"Kurt… Kurt…! Kurt!"

"No, no—like this, momma! CAPTAIN~!

A seventeen year old Kurt Bunker sprang awake, feeling a weight drop down on his torso. Even though he should have expected it, he still let out a wheeze of discomfort. His reaction had only been met by cackling. Mildly annoyed, Kurt trapped the little girl in his arms and began to mercilessly tickle her. "You little hellraiser!" Peals of laughter were louder than his mock shout. Eventually, she managed to squirm out of his grasp and scramble off the bed.

"Worth it…" she sang, smoothing out her dress. Kurt made a half attempt to swipe at her, to which she nearly twirled out of the way before scampering to her mother's side. He sighed heavily, swatting his hair from his eyes. "Momma says you have to take me to the bus stop today."

"Actually, I was asking if you can. I got called in earlier than normal." Kurt eyed the woman that stood just inside the threshold. She was already in her nurse uniform—dark blue scrubs. Her long kinky hair had been pulled into a ponytail, held out of her face by a large blue band. Kendra hadn't bothered with makeup today. Her hazel eyes were bright in amusement like her daughter's. "It'd be a big help."

"Yes, ma'am," Kurt replied. He rubbed at his face with both hands. "What time is it?"

"A little after seven," Kendra replied. She stepped closer, leaning towards him to plant a light kiss to his forehead. "Thanks, Kurt. I'm leaving now." He nodded his head, faking a grimace. Kendra gave him a knowing smile before turning around to give her daughter the same treatment. "You be good for him, baby."

"I'm always good," Naomi said.

"Good at not being caught," Kurt muttered. The woman chuckled, and then took her leave, giving a small wave as she did. Moments later, he heard the front door close. She must have been in a hurry. Kurt rubbed the rest of the sleep from his eyes before focusing on the little girl that was left behind. "Get your shoes on, and then grab a pop tart for us." Naomi grinned and enthusiastically nodded her head before running off to follow his instructions. Kurt found himself snorting in amusement as he moved to climb out of bed.

Stretching, he let out a jaw-popping yawn. He headed out the door, and towards the bathroom to relieve himself. Kurt shut the bathroom door to take care of his business. Once he finished, he moved over to the sink to wash his hands. As he moved to dry his hands on the hanging towel, he caught himself in the mirror. He self-consciously rubbed his left arm. It was nearly covered in ink. Just recently, he had stopped wearing long sleeves around the house. Kendra had stopped flinching at the sight of his tattoos, so he could wear simple t-shirts to sleep now. He could get forehead kisses, just like Naomi, even without wearing long sleeves. Although he pretended to be annoyed by the gesture, he actually liked it.

Kurt lightly touched his forehead, seeing a smile form on his face. He was now at a moment where he expected the physical affection from the woman. It was her way of greeting, of saying goodbye, and showing her thanks. He couldn't get anything like it back home. "Captain…!" A whine from downstairs broke through his thoughts. Kurt shook his head, moving away from the mirror. He opened the door, shouting for her not to wake up her great grandfather. "You're the one who's shouting!"

Stifling the eye roll, Kurt made his way downstairs. He had to maneuver his way around Naomi, who had chosen to sit on the bottom step. The girl already had her green jacket on and her bright purple school bag strapped to her back. Kurt swiped at her beaded hair as he moved down the steps. She stuck her tongue out as he dropped down in front of her. Her shoes were on, but they weren't fastened. He was expecting that, anyway. Even though she knew how to do it herself, Naomi had gotten used to his willingness to tie or buckle her shoes. She expectedly held out her right foot as she nibbled on the pop-tart in her left hand.

Kurt quickly fastened both straps on her school shoes, and then stood to his full height. Naomi handed him the pop-tart in her right hand as she stood from the bottom step. He put the pastry in his mouth, and then turned to grab his jacket off the hook near the front door. "Zip up," he told the girl. Naomi nodded, finishing her small breakfast. Of course, she would be able to eat a better breakfast at school, so he wasn't worried about her having a single thing. The girl happily zipped her jacket all the way up and nearly skipped over to his side.

After shoving his arms through his own jacket, Kurt grabbed the spare keys from the bowl on the counter. Once he had them, he opened the door, letting Naomi head out first. With the pop-tart in his mouth, he shut the door behind him and locked it. The girl hummed a light tune, slipping her free hand into Kurt's. Trying not to smile, he turned towards the bright morning sun. Together, the two began their walk to the bus stop.

Naomi continued to hum as she swung their connected hands back and forth. It was her thing. Being in her own little world while squeezing his hand. Usually, she wouldn't have food in her mouth, so instead of humming, she would belt out some inane song she had learned in school. Kurt yawned slowly before taking another bite of his half of the pop-tart. By the time they reached the bus stop, both of them had finished their light breakfast. "Captain…" Instead of a song, his nickname came from her mouth. She had stilled their hands. Mildly surprised, Kurt looked down at her. Her hazel eyes were round and inquisitive despite the morning sun. "How come you don't go to school?"

He took a deep breath before answering. "School's not for everyone," he replied. For him, it was just another burden. Too many faces. Too many judgmental stares. Kurt pressed his lips into a thin line. His left arm suddenly felt itchy, but he refrained from scratching. "I'm not smart like other kids."

"Poppa says you're a different kind of smart—says your talents are hands on, but I don't really know what that means. I think it was a compliment, though," Naomi stated. Kurt's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "But I think you're smart like other kids, too! You help with my homework."

"… Your homework's easy. Besides, I've done it before," Kurt told her. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the bus approaching. "You be good in school, so you don't have to be hands on like me."

"Kay!" Naomi explained with an enthusiastic nod. Kurt held back a grin as the school bus came to a stop. Good thing they had gotten here when they did. Naomi was the only one for this certain stop. The doors opened, waiting for her to board, but the little girl tugged on his hand. Shaking his head, Kurt dropped down to one knee so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. His arms moved to return the hug. "You'll be here to pick me up?"

"Yeah," Kurt replied, releasing her. He rose, watching the little girl positively beam at his answer. She had asked the same question every school day before she and her mother had left the house. She had smiled the same way, too. Waving animatedly, Naomi stepped away from him and got on the bus. Kurt returned the wave more calmly than the little girl before putting his hand in his pocket. He watched the bus drive away, unable to help the grin forming on his face. She was too cute.

Shaking his head in amusement, he began the walk back to the house. His second home, to be honest. These days, he hardly ever ventured back to the Bunker residence. The only reason he had chosen to go back had been to check on his brother. Calvin usually hung out with the Brotherhood when he wasn't going to school, so he had hardly went home either. There had been times where both brothers and father had been under the same roof, but those times were becoming rare. And usually, their dad would drink himself into a stupor. Couldn't hit them anymore, so that's the only thing he could do now. Calvin and Kurt would use the time to talk about stupid things. Or talk about making a difference once they were old enough to—when they were seen as men among the Brotherhood. Still, it would always be brothers before Brotherhood, they had agreed on that after Calvin's first rally. It would stay that way no matter what positions they got.

