Rose

It was almost odd to see her sister at the table with everyone that evening on her first night there. It was like she'd never left. Their father was telling a funny story about one of the million times he'd thrown up at work, and Norah was laughing, her face squished up in that way of hers. Oscar was watching, enthralled. Rose grabbed the plates of food and started distributing them.

"Oh my God, ribs," Norah practically gasped, seeing them once Rose set her plate down. "You're amazing!"

"And don't you forget it," Rose replied with a wink. She sat down beside Oscar, reaching to tuck a napkin into the collar of his shirt before he could get the sauce from the ribs all over himself.

"So how's New Orleans?" Joe asked, eating heartily.

"It's good. I like the pace of things over there."

"Wait for Mardi Gras," Joe noted.

"I'm looking forward to it," Norah said with a grin.

"What's Mardi Gras?" Oscar asked, curious.

"It signifies a night of feasting and getting fat before Lent," Joe answered.

"What's Lent?"

"40 days of giving something up that you enjoy," Rose answered for her father. "Something like that."

"Oh. Do we do that?"

"No," Rose replied.

"Why not?"

"I don't really know," Rose said, looking at Joe.

"What is Lent for?"

"Commemorating the fact that the Lord Jesus was in the desert fasting for 40 days."

"He's God's son, right?"

"Right."

"I want to do it," Oscar told Rose. "When does it start?"

"Right after Ash Wednesday in February or early March."

"Will you do it with me?" Oscar asked Norah, who swallowed all the meat she'd sucked off the rib in her hand.

"I'll think about it," she replied. Rose caught her look and smiled. Oscar was bringing up God more than any of them had, but it wasn't like they ignored God entirely. He just wasn't as forefront as He probably should be.

"So, how long are you with us for, Norah?" Joe asked, changing the subject. Rose knew her father blamed God a lot for their mother dying.

"A week, maybe two," Norah answered.

"Trouble?"

"No. I just missed all of you."

Rose knew her sister was lying, but she let it go. If Norah didn't want to tell their father she was in love with a guy who couldn't love her back, it wasn't her place to tell him for her. Rose was realizing how much her sister was in the same position Rose herself had been in for years. She hoped Norah wouldn't give away her self-respect by making a fool out of herself like Rose had.

"Well, I'm not complaining," Joe said, giving Norah a nudge. "Good to have you back, kid."

Norah smiled, and then Oscar started talking about ospreys, and Rose sat back and smiled amongst the hubbub of conversation. It felt like home.

Lee

He was quiet as Barney flew. They'd left quickly, and now Lee was wondering if he was making a mistake. Melanie's family wouldn't know who he was. Why did he think this was a good idea?

"What's going on, Christmas?" Barney asked. "Aside from this and the whole Norah fiasco. What aren't you telling me?"

"Coming back here is just bringing up a lot of memories," Lee muttered, his fingers resting against his temple. The car accident played through his mind again. His brother dying in his arms. Why did people keep dying in his arms? Why couldn't he save them?

"You've never talked about anything you did before joining the SAS," Barney said. "Why is that?"

"Some things are better left buried."

"If I'm gonna help you, you gotta tell me what shit we're getting into. Who is trying to hurt you?" The words hung in the air, and Lee knew he had to give his friend something. He trusted Barney. It was time.

"I was 23," Lee said after a moment. "I was on a leave, and I'd come home. My brother wanted to go out for drinks, meet some ladies. I said fine. He did meet someone. I struck out. On the way home, we were broadsided." He stopped here. It was always hard to get past this part.

Help me, Lee. Help me. Please, help me. Oh God, it hurts. Help me, Lee, please...

He shut his eyes, trying to drown out his brother's pleading voice. Barney waited patiently, knowing he'd continue when he was ready.

"Lincoln died," Lee said. "The guy who did it...he was getting back at me."

"For what?"

"I interrupted his plans a few months earlier. I took his money."

"What money?"

"It was for drugs. He was going to buy and distribute. I shut him down. He got even with me for that."

"He wasn't in jail?"

"Not enough evidence."

"Did he go to jail for killing Lincoln?"

"You bastard!" Lee screamed, grabbing the man's shirt and punching him. "You killed him, you bastard!"

"Yea," Lee said quietly, reliving it. "He did."

"And the money?"

"I donated it."

"You know it's not your fault," Barney said firmly. Lee shook his head.

"It is. I've accepted it. It's my cross to bear." He exhaled shakily and looked at Barney finally.

"Well, brother," Barney said, reaching to place a hand on his shoulder. "I'll bear it with you."

