If the lump in my throat wasn't making it difficult to talk, the constant shoveling of pancakes in my mouth was. After living in Russia for so long, a girl starts to miss the little things from her own country. Like twenty-four hour diners with bottomless stacks of pancakes. Perfect for when she already hates herself and needs to fill the empty hole in her heart with obscene quantities of food. Besides, it'd be a great idea to soak up the booze in my stomach.

I didn't want to talk, though. I just wanted to stuff my face until I couldn't move. Stupid Violet strikes again. I could've let a drunk text be a drunk text and a one night stand be a one night stand. Now, I won't be able to listen to Africa without thinking about my ass getting beaten on like a bongo drum. Dammit...I liked that song, too. What I don't like is the overwhelming amount of pity in Dad and Dad's eyes staring me down like that while I practically chugged gallons of blackberry syrup. It was almost getting to be too much.

"What?" I snapped. Anything to break the silence.

"Nothing," Victor lied through his teeth.

"Nothing," Chris did his best to avoid my sharp eye contact.

"Bullshit," I grumbled, swallowing the bite I had in my mouth, "Go ahead. Ask me about the elephant in the room."

"Why didn't you say he was getting so bad, Violet?" Chris worried, "You could've told at least me that he was getting out of hand."

"That was one of those things that's between us," I let out a heavy sigh, "I mean, we'd play rough. Sometimes, it'd feel like full on hate sex. It was angry and rough and downright animalistic and that's just the way things were. I'd egg him on without even realizing it sometimes. But when all was said and done, it put me in such a good place. Physically, mentally...I'd feel so drained, but so satisfied. I guess I just kind of got hooked on that feeling. It wasn't even about the sex."

"Yeah," Chris agreed, "I only had a one night stand with him."

"Just now," Victor gave him a look, "Right?"

"Long time ago," Chris assured, "Before we were even a thing. It was once. I was young and stupid. But I never knew what it was like to be kept by him."

"Kept?"

"Oh, Vitya..." Chris awed, "I forget how naive and vanilla you can be."

"I'm lost," Victor had such a blank stare going on. It actually got a cheap laugh out of me, "The most out of the box thing I've ever done was over ten years ago and that was the night we met Violet."

"To put it in simpler terms," Chris explained, "Have you noticed anything different about Violet lately? How she's become a little more responsive to commands? How she usually answers with yes, sir?"

"Yeah."

"And Violet, tilt your head up for me please." I did as he asked, "Notice how she's taken to wearing chokers a lot lately? Especially one in particular?"

"Yeah."

"That's not a choker, dear," Chris pointed out, "That's more or less a collar. Violet, what did you call Mike on a regular basis? Because I know damn well it wasn't Mike."

I felt my face catching on fire, "Master."

"When we say Violet was kept," he went on, "Violet was kept as Master's pet. A special pet that he could call upon any time of the day for whatever he had intended for her. Mostly, it's sex."

"Sometimes, it'd be to actually take care of me," I stepped in, "Those parts were nice."

"That's a thing?" Victor wondered, "I thought that was just a booty call."

"That's the thing about a master, though," Chris continued, "Some will keep a few pets. Some will only keep one."

"And Mike could get super jealous," I shivered, going back to my pancakes.

"Oh, hell yeah," Chris agreed, "That's definitely true. Speaking of, what sparked him to get so angry with you, Violet? He should know better than to take you to Cosmos in white. Especially if he's so territorial."

"Why?" Victor's innocence showed itself once again.

"Because it might as well be painting a target on my back," I filled him in, "And I think it's because his jealousy's been piling up lately. I see that now in hindsight."

"What would he be jealous of?" Chris scoffed, "You were pretty exclusive to him, weren't you? Unless Master's pet was sleeping around."

"No," I shook my head, "I'd like to avoid that kind of migraine. How other people do that is beyond me. But who he wouldn't be jealous of would be a shorter list."

"Really?" Victor was starting to understand things a little better.

"Yeah," I took a long drink from my sweet tea, "He'd be jealous of Yuri and Yurio because they'd have me all to themselves for the week and he'd be lucky to get a phone call. He'd be jealous of Gene because Gene knew where I lived and got to spend the whole day watching my back. He'd be jealous of Celestino because he'd get to watch me skate every day and help me get better. He'd be jealous of you..."

"Me?" Victor squeaked, "Why would Mike have been jealous of me? I'm married."

"You're my best friend, Victor," I pointed out, "It didn't matter if you were married or not. I'm pretty sure he didn't like that I was still so close with my ex-husband. Heaven forbid we have a healthy relationship after our divorce. When he saw us together, I had plans with him later that night and oh, did we have a night...I think I stayed with him that night, too. Just to make up for whatever the hell I did to piss him off so bad."

"That's sounding a little less territorial," Victor thought, "And a little more abusive. His jealousy is not your problem, Violet. That's something he needs to work through, not take out on you through rough, wicked sex."

Dammit, Victor. Why couldn't you have punched me right square in the jaw? Why couldn't you take me into the alley and beat the absolute shit out of me? Why couldn't you push me in front of rush hour traffic? All of that would've hurt so much less. A part of me was ready to totally break down again. But the other part of me was screaming, 'don't you dare, bitch'. I liked that part.

"So, Violet," Chris changed the subject, catching on to my current internal struggle, "This may be a stupid question to ask, but I just need my suspicions confirmed. Are you going to see Mike again?"

"No!" Victor answered for me, "Not happening!"