Kurt cleared his throat as he stepped up onto the front porch. He took out the keys to unlock the door. All was quiet inside the house. Maybe Khenan wasn't up yet. Usually, he was. Kurt shut the door behind him, and then dropped the spare keys in the bowl. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It looked like he had to go soon, but he had time to make breakfast for the old man. He was actually getting better at cooking, but Kendra had made it clear that her grandfather was only supposed to have fruits for breakfast. There were complaints every morning. Normally, it had been the arguing that would wake him up.

Sighing, Kurt made his way through the house to get to the kitchen. Last time he checked, there were still a few apples on the counter. Yup. Green apples on the counter. He grabbed a knife from a drawer, a plate from an upper cabinet, and then he began cutting the apple into slices. Once done, he tossed the knife into the sink, and then picked up the plate. He walked through the house until he came across the living room. Khenan normally slept in here. Kendra had told him that in recent years, his legs hadn't worked all that well, so it had gotten impossible for him to move up and down the stairs. It had actually been her grandfather's room that he stayed in when he slept over. It had also been the room where he had been treated after that night.

As he thought, the old man still slept in the reclining chair. His body was covered up to his neck by a blanket. "I don't want that," he said. Kurt stopped himself smirking. The old man hadn't even opened his eyes. Not that he needed to. He was blind, but had the hearing of a canine.

"You have to eat breakfast," Kurt told him. Khenan scoffed and opened unseeing eyes. Once, his eyes might have been a deep brown, but the blindness had clouded over the iris and pupil. "If you eat this now, when I come back, I'll make you some bacon. We don't have to tell Mrs. Miller."

"Kurt, my boy, you're one of the good ones," Khenan complimented. The old man lowered the blanket with both hands, and reached out to receive the plate of apple slices. Kurt moved closer so that he could take the plate. However, his hand move pass the plate and his fingers wrapped around Kurt's wrist. Furrowing his brow, he realized that the old man's grip was surprising strong for someone with his ailing body. "Or are you?"

"I don't know what you mean, sir," Kurt said, confused.

"You have tattoos on this arm, don't you, boy?"

Kurt flinched, and then managed to pull his arm free from the old man. Pursing his lips, het set the plate down on the coffee table. He swallowed hard, wondering how Khenan had found out. "I… I'm not going to do nothing," he said. Kurt still wore his jacket, but his inked skin suddenly itched and he wanted nothing more than to hide his arm behind his back. The old man relaxed, and simply rolled his eyes.

"You've been coming here for months now," Khenan stated. "I'm not a fool. If you were a danger to my family, then you wouldn't be allowed here." Kurt clenched his jaw. The thought of not being allowed made his chest hurt somehow. "I heard them talking yesterday night—Kendra and her husband—they're concerned about what you're doing. Going back and forth between here and… there." Kurt lowered his head, not knowing what to feel. "You must know that it won't last. You're still a child, so you're getting away with it, but… eventually, you will have to choose."

"It-It's f-f-fine," he replied. Damn. The stutter had come back. Kurt swallowed hard and curled his fists. He hadn't stuttered in years. Ever since Tank. It made him feel weak. "As long as-"

"As long as," Khenan interrupted. "There is no as long as. You are going to have to choose, Kurt. A life of hate. Or a life of love. There will be no in between. Not for this." Kurt swallowed again, mouth suddenly dry. "Now, they—we care about you. We want what's best for you. Getting ink all over your skin and displaying how much you hate is not what's best for you. You are not a hateful person, and you shouldn't be in that world."

"… It's the only world… that I know—that'll accept me," Kurt insisted.

"Let me tell you something." The old man clasped his fingers together, laying his hands in his lap. "Wisdom comes only through suffering. Aeschylus, the founder of Greek tragedy, said that. Are you trying to gain wisdom?"

"I'm not suffering."

"For now," Khenan said. "I hope that the day never comes where you have to." Kurt clenched his jaw again, unable to find words to respond with. "You're seventeen with a birthday around the corner. It's time to start thinking about your future. Kendra and her husband won't say anything to you, but you do need to make a choice. Soon. Us or them. This group you're apart of won't let you have both. And soon, neither will we. We can't have Naomi growing up, thinking your tattoos are… approachable. You are safe to her, but those men won't be."

"I'll… I'll take care of it. I-I-I just need time," Kurt whispered.

"You have time. As long as you're a child," Khenan said. The old man had made it obvious how much time he had. "Now go do whatever it is you do when you leave in the mornings, but I'm expecting that bacon."

"… Yes, sir," Kurt murmured. Stiffly, he made his out of the living room. His entire body was tense. The old man had never… talked to him that way before. It hadn't been a hostile conversation, but… Kurt frowned and rubbed at his right arm. Could he really give up one or the other? What he was doing now wasn't hurting anyone, right? He could stay this way. No one would get hurt as long as… as long as they didn't know about each other. He could have both. He wanted both. He needed both. With that thought in mind, Kurt took a deep calming breath, and then headed for the front door.

0-0

If he had known then what he knew now, he would have made a decision that same day.

Now, sixteen years later, Kurt Bunker stood in front of a patch of land. The house had never been rebuilt since the fire. He stared, never thinking he would be able to come back to this place. Honestly, he would rather not have. But… There were no headstones for the people that had lost their lives in the fire. Their ashes had been taken outside of Banshee. This was the only place he could try to pay his respects to. He had been standing on the sidewalk for nearly ten minutes, clutching a bouquet of white flowers in his hands. It didn't hurt quite as much as he expected it to—being here, but there was still a hesitance to move forward and actually place the flowers.

Kurt shut his eyes for a moment, squeezing the tied stems harder than before. He drew in a deep breath to calm his nerves. This would be the second step. He had to do this. It wouldn't be okay if he continued on without coming here. So steeling himself, Kurt took a step forward. Then another. And another. Until he was standing in the middle of where a home used to be. He breathed out harshly as memories flooded his mind. Somehow, he could smell the charred remains of the house. He could feel the sharp sting of the slap from Kendra. He could hear the last words he had heard from Officer Miller. He could see their backs as they turned away from him for the final time.

Removing from hand from the bouquet of flowers, Kurt rubbed at his forehead. He hadn't come here for this—to feel sorry for himself. For several moments, he focused on breathing. One by one, the phantom feelings vanished, and his mind shifted back to reality. Of course, it didn't say there for long. Just went to Naomi and her great grandfather. Out of the whole family, they had been the ones he had spent the most time with. The husband and wife had usually been working. A nurse and an officer—of course they would have sporadic hours. A student and a retired old man would have a set schedule. Kurt hadn't grieved them at the time. Not really. Not until Florida. Then he had shut them from his mind altogether.

"No more running," he whispered to the empty plot of land. "I'm going to make this right." Kurt crouched down, and then carefully laid down the flowers. He had already initiated making it right before coming here. That reunion hadn't gone has planned. He had only wanted information. He had only wanted to know if Calvin had still been in charge. A lot could change in five years, after all. But apparently not Calvin's determination. He was still the leader of the Brotherhood.