"Thanks." Lee's voice was tight. Norah had said the same thing, but she didn't know the full story. He figured she'd feel differently if she did.

Caesar

He couldn't sleep. He'd stood in Sasha's doorway for almost an hour before Char pulled him to bed. He feared something was going to happen to her. He feared she would slip into a coma again. Watching her breathe on her own had been comforting.

"Please don't go away for a while," Char said, her face against his shoulder.

"I won't."

She wasn't asking him to quit, but he was considering it. She slid an arm across his chest, and he held her securely. He didn't want to lose his family over his job.

Hours later, when he still couldn't sleep, he called Tool.

"What?" Tool asked, sounding grouchy.

"Sorry, man. It's me," Caesar said. He stepped out onto his back deck to avoid waking anyone else up. "I just need to talk."

"Yea, sure," Tool said, his voice softening.

"Something wrong?"

"No, no. Just...a surprise visitor tonight, and I'm not sure what to do about it."

"Who?"

"Long story. I'll tell you another time," Tool dismissed. "What's going on with you?"

"I'm just afraid," Caesar said. "What if something else happens to my kids? My wife?"

"We're on full alert now, Hale," Tool reassured him. "In fact, Toll is sitting across from your house as we speak."

"He is?" Caesar asked, surprised.

"Yea. He, Yang, and Gunner offered to trade off on overwatch."

"Oh. I...I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. We've got each other's backs, Hale. Never forget that."

"Thank you."

"Go get some sleep, big guy. You'll feel better in the morning."

"Okay. Good night," Caesar said.

"Good night."

He did feel better. He went inside and looked out the front window, spying Toll's car parked across the street. He'd missed it before. Having it there was a huge comfort. He saw the car flick its lights at him, and he knew Toll saw him. He waved and sent a text.

Thanks, brother.

It's what we do, Toll wrote back.

Caesar smiled to himself as he went back to bed. Sleep came a little bit easier after that.

Tool

He had no idea how to tell Victoria that her biological son was sleeping in a bed upstairs. Bobby had surprised him, and now he felt guilt for ever keeping this secret from Victoria once he'd figured out who Bobby was. He'd only found out after she'd asked him to find the boy, and he'd been conflicted every since.

"I just wanted to meet you," Bobby had said after dropping the bombshell on Tool and Rupert finally stopped trying to lick his face. "I don't want anything from you. I just want to know you."

"I'm a scary person to know," Tool had warned.

"I don't care. I know I'm adopted. There's nothing scarier than realizing everything you've ever known is a lie. I was hoping you could help me find my mother since my family isn't willing to," Bobby had said.

Tool thought about it now. If it wasn't all so heartbreaking, he'd burst out laughing. What was he supposed to do? Take the kid over to Victoria's place, knock on the door, and say, "Voila! Here's your mother!"? Pretend to look and tell the kid he couldn't find her? In neither scenario would he escape the wrath of either of them if they found out what he knew about both of them and had hid it. He just had to pick which one was worse.

Yang

He was sitting up in the dark, waiting for the call to trade off with Toll. His fingers tapped against his leg rhythmically as his other leg bounced up and down rapidly. It bothered him that someone did this to Sasha. It bothered him that they had no leads on who did it.

Shhhh, just breathe.

He closed his eyes, hearing Aika's voice in his ear as though she was standing behind him. She always knew how to make him feel better when he felt out of control, on the edge, or stressed out. He missed her with every breath. He didn't think he'd ever get over it.

His phone vibrated, and he saw it was Toll.

"Ready?" he asked, answering it without a hello.

"Yea."

"Coming." He snapped his phone shut and picked up his pistol, holstering it and hiding it under his shirt. He was walking out of his apartment and turning to lock his door when he heard the bloodcurdling scream. He didn't even hesitate. He ran towards the sound and found his neighbor's door wide open. He made it just in time to see her get thrown clear across the room by her husband. She landed with a gasp, blood trickling out of the corner of her mouth. The man wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and moved to grab her shoulders to haul her up for another throw when Yang intervened.

His feet flew out and knocked the man back. His fists came next, and the man staggered. Yang hit him with blow after blow, unleashing all his anger at everything he'd been helpless for on this monstrous person.

"Stop! Stop, please!" the man shouted, cowering under him and protecting his face with his arms.

"How does it feel?" Yang asked angrily. "How does it feel to be scared?!"

"I'm sorry!" the man sobbed. Yang had to stop himself before he pulled out his gun. He took a step back from the sniveling pile of bones wrapped in skin on the floor, and he turned to find the woman clinging to the doorframe, looking terrified.

