Ezra sat hunched over his desk for the entire night, messaging his contact back and forth. When he asked about how bad she was, he got, Recently developed cancer. Which meant, she was in the hospital with a lot more than just superficial wounds. When he asked what happened, he received, We got turned around, and we had an unexpected guest to her birthday. Ezra almost punched a hole through the desk. Someone was sabotaging their operations.

While he didn't partake in them, he knew they happened, and sometimes they went downhill. He instead asked if they had any suspects, and got, Only a few showed up. Ezra sighed before telling his contact to keep him updated on her condition and when she recovers from her 'illness'. Right now, he needed to vent and there was no one to pester. Sure, he could ask to spar, but with his mindset right now, it would not be advisable.

Ezra then changed out of his clothes and put on a sleeveless shirt and shorts, but grabbed one of his adrenaline syringes. The newblood outfitted his mask with a breathable mesh, so he wouldn't suffer from oxygen deprivation. He was going to push himself until he couldn't walk. Chances are, someone will find him passed out on the floor in the track and field room. The compound was certainly huge, something Ezra has come to appreciate.

Once Ezra had navigated to the track, he did some pre-exercise stretches before taking some of the syringe's contents and injecting it into his system. The scars on his left arm were visible and one of them was particularly nasty. Surprisingly, that one was not his own doing, but that's for another time. Pocketing the syringe in a padded pocket, he felt the effects immediately and took off in a light sprint. It was between a fast-paced job and a full-tilt sprint. He was running to vent and nothing more. Even if he knew someone was coming to watch him. Even though it was close to midnight, he figured that the Legends would need to sleep after the match. That and Ezra needed to run off the fast-food he recently consumed.

Five laps in, he was barely breaking a sweat. Ezra was still angry, his mind was going back to the last time he saw his sister, right before he left for the Outlands. She was stone cold, but even Ezra knew it was a front. He knew she was holding back tears, and the desire for him to stay was palpable. It was on the tip of her tongue, but Eliza knew that Ezra was set in his decision.

Ten laps in, one constant beam of sweat was running down the side of his head. His footsteps were slightly echoing off the walls. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins and setting a fire throughout his body. He was feeling it and he loved this feeling, the feeling that he could go all day. Ezra was starting to focus on his running more, but a fleeting thought if that was the last time he was going to see his sister again. Mid-stride, he took the rest of the adrenaline and injected it into his bloodstream. The fire was renewed and he ran.

Thirty laps in, he was starting to sweat what one would call 'normally', but he was still going. His legs were starting to get that tense burn from exertion. Fifty laps. Sixty laps. Ezra was still struggling to let that last thought go. He needed to drop it and focus and be patient. However, he was running short metaphorically and physically, on patience. He wanted to know that his sister was going to live and that she would be able to explore life outside the 'family business'. Maybe Ezra would be an uncle one day. At seventy-five laps, he paused.

Would I even want to be a father one day? That thought now completely dominated his mind even though his head was throbbing as the blood rushed from his brain to his heart to the rest of his body. He was panting now and in need of water, a shower, and a bed. Maybe not in that order, but the last two in the order didn't matter.

What did matter was water. He found the closest place for just some plain tap water before he heard footsteps. Instantly, he was on alert. Who was still up at this hour? Forcibly slowing his breathing, trying to hide the panting he was just doing, he crept around the corner to see the fridge open and someone bending to look into it. He didn't know who this was, but once they stood up, a blush covered his face.

On the bright side, it didn't matter because he was winded anyway, so the color was already there. On the debatable downside, it was Natalie who was at the fridge. She was snacking on a piece of cake. When did they get cake? However, his thoughts were lead astray as he couldn't deny the view of Natalie's spectacular a-

That was when Natalie turned towards Ezra, noticing him for the first time. Natalie let out a surprised 'eep!' as she put a hand over her racing heart. "Mon Dieu, Ezra! Don't scare me like that!"

Letting go of the air in his chest, he exhaled and started panting, "What are you still… doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing, mon ami," Natalie replied.

After taking a few deep breaths, Ezra said breathless, "I needed to run. My sister is in the hospital." He mentally berated himself, why did he say that?

"Is she…?"

"No, just a routine checkup," he lied.

