Chapter One Hundred and One
...
Alex smiled at his grandmother, Lexie crying into a wad of tissues at the sight of him, his mohawk spiked as high as it could be and a broad smile on his face.
"I've missed you, Alex. Are you all right? Did they treat you okay? If they hurt you, just tell me, and I'll give them a what for," Lexie said fiercely.
Alex shook his head. "It sucked, Gran, but I'm fine. Victor looked after me and he brought me your charts. More importantly, how are you feeling after the latest round of chemo?"
"Awful, Alex. I lost the last of my hair," Lexie said with a sigh, touching her bald head.
"It suits you, Lexie," Victor said from the doorway, smiling.
"You're a charming liar, Victor. Now, where's that man of yours? The poor dear had to deal with me being a touch hysterical during Alex's trial," Lexie said, wincing at the memory.
"He's just getting something from the gift shop. Act surprised," Victor said, grinning.
"Oh, I hope it's chocolate. Can you tell him I want - Lex?"
Alex turned to the doorway when he saw his grandmother pale and heard her gasp, her hand covering her mouth with tears in her eyes again. His jaw dropped when he recognised the man standing with Connor: the Plight, his grandmother's brother.
"Found him in the gift shop; I thought you'd want him more than the chocolate," Connor said, grinning.
"I knew better," Lex added, producing a box of chocolate with a flourish.
Lexie laughed, grabbing another handful of tissues to wipe at her eyes. "Lex, you meanie. Bring those chocolates over," she said, smiling and waving him over, pulling her brother into a firm hug, despite her meagre strength.
Lex hugged her back as firmly as he dared, the chocolates set aside carefully.
"How are you here? Why are you here? I'm not actually dying, am I?" Lexie asked, her eyes narrowed as she tried to determine why her brother had been let out of prison. "You didn't escape, did you?"
"Just to arrive with a lawyer?" Lex asked with a laugh. "I'm out, Lexie. Deemed too old to be a bother to society. Dean Marks was the one who organised it, with some prompting from Victor, so I heard."
"You're sounding remarkably well-adjusted for someone imprisoned for so long," Connor said curiously.
"It's probably the shock; I fully expected to die in there. I'll be a wreck when it wears off," Lex admitted, shaking his head.
"I'll be there for you," Lexie said firmly. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you first - "
"You were giving birth, Lexie; I did it for you knowing that, and I'd do it again. You have nothing to be sorry about," Lex said. "Now, where's this grandson of yours?"
Alex swallowed and licked his lips nervously. "Here, Grand - "
"Oh, no. Grand nothing; call me Lex or Plight, if you want to scare people," he said, grinning when he saw Alex's hair. "Lexie convinced you to get a mohawk, huh?"
"Yeah. It's growing on me," Alex said with a smile, looking over to his grandmother and not entirely surprised to see her already eating the chocolates.
"I heard you want to be a doctor; any particular field?"
"Paediatrician, specialising in cancer treatment and prevention," Alex said.
Lex smiled and offered a hand to him. "Dr. Alexander Plisetsky the Second, at your service."
"You're a Doctor? Gran never told me that," Alex said with an accusatory glare.
Lexie shrugged. "I wanted you to make your own decisions about your career and future, not base it on Lex," she said, taking up another chocolate.
"That's enough chocolate, Gran," Alex said, moving to take the box from her.
"You could have just asked for some," Lexie said with a sigh when he took a chocolate for himself.
Alex shook his head as he chewed. "You would've said no."
Lexie smiled and looked to Victor and Connor, who were standing by the doorway quietly. "Thank you for bringing my family back to me. You don't know how much this means to me."
"I'm glad I could help, Lexie," Victor said, smiling.
"Enjoy your time with them, Lexie. I'll come by to visit you soon," Connor added.
"You'll bring those chocolates you were telling me about?"
"Even if I have to cross state lines to buy them," Connor promised, grinning when Lexie laughed brightly.
Taking Victor's hand as they left the hospital room, Connor squeezed gently and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand.
"What was that for?"
"To thank you for bringing them back. Also, because I haven't kissed you in hours and I think we should go home and make up for it. You in a suit does things to me," Connor admitted, giving Victor a very slow once over. "You're beautiful, darling. I don't know how the jury can concentrate on the case with you looking like this."
Victor blushed and smiled in response and, yet again, Connor forced himself to swallow down those three words.
It was still too soon, he told himself, even as his chest filled with warmth thanks to the man next to him.
...
"Josie, dear, have you seen the news?"
"What news, Steve?" Josie called from the kitchen, concentrating on the bacon she was frying, the juice she still had to pour, and how to get Will out of bed when he was going through another growth spurt and sleeping more often than not.
"Xander's missing."
A crash of glass and ceramic had Will flying out of bed and down to the kitchen where Josie was hovering off the kitchen floor with bacon, juice, glass, and ceramic scattered on the ground beneath her.
"Is everything okay?" Will asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and looking at the mess, trying to determine if his mother was hurt.
"Fine. Everything's fine. I just... slipped. What were you saying, dear?" Josie called out, setting about to clean the kitchen floor.