"Let's go," Yang said to her as he approached.

"No," she whimpered. "I can't."

"Yes, you can," Yang said simply. "You deserve better. Also, you're not alone." He held out his hand, and the woman stared at it through her brown hair that was unkempt around her eyes. She was an inch taller than Yang, but she appeared so small to him in this moment.

He waited patiently, knowing that she had a big decision to make. After a moment, she took his hand, and together, they walked away towards a new path that awaited them.

Gunner

Victoria had come over, and they'd spent the evening and night talking and laughing. They stayed up late, and now they were interlocked in a heavy make out session when his phone rang. He groaned.

"Let it go to voicemail," Victoria said, breathing hard.

"I can't," Gunner replied. "It's your brother."

"Way to kill the mood," she sighed, leaning back.

"We're on duty tonight," he reminded her.

"I thought you weren't until later?"

"Something's obviously up," Gunner said. He answered his phone. "Yea?"

"Get your muckers off my sister and get over here," Toll ordered without saying hello.

"What makes you think I'm with her?"

"Tell her to not dress up so fancy the next time she wants me to think she's with Lucy."

"What's going on?" Gunner asked, changing the subject.

"Yang is dealing with a crisis at his apartment. I need you to come trade off with me."

"Give me an hour."

"Gun-!" Toll started, but Gunner hung up on him.

"Good call," Victoria teased as he tossed his phone and pulled her back onto his lap, kissing her again. This moment had been a long time coming, and he wasn't about to blow it off because Toll couldn't wait another hour.

Toll

By the time Gunner rolled up behind him and sauntered to his car, Toll was ready to murder him. He flung open the door, colliding it into Gunner's kneecap.

"Argh!" Gunner exclaimed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Toll said angrily.

"Me? You're the one who just about made your car guilty of second degree murder."

"It's four in the morning, Gunner," Toll said testily. "I called you two hours ago!"

"Sorry."

"I hope she was worth it," Toll growled. Gunner's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Argh, don't answer that."

"I was gonna say..."

"Get in the car," Toll snapped, slamming his keys down in Gunner's hand. He was going to take Gunner's bike home. You couldn't do a stakeout on a motorcycle.

"Is Yang coming?" Gunner asked.

"No, you're on your own until morning."

"Alright."

Toll did his best not to picture Gunner with his sister as he started up the bike. The idea of them together was starting to bother him again. He had tried so hard to be okay with it, but something about it just felt off.

Victoria wasn't home when he got there. He climbed up the stairs and headed for his room, falling face first down onto his bed. He was exhausted. Memories and flashbacks of the last two missions kept battling to be forefront in his mind. He was using all his coping tools to push them back, but he was too tired. It wasn't working. The last image of the girl dying after high fiving him drove the pain right over the edge.

He pulled his knees into his chest and sobbed.

Barney

He stood near the back in his suit and tie, hands folded in front of him. He scanned the room, looking for any sign that the killer was there watching the funeral of his own victim. It was almost eleven in the morning, which meant it was five in the morning back home. His internal clock was working hard to adjust to the change.

He watched Lee walk to the casket and stand in front of it with his hands in his pockets. Barney stiffened when a man approached Lee from behind. He moved to take a step forward when he saw Lee turn and greet the man. They shook hands. Barney relaxed. He resumed watching everyone else. Nothing seemed to be out of place.

"See anything?" Lee asked, rejoining him five minutes later.

"No. Who was that?"

"Melanie's brother. He was surprised to see me."

"How long since you spoke to her last?"

"Almost 20 years."

"Was he mad?"

"No. He's mourning his sister," Lee answered, wiping his arm across his mouth quickly. They both watched people mingle and move around. No one else approached Lee.

"I don't think your killer is here," Barney noted.

"I know he's not."

"So what now?"

"I'm gonna check her place for clues, and then we either have something to follow up on or we go home."

"Long trip for a two hour funeral," Barney muttered.

"You didn't have to come," Lee pointed out irritably. He walked ahead of Barney, looking left and right as he did so. Then he stopped abruptly, making Barney almost walk up his back.

"The hell?" Barney asked, catching himself. He saw Lee staring at someone leaning against a speed bike across the street, a dark helmet on their head. Something about this person made the hair on Barney's arms stand up.

A second later, Lee was racing across the street towards them. Barney started to run after him. The man jumped on his bike and tore off, leaving Lee running down the road for a bit until he eventually slowed to a stop. Barney caught up with him a few moments later. Both were breathing hard.

