Good Morning - at least for me since it's 5am here right now. :)

Even though I try to get this updated more often I fail at it. Definitely not abandoning it, so don't worry.

I'm getting close to the chapters I have to rewrite completely. I've already been working on those while translating the next pieces whenever I find time for it. Work keeps me from it more than I like it thanks to a new system we're working with - when it's working because honestly it's a piece of crap everyone complains about.

Before I start to complain about this now enjoy the chapter. Until next time.

Delsin and Yana stayed at the cafe for a rather long time enjoying their drinks and some cake. So long that they were actually lucky none of the groceries in the bags would come to life and run away at a certain point because they weren't stowed in a fridge.

The young woman had excused herself for a moment, using it to walk over to Joe who, there was no way not to notice, looked over to the pair once in a while. He was especially focused on Delsin. Eying him like he would find an answer to whatever question he had on his mind. There had been news about the incident at the Space Needle. Both on TV and radio. Thanks to the first everyone knew what the 'evil Bio-Terrorist' looked like. Which explained all the strange looks and murmurs.

"He's not evil."

Joe gave Yana a long look. "Everyone who buys you a cappuccino is on your 'not-evil' list."

"That's not true", she answered with a pout only to receive a sigh in return.

Delsin really didn't look evil sipping his hot cocoa like everything in the world was okay. Well, at least as evil as the D.U.P. made him look because they had a big problem with him. The rest of the people welcomed the fact he banished the soldiers from the city. Somehow you could say they were happy. Not because of who was 'saving' them but that someone actually did. There was still fear in their eyes. Fear of the unknown. That Delsin might just look at them and they would turn to ashes within seconds. Not that there was a power like that right?

Maybe the looks surely would never stop. Yana was just happy no one went and called the police or worse. Despite a few people in the cafe tensing up when they had entered earlier nothing more happened. No one ran away or complained about Delsin being here. They just continued their normal routine. If it wasn't for the D.U.P. and the general fear of Conduits one could think it was just a normal day in Seattle. With two people enjoying their drinks at a cafe while chatting like old friends amongst other customers.

Joe was grateful as well. While he never really had a problem with Conduits due to the fact no one ever harmed him in any way, he was still careful. He had known Yana for a long time and since they had talked about her family and how she grew up, he knew she was thinking different than most people when it came to Conduits. Maybe some of that rubbed off on him. That plus the way she looked while standing in front of him right now. Wearing a piece of clothing which wasn't hers and too big as well. She looked like a small child asking for a cookie with the cutest smile it could muster. He just had to believe what she told him.

If Delsin was as evil as the D.U.P. said he was supposed to be he would've already attacked someone. Joe was a little weary though. Despite no one complaining about Delsin being here, Joe was aware that he could get into trouble if the D.U.P. would find out. They didn't care about much besides capturing Conduits. And they did everything they had to in order to do that. Hell, if he wouldn't get into trouble Yana sure would. Whether she ignored the danger she was getting herself into or not was unknown to him.

To him Yana was like a daughter. She came to his cafe right after she moved here. The second she walked through the door he noticed he had never seen her here before. She was new, looked a little lost but as soon as he welcomed her she smiled at him. They talked for hours after that. Both forgetting the time until every other customer had left. Situations like that, with them still being at the cafe at midnight talking about god knows what, still happened once in a while but maybe they wouldn't from now. Because it looked as if Yana found someone else to spend the nights talking about anything with.

Joe noticed the way Delsin looked at Yana. Just like now while she was standing at the counter. Delsin would turn to look at her once in a while, turning away as soon as Joe spotted him doing so. While Yana probably only enjoyed the company as of now, Delsin seemed to like her – based on the looks and that Joe had a few more years of experience in various things. Just like reading people. It came with the job. Kind of. Plus how was he supposed to ignore the puppy look on Delsin's face when he looked at Yana? Be it earlier when they sat together or now while she was standing at the counter.

"If you trust him.."

"I do."

"... then I trust him too. Thanks to him I have one less checkpoint on my way home", Joe smiled a little while thinking about how confused he was when he went home yesterday and realized a checkpoint was, literally, missing. The street looked the same like before Augustine invaded the city with her soldiers. Speaking of Augustine there was something Joe was interested in. "I would like to know if he's aware Augustine.."

Yana shook her head immediately. "He doesn't.. yet I mean. I know I should tell him some day", she started playing with the sleeves of the hoodie. "I just can't tell him about it yet you know?"

"Do you like him?"

"He's nice so.. oh", realizing what Joe meant by 'like' Yana stopped talking for a moment to think about it. She didn't believe in love at first sight. On the other hand she couldn't deny that she found herself drawn towards Delsin. She just didn't know the reason. Maybe a part of her just wanted to help him. To make sure he would make it and help his friends. His family. No, she didn't like him in the way Joe meant it, she felt responsible for what happened. Responsible because it was her mother who did this and she was afraid to confess this to Delsin.