Because of that, this plan he had come up with would work. The message would be sent by Jasper and Bryce. They would, once they recovered, go running off to the leader to announce his impending arrival. It was a long shot, he knew, but maybe he could talk some sense into Calvin like he should have done years ago. Maybe that guilt had been a part of the reason he hadn't tried anything for four months. Maybe if he hadn't taken his brother to that rally… No. No more maybes. Calvin could either accept the warning or not. Other way, it was time to stop running. He needed to do this. Everything about the Brotherhood needed to disappear from Banshee. The group. The ideology. The hate. It had to go. Otherwise, the same thing that had happened to the Millers could happen to anyone. And no matter how his brother responded to the declaration that he would give, he wouldn't allow the same thing to occur anymore.

In the end, Kurt would have the power to change things.

He was committed now. He had made the vow a month ago, but now there was truly no going back. It had been one of the reasons he had gone to Jasper and Bryce first. Kurt couldn't step off course or get distracted again. Everything was set in motion now. The hard part would be telling Alison. She had been argumentative about him clashing with the Brotherhood when they hadn't been friends. Now that they were more, her reaction would probably be worse. But she needed to know. Alison didn't deserve to be kept in the dark while he gambled with his life. Sure, the odds were in his favor, but it would still be a gamble.

Kurt straightened his legs, rising from the crouched position. When he truly deserved it, he would be back, and give his respects properly. Once he had something Naomi and Khenan would be proud of, he would be back. But now his priority had to be on the present. Kurt swallowed, and then turned away from the flowers he had placed. He walked down the slight hill, back to the sidewalk. As he moved towards the police SUV, he pulled his phone from the pocket of his uniform pants. He flipped it open and began dialing the number. The line rang a few times, and then went to voicemail.

That was expected, really. Although Kurt was in the middle of his shift, Alison's work day was nearing its end. More than likely, she was buried in paperwork. She complained about it enough during her lunch break. Kurt felt himself smiling, thinking back to their conversation. She really didn't like her Assistant District Attorney. She blamed copious amount of paperwork on him every time he saw her. Waiting for the beep, he opened his mouth to give the message.

"Hey, Alison," Kurt began. "I know you're busy right now, but I wanted to tell you I'll be over after my shift ends." Normally, he wouldn't tell her. Somewhere along the way, they both had come to expect him to show up every night. No matter their schedule, they always slept in the same bed together. Alison would normally be the one to tell him that she would be over to his apartment. If she didn't, they both assumed he would come to her house instead. It worked for them. "I… I have to tell you something. I'll see you later."

0-0

When Kurt had found Alison, she had been curled up asleep on her bed. He had let himself in with the spare key she had given him a few weeks back. Seeing her sleeping like that, he hadn't wanted to disturb her. Although, it had been strange that he hadn't received a call or a text all day after leaving that voicemail. He had thought she would be worried about the vague message, not wanting to wait for an explanation. But she had been sleeping so peacefully. So instead of waking her, Kurt had decided to hop in the shower. He hadn't changed out of his police uniform, and come straight over. Some things had been bought specifically for him when he would stay over. Like soap, toothbrush, shampoo, and such. Same with his apartment. Things for her had been bought and placed in his bathroom.

Kurt shut off the flow of water. He stood there for a moment, wiping the excess liquid from his face. He might have been stalling. Alison always woke up when he slid into bed with her. It was getting closer and closer to the time he would have to tell her. Sighing, Kurt opened the glass door and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a dark green towel from the metal rod attached to the wall, and began drying himself. Once done, he wrapped the towel around his lower body, and then opened the door and headed out into the hallway. The bedroom was a short walk away.

He expected to quietly find spare clothes for him to change into, but upon opening the door to the bedroom, he found that Alison hadn't still been in bed. Blinking twice, examined the bed closely. The spread had been flung back from where Alison had laid. He probably woke her up while he had been in the shower. Quickly, he searched for a pair of boxers through her drawer. He also pulled out a white t-shirt for him. Her t-shirts were the same drawer, but they usually had some kind of Marvel symbol on them, so the distinction between their shirts were easy. Kurt let the towel slip from his waist before putting on the t-shirt and boxers.

Kurt left the bedroom in search of Alison. Now that he was paying attention, most of the lights were still off. But there was a light coming from the other side of the house. He made his way to the kitchen. Stopping just before the threshold, he watched Alison Medding. She stood over the counter next to the refrigerator. He couldn't tell what she was doing, but obviously, she was concentrating on whatever task had gotten her attention. Feeling a smile cross his face, Kurt stepped forward, moving until he was right behind her. She wore her just a black tank top and dark blue yoga pants—her usual attire for bed. "Hey," he greeted, sliding his palms along her sides.

Alison didn't flinch at his touch. Not anymore. Her body had… conditioned to his presence enough to where even a sudden touch wouldn't cause her body to jerk in response. It was nice, knowing that, even on a tiny scale, she was so comfortable with him. Kurt moved his hands downward to her hips and rested his chin on top of her shoulder, pressing his body close to hers. He couldn't get enough of touching her. "Hey," she returned, not stopping her task. Alison was in the midst of spreading peanut butter on a slice of bread. Kurt eyed the containers of her snack, surprised to see apricot marmalade. Months ago, she had teased him for having marmalade instead of jelly. She had tasted it and had not liked the texture—had said it felt wrong.

"Did I wake you?" Kurt asked.

"No," Alison replied, setting the butter knife down on the paper towel she was using as a makeshift plate. "My stomach actually. Got up because I was hungry. Heard you in the shower on the way here." She lifted the slice of bread with peanut butter and placed it on top of the slice with marmalade. "I guess I didn't eat that much for dinner." She hummed lightly, hands finding his. Her fingers were a bit sticky. "This would be my third sandwich."

"What'd you eat?" Kurt asked, curious.

"Baked chicken with alfredo," Alison answered with a shrug. Kurt's eyebrows scrunched together. That type of sauce was usually filling… "But anyway, I tried waiting for you, but I was tired. I fell asleep as soon as I got home from work today. Woke up and ate, and then went back to sleep."

"You've been tired a lot lately," Kurt commented.

"Well, summer's almost over. It's probably just the weather changing," Alison said, turning around to face him, which caused him to lift his head from her shoulder. She smiled at him, and Kurt couldn't help the way his expression tried to mirror hers. "Hey," she repeated. He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her lips. Kurt repeated the greeting against her mouth, feeling his own smile widening. Slowly, she reared back. The tingles from the kiss lingered. As did the taste of peanut butter. Christ. He didn't think there was ever going to be a day where he got tired of doing this. "How was your day?" Alison asked.

"Mostly the same," he said even as the unconscious bodies of Jasper and Bryce entered his mind. "How about you?"

"Same," she replied. Then she turned back around to grab the sandwich. Without worrying about the items she had left behind, she walked away, heading out of the kitchen. Kurt shook his head, and then began picking up the abandoned things. First, he grabbed the used knife, tossing it in the sink, and then he threw away the paper towel. Secondly, he closed the bread up, twisted the lids back in place, and then moved to return them. Unlike the bread and the peanut butter, he held on to the marmalade just as he was about to set it in the refrigerator. It was probably nothing, but he couldn't help to think how weird it was for Alison to have it. Maybe it grew on her? Shrugging, Kurt set the glass jar next to the milk, and then shut the refrigerator door.