"Why a hospital?" she asked.

Well, there is one way to bend this, "She beat skin cancer, and the doctors are checking her over to make sure it didn't come back." It's technically a lie of omission, but she doesn't need to know that.

"Is she in the Core planets?"

"Yeah, in a backwater planet by Frontier standards, but there are a few medical professionals that have treated my family for quite literally generations," Ezra said, which he was blatantly staring at Natalie's figure. She was wearing a loose t-shirt that looked suspiciously like Renee's, and some yoga pants. They were accenting her figure really well.

"Ezra? Ezra!" Natalie raised her voice, snapping him out of his staring. If Ezra paid any attention, he would realize how much of a creep he was being, but he would also notice the blush that coated the young blonde's cheeks.

She felt… wanted. It was something she never understood from Renee, because who would date a blonde nerd who likes electricity more than people. Her thoughts were going rampant but managed to keep her composure, at least more than the new blood. "S-Sorry," Ezra stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck, then grimacing. He walked right up to her and Natalie swears someone turned up the thermostat in here. She felt small but in a good way. While he is significantly taller, maybe by about seven inches, she thought he was going to pick her up or something romantic.

In actuality, he was getting a water bottle from the fridge that Natalie still had open. She took a deep breath but that did not stop her heart from hammering in her chest. From the light of the fridge, she saw the sweat-covered sleeveless shirt and smelled the scent of it. It was smelly, yes, but something about it made Natalie have a 'crush panic'. It made her squeeze her thighs together and she prayed that she would not have to change her panties.

For Ezra, he could smell the perfume she uses as well as the oil and grease from her projects. It was definitely an odd mixture, but Ezra didn't outright despise it. His oddly colored eyes watched her baby blue ones flicker to and fro. She was searching for something or was inside her own thoughts. In basic terms, is not responding. "Nat?"

Her nickname brought her out of her thoughts. The girl blushed, again, and excused herself. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ezra!" She shut the fridge, plunging the room into darkness once more.

Once she rounded the corner, she saw a sleepy Renee rubbing her eyes. When the raven-haired woman spoke, her voice was thick with sleep, "Where dichu go?" It sounded slurred like she was drunk. Wait. Renee did end up having a few drinks since Natalie had asked to just have one. Elliott made her Appletinis and she slammed back three of them without having any food. So to say she was buzzed was an understatement.

"Got hungry, why are you out of bed?" the blonde asked her girlfriend.

"I missssed you, and…."

Natalie hugged the smaller woman and guided her back to her room. When they arrived, Natalie set Renee down on the bed, and the blonde crawled in behind her. Renee won't ever admit this, but she likes being the little spoon. Having Natalie's arms around her, it makes her feel safe and loved. The voices are quieter like her alternate versions are enjoying the sensation. "I heard Ezra," Renee mumbled. Natalie tensed for a split second, but it was all she needed. Turning in Natalie's arms, "What happened?"

"Doudou, my crush on him just increased sooo much," the blonde squealed in horror like it was the worst thing in the world.

Much to Natalie's shock, Renee chuckled and whispered, "Is that really a bad thing?" She finished with a kiss to Natalie's pulse, which startled the blonde.

"N-Non."

"So what's the worry?"

"He told me his sister was in the hospital," the younger woman said in a rush.

The older woman raised an eyebrow, "And… what did he say about it?"

"The doctors are checking to see if she got skin cancer again," Natalie said.

"I see," Renee replied, "By the way, what was he doing up?"

The blonde huffed, "Running on the track, but I- Merde I forgot to ask him why he was all sweaty."

"Ask him tomorrow?" Renee asked calmly.

"Oui. Je t'aime, mon fantôme."

"Love you too, Nat."


Ezra woke up feeling refreshed but was still antsy. After Natalie had left, he downed the water he had in hand and took a cold shower before easing it into a lukewarm one. After running for that long, he should have collapsed from exhaustion, which was his original plan. His thoughts remained hooked on his last thought. It came back again and again in his own head.