"Well…" I thought it over, "Maybe just to talk."

"Violet, no," he put his foot down.

"It wouldn't be as pet and master," I promised, "We'd just be two people having a conversation."

"Do you really think that'd be the case, Violet?" If anyone at this sticky, plate filled table would understand any of this, it's definitely Chris. He knew Mike and what he was like. Of course I knew it wouldn't go that well. Master wouldn't allow that. If Mike and I were to get together in the same room again, I have no doubt that I'd be on my knees with a collar on my neck. My ass did not need another paddling.

"No…" I spoke meekly.

"Violet," Victor took my hand, "I love you. Believe me when I say this. You're an incredible woman and you don't deserve that kind of negativity in your life."

"Thanks, Victor," I laid my head on the wall, ready for this nightmare to be over.

"I'm just glad you kept him away from the boys," he applauded, "I don't even want to think what things would be like if Yuri and Yurio were exposed to that."

"Yurio kind of met him once," I admitted, "He followed me to the Red Room when Yurio had a dance lesson. They didn't have much for contact."

"Good," Victor cringed, "It's hard to believe that's the same guy I met the other day."

"Can we stop talking about him, please?" I begged, shoveling another mouthful of pancake down my throat. Chances are, it'll end up all over the floor later anyway.

"Alright," he rolled my fingers between his own, "Tomorrow. You're meeting my friend tomorrow. Is that alright?"

"Sure," I sighed out, "What the hell? Why not? Wait, Victor, why do you want me to meet her so bad?"

"Are you talking about Morgan?" Chris awed, "She's such a sweetheart."

"Yeah," Victor smiled, "She is. I don't know what I would've done without her."

"By the sounds of it," I joked darkly, "She's my replacement."

"Violet," Victor wrapped his arms around me, "No one's replacing you. No one could. Besides, Yuri and Yurio would never forgive me if I replaced you."

"And you never answered my question," I brought it back, "Why do you want me to meet this chick so bad?"

"Because I know you two will get along," he assured, "But you'll see. Tomorrow. You'll see."

"Tomorrow or technically today?" I wondered.

"No one likes a smartass, Violet."

"Why don't you stay with us tonight?" Chris offered, "Given what you just went through, you shouldn't be by yourself tonight."

"Thanks, Chris," I smiled a bit, "But I think I'll just go home."

"Come on, Violet," he begged, "Please? Imagine how happy the boys are going to be when they wake up and they find Mama under the same roof."

"Mama's always under the same roof," I pointed out, "I live in the same building. Hell, I'm exactly one floor above you. You could hit your ceiling with a broom and I'd feel it under my feet. We are under the exact same roof."

Also, that was dirty as hell, and Chris knew it.

"You get what I mean," Chris brushed me off, "How long has it been since the boys have woken up with all of us were in the same house?"

"A while," my chest ached. Even though I was still reeling from Mike's snap, I could be strong for my boys. I was going to be hanging around Victor tomorrow anyway, "Alright. You've twisted my arm. Let's go home."

Victor paid our tab and the three of us headed home. It wouldn't surprise me if we end up being met by press, but I had a feeling that if one of them looked at me cross-eyed, they'd be getting punched. And heaven forbid if one of them is Doyle Wallace from Skate Weekly Magazine. Because I'd probably kill him with my bare hands. No exaggeration.

Instead of premeditated murder, we took the elevator up to Chris and Victor's condo. And it just now dawns on me that it's three in the morning and Chris and Victor aren't home. Where the hell were my boys? They didn't do something stupid like leave them by themselves, did they? I know our building's safe and I know I've left them by themselves before, too, but that was for maybe twenty minutes. Not two hours!

Once I walked inside, though, my mind was set at ease when I found Celestino passed out in the chair. Of course they'd call Celestino. Who else would they call? Alright. Good. I could sleep a little easier tonight. I peeked into Yuri's room first. Sound asleep. He didn't need to know that Mama was out in a club tonight and that Daddy and Uncle Chris had to come bail her out. Then, I looked across the hall. To no surprise, Yurio had kicked his blanket off and had one leg hanging off the side of the bed. Bless this boy. I covered him back up and kissed his forehead. Yurio's nose scrunched up a little, melting me inside. I loved this boy. Good night, sweetheart. Mama loves you. Both of you.

Now that I knew everything was good, I could go to bed. I went down to Chris and Victor's side of the condo and into the guest room. After everything, I just wanted to go to sleep. Although, when I crawled into bed, there was already a warm body in here. This was weird.

"Wrong bed, Violet," Chris shot me down, "Don't get me wrong. I'm flattered. But we know where you really want to be."

I nuzzled my face in his shoulder blades, hugging him tight, "Thank you, Chris."

"You're welcome."

I knew it. Chris knew it. The best emotional support I've ever had in my life. No matter what, he was always the one. I got out of the guest bedroom and went into the master bedroom. Goddamn, that bed was comfortable. I didn't even think twice. I fell onto the bed and damn near clocked out right then and there. Just as I was about to slip into that sweet state of unconsciousness, I felt a blanket being pulled over me and a pair of arms wrapping around me.

"Good night, Violet," Victor gave me a soft, gentle kiss on my forehead, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

A/N: Pancakes really do make everything better. I like pancakes. I want some pancakes now. I have a lot of other work to get done. In short, Chris and Victor are the best makeshift parents, Celestino is the best makeshift uncle, and Mike needs to get punched in the dick. See you next chapter! xx