He left the kitchen, following the lights that had been turned on. Alison had made her way through the house, stopping in the living room to sit on the couch. Kurt sat down on the middle cushion. Alison almost immediately shifted to rest her legs in his lap. She watched him as she ate her sandwich. "You seem tense," she murmured. She scooted closer. "What's wrong?" Kurt shook his head, hand sliding back and forth along her outer thigh. "You spent awhile in the shower… And you've got a nasty bruise on your jaw. Get into an altercation today?"

"… Yeah," he admitted. His hand stilled, but his thumb still stroked her skin. "Just two guys got a little upset with my appearance." Technically, it hadn't been a lie, but Kurt now realized that his reluctance in telling Alison about his plan had been bigger than he had thought. "Don't worry about it." Alison finished off her sandwich and scooted even closer until she sat on his lap, legs stretched out on the cushion. She lifted her hand, the tips of her finger lightly tracing the mark on his jaw. "It was a lucky shot."

"Lucky shot…?" Alison repeated, dropping her hand from his face. "Does this lucky shot have anything to do with that voicemail you left me?" Kurt lowered his head, feeling caught. She sighed softly. "Are you… Are you going to be in trouble? Did you rough up a suspect too much? Am I going to be hearing about this in court later on?"

"No, it's not like that," Kurt insisted. "Guys like these wouldn't come forward no matter how hard they got beat." Alison's expression became somewhat alarmed. "Not that I… did that." She frowned and narrowed her eyes. "It's fine," he told her, handing sliding up and down her back. He waited until she had relaxed against him again before continuing. "I'll handle it if anything happens in retaliation. I don't want to worry you."

"If you didn't want to worry me, then why did you leave me that worrying voicemail?" Alison retorted.

"… I wanted to talk to you after it happened. Hearing your voice makes me feel better," Kurt said. "The way they looked at me… It brought back memories. If I didn't have these-" He stopped, exhaling through his nose. "I wouldn't have to deal with it. I wouldn't have to-" He stopped again, pursing his lips. He wouldn't have to be the one to do what needed to be done. Truthfully, he wouldn't have to worry about the Brotherhood at all. Alison's expression softened, lips forming an 'o' shape. Again, technically, it hadn't been a lie. It just hadn't been the whole truth. Facing Jasper and Bryce again… They had been friends, or something close to it—bonded by the Brotherhood and maybe a few other shared interests. Those two were the sort that egged him on. They had been Kurt's hype men, to be honest, and for a time, they had been the distractions he had needed. He had let them drive the downward spiral after the Millers. He had fed off their excitement, and the hatred had seemed real. Not that he would ever use that as an excuse for all the shit he had done.

Alison lightly cupped his cheek, causing his gaze to focus on her. "It's going to take time," she whispered. "You've only been back four months. Not everyone will be receptive to you in that short of time. They don't understand. I certainly didn't at first. They'll come around with time. Then you'll only have to worry about being punched because of your profession and not the tattoos." Her joke had caused a smile. Alison dropped her hand and rested her head against his chest. Her fingers trailed up and down his right arm. Sometimes, she touched him like the ink wasn't there. Other times, she traced the patterns, quiet in her musings. "I've been… looking into tattoo removal procedures. They're not exactly sure fire. Some of them make it worse."

"I know," Kurt said. He had wanted to get rid of the ink as soon as he could, but other than not having the funds, there were also the negative effects of the process. Like the ink could be removed, but an imprint would remain. He had tried looking into covering up the ink with more ink, but he didn't actually want more. And it was expensive. Creams were, in the long run, dangerous. And the process would take too long. The ink would fade slowly.

"What I'm trying to say is… Maybe we should stop thinking about you not having these," Alison continued. "With time, people will get used to them. Like I did. So let's not turn this ink into scars. Endure it, and things will get better. And I think you'll stop having those type of memories."

"Alison…" Christ, he loved this woman. So many times, he had to stop himself from saying it. "Thank you. I have been enduring this whole time, but I think I've gotten better at controlling. I know that I don't have to endure all the time anymore." She smiled at him then. She was the reason he hadn't needed to all the time. Kurt leaned forward, kissing her softly. He could feel her smile now as she kissed him back. Privately, he still told her how much he loved her. He would mouth it against her skin almost every night or morning. "This is why I wanted to talk to you. But… we don't have to talk about this right now. You're tired."

"I'm not that tired. I just woke up," Alison stated.

"… You're about to be."

She chuckled, and then shifted her position on top of him so that she straddled him. Her thighs squeezed his sides as her arms wrapped around his neck. "You have gotten too comfortable with saying things like that," Alison said. Truthfully, she liked jokes of that nature. Her eyes crinkled and lit up with amusement. He never would have thought she enjoyed innuendos. It probably had something to do with her online gaming. She had developed a somewhat juvenile sense of humor because of multiplayer. It was just another side that he had gotten to experience. The past month had been eye opening, and Kurt enjoyed every minute of it. He moved underneath her as he placed his hands on her hips, fingers squeezing just a bit. Alison bit down on her lower lip and tilted her head to the side.

"You're the one who spoils me," Kurt stated. That was the truth, despite his teasing tone. Alison had not only become comfortable enough to let him touch without flinching, but she had also become confident with initiation and… control. It was another side that he enjoyed a lot. "I wouldn't mind some spoiling tonight." Alison shook her head, and then leaned forward, hands moving to settle on his shoulders.

"I just bet," she replied, easing in. "I'll spoil you all night long." Grinning, Kurt finished closing the space between, capturing her lips with his. He would… tell her the whole truth eventually. Soon, he vowed in thought. But tonight, he just wanted to worship her, and let her spoil him.

0-0

Kurt breathed out, staring at the house that belonged to his brother. It had been more than five years. Calvin had moved residence somewhere in that timeframe. Bigger house. Better neighborhood. Kurt glanced down at the grass in front of him. There was worn soccer ball. He dropped down to pick it up, examining the faded black. This would explain the relocation then. His brother used to love soccer and basketball, but this particular ball couldn't have been that old. A child. His brother was a father. He hadn't been when Kurt had left all those years ago. Christ, he was an uncle... He almost wished that the unexpected fact changed things, but it didn't.

"Hello, Kurt." The voice caught his attention, causing him to look up. Dressed in a suit and tie, looking the part of a business man, stood his younger brother. He looked different. He had grown up, clearly. From the haircut to his attire, the Calvin before him had been a contrast to the one he had left behind. There were no visible tattoos for one. Calvin had never been like the others. He had been smart about a lot of things. Determined, too. It hadn't been a wonder how he had climbed the ranks in the Brotherhood so quickly. Gritting his teeth, Kurt acknowledged his estranged brother with a nod of his head. "It's been a long time. Welcome home."

Calvin gestured for him to approach. Kurt pressed his lips together, dropping the ball from his hands. Sighing softly, he walked forward. His brother turned to open the door. Calvin headed in, holding the door for him. Kurt shut the door behind him, and then looked around. As far as he could see, it was a pretty nice set up. Almost nothing like the apartment his brother and long-time girlfriend shared five years ago. Now, they were married, in a house, and with a kid. It appeared so normal. Obviously, Calvin had stopped mixing the Brotherhood with home life. Maybe this was a sign…? Maybe good things had happened with his brother, too? Maybe this reunion wouldn't turn out so bad.