"Was that him?" Barney asked. He didn't really need an answer, though. The rage on Lee's face said it all. Then Lee swore, moving to get out of the way of the oncoming car. They started to walk back to their rental car. Barney could tell Lee was rattled.

"What do you want to do?" he asked once they were back in the car. He let Lee drive since he'd almost gotten them killed earlier by driving on the wrong side of the road after getting lost.

"Track him, find him, kill him," Lee answered, finally looking at Barney.

"Well all right," Barney commented, clipping his seatbelt on. "Let's get started, shall we?" He didn't comment on Lee's words being their new motto, but he liked it a lot.

Joe

Much to Norah's displeasure, she was standing in the middle of a room with blood spatter all over the walls instead of lounging around at home all day. She coughed. Joe laughed, giving her a hearty pat on the back as he walked past her.

"Get your sea legs back," he called over his shoulder, lowering his goggles over his eyes and getting to work.

"I did not sign up for this," Norah complained.

"Well, Rose had to deal with some things this morning, and you were the next best person to help me," Joe replied. He started scrubbing. Norah was grumbling about something as she started on the wall behind him.

"Ugh," she said, coughing again. Joe was breathing hard after scrubbing for a bit. He stopped to give himself a break. Norah walked past him with a dirty bucket of water and went to dump it out and refill it.

"Come on, old man," she joked. "No time for standing around."

"I don't know whether I should chastise you for calling me old or use it as an excuse for taking a break," Joe admitted, making her laugh. He had missed her laugh. It was a lot like Marcy's.

"Alright," she said, patting his arm fondly. "Take your time. You just have to buy me dinner if I finish my half of the house first."

"Well, since the stakes have been raised," Joe said, immediately starting to work again.

"High stakes for steaks!" Norah laughed.

"Oh, it's on."

They egged each other on as they worked. When Rose showed up in the afternoon, they were almost done.

"Wow," she said, looking around. "I honestly thought I'd still have a lot of work to do."

"Can't talk, Rose," Norah said, still working. "Gotta beat Dad so he can buy me steak tonight."

"I see."

"You're the one buying steak tonight," Joe retorted. Then he grunted in pain and had to stop.

"Dad?" Rose asked, sounding worried. "You okay?"

"Yea, yea. It's that damn muscle I pulled acting up again. I overworked it today in my haste to get a free dinner," he said dismissively. "But it's worth it!"

"You're not finished yet!" Norah hollered back at him from the other room. Rose rolled her eyes. Joe just grinned at her and went back to work.

He could taste that steak now.

Victoria

She got home that afternoon from Gunner's after giving up on him coming back to find both Tool and her brother sitting at the kitchen table. She paused, taking in their rather somber expressions.

"This isn't an intervention is it?" she asked. "Cos I'm clean. I swear."

"Sit down, darlin'," Tool said, patting the space on the table in front of the chair. "There's something we gotta discuss."

"Are you really that mad that I kept Gunner longer than an hour?" she asked her brother. He shook his head.

"It's not about that," he answered.

"Then what has got you both looking like you've been given a month left to live?" she asked, laughing. It faltered when neither of them laughed with her.

"I don't know how to even start," Tool sighed.

"I do," Toll said. "Vic, it's about Bobby." Hearing her son's name made her sit upright quickly. Had something happened to him? Was he dead? Oh God, that's why they were looking at her like that!

"What's happened to him?" she asked in a whisper, terrified to hear the answer. She looked between them. "Nick? Mickey?" Tool still didn't say anything, so she resorted to her other term of endearment for him. "Pops?"

"He's at the tattoo parlor," Tool answered finally at this, exhaling roughly.

"W-What?" Had she heard him wrong? Why was he there? Had he come looking for her?

"There's something I haven't told you," Tool went on, rubbing a hand through his hair slowly. Victoria was staring at him now. What could he possibly have to tell her?

"About Bobby?"

"Yea."

She waited. He seemed to be collecting himself before continuing. Toll sat patiently, waiting.

"Spit it out, Pops," she ordered. "You're killing me over here."

"I'm his adoptive grandfather," Tool blurted out. He cowered back from her slightly as if expecting her to reach over and punch him, which Victoria had half a mind of doing. How was this even possible?!

"What?" she asked, blinking and staring at Tool.

"I didn't make the connection until recently when you asked me to find him," Tool said quickly. "I haven't seen him in years. His mother, my daughter, hates me and doesn't speak to me. I didn't know."

Victoria stared at him still.

"Vic?" Toll asked, giving her a slight nudge with his elbow. "You okay?"

