"Oh."

Scarlet patted the spot beside of her.

"So um... I think the last time I really saw you... I was trying to get you killed."

Scarlet nodded and hugged her knees to her chest, "Yea, I remember it."

"I was wrong. Wrong for a lot of things."

She looked at him. She felt her heart break all over again. She felt like she messed up.

"That night about Lily, I would have dumped her if you would've stayed and talked to me."

I did mess up.

"I was childish. I should've stayed behind and talked it through with you. I was scared because you were the most important thing to me. I was scared and I was going to lose you. I just... I lost myself in my anger."

Neo nodded.

"I am kind of glad in a way though," Neo said, pulling on her hand.

"What, why?"

"Your kid."

"Ash?"

"He's one hell of a kid. He was pretty ballsy coming to me for help. He didn't care what it took. He's funny and soft spoken but he has heart. I admire that."

Scarlet's eyes welled up with tears, "I missed him so much but I don't know what to say to him. I disappeared from his life for three years. What do I say to that?"

"That you love him and he means everything to you."

She said nothing.

"My life has been so empty without you. I mean, I did stay with Lily for a while but I really missed you. The last nights, the thrill and danger. I miss the pictures and the movies. Everything we did together wasn't the same if I tried doing all those things with someone else. I will never meet anyone as smart as you. Someone who was brave enough to survive the world that threaten to take you down."

"I wish I could see all those things."

Neo placed a hand on her cheek. Her face was wet with tears and regrets.

"Don't you remember what you told me?" he whispered as he got closer to her.

"There was lots of things."

"There was. You told me once 'To never regret the decisions I made because I wanted to do what I did. I just had to ride out the result.'"

"I remember that. You had almost broke your leg and you were mad."

"But you managed to make me laugh it through."

"I did."

"I want to defend Ash for a minute. I don't think you know he knows... He showed me all the pictures you kept of us."

Color crept up in her face.

"I had no idea..."

"That's why he came to me for help."

She didn't say anything.

"I know you have your life and your lovers. I won't ask you to come back to me I want you to go home happy. I want you to feel better that we had this talk."

"Alright."

"I love you Scarlet."

She only nodded. After a couple of minutes he got up and left her by herself.

X

X

At the train station Neo was the first one off and he was gone from view within minutes. No one had time to say goodbye. Ash felt sad he was gone. He looked back at his parents to see the somber look on their faces as they came off. They all had went through so much and they should be smiling but no one was smiling.

The whole walk home, everyone was quiet. Ash watched as his dad walked with Akairo with Scarlet trailing behind them. It wasn't the way he had pictured their homecoming. Ash wondered how long his mom had felt lonely like she didn't belong.

Akairo walked through the front door first then Red followed right behind her. Scarlet stood outside the house staring at it. It looked exactly the same as the day she had left. She took one step forward when Ash grabbed her hand. She looked down at him with a smile on her face.

"What's wrong Ash?"

"Mom, I want you to be happy."

"I am happy."

"Why?" Ash asked looking hurt.

She blinked like she was confused.

"I know Dad died a long time ago. I know you probably really miss him. I don't know why for sure why you left but I want you to be happy. Do you like traveling? I don't mind learning on the road, train or a boat. I don't want you to be bored here. If you want, we can go now."

Scarlet laughed, "It's not that."

"It's Neo then."

The smile was wiped instantly off of her face.

"I really like him Mom. I don't mind."

"Then maybe sometime we can hang out with him."

Ash smiled, "Alright!"

X

X

It's been two weeks.

Neo returned the carton of orange juice to the fridge.

I would've hoped that she would've come by or even Ash. Well, he really only wanted me to come along to save her. I didn't think too much about it at first. Seeing her after all that time it made me really think about it. I guess maybe she didn't think I was serious.

Neo went to his bedroom and dug through his closet. Finally he found it. It was the old raggedy shoe box he had with things he had kept over the years. He sat on the floor and placed his glass of orange juice on his TV stand. He lifted the lid.