"You know…" Calvin began from his place in the kitchen. Kurt slowly made his way over, spying the audio baby monitor on the counter. He idly wondered the age of his nephew as he picked up the audio monitor. Judging from the toys scattered around, maybe two to four years old. Wow. So young. "When you disappeared that night, I thought you just needed to clear your head for a minute. But this-" Calvin breathed out, causing Kurt to shift his attention away from the device. His brother appeared incredulous as he stared at him. "-this is a lot to take in." Damn it. His reaction spoke volumes.

"I'm sure," Kurt replied. "But it was time to come home." He sat the monitor back down, realization slowly forming within him. He should not have gotten his hopes up. At all. Five years had been a long time. But unlike Kurt, Calving hadn't gotten any other outside influence. Only the indoctrination, and because of that… He never should have left without his brother. Swallowing, Kurt turned his back to Calvin, feeling the disappointment flare. No, he told himself. He had to try. It was his brother, for Christ's sakes. And his brother had a family. He just had to appeal to his bloodline.

"You left us in the lurch that night, Kurt," Calvin said. Kurt shut his eyes for a moment, silently taking a deep breath. He hated recalling that night, but at least, he had gotten to the point where the memory of the fire didn't cause a panic attack. "There were some who wanted to hunt you down—make you pay. But I defended you. I lied to the Brotherhood for you." Kurt turned back around, slowly walking over to his brother. "And now you come back here, unannounced, and you do what you did to Jasper and Bryce…" Honestly, as in control as he had felt during that confrontation two days ago, it had still felt good. "You're making it very hard to keep you safe."

Wow. The tables had certainly turned. Keep you safe, he had said. Kurt had used to tell him that, and now Calvin thought he could do the same since he was in charge now. Mildly amused, Kurt had to repress a smirk. "Am I?" he questioned, raising his eyebrows. Safe? That train had left the station about a month ago. Now that he had enacted his plan, safe wasn't a luxury he could afford. Still, his brother had actively been trying to. That was good news. It meant that the foundation of his plan would work, despite the opposing sides.

Picking up on the amusement, Calvin's eye twitched as he looked at Kurt. That hadn't changed. Whenever big brother teased little brother, especially in front of their peers, his eye would twitch in annoyance. Only Kurt had ever seen it. Now, it seemed that Calvin had gotten better at hiding it, though. He looked away for a moment.

"Still," he said, seemingly ignoring the mock. He took a deep breath before returning his gaze. "You're my blood. And like you always said: brothers before Brotherhood, right? So, big brother, I'm gonna give you a chance to do the right thing. You take off this uniform and you come back to your real family." The amusement faded. Kurt had been counting on Calvin remembering that. He just wished his brother wouldn't have used it with like he had. The intent had been pretty clear. Calvin held his hand out. "I'll smooth things over. I'll get you back in the way got me in back in the day."

Kurt eyed the hand. Although it was clear how this reunion would turn out, he still had to try. The older brother gripped the younger's forearm, yanking him forward. "I am going to do the right thing," he began. Calvin nodded his head, mind probably already going through how he would get his older brother back in the fray. "I'm going to shut down the Brotherhood." Calvin tried to move away, but Kurt held on tightly, pulling his brother even closer. He had to get his point across. For the sake of trying for his blood. "All of it," he emphasized. "You be smart, Calvin. You have a wife and a little boy to raise. Walk away."

"Walk away…? I'm not the dumb little shit I was when you saved me from dad, took me to my first rally," Calvin said. Kurt clenched his teeth hard. He had taken Calvin to that rally because he had been the age where their dad thought it would be okay to start hitting him. He had taken his little brother to that rally to keep him safe. He had trusted that Calvin would be taken care of while he had gone home—or, at least, tried to go home. Calvin's first rally, at thirteen, had been Kurt's first crack at the illusion, at seventeen. "There is no walking away from it. I am the Brotherhood."

Kurt's grip on his brother's arm relaxed. This was it. There was no getting through to him. Maybe he would have kept trying a few years ago, but Kurt now saw there would be no point. I am the Brotherhood…? Christ. Calvin had been left alone too long. Kurt should have eventually taken him to the Millers. He should have gotten the same chance, the same experience, with that family, so he could have known what a real family had been like. Instead, all he had had had been the Brotherhood. And Kurt knew he was to blame for that. "… You should take care of our real family—your wife and your son," he told him.

"Don't you come in here and tell me to take care of my family, you fucking traitor!" Calvin retorted. The bite in his words were bitter. So, as he had thought, there would be no getting through to him. His brother would have to be taken out, along with the Brotherhood. Kurt frowned, and then turned to head for the door. "We will fucking bury you. You hear me?" That disappointed feeling sprang up again. With his hand on the doorknob, Kurt faced Calvin again. "You better watch your back, big brother." They had been macho threats. Kurt knew his brother wouldn't do anything drastic or dangerous until things escalated. However, by that time, it would be too late. In the end, the Brotherhood would be destroyed.

"Goodbye, Calvin," Kurt said. He hesitated for a moment longer, and then he opened the door and walked out. He had tried. But now he had to focus on the next step. After getting the confirmation that his brother still somewhat cared, the next step would be to tell Alison. He would have to do it tonight because there was no going back now that he had announced his intention to the leader of the Brotherhood. Despite it being Calvin, he had to move things along quickly.

0-0

"What's wrong? You seem agitated."

"It's Kurt," Calvin replied. "He showed up. In a cop uniform."

"… What did he say?"

"He told me to walk away from the Brotherhood—that he's going to shut it down." Calvin chuckled without humor. "He told me to take care of my real family."

"What did you do?"

"He's full of shit. He's not gonna do anything."

"He's already hurt Jasper and Bryce. You need to do something, Calvin."

"He's my brother."

"A brother who abandoned you—abandoned us—and left you to clean up his mess. He's a brother you haven't seen in going on six years, and now he comes to your house and threatens you. What type of brother is that?" Again, Calvin fell silent. "Kurt can't just come back and try to uproot your position. You are in charge, and if you let him do what he did without consequence, your position will change. You have to make sure that everyone knows this is not acceptable."

"I can't just kill him."

"Of course not. He's still your blood. But… He can't get away with what he's done. Maybe Kurt won't do anything, but you can't let him go on thinking he can. He's your blood, yes, but he also turned his back on you."

Calvin stared at his wife, the mother of his child, realizing that she was right. She tended to be right most of the time. Kurt's interference could undermine his authority within the Brotherhood. He originally was going to send a few people just to scare his brother into backing off—as a precaution. But that would be too lenient. His leadership would be questioned. He would be seen as weak. The life he built, the safety of his family, would crumble. Calvin would need to do more than just scare him. "Okay," he said. "I'll handle it." Maggie Bunker smiled at him, lighting up her entire face. When she smiled at him, it was the best feeling in the world. He felt that he could do anything when she smiled.