"What do you think?" she retorted. She got to her feet, backing away from them both. Her son was here. He was Tool's adopted grandson. What the hell was happening?!

"He wants to meet you," Tool told her. "That's why he came here. He wants my help to find you because his parents won't help him."

Victoria remembered seeing them at the hospital the day Bobby was born. They'd looked at her as though she was a disgusting life form, which she believed she was for the longest time because of her addiction. Of course they wouldn't help Bobby find her. What if it encouraged him to be like her?

"I need air," she said, stumbling backwards towards the door.

"Vic," Toll said, standing up.

"Just leave me alone," she ordered, turning and shoving the door open. She almost fell out into the hallway and ran for the stairs. Blood was rushing to her ears. Her son was here. He wanted to meet her. What was the right decision? She had no idea. She burst outside, gasping and starting to cry while hugging herself. She'd thought of him every day since she'd given him up. How could she explain to him the reason behind giving him up? He'd hate her. She couldn't do it. She'd tell Tool to pretend to search and then send him home.

It was really the best choice for both of them.

Norah

She found her father washing the work van after they got home around 3 p.m. and, without asking, started to help. She felt it was the least she could do since he was going to be buying her dinner after all. Rose was out looking at another potential job. Norah caught herself thinking of Lee again, and she forced her mind back to the present. She was here to get space from him not dwell on him. She'd done well so far between working with Rose and her father and spending time with Oscar. Her nephew just knew how to make her laugh and forget about everything.

The only thing was that she'd been hiding the fact she knew her uncle from all of them, and she wanted answers. She decided she needed to talk to her father about it.

"Everything okay, Norah?" Joe asked. "You seem pensive."

"How come you never talk about Mom's family?" she asked, deciding to just dive into it. She didn't really know how else to start the conversation. She watched her father stiffen before continuing to move the rag over the side of the van.

"There wasn't anything to talk about," he answered. "She was an orphan. No siblings."

"No aunts or uncles of her own?"

"Not that I'm aware of. They'd be dead now anyway."

Norah was feeling angry now. She knew about Barney, which meant her father had just lied to her. Why would he do that? Had he really thought Barney was that much of a danger to them? She threw down her rag onto the pavement, hard.

"Bullshit!" she shouted. Joe jumped slightly, stopping and looking at her.

"What?"

"I have an uncle!" she yelled, jamming a hand on her hip angrily. "I met him! His name is Barney Ross."

"Barney Ross is dead," Joe insisted.

"No, he isn't! He's in New Orleans!"

"Is that why you went out there?" Joe asked, furious now. "To find him? Huh?!"

"No! I didn't even know I had an uncle until I had a flashback after looking at his face enough times, and he confirmed it."

"That bastard," Joe said angrily. "I told him to stay away from you girls!"

"Why?! Why would you do that?!"

"Because he's a dangerous man! I had to protect my family!"

"He's not dangerous!"

"He's a mercenary, Norah!" Joe exploded, getting in her face now. "He's a mercenary, and he kills people! He kills them in cold blood! He has enemies! Did you think I wanted any of those enemies coming around here to use you as leverage? No!"

The words slapped Norah in the face. Mercenary was the one that stuck out the most. She knew what they were, what they did. And here she thought the Expendables had been a team that worked for the military doing sanctioned missions, not just because they wanted to make money.

"You're lying," she said, her voice wobbling.

"You know I'm not," Joe said fiercely. "Norah, all I ever wanted was to keep you and Rose safe. That's all."

"By keeping a relative from us."

"For your own good," Joe insisted. "He-" Norah watched as her father stopped talking and clutched at his chest. Her anger evaporated instantly.

"Dad?" she said, scared suddenly. "Dad!"

Joe sank to his knees on the ground, and she was right there kneeling next to him, trying to hold him up.

"Dad!"

"It hurts," he grunted.

"Where?"

"My chest."

"Oh my God," Norah said, trying to pull her phone out from her pocket. Joe fell over sideways, clutching his chest still. She felt such despair that another crisis was happening so shortly after Sasha's accident. Maybe she was the one who was bad luck, not Lee. She didn't even know how she managed to formulate the words to come out of her mouth to the emergency services, but she did. They told her an ambulance was on its way. Then she called Rose. When she told her to come right away and hung up, she called the next person she needed the most despite everything that happened between them.

She called Lee.

Just fyi: I changed Lee's brother's name. Apparently I keep using the same names in my stories, which can get confusing, so I'm trying to work on that haha. I look forward to hearing your thoughts :)