He pulled out a few documents then came to a ziplock bag. Neo opened it up and pulled out the pictures. Neo smiled as he went through them. Scarlet and him were pretty stupid at first. She took a picture of his first place of robbery. Then a picture of him actually taking things.

He was broke and down on his luck. Then that gorgeous woman walked into the alley way with a smile on her face.

It's been ten years or more. I really don't know it's been so long.

"What a stupid thing to be hung up about. I was fine until that kid came to my door."

Neo replaced the photos back into the bag and left the box on the floor.

Neo made his way down the hallway and put the glass in his sink. He grabbed his scroll and started going through trying to think of something to do but his mind couldn't forget her. He couldn't forget the way she looked at him.

The image of her face when he grabbed her arm burned in his mind. The expression she had was something else he had never seen before. Maybe she thought it was something like a dream; it almost felt like it for him. Something like in a movie.

Movies are so unrealistic. No one gets together after years like this.

X

X

"I can't believe it though!" Yuri said as he messed up Ash's hair with his fist, "He's such a little badass! It's like he's a mini you!"

Red laughed.

"I think Mom and Akairo had a lot more to do with that than me."

"Does that mean I can start going out by myself?" Ash asked.

Red snorted, "No. You aren't even ten yet. If we lived in town you could walk down the street for a gallon of milk or a candy but we don't, so no."

He pouted and sat back in his seat.

"Eat your pizza. Akairo and Mom aren't making dinner tonight. They're having a girls' night and don't need to be bothered."

Ash groaned and took another bite.

"Don't blame me, you picked this place."

Ding!

Red picked up his scroll.

"I gotta get a few things at the store. Can you watch him while I got some things?" Red asked, "Also, don't lose him ok?"

Yuri grinned, "Red, I don't lose my kids."

"Yea I know but you neglected to call and tell me mine was missing."

Ash sipped on his pop trying to hide the grin on his face.

"Bye!"

Red left.

"Uncle Yuri."

"Hm?"

"Does Dad like guys?"

Yuri choked on his slice of pizza. He slapped his chest a few times trying to stop choking.

"W-what?"

"Does Dad like guys?" Ash asked again.

"Are you being serious as in curious or have you seen something I haven't?"

"I'm just asking."

Yuri tapped his chin, "Well, Wyeth and I had a bet against Blake. We kind of thought he would be bi until he started dating your mom. Blake insisted Red was straight."

"Oh."

"Why do you ask? Do you like boys?" Yuri asked.

Ash shrugged, "I haven't thought about it much. I'm more worried about going to Signal."

"Oh, ok. So what is it then?"

"Mom loves Neo."

"Ash, they broke up a long time ago."

"I know that but-

"Then don't worry about it."

"I heard Neo tell Mom he loves her! On the train!"

The man sighed.

"Sometimes it's a friendship love."

"This one isn't! You told me how hard it was to get Aunt Rain to love you and you did everything until she would! Shouldn't Mom be with Neo?"

"That would break everyone up."

"No! Neo could date Dad and Mom too!"

"That seems messy."

Ash groaned and glared at his uncle.

"Let me show you!"

Ash pulled out his scroll and flipped through his pictures.

"Here!"

Yuri looked at the picture. His eyes widened slightly. It was a picture of Neo grabbing Scarlet's arm. The look on their faces was filled with so much emotion. Ash put his hand on his uncle's arm.

"Uncle Yuri, that's love. That's the way you look at Aunt Rain. That's how Mom looks at Dad. That's how Mom looks at Neo. Shouldn't we get them together?"

"Ash, this isn't something you just do. Akairo and Red have to be ok with it too. You have to respect the feelings of everyone involved. I do agree. They love each other."

Ash smiled, "That's what I wanted to hear."

Ash hopped off his seat and grabbed his pop cup to refill it. Yuri put the scroll down and followed behind him. Red walked in and sat at the table. His eyes looked down to see his son's scroll.

The picture was still up.

Yuri and Ash returned to the table to see Red sitting there with his eyes locked onto the screen. He had picked it up and he was staring at it with a sad look on his face. The color drained from his brother's face and Ash looked ashamed. It was meant to be a secret picture.

It wasn't meant for his dad's eyes just yet.