"I know you will, honey," she said. She uncrossed her arms and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him softly on the cheek. Calvin shut his eyes, returning the embrace. "You're going to do the right thing for your real family."

"Yes. Yes, I am."

Calvin squeezed Maggie tighter, unaware of the calculating look his wife had on her face.

0-0

Alison slowly backed out of the driveway, eyes focused outside her rear window. She was in a fairly decent mood, considering the long work week. She was very much looking forward to the weekend. Not that she had any plans, other than to sleep. She might even stay in bed for most of that time. Kurt's bed was more comfortable than hers, which was weird because she had plush and his was more firm. She was pretty sure he wouldn't mind if she commandeered his bed for a couple days. Her lips twitched upward in a smile as she thought about it. Being encased in the warmth and scent of his covers—she couldn't think of anything better. Besides food in bed, but that would leave crumbs.

Chuckling to herself, Alison almost didn't catch the ringing of her cell phone. She had been driving for over an hour now, and it had been the first time her phone rang. She recognized the ringtone and furrowed her brow. Her hand reached for her cell phone, which laid on the passenger seat. Answering the call, she pressed the device to her ear. It wasn't like her best friend to call so late. Not only that, but Lena tended to text. "Hello…?" Alison greeted.

"… Oh, wow, I was not expecting you to answer. Isn't it like close to midnight across the pond?" Lena asked. During the course of the summer, Lena had been making trips over to London. Alison had texted her a lot, but they rarely talked on the phone anymore.

"After midnight, actually," she replied. "I just left your place. Plus, my sleep patterns have changed."

"Why?" Lena questioned. Alison pressed her lips together as she drove down the street. As much as they talked, she had yet to tell her best friend about Kurt Bunker. For obvious reasons, of course. Now, the circumstances were different. She bit down her lower lip. The itch to tell her friend had gotten stronger ever since last month. "Ali…? What's wrong? Someone like you changing their schedule is unheard of... Why have your sleep patterns changed?"

"… I met someone," she blurted. A sharp intake of air had been heard, but other than that, Lena hadn't replied. "We've… know each other for over four months, but we got together recently—last month. I wanted to tell you, but-" A shriek entered her ear. Alison grimaced and pulled the cell phone from the side of her head. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, she waited until the screaming stopped. "Was that necessary?"

"Yes!" Lena screeched. "I thought you were asexual this whole time!"

"Asexual people can be in a romantic relationship, Lena," Alison stated, not bothering to stop the eye roll, though her friend couldn't see. "And… I am not asexual." Another shriek entered her ear. This time, Alison chose not to pull the phone away. "Lena, please stop doing that."

"Alison! Alison! Alison! This is huge! For so long, you've ignored and swatted at potential suitors—both boys and girls—and now you've dropped a bomb on me? Who is this magnificent person that got through your frigid outer shell? When can I meet them? Tell me everything."

"… He's name is Kurt," Alison answered. A certain delight filled her. It had always been Lena who had stories to share, and crushes she went on and on about. Alison had always been the one to sit through her dreamy sighs and mindless rants. Relationship-wise, she never thought she would experience it. Of course, she couldn't tell her everything, not yet.

"He…? Damn it." Alison laughed at her friend's disappointed tone. "Okay, so how'd you meet him?"

Images of their initial conversations came to mind. He had said his disclaimer. She had interrupted him and had claimed to know everything about him. It had been the first time she had seen his puppy eyes. Even then, the air had crackled between them in the bullet ridden CADI. It may have just been the adrenaline of spray of bullets, but even then, her heart had stuttered inside her chest. "We met through work," Alison stated. "I couldn't take my eyes off him." That had been true. She hadn't wanted him too close. Likewise, Kurt had kept glancing her way whenever they were in a room together. She never asked him why. "He looked at me, too."

"This sounds juicy! What happened then?"

Alison licked her lips, recalling the foolish action that led to her almost dying. Just for a moment, her body trembled. Sometimes, she could still feel her airway being cut off, especially when she thought about it. "I got into a spot of trouble. I was fine, but… he was the only one that asked if I was okay. I was… intrigued by him, so I helped him a little." Killing that Redbone had probably been the reason Kurt hadn't stayed away from her. "After that… he asked me to dinner."

"He got that far, did he? You usually shoot guys down before they can work up the courage to ask you out," Lena remarked.

"Yeah, but he was persistent, and I agreed. We talked for a while, and he impressed me," Alison continued. The corners of her lips lifted. She could hear her own voice smile as she remembered the way Kurt had beat the shit out of that monster that had wanted to… not spare her. His actions had been nice. Looking back on it now, she realized that she had felt satisfaction. Kurt had defended her. "I decided that I wanted to keep seeing him. It sounds weird, but I purposely left my cell phone with him so that I'd have an excuse to see him again."

"That is weird."

"I didn't know how else to-" Lena interrupted with a giggle. "Shut up. After that, we kept meeting. As friends. And then I got drunk. In my drunken state, I… wanted more than just his friendship, and he didn't resist." Lena shrieked again, but it was more muffled like she was holding a hand over her mouth. Alison rolled her eyes again. "There were… complications to our relationship after that, but in the end, we both decided to move forward. He makes me feel safe. I trust him enough to move forward, and now…" She took a deep breath. "I love him."

"Wow…! Love him? Actual love? Wow, Alison! I've missed everything!" Lena exclaimed, feigning tears. "I'm so proud of you. My baby has grown up."

"Shut up," Alison repeated without bite.

"Have you told him?"

"… No," she stated, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Up ahead, she could make out Kurt's apartment complex. "It's only been a month. I had no idea what the timeframe is for falling in love, but it feels so soon. I-I don't want to—I mean, what if he-"

"Love isn't on a timestamp, Alison. It happens when it happens," Lena told her. "You should tell him. Soon. I should have been told this a long time ago, by the way. Don't think I'm not mad you've been withholding this."

"Sorry, Kurt's not exactly… social?" Alison murmured. She parked alongside his truck. Her eyebrow raised at the sight of it. Truthfully, she hadn't been expecting him to be here just yet. "Look, I've got to go, but I promise you that once you come back, I will introduce you to him. And tell you more about him in person." A heavy sigh came from her mouth. "His physical appearance may be alarming, but he's a really great guy, and I know you guys will get along after we move past that."

"You're saying that like he's ugly. Oh, sweetie, you can do so much better-"

"Stop that," Alison cut in. "I'll talk to you later."

"Wait, wait, wait! I called you for a reason!" Lena protested. "I was going to leave a voicemail, but since I have you now, guess I'll tell you." They had gotten side-tracked, hadn't they? Alison pulled the key from the ignition, waiting to hear the reason for the call. "I need you to housesit a little longer than what we talked about."

"You're not coming back next week?" Alison questioned. "Why?"

"It's Jenna's grandmother—she doesn't have much time left. Jenna doesn't want to leave," Lena explained.

"I understand. You want to stay with her," Alison said. "It's fine. I can housesit awhile longer. Take as much time as you need."

"Thanks. I really appreciate this, and I promise I won't forget your souvenirs this time."