Joe took a deep breath as he dried off a cup. "You know, I can't make you tell him but I can be there to help you. You don't have to do this alone."

"You just asked me if I like him and now you're back to the person who is my mother."

"Because those two things stand in relation, do they not?", he leaned over the counter and whispered so only Yana was able to hear it. There was no one close to them but Joe didn't want to risk it either. "I notice how he looks at you and I notice how you look at him. It might not be the same look but you two might be searching for the same thing: someone who accepts you for who you are. He is a Conduit and you accept him. Something tells me that's not a normal thing for him since he found out about his powers; it sure isn't for other Conduits either. And you want people to accept you as you and not the daughter of Augustine. I'm guessing it means a lot to you if he would accept it."

Joe had no idea how much it would.

Up until now she was fine with living her life the way she did. Having a job she liked, friends, a cat. She didn't care about Augustine. Of course what she did was always present to Yana but it always seemed to be far away. Up until now. Now everything that happened was right in front of her doorstep and she knew, because Delsin was no stranger anymore, the D.U.P. would look for him. Augustine would look for him. And when she would eventually find him, she would also find Yana. At that point, whenever it came, there would be no turning back anymore.

Yana felt like she had an angel and a devil on her shoulder, both telling her different things. The truth was somewhere between them. On one hand she wanted to tell Delsin before he found out on his own because she imagined this would be way worse than when she would just be honest with him. But that was hard. It took her a long time before she told Natalie and she was Yana's best friend. In fact, Natalie's brothers and their parents didn't know. Yana never told them and neither did Natalie. It was a secret between best friends. A secret they never talked about. Then there was Joe. It didn't took long until Yana told him, mostly because she came to trust him within seconds after they met. It took a bit longer until she finally told him the whole story though. It was during one of the nights she would spend at the Latte Owl without watching the time. Resulting in her almost oversleeping for work.

Both, Natalie and Joe, took in the news about Augustine quite good.

There were doubts Delsin would. He had a grudge against her. So what would become of that grudge if he found out the truth? Would Yana be the target of the same grudge in the end?

Delsin wasn't a bad guy, she was sure of it. Seeing how much he wanted to help, Yana just couldn't imagine him going on a rampage and destroy everything in his way. But what if he had a reason for it? Saying 'Augustine is my mother' surely could be a reason to anger him. Since the moment Yana had thought about if she could be of help if she tried to talk to Augustine to go back to Salmon Bay and save all the people she hurt, Yana wondered if Delsin would expect her to do that. What if he would use her to reach his goal?

She couldn't imagine that. Or maybe she just didn't want to do so.

Even though Delsin was angry at Augustine he seemed happy most of the time he and Yana had spent together. In those moments he didn't seem to worry. While he very probably didn't have the time to go on sightseeing tours or spend the morning at a cafe he still did so. It gave Yana a chance to find out more about him, Reggie, their friends. When the D.U.P. said Conduits don't care about the well-being of others they were completely wrong. And it weren't only his friends he wanted to help. Delsin went around town to help the people of Seattle as well. Be it in the form of destroying checkpoints or freeing people held in those cells because they were supposed to be Conduits and needed to be 'taken away'.

No. Yana really didn't and couldn't believe Delsin was bad at all. What kept her from telling him was her own fear. Maybe Joe's idea, of him being there when she was ready to talk about Augustine, wasn't so bad. And maybe it would be good to have Reggie there as well. He needed to know as much as Delsin. The fact he was Delsin's older brother and seemed calmer in different aspects could be an advantage. If only her father or Natalie could be here. She needed another opinion. Or more help. However you want to call it when your thoughts circled around one thing:

how are you supposed to tell someone who hates your mother, because she left their friends to die, that she is – in fact – your mother?

Delsin noticed something was bothering Yana to a high degree.

They were on their way to her home and while they had talked and laughed while they stayed at the cafe, everything of that was gone now. He noticed that Yana had behaved different after talking to, he learned his name the moment they had entered, Joe. Delsin had watched them. They seemed close. If Joe was younger Delsin would call it a brother-sister relationship but since that wasn't the case it was more of a father-daughter relationship. Something Delsin never experienced since his parents died when he was young. Whatever it was the two of them had talked about, it seemed to be of a serious matter.

Maybe Joe had a problem with him?

Was that it? But why would that bother Yana so much? Because she and Joe were close? Delsin knew, from personal experience, that there was a difference when someone he knew told him he did something wrong or Reggie did. It just mattered way more when it was someone from your family. And sometimes it also hurt more.

"Are you okay?"

"What?", Yana turned to face him. "I'm sorry. There's just a lot on my mind at the moment. I'm probably not really nice company right now."

"Are you kidding me? My brother isn't nice company", that made Yana smile. Delsin continued right away. "If there's something you want to talk about I'll listen you know. I'm all ears for you."

