Acceptance

Gray sat in the basement with the corpse of one of his floor owners. The disgust was heavy on his face as he thought about what he had heard the boy confess to about how Rachel should have been with him. They both were there to lay witness to Isaac's internal change or the beginning of it. True Isaac had started their little feud when he interrupted Danny on his floor. He didn't see it coming to pass that Isaac would appear to kill him. By Rachel's face, she didn't either. In the shadows, he had watched the both of them grow and accept one another. Maybe Rachel was the kind of woman Isaac needed around. And he had been right in his assumption. But he should have though, should have felt that it was coming. He just thought that Danny was overly enthusiastic about killing her. No, it something much more sinister. To keep they eyes of a child, there were lines and Danny had crossed them for miles. Not just in Rachel's department but in Isaac's as well. To torture a woman with a man she had an issue with was low, so low on the pole of low things to do. Obviously she was strong if she endured hours of that kind of thing, even managing to subdue her own rapist while tied up with a pipe in her chest. Isaac sure knew how to pick a person that was for sure. A smile slithered across his lips as he thought about how Isaac had that personality that made people want to take care of him. He himself wanted to take care of Isaac, to give him a family outside of his spouse. That woman was helping him address his need for a mother. But now it was time to test Isaac. It was time to see if he really comprehended what was going on around him. Gray stood to go to the incinerator she had in her basement. He would give Sam credit; she was thorough in her job. Danny would be done with for sure this time. Can't come back to a body that wasn't there.

"Gray-papa?"

Gray turned around to see Rachel and Isaac standing there in wonder as to what he was doing.

"Isaac, how are you dealing with all of this?"

He shrugged harshly. "I'm pissed obviously."

"Why are you upset?" he asked his hands behind his back.

"Fuck do you mean why? That bastard damn near killed Sam!" Zack roared.

Rachel grabbed his hand to calm him down.

"So I see, you are angry that she was one casualty in your feud with Danny." Gray nodded.

"She's not dead bastard. She wouldn't die over something like that." Zack hissed.

Gray began to walk circles around the pair, just in slow confident steps. "You and I were in the same room, Isaac. It seemed she was knocking on death's door." His eyes closed as he continued his circle. "But that is what you do to people. Bring death to them. Just as you have done with everyone I brought into that building and even before then."

"No, I didn't do anything to Sam." He barked.

"Didn't you?" Gray asked peering at him. "The two of them only attacked her because she was protecting you."

"How was I supposed to know my damned boss would put a hit out on me?"

"Why wouldn't he? I read your charts. This woman you fancy yourself with is meticulous in her record keeping. I read your charts and stats. You have a hundred percent success rate. Why wouldn't you be a threat to your boss? Since he couldn't get you, he went after her. I'm sure she made a play in regard to protecting Rachel from him as well." He paused behind them. "It seems you are not able to protect neither yourself nor those around you."

"Wha-"

"First it was Sam, and then it will be Rachel. You are incapable of taking care of anyone, even yourself." Gray shook his head. "So hand over Rachel, I'll make sure she is safe from the dangers of the world." He pulled her away from Zack's grasp only to wrap his arm around her neck loosely.

"Give her back you old bastard!"

Gray whispered in Rachel's ear to relax, he wasn't going to hurt her. Now that he had her cooperation, he pressed her side to his. "Rachel is precious to you right Isaac? I'll protect her since you can't do it. I'm willing to do that as your father figure."

"What are you talking about?" Zack's confusion was plain on his face.

"You are ignorant to those around you. If Rachel wasn't around, you couldn't even take care of yourself. Sam did everything she could for you and you can't even acknowledge that you're the reason for a lot of her suffering. Rachel's as well."

Zack threw a punch at him.

Gray dodged while letting go of Rachel. "You resort to such a trivial way of handling your problems."

Zack continued to throw punches even going so far as to throw a few kicks in as well. "Shut the hell up!"

Gray was light on his feet as he continued to move around to avoid Isaac. "You want to have the finer things in life and yet you cannot even earn them. It is no surprise that your own mother saw your worthlessness."

Zack was bent over panting. "No, that bitch didn't want me!"

"Blame her Isaac; blame everyone but the person responsible." Gray sighed as he started to walk around once more.

Zack gripped his knees. "I'm not responsible for any of that!"

"True, you couldn't control how your mother felt about you. And you couldn't control the people she sent you to but every decision after that was all you. You made the choice to kill, take their lies, and the countless others you took. You are responsible for all of that. That blood is on your hands. And now, Sam is on it." He sighed.