"That's what you said the last couple of times," Alison stated, chuckle in her voice. "But don't worry about it. You have enough to deal with. Just know that your apartment will be looked after." Lena thanked her again, said her goodbyes, and then disconnected. A sigh left her mouth. Between work, Kurt, and Lena's trips 'across the pond,' it felt like Alison hadn't seen her best friend in forever. She knew it couldn't be helped, but she missed her. Another sigh escaped before Alison moved to get out of her vehicle. It was just a couple more weeks, and then Lena would be back. She could wait.

Alison took a deep breath, and then shut the car door. Tucking her cell phone under her arm, she headed towards the green door, already sorting through keys to find the right one. She held the key with her thumb and finger just as she stopped in front of the door. The spare key had been given to her about two weeks ago. She had been so enthused that she had almost burst into literal tears. She had tried to hide it as best she could, but she had definitely felt emotional about it. Kurt had told her she could come and go as she pleased, and she had done so with gusto if she were all the way honest. A lot of the new additions to his apartment had been because of her.

Unlocking the door, Alison pushed and entered the apartment. "Kurt…!" she called out as she shut the door behind her. There was no response as she deposited her set of keys, and cell phone, on the table cabinet. "Kurt…?" She removed her large cardigan and placed it on the wall mounted coat rack, opposite of the table cabinet. Then she maneuvered her feet from her gym shoes. Wiggling her toes, she paused. Still no answer. Frowning, Alison made her way through his apartment. He wasn't sitting on the couch. She peeked her head around the corner to see that he wasn't in the kitchen either. Furrowing her brow, she moved further through the apartment. Most of the lights were out, but she could see that the bathroom light was on even though the door was shut. Kurt normally slept with all the lights off, but Alison had a preference for, at least, one light. They had compromised on the bathroom. The light to the bedroom was also on.

It was a little odd that he hadn't come to greet her. Yes, she had arrived earlier than normal, but Kurt should have, at least, responded to her arrival by now. Not hearing the shower running, Alison turned left to go into the bedroom. She found him, sitting on the edge of his bed, book in hand. He wore a simple t-shirt and boxer briefs. That wasn't surprising. She had caught him reading several times. What had been surprising was the earphones. Alison crossed her arms, not attempting to suppress a smile. So that's where her mp3 player had gone. Apparently, she had left it here. She hadn't been worried about the device since it had been awhile since she had used it. Kurt must have found it tonight.

Alison moved forward, hand reaching out. Her fingers lightly trailed across his shoulder towards his neck. Kurt turned his head, not quite jerking at her touch. "Alison…!" he said, louder than necessary. Shaking her head, she yanked the right earphone out. "You're early," he stated, standing up, grin on his face. Alison returned the grin just as Kurt tilted his head to kiss her, left hand sliding down her right side to rest on her hip. A short one in greeting. Then a longer one just because. He must have taken a shower before divulging in his meditative reading. She could still smell the scent of his body wash. Alison reared back, taking the earphones and unclipping the mp3 player from the neckline of his white t-shirt.

"I was out already," she replied, turning the music off. She wrapped the cord around the device. She moved around him, heading to the left side of the bed to set her mp3 player down next to the cordless phone, which was docked in the charger. Alison turned to face him, "Decided to come here. Why are you early? It's like an hour before you should be here."

"It was a pretty slow night, so the Sheriff said I could go early," Kurt replied, laying down the book he had been reading. "You hungry?"

"… No, not right now," Alison replied. "I came over to get in your bed, actually." With a chuckle, she climbed on top. "I've been thinking about this bed all day." Kurt mirrored her chuckle as she laid down and got comfortable on her side. He didn't join her, though. In fact, he looked hesitant. The way he shifted his weight from foot to foot was noticeable. She raised a curious brow before lifting herself into a sitting position. "Something on your mind?"

"Something happened today," Kurt began, seemingly nervous. Alison furrowed her brow, and then nodded her head, prompting him to continue. He clenched his jaw, and then sighed through his nose. "I wanted to tell you as soon as it happened, but..."

"Kurt, what is it? Is it bad?"

"No, no, it's… good."

"Okay then. What happened?"

"A few guys showed up while I was at lunch with Deputy Lotus at the diner," Kurt stated. "They were… guys I used to run with. They weren't exactly friends, but… Otto took offense." Alison frowned. Used to run with, he had said. That meant… Members of the Brotherhood had sought him out. Jesus Christ. She supposed that this would happen eventually, but… "They stood outside, waiting for me to come out of the diner." His lips twitched, and Alison recognized it as mirth. "I made them wait. I made sure they saw me making them wait." She let a chuckle slip, and Kurt's eyes twinkled in response. "Afterwards, I walked out before Deputy Lotus. Otto tried to get a rise out of me, but I wouldn't take the bait. Deputy Lotus told them to clear out, and they looked like they were going to. But then… Otto decided to push me as we were walking pass."

"What did you do?" Alison questioned.

Kurt opened and closed his mouth several times, and it appeared as though he might have been trying to remain serious, but there were inklings of a grin beginning to form. "Nothing," he finally managed with a shake of his head. His eyes focused on her, bright and enthused. "Alison, I wanted to… I wanted to hit him. I wanted to beat the crap outta him, but… I didn't. He pushed me hard, but he's the one that fell over. I was solid as a rock. I realized at that moment that… I'm not weak anymore. Seeing them, interacting with them… I didn't let it control me." He moved, sitting down beside Alison. His hand reached for hers, fingers clasping. "I have power. My own power."

"Kurt." Alison felt her own smile growing because that was good. That was great. Before she knew it, her arms were around him, and he was hugging her back, mouth pressed against the side of her neck. Not that she hadn't already believed that he had become a man, but now Kurt had become of aware of it. He was no longer that cross between man and monster. Then a thought struck her. "Wait…" she murmured as she reared back. "Why now…? You've been back for months. Why would they choose now to show up? You're not exactly subtle. They must have heard about you beforehand, right?"

"They… usually stick to their own district. They wouldn't come so close to a police station, especially in numbers," Kurt told her after dropping his arms from around her body. "But…" He hesitated. Alison's insides clenched with apprehension. "I went to them first. I announced my return to the leader of the Brotherhood." It was almost like she had sensed what his next words would be. The words had still made her lungs stutter. "Before, I said I would destroy the Brotherhood, and I'm going to."

"Are you serious?!" Alison blurted, standing up from the bed. "You went to them? You actually-" A choked gasp left her as realization formed. "Two days ago—that bruise?"

"… Jasper and Bryce," Kurt replied. His hands clenched into fist against the top of his thighs. "They were former associates."

"Jesus Christ, Bunker!" She may have raised her voice because he flinched. "You're still planning on going against the Brotherhood by yourself? You're going to-to die!"

"No," he disagreed with a shake of his head. "No, I'm not trying to get as many of them as I can now. I'm going to shut it all down. I have a plan now." Alison aggressively crossed her arms, far from convinced. Kurt stood from the bed, and attempted to approach her. However, Alison could feel her face harden at his proximity. He wisely halted his movements. "Listen," he continued softly. "A month ago, me, the Sheriff, and the Mayor took down an entire base of trained military men—just the three of us. Months before that, that night at the CADI, we went against Chayton and his small army. Now, the Brotherhood is organized, but they're untrained and they don't have access to guns. They can easily be taken care of with just a group of us… with the Sheriff backing us up, we won't lose."