Would I even want to be a father? Could he be? There was so much to worry about with having a child. So much so, that he couldn't function and he stared blankly ahead, right ou his window overlooking the compound. To distract himself, he started to think about Natalie from last night. Which turned into her having a swelled belly and-

Ezra stood up angrily. Why was he even thinking of that? She's in a committed relationship, he shouldn't be coveting her like that. That also goes for Renee. Ezra's heart lurches at his last relationship. He was with twins, and they were something else. One was entirely talkative and the other was more of the silent one. Except in the bedroom that is, and they both were perfect. Until he found out what they were really after.

Before he could continue his line of thought, someone knocked on the door. "You up, shooter?"

"Yeah yeah, Anita. I am," Ezra lied. He's been up all night. It seems he was still gunning for the 'drop till he's exhausted' idea.

"Good, since you missed the celebration of your first win, we're doing it again," the ex-IMC soldier said before the sounds of her footfalls dissipated.

Rubbing his eyes and moving over to his dresser, he looked into the mirror. The scars on his chin were present, and some went to the dip of his neck, some of them should have been enough to kill him. However, being the lucky bastard he is, he survived and is still kicking. "I don't need a party, what don't they understand?"

Donning a balaclava, which was decorated in dark swirls and surprisingly it matched how he felt. Still no update, but then just as he was leaving the room, he got a notification. Checking the message, Good news, she's all cleared and she asked where her present is? The tone implies confusion, but Ezra took a deep calming breath, she was fine and thankfully would recover. Then again, he didn't know the extent of it, and there still was the mystery of what happened. As for the present, he had something arranged before he left.

Once he arrived in the common room, every Legend was present. This raised red flags in Ezra's mind, but it wasn't that they were there but the fact that they all were seated in an intervention kind of way. Alexander was staring with a piercing glare, Revenant was standing furthest back with a low chuckle. Ajay was slung over Anita's lap. Bloth and Makoa were playing a round of chess. Pathfinder was with Loba over by the kitchen island. Renee and Natalie were staring right at Ezra like prey. Their eyes were far more telling than the newblood would have liked.

"Did I miss a memo?"

Loba happened to answer first, "Don't worry darling, today is all about you." Again, she has this tone that made it sound sultry. It hyped Ezra up as much as it scared him.

"That does not exactly inspire confidence in me, like at all," he drawled out. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he exhaled and felt light-headed and stumbled. Renee and Natalie were the first ones to react.

After a moment of silence, Natalie spoke, "Are you alright? What did you do?"

"Considering when you saw me last, I ran seventy-five laps without stopping and was finally taking a break," He said in a mumble, purposely muffling his voice.

"You're saying that you ran seventy-five laps… without stopping?" Renee asked her voice tense.

"Uh huh," he hummed. "Would have been awesome if I did, maybe then I'd be able to sleep without a problem. Slowly wrenching out of their grip, he walked away. "I do appreciate you trying to throw a party, but I honestly don't need one, nor do I want one," he whispered the last part to himself. "However, I will make it up to all of you. I just… need time to myself."

The two girlfriends exchanged a look and eventually settled back onto the couch where Natalie draped herself across her girlfriend's lap. Renee took up the task of running her fingers through her blonde tresses. A sigh escaped the younger woman, "I wish he would open up just a little. He should know that he can rely on us."

"Nat, you know how long it took you to break down my defenses?" Renee asked instead of responding.

"Oui, Je me rappelle. The longest few months of my life, and it was worth it."

"Would it be safe to assume that maybe he's not ready to open up?" Renee asked softly, bopping Natalie's nose.

"I know, but-"

"No buts, Nat. I opened up to you when I was ready, and not a moment too soon. While you are right to have concern over him, too much and he will recede further and further back until he is out of anyone's reach," Renee gently explained. "After all, I can relate to him on that."

Instead of responding, Natalie leaned up and kissed Renee's chin. Renee smiled and gently hooked her fingers under her chin and pulled her up to a slow, passionate kiss. An ache grew between them. They both felt it, and it was not from their relationship, it was amazing all things considered. No, it was from knowing someone was missing.


It was years after everything happened. Ezra was now twenty-two, and he learned a few new tricks. Eliza had always been able to beat him in play fighting, for reasons he didn't understand, but after this, he very much understood. Knocked his ego down a peg or two, but it was certainly the humble ass-kicking he needed.

"Since when have you been apart of this?" Ezra asked his elder sister.

