Kotetsu let out a sigh; he had cleaned the house earlier and was sitting on the couch watching old sitcom reruns. He lay down on the cushions and closed his eyes. Is this really his life now? There are no jobs in Oriental Town for him to do, the population out here being mostly elderly or children, there wasn't much commerce or business to speak of. The few shops in town couldn't afford to pay anyone else, and to open a new business would be suicide, everyone was too loyal to their current establishments. But he couldn't justify leaving, couldn't justify uprooting Kaede to go back to Sternbild. Even if money had been tight, with the renters in his place now, he was actually making money off not living in Sternbild.

Kotetsu went back to "watching" the sitcom, lying back down on the cushions, letting his eyes fall shut.

He woke up to a very familiar voice; Mario the announcer was announcing something. His eyes still shut and his mind still groggy from sleep, he listened to Mario. "And the second league are well on their way to capturing the lost kitten!" there was the sound of horns honking and people yelling. Kotetsu finally willed himself awake enough to open his eyes. Hero TV was playing in the living room, his heart shrank, he stomach flipped, and he felt a cold shiver run through him. He hadn't thought about, talked about, or watched Hero TV because every time he did he felt sick, felt terrified for his future, desperate for his past. Worst of all, he thought of Barnaby and the fact he was probably dead or captured somewhere in the world and he was stuck on the couch in his old home town.

Mario's voice continued "oh, it looks like our Heroes might not be able to get the kitten after all, as Mr. Wiggles has escaped their clutches and run back towards the park!" Kotetsu watched as Ms. Violet and Chopman both obstructed traffic, thus all the honking and yelling, as they chased after the cat, who honestly was outsmarting all 4 of the second leaguers. Kotetsu snatched up the remote and turned the TV off.

His hand trembled as he held the remote, his eyes stung as he held back tears. Just that small snippet of Hero TV was enough to make him long for it, even chasing after cats and doing stupid interviews sounded amazing. Photoshoots and talk shows had always been the worst, but he would do anything to go back to a year ago when he and Barnaby spent most weekday mornings on some variety show.

He heard the door to the house open and Kaede come inside. "Hey sweetie," he called from the couch, hastily trying to make himself presentable for her. Rubbing at his face, making sure his eyes weren't watering, ran his hands through his hair. He didn't have time to check in his vidphone if he looked all right, and hoped he had done an okay job. "Have a good day?" he asked, smile in place. Usually for Kaede he didn't have to fake it, he was genuinely happy to see her.

Trying to hide his misery from her was the hardest part of being home. He didn't want her to think he was sad to be home, he loved being here with her and spending time with her, but he also missed his old life, missed being a Hero, having a purpose. He couldn't depend on her for all of his happiness; it wasn't fair to either of them.

"Hey dad," she threw her backpack down on the floor beside the table and then sat down on the reclining chair. "Long day, glad it's over and finally the weekend," she reclined the chair as she said this, laying it all the way back and throwing her arm over her eyes dramatically.

"Trouble with classes? Need help with your homework?" He asked leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

"Nooo, I don't need any help on my school work, you wouldn't be able to help anyway, the last time you helped I got half the answers wrong," she huffed out crossing her arms over her chest looking up at him.

"O-oh, well they changed math again! They keep making up new rules, it isn't my fault they can't decide!" he said, blushing a bit and scratching at his beard.

"Besides, shouldn't you be out looking for a job, why are you always home?" Kaede huffed out at him, not for the first time, and he doubted it would be the last.

"You know there aren't any places around here hiring, I even went to the next town over to see if they needed anyone there, and it's the same as here, mom and pop shops that don't need a big shot ex-hero getting in their way," he grumbled, leaning back on the couch and crossing his arms over his chest, letting out a huff almost identical to the one his daughter had just let out.

Kaede slammed her hand on the recliner button, standing up suddenly. She walked over and surprisingly sat down right beside him. "Kaede?" He asked in shock as she placed her head on his shoulder.

"Dad… are you happy?" Her voice was so small, so soft, he barely heard her.

"Of course baby! Why wouldn't daddy be happy, I'm finally home with you!" He said trying to lean so he could see her face.

"Don't lie!" She had pulled away from him and was looking up at him with wet eyes and a deep frown. "You always lie! Even your smiles are lies! You can't even be honest with yourself!" She stood up now shaking. He wasn't sure what to do, too shocked at her sudden display.

"K-Kaede? What's brought this on?" He asked reaching out to take her hand.

She ripped her hand away from him. "You never tell the truth, even when you were just trying to protect me all your lies did were hurt me! And now they are hurting both of us!" she had big fat tears running down her face as she shouted this at him; he feared she may activate her borrowed hundred power in her fit.

"Kaede! I…" he didn't know what to say, she obviously saw through him.

"I heard you dad! I heard you a few weeks ago," She stared him in the eye as she said this, her eyelashes stuck together and thick with more tears. "I heard you crying! For mom! For Barnaby!"

Kotetsu sat stark still; he felt his face go hot, while his hands went cold. He felt like his whole body was made of ice lit on fire. He didn't know what to do. He had never expected anyone to know his pain or for his daughter of all people to be this upset and worried about him. Some dad he was… couldn't even keep his own little girl from crying over him, "Sweetie… Daddy never…" he stood and wrapped his arms around her and she pressed her face into his chest, her shoulders shaking as she cried into him. "I never meant to make anyone worry about me," he whispered as he pressed his face into the top of her head, tears in his own eyes as he held his daughter tightly.

"I-I know that dad… but, we still worry you know!" She said as she pulled herself away from him, looking up at him defiantly. "You always give, give, give! When was the last time you got what you wanted!" she was red in the face, her tears still dripping, but the defiant look in her eyes and her strong back and shoulders were an exact replica of Tomoe. Kotetsu felt his heart skip a beat when he looked at her.

"Sweetie I do have what I want! I have you!" he said as he mustered the best smile he could.

"Don't lie anymore! I know you are happy to see me, but you are miserable most of the time! You want to be a Hero, I know it! That's why you won't watch the show, or talk about it, or mention Barnaby!" Her hands were on her hips now; she looked so much like Tomoe it was as if he had fallen into the past. Even her words were similar.

"I…" it was true, he wanted it more than anything, to go back, to be a Hero like he promised Tomoe, like he swore to Barnaby, "I do want to go back" He felt tears welling up in his eyes, he tried hard to hold them back, but when the tears filled Kaede's eyes again, they both spilled over and the two cried together. Kotetsu clung back onto Kaede, falling to his knees and pressing his face into her shoulder, silent sobs wracking his body. "I-I don't want to leave you sweetie… but I also want to be a Hero again."

Kaede held onto him, her little hands gripping him tightly. They stayed like that until the tears stopped coming for both of them. They had a lot to talk about, but it could wait. For now, they just needed to be together.