Alison squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth. He had sounded so damn confident. The hero worship he felt for the man known as Lucas Hood wasn't helping either. She had half a mind to tell Kurt his idol was a thief. But that would be petty. The heart of the matter was that Kurt intended to risk his life again, and she was not okay with that. She hadn't been okay with it when she had first learned of his reason for coming back to Banshee. This… This felt worse. Like a punch to the gut. After the things they had already gone through, he just wanted to rush back into the fray, risking everything? "You can't possibly think it's going to be that easy," Alison snapped, voice laced with irritation.

"No, but I have an advantage. My brother, Calvin—he's in charged, and because of that, I can do what I need to do without getting too bad of a backlash," Kurt told her. "All I have to do is provoke him enough, and he'll-"

"Stop talking, Bunker!" Alison cut in, sharply slicing at the space between them with her arm. "I'm still the District Attorney. I cannot hear this plan of yours." Stiffly, Kurt nodded his head. Alison took a moment to breathe deeply, gaze on the ceiling. Then she returned her attention back to him. "Advantage or not, this is still dangerous. Do you have to do this? Things are fine right now, aren't they? Why ruin what we have now by going after them?" The hard tone had faded, and the end of her questions had been a mere whisper.

"… Because it's not good enough for you," Kurt replied. "It's not right that I have to treat you like I'm ashamed. It's not fair that you need to be a secret just to keep you safe. Alison, as long as the Brotherhood has influence, you and Billy will be in danger. If anyone ever found out about you, and something happened, I-" He seemed to choke on his own words. "-They have to disappear. Not only for you, but this whole town. What happened to you and the Millers, it shouldn't happen to anyone else. So, yeah, I have to do this. I'm the only one who can really do this." Alison bit her lower lip, dipping her chin and staring at the floor. She sighed heavily. "I know you're upset, but-"

"I'm not upset, Kurt. I'm terrified that someone I-" She stopped herself, swallowing the rest of those those words. Someone I love, she wanted to say, but wouldn't. Her tongue felt heavy, and for a seemingly long while, she couldn't talk. She pressed her lips together, forcing her thoughts to gather. "I… I know it's selfish, but I don't want you to do this," Alison said. She met his gaze, and he almost appeared resigned. "… But I'm not going to stop you. You're right." At her admission, Kurt perked up, hopeful. "Jesus Christ, I know you're right." She sighed heavily. "The justice system takes too long, and an organization like this wouldn't stop. I've done my hardest to put as many of them away as I possibly could, but the procedures never really put a dent in their numbers. I realized a long time ago that if something drastic doesn't happen, they'll just grow and be allowed to do whatever they want to whoever they want. I understand why they need to be gone…"

"But…?" Kurt prompted, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"But… nothing," Alison told him. Honestly, she didn't like it, but that was only because her mind wouldn't let her stop thinking about the negatives. Still, a few positives trickled through, and she saw the benefits of what he intended to do. It was… worthy, and despite the selfishness that twisted her on the inside, she realized that she appreciated his thoughts for her and his hometown. Besides, nothing was going to deter him away from this. She could tell that he was determined. Because of that, affection for him coursed through her. "I… I'm going to support you. I just… I just need you to be careful."

"I will," Kurt insisted. Cautiously, he stepped forward, and then wrapped his arms around her. Alison relaxed in his embrace, content by his familiar warmth. "I am. I-" He stopped short, squeezing her just a bit tighter. "… I won't go in, thinking death is my only way out. There's too much that I have to come back to." Slowly, Alison lifted her arms to return the hug. Her fingers gripped the back of his shirt. In the coming days, she just knew that her nerves would be wired, almost constantly worried about the repercussions of Kurt's actions, but… she would try to convince herself that this plan—whatever it could be—was needed. Almost reluctantly, Kurt's arms fell away from her. "It's gonna be fine," he said.

"Kurt…" she murmured his name as her arms slipped away. Alison lowered her gaze to the floor again. His reassurance wouldn't stop her from worrying. There would be a lot riding on his decision to go after the Brotherhood. A lot of backlash, too, no matter how the situation turned out. Kurt had implied maximum damage. Good or bad, this storm would come, and it was highly doubtful that things would be 'fine' in the aftermath. Kurt tilted his head to meet her gaze, but Alison stubbornly refused to look at him at the moment.

"Hey," he said, curled index finger lifting her chin. His thumb lightly caressed under her lower lip. Finally, she shifted her gaze, locking eyes with his. "I know you're worried, but I'm glad you're supporting me." He gave her a quick peck to her lips, and then lifted to kiss her forehead. "Thank you, Alison." She slowly nodded her head. "You… just wanna go to bed now?"

"Yeah," she replied with a shrug. Honestly, she felt pretty drained from that conversation. "Yeah… Let's just sleep." Alison moved around him, going for the bed. With a sigh, she laid down and immediately shut her eyes. She heard Kurt shuffle a bit before his footsteps went towards the door. The creak of the door swinging shut caused her to open her eyes. He had turned off the light, too. She saw the shadow of his silhouette as he made his way back over to the bed.

With a grunt, Kurt removed his shirt, tossing it on the floor, and then climbed into bed with her. His arms immediately sought her out and pulled her body closer to his. He kissed her shoulder blade as his right hand slipped under the front of her tank top. His mouth opened and closed against her skin. Kurt usually did that—had been doing it for about a month now—and it was a comfort. She could feel herself relaxing, both inside and out, as his fingers lightly traced circles against her stomach.

"… In West Philadelphia, born and raised… on the playground is where I spent most of my days…" At first, she was confused, and then Alison snorted in amusement. Unable to help herself, she snickered. "Knew I'd get a laugh," Kurt said, sounding smug. "Chillin' out, maxin' relaxin' all cool and I was shooting some b-ball outside of the school," he continued the familiar rap, causing snickers to turn into full blow laughter.

"Wait, wait…! Let me get my cell phone so I can record you!" Alison said. Grinning, she turned to face him, hands sliding up his chest. Kurt chuckled and shook his head, holding her tighter. "I'll get it eventually."

"Maybe," Kurt retorted. She could hear the smirk in his voice. His hand found her side, and slide up and down, palm against her skin, apparently, not caring much for the tank top. "Are you okay? I mean, really okay with this?"

"I won't lie—I'm not completely okay with this," Alison said. "I need to… process, but I meant it what I said. I'll support you." How could she not support the man she loved, doing something like this? Sure, it was going to be a difficult endeavor, but he was right. Ultimately, it would make a lot of people safe. "Maybe later, I can listen to your plan without worrying about our job titles."

"It'll basically be a case of self-defense," he assured. "With help, I can do this."

"I said later, Bunker."

"Sorry."

"… Goodnight, Kurt." I love you, she couldn't bring herself to say.

"Goodnight, Alison." He pressed another kiss to the middle of her forehead, mouth opening and closing as routine.

As they laid their heads to rest, neither knew of the storm closing in.

Faster than anticipated.

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