thankful I only wanted to know about your school life." The blonde shrugged in response, sporting a careless smile. "So..." She gestured for her to continue. "Open up."

"Well, the students are fucking annoying. Most of the teachers are worse, and the only nice guy I've talked to was the janitor so it really sets up the standards in my school."

"Damn, that was short and sweet."

Ezra breathed out a laugh, while Camilla chuckled along with her. She wrapped her arms around her chest, rubbing her hands against her upper arms to keep herself from freezing. But unlike her, the young Dragon seems to be immune to the cold. What's more impressive is that Ezra only had a simple baggy shirt that looked like it belonged to a cyclops before she wore it. But there wasn't even a single reaction from her body that was affected by the cool wind. Camilla cursed her human body.

"What was the question you were originally going to ask me?" Ezra suddenly asked, the lingering curiosity finally getting the better of her.

"Well..." The blonde tilted her head, opening her mouth and then closing it as she tried to find the proper words. "I was wondering how long you were doing your schtick." When Ezra peered intently out in the open before turning her gaze at Camilla, a look of puzzlement flashing across her face, she knew she didn't get it. "I mean your vigilante schtick. It couldn't be that long, could it?"

Ezra blinked, surprised at the odd question that came out of nowhere. "Oh, I- I... I believe I've been doing it for... a month. It started around the same time I cut my hair." She replied, still rather confused. "Why'd you ask?"

Now Camilla's in a dilemma. She didn't want to ask the question in the first place but now she has to answer. The only reason why she wanted to ask that question is because she wanted to find out the possibility of them meeting. It's really nothing against the Haddock family but as of right now, it'll be better if they don't know about each other. She remembers the first time she met him and that experience was going to haunt her for the rest of her life. She was on an undercover mission in a venue for a powerboat state championship event in Florida. When she received the file for the mission, she didn't even bother asking why such an event is occurring because she already knew how crazy Florida is. But her main target was apparently the head of the brand that the event is sponsoring and her goal is to take him out as subtle as possible.

At first, everything was going fine until shots were fired, instantly disrupting the event and creating chaos. She was overwhelmed by the crowd while her target sneaked away with his assigned security detail. Once Camilla got out, she quickly followed them to the parking lot, only to find all twelve of them, including her target, laying across the asphalt, blood pooling under their bodies and splattered across the car. Standing in the middle of the massacre is a man wearing nothing but ripped rags that could be found in the trash bin. But the curved blade in his hand and the decapitated head of one of the security detail in the other.

She had her fair share of blood and death, but never to an extent like that. It was all clean slices either. They were brutally gutted and chopped like a pig in a slaughterhouse; the smell of their flesh polluting the air. Fresh blood coated the man from head to toe, but not a single expression was plastered across his face. That was until his gaze locked with hers. In a split second, her knives were out and blocked the powerful swing that came towards her direction. Granted, it was probably the third most terrifying experience in her life, the second being her mother's slipper flying towards her face and the first being her mother, herself. But that moment only led to the most shocking revelation in her life.

Night Fury's anger always stuck in her mind because it's one of the very few things that drove her to the top. It's not because she was scared of him or that she hated him. It's because his anger resonated with hers, even if it was directed at her. She grew frustrated during training that the hot temper she inherited from her mom and the same temper she tried to hide under the happy-go-lucky façade she donned when she was a recruit. Because of her anger and brash attitude, she began to excel in training and before she knew it, she graduated with a rank of Solis-heim. So when she saw that exact same anger burning in the attacker's eyes, the name slipped out of her mouth.

Camilla didn't whether that was a good thing or not because once he heard what she said, he froze and proceeded to blurt out "Boggs?". After that, it was a complete mess. He was shaking, trembling, and muttering words under his breath in a frantic manner as he got off of me and his hands flew to his head, clutching it tightly as if an imaginary force was pounding his head. Camilla had no idea what was happening but she did suspect him of forgetting her, by simply judging through his now-pale green eyes. But when she tried to approach him and say his name again, he took off running, leaving Camilla in probably the worst situations possible and never seeing him again...

Until he basically showed up in her front door and admitted to being completely clueless of who she is and everyone else, despite accidentally blurting out her name back on her previous mission. She remained silent as he explained that the reason he was there is because he felt like he owed her a huge apology but he didn't know why. He said that he felt guilty about something, and her face would always show up in her head. So, he had decided to drop by her house whilst she was cooking mac 'n' cheese and get it off his chest. Once finished explaining, he disappeared from her doorstep in a flash, leaving her again in one of the worst possible situations possible when her neighbors spotted her wearing nothing but an apron and mittens, with a plate of steaming macaroni pasta in her hand. Camilla knows that there's a possibility that he might remember whatever memories he lost but in the meantime, it's much better if he keeps a distance from his past because he might end up hurting them or worse, killing them.

Which has already happened; Heather and Shawn, sadly, are the evidence. She knows that he didn't mean to, but the fear of it happening is still there. No matter how strong Ezra is or how skillful Astrid is, they don't stand a chance if the Demon Killer showed up in front of them. If Camilla had hesitated for a second, she wouldn't be here right now. It was merely through the power of Lady Luck that she was able to survive and somehow, she was able to trigger something in him. But it's highly unlikely to happen again. She knows that if either of the two found out what she has been hiding, their bonds would be shattered. She could only imagine what their reactions would be if she told them that Hayden is alive.

"Hello? Aunt Cami?"

Camilla blinked, pulling herself out of her thoughts. She glances at the young Dragon, who was expecting another answer from her. "O- Oh, nothing really. I- I was just asking for the sake of... making a conversation." She 'casually' said to cover up her true feelings. Scrunching up her eyebrows in confusion, Ezra decided not to question it any longer and proceeded to continue walking. That was until Camilla spoke once again.

"You remember what I told you, Ezra." the girl mentioned glanced back at the blonde. "I know how much you want to go out there and avenge your father but... this is not the time. Especially not now. There are-" The loud screeching screams of Scarlxrd's song, 'Let the Wxrld Burn' coming out of Camilla's phone nearly gave Ezra a heart attack. The blonde simply fished her phone out of her pocket and took the call, ending the horrible ear-raping sounds.

"Yello!" Camilla greeted merrily, but then her facial expression hardened and her voice adapted a proper captain's tone. "Are you serious?" It was not the first time Ezra witnessed the inner officer come out of her aunt. But it was very rare and she would usually show it privately to probably not scare us. So the fact that she took the phone call and switched personalities right there and then, means that whatever she was receiving was important. "We're out here in Expo Park! Why now?"

"What's wrong?" Ezra asked.

Camilla scoffed and then hanged up the phone by angrily tapping the end call button. "I'm being sent on a sudden mission somewhere out across the Atlantic Ocean. It'll probably take me less than a week there." She replied vexingly. "Listen, tell your mom to take care of the car. I need to take off right now, apparently." Since her combat outfit isn't necessarily specific or needed when she goes out on these special missions because most of the time, it's an undercover mission, she's already up and ready to go, in her army-green drawstring jacket, ripped jeans, and winter boots. Her arsenal of knives is always tightly snuck under her clothing in many places, just for occasions like this.

"Oh, sure." The brunette nodded awkwardly. "Good luck, I guess?"

Camilla responded by ruffling up her hair, "Thanks, kid. Just remember our promise, okay?"

Ezra pursed her lips, taking a short while to answer. "Sure..." She finally said with a strained smile, one that the blonde didn't fail to notice. But she trusts her enough to honor her word.

With a nod of approval at the Dragon, Camilla turned to Astrid, who was making her way down with a look of bafflement crossing her face. She gave her a three-finger salute, a smirk teasing on her lips before she took off running towards the other direction. The other blonde stopped beside Ezra's side as they watched Camilla disappear between the crowd.

"Where's she going?" She questioned.

"She got a sudden mission somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean."

Astrid hummed in acknowledgment. Her gaze then shifted to the young Dragon by her side, a suspicious flame flicking under her eyes. "So, what did you two talk about?" It was an innocent question, but Ezra immediately stiffened at that; an obvious yet unintentional reaction. She didn't know whether her mom noticed it but she pleaded to the gods that she didn't

"Nothing special. Just stuff in school." Ezra replied, making her tone as nonchalant as possible.

Astrid narrowed her eyes, "Really?"

"Yup..."

The lies slipped out, smooth and easy like melted butter running down toast. On the other side of the coin, Ezra's inner voice is literally screaming at her face right now. The angel on her right shoulder is turning so red in anger that she might rival the devil's, who was cheering from her left shoulder. She feels like she's four-years younger again and that burning guilt in her heart easily convinced her to tell the truth. But now that she's a lot older, she couldn't help but curse herself for not growing up. She's supposed to mature a lot faster than most kids. Currently, her mental, physical, and emotional state of mind are three years older, despite being a mere sixteen-year-old. But with maturity, comes with experience; both in a positive and negative way.

"Don't worry about it, Mom. You can trust me..."