"That's nice but..", her eyes traveled down the street. They were almost back at the place she lived and with every step the nervousness increased. "I need more time."

Time? Time for what?

The Conduit didn't understand a thing. Not that he assumed she would share all her secrets with him after a day of meeting him. If it was the other way around he wouldn't do it either. And yet he had the feeling that there was something tearing her apart on the inside. He knew how bad that was, the same went for Reggie.

God, how bad the time after their parents death had been for them.

Both of them didn't talk to each other unless they had to. They wanted to deal with their grief on their own. If it was to not bother the other or trying to be strong, no one could tell. Maybe it was a bit of both. At one point it got so bad they would shout at each other. Nothing like the arguments they had now. When Delsin had too much now he would simply walk away and ignore his brother but back then.. something had snapped. Betty had to go between the two brothers who were fighting with each other in front of the longhouse. She had dragged them back to her home where she waited for them to talk about whatever problem they had. In the end there were a lot of tears but Delsin and Reggie grew closer together.

Since Yana didn't want to talk about whatever it was she kept to herself, Delsin had time to think. About himself, Reggie, what they were doing here. About their parents and what they would think about everything that happened in the past few days and weeks. The accident at their home, Augustine's attack, the trip to Seattle, him being a Conduit. He couldn't help but to wonder what they would say or do.

Betty took the news in pretty good, Reggie, well.. mostly good which was probably because he felt responsible for looking after his 'little' brother. Not that Delsin would stop running into danger just because Reggie asked him to be careful. No, he was far from that. Whenever he saw someone who needed help he would run towards them instead of away. Much to Reggie's dismay. But he was a cop. He went to help people as well even when he wasn't on duty. It was something he couldn't stop doing so why should Delsin?

As he turned back to Yana he noticed she seemed to be lost in her thoughts even deeper than before and while he kind of enjoyed the silence that hung in the air, he wished there was something he could do to make her feel better. There probably wasn't. Not in this moment at least and so he did something Reggie used to do when they were much younger and put a hand on Yana's head making her look up to him. "I understand if you can't talk to me right now but it's not good to keep things locked up either. That's what Betty would say at least. Don't think I want to pry on you. I'm just worried since the day has been nice so far."

"It still is a nice day and you're a nice guy. I mean even though people like you are feared and considered evil by most, you're the best example of being the complete opposite", a smile spread on her lips.

"Humans have prejudices."

"Listen to that. Sounds like you don't consider yourself human."

"I'm not normal after all."

"Most humans aren't normal. Look at me: 85% of the food I consume is cappuccino."

Delsin raised an eyebrow. "What about the remaining 15% then?"

"Mhm.. wine gums, vegetables.. I love watermelons and chocolate. I also like to steal Brownie some of his snacks from time to time", she smiled from ear to ear while Delsin gave her a strange look. Kind of a normal reaction most people gave her when Yana said she ate cat snacks. "Oh! And steaks, my dad makes the best steaks in the world. Sadly I don't get to eat many of those since he still lives in New Orleans."

"What about your mum?", the question was full of innocence.

"I don't have any contact to her. She left me with my dad after I was born. I met her once. Five years ago to be exact. Biggest mistake I ever made."

"I'm sorry."

Yana shook her head. "Don't be. Besides I don't want to ruin your good mood. Believe me, it's better like this."

Delsin didn't say anything. He just nodded and continued to follow Yana until they reached her home. After Yana opened the door both, she and Delsin, entered the foyer where Yana stopped for a second. She put down the bag she was carrying on the first pair of stairs leading up before taking off the hoodie and handing it back to Delsin.

"Thanks for borrowing it to me. I'm gonna take the bags from here on."

"You're not gonna invite me upstairs?"

"No, not today. Besides, I believe you have something to do right? Looking for Fetch if I'm not mistaken", that was at least a good idea. "I hope you and Reggie will be okay. I don't know how she'll react once you show up but.. you have met this Hank guy so I guess you kind of know what to expect. Just be careful."

Delsin scratched the back of his head before putting on his hoodie. "I will, promise. And once I'm finished I'll come by to tell you about it or you just keep an eye out for any news."

"Right. I still have to check those to actually see what you did at the Space Needle", with that she grabbed both bags and began walking up the stairs, but turned around after a few steps to look back at Delsin. "Thanks for today. I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the next time."

"Me too. I kind of wish you would accompany me instead of my brother", he smiled.

"Well.. I'll leave that to Reggie. I won't be able to help you with much anyway plus I guess he already worries too much about you. There's no way he'll stay home and just lets you run around town."

Delsin agreed with that. Reggie would be of more help because of his connections to the police – something Delsin would never openly admit since he wanted to do this on his own. Or as much on his on as it was possible. After saying goodbye and watching Yana getting up the stairs it was time to go. He hoped his brother had a few clues to Fetch and maybe even the other Conduit if he or she was in Seattle.