"No," he whispered.

"She actually cared about you, made you feel wanted. And you turned around and left her for dead. Had you been strong enough, she wouldn't be fighting for her life right now. If she dies, you are at fault." Gray shook his head as he watched Isaac tremble from his words.

"I'm not responsible," he hissed lowly.

"Rachel is a walking death sentence. You will be the reason she falls. And you'll have to live with that. You let Danny cut Rachel's face; try to destroy her dignity as a woman, and worst of all take her eyes like a sick trophy. That is all on you, Isaac. You are the one who has brought the danger upon those that love you."

Zack looked up at Ray who was standing there with her head tilted. The thought of her dead body laying anywhere because of his inability to protect her had his heart clenching. She was everything to him even if he hadn't fully admitted that to himself. He knew she was it; she was as good as it was going to get. Tears sprang to his eyes as the rest of Gray's words stabbed him in the chest. It was his decision to keep killing. And it was his fault that a woman who wanted nothing more than to love him as his mother had endured some of the worst things he had ever had to witness in his life. His teeth grit in deep anger at the thought of how he had taken care of that eye stealing fucker the first time. Obviously, something was at play for him to even survive what happened in that building. He cursed as his hand came up to wipe his tears. It hurt to face the truth. It reminded him of the pain when he had stabbed himself with his scythe to stop himself from killing Ray. This was the raw undoctored truth of his reality. He was too weak to protect the ones he loved or cared about. Ray, Sam, and their future in either direction with both women were at jeopardy because of him.

Gray stood beside him comfortably. His hand gently patted his head in affection. "Isaac, do you accept that this is the truth?"

Zack growled lowly. "I don't have any fucking choice." His eyes were on his hand.

"But you do Isaac, you really do. Rachel is in no safer hands than yours. You care about her enough to realize that you are weak. And the same could be said for Sam. She will only come out of this with more love in her heart for you. Rachel too. You have something good here. Don't waste it based on past emotions that you are harboring from your childhood. It happened and I'm sorry it did. But now it's time to become a man and move on." His fingers notice how the boy's moisturized hair looked healthy. A smile graced his features. "I'm here for you as well Isaac. Let the three of us care for you."

Ray walked over to him as well. She got down onto his level. Her eyes peered into his watery ones with a soft smile. She gently wiped his tears in the process of telling him she understood everything. He quickly surrounded her in a hug tightly. Her head rested on his shoulder as he continued to hug her. Gray's method was harsh but no worse than what he had done to her in the building. It was time Zack realized some things about the world and the people around him. "I love you Zack, and I'll be here forever."

"Fine. I'll give it a go." He whispered lowly in the room.

Ray snuggled into his neck in response.

Gray let his finger gently tap his forehead. "Excellent decision."

…

Zack sat on the bed next to a resting Sam. Her chest rose and fell slowly as her breathing was ragged. The mask on her face was supposed to be supplying oxygen to her compromised lungs. Her body was wrapped up in bandages. The area in which the pipe had been was heavily bandaged along with both her shoulders. He guessed they were wrapped up from the marks Roman had left on her shoulders. A deep heavy sigh escaped him. She had protected him even though he didn't ask her too. There was so much blood still on the floor. He was in utter disbelief that she was still alive after all of that. Based on the eye patch covering her socket, they either put the eye back or at least closed the wound. Either way, he felt totally responsible.

"I don't know if your punk ass can hear me…" he started. Another long sigh escaped him. "I just wanna say… thank you." His breath hitched. "You should have let those fuckers deal with me instead of you like this…" Zack turned away. "He wouldn't have done that shit to me as he did to you."

Sam's eye fluttered open; she turned her head to the side to see Zack's form. Rolling her neck, she lifted her hand to pull the mask off but paused upon his words.

"I want to give you a damn chance to be my mom but that fucking bitch, she fucking ruined me. And I hate her for how this all turned out. I never wanted to be a damned killer. In fact, when I was a brat I wanted to build shit. But fuck that now. I'm too good at what I do." He laughed softly. "You and Ray are all I got in the damned world. I don't think I could handle losing both of you because I'm too much of a fucking pussy to do anything about it. So I'll get so damned strong, you'll be annoyed with my strength."