"Remember that accident when you were fourteen?" Eliza asked nonchalantly.

"That long, huh?"

She smiled a toothy grin at her younger brother, "Yeah, I've had to keep an eye on you. I had to make sure you were alright."

The two of them were walking in an underground bunker on the planet Troy. Oddly enough, it was a secret path just outside in the garage. He was always spending time there. Now that Ezra thinks about it, Eliza always snuck up on him in the garage. "When exactly did you take over?"

Eliza's mood became serious and Ezra stopped, feeling like he just committed the greatest sin in the Frontier. "Do you really want to know the answer?"

Shrugging, figuring he had nothing to lose, "Lay it on me."

Her mismatched eyes locked with his mismatched eyes. The phrase 'looking into a mirror' comes to mind as their blue and violet eye match each other. "Day before that IMC jackass dropped a Titan on Pop and Gram."

"We were going there to celebrate, weren't we? To celebrate your achievement?" Ezra said, staring intently at his sister, even if she was three inches shorter. His posture said that he was tense.

"We were-"

"So you getting a job was a lie then," Ezra cut her off. "You know I tell you absolutely everything, right?"

"But I-"

Ezra held up a hand, glaring, "Let me finish. How many times have you lied to me?"

"Ezra," Eliza said, voice wavering. If he looked hard enough, he could see the guilt on her face. Along with her bottom lip quivering ever-so-slightly.

"What was the one thing you always promised me?" Ezra said, voice also wavering. "I thought we promised never to lie to each other."

"Did you ever think of how this affected me?" Eliza's voice was small, and even if he was the cause for it, he hated how she sounded. Eliza was always the stronger one. Ezra's gut twitched in guilt, his mouth set in a firm line. "I made a promise to Pops." Ezra opened his mouth to respond but was cut off as Eliza grabbed him and pulled him close. Her arms wrapped around his waist and buried her head in his chest. "He asked me to keep you out of it for as long as I could. I never wanted to lie to you, and that was the only time. The job thing was never a lie."

Eliza was about to pull back, but Ezra wrapped his arms over his sister's shoulders. "I believe you. Let me guess, you wanted to protect your baby brother?"

Eliza nodded into his chest, "After Pop and Gram were gone, you're the only family I have left." Their parents died years ago on some Frontier adventure. They were dropped off here on Troy as children. Ezra's mind went back to the day their parents left without a word. Not even an 'I love you' or 'Goodbye'.

"Then I'll stick by you, but on one-no two conditions," Ezra said, allowing Eliza to back up.

"Name them."

"I don't do any of the dirty deeds. If you really want to keep me 'innocent' or whatever, I don't kill because someone points and says 'kill'," Ezra said firmly.

"That someone would be me, but continue," Eliza cut in, gaining a look from her brother.

"Second, find someone who will care for you, and I don't care who it is, even if it's the girl from the café you frequent."

"What?!" she screeched.

"Did you think you were subtle? Eliza, come on, you coulda told me and I would accept it. Love who you wanna love, and move on with your life. It certainly won't stop you."

Once they separated, finally, she said, "Fine. I really wish you didn't find out this way, but uhm, we've been dating for five months."

"Congrats, now don't lose her, you've been smiling a lot more and the look suits you," Ezra said, wiping Eliza's eyes free of tears like she did for him when he was younger.

"Promise me something?"

"Name it."

"Find someone to love as well, the Frontier can be a real drag all by your lonesome," Eliza said with a squeeze of his hand.

"What if I told you that I'm poly? So I can love someones?"

"Ezra!" Eliza shouted as she swatted his shoulder. All the while, he was smirking and sniggering. Just like that, the conversation moved along nicely.


Ezra woke from his dream, feeling an ache in his chest. However, it wasn't like the previous ones. Ones where he wishes he could claw his heart out. This one was pleasant, given the dream's content, he was surprised that he was not fuming over it. Maybe thinking about the good times was what triggered this pleasantness. He opened his eyes and felt his head throb. However, skipping meals and not drinking water…

However, he shot up when he heard his computer chimed with a message.

A message from Eliza. He scrambled over to the device and turned on his messages. One single message, from the person he so desperately needed to talk too.

Hey baby bro, we need to talk.