Sam pulled the mask off her face before she let her hand touch her chest. A smile slid across her face as she sat up carefully. Her other hand reached out and petted his bowed head. "You know, I can handle having a son for a pussy than a dead one." She whispered.

Zack's head shot up in surprise. "Hah?"

Her smile didn't leave her. "Come here," she motioned to the side of her bed.

He was confused but carefully as to not jolt her, he climbed into the bed. Placing his head on her lap, he allowed her hands to comb through his hair gently. His eyes started to flutter in contentment till she spoke up once more.

"Zack you are precious to me. I don't give a damn about what happened to me. As long as they didn't touch you or Ray-Ray, I'm fine with being the shield. As your mom, that's my damned job." Her fingers traced his ear slowly. "You were always my little boy. From the first moment I saw you by yourself, you had my heart."

"Why?" he whispered cuddling into her covered thigh.

"Always skeptical of my intentions." A horse laugh escaped her. "But I understand. The world means to make you question everything but you never have to question me. Being a part of your life has been very rewarding. And I'll be here as long as you need me to be."

Zack closed his eyes as he settled into her lap fully. "Then I guess you'll be around for fucking ever."

She giggled. "If that is your wish, so be it."

Sam was content to run her fingers through his hair gently. She could tell the boy had fallen asleep. He had to be tired. Fighting that weirdo obviously took a lot out of him. She never wanted them to walk into the room to see such a thing but there was little she could do in her situation. A few tears fell from her eye as she replayed his confession. She would do it again in a fucking heartbeat if it meant she could protect him and Ray-Ray from the evils of the world. Roman had shot her house and security up before he shot her with a few rubber bullets to subdue her. He then gave her a choice. Either he did Rachel or he did her. Obviously, she picked the punishment to go on herself. It had been torturous for Roman to hold her down like he had but that damned weirdo came out of nowhere and gouged her eyeball out, marveling about how beautiful it was but never as beautiful as Ray-Ray's.

"Sam?"

She looked up to see the small blonde girl of her thoughts leaning up against the wall. A smile spread across her face. "Ray-Ray,"

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, her eyes noticing Zack was asleep on her lap.

"I'm fine." She nodded. "Come, join us."

Ray walked over to the other side of her bed. Crawling in carefully, she settled on her other thigh softly. A sigh escaped her as she felt Sam's fingers glide through her platinum tresses easily.

"Thank you for reading my cues Ray-Ray," Sam whispered softly.

"Of course, you're precious to us." Ray sighed allowing her eyes to close as well.

"So I'm starting to see." Sam laughed quietly.

"Did you mean it?"

Sam raised a brow. "Mean what?"

"When you said you saw me as your kid too," Ray whispered not entirely sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"Of course Ray-Ray. You are mine just like he is too. I'd do it all over again to protect you still. I read your file too Ray-Ray. I know about your shitty parents." A chuckle escaped her. "Fuck, it's like you both had horrible parents and that bound you two together. I'm sure there's more to it than that. But you both have me, and I'm not going anywhere till it's time for me to die."

Ray grabbed her hand in affection before she closed her own eyes to join Zack in some rest. It had been a long emotional day for both of them.

Sam shook her head as she sat back on her headboard. "35 with two hardheaded beautifully broken brats huh? Never expected my life to take such an interesting turn." She chuckled.

"45 with those same kids as well," Gray spoke up as he stood at the threshold to the room.

"Yeah? We do share these brats huh?" Sam smiled.

Gray walked into the room only to stop at the foot of the bed. Picking up a few extra blankets from the chest in front of the bed, he moved to place them on his kids. Ray was first. "You care a lot about these two."

Sam nodded watching him place the blanket on her softly. "I can say the same for you."

He kissed her forehead sweetly before rubbing her head gently. "It just happened."

Sam chuckled. "Didn't it? They grow on you till you want nothing more than to protect them from the world."

Gray moved over to the other side of the bed. He placed it on Isaac slowly as to not stir him. Once it was settled on him, he kissed his forehead before rubbing his head in one smooth stroke. "I'm glad you found them."

"Thank you for bringing them together so I could find them."

Gray stared at her for a long moment. "Do you mind if I join in the family as well?"

Sam shook her head, her smile wide. "Definitely not. They're gonna need us both as mom and dad."

"That means we should get better acquainted no?" Gray smiled sweetly at her.

Sam let out a giggle. "Obviously. We have two brats together." Her hands stroked them one last time. "How I love my brats."

Gray sat in the chair in her room with a blanket of his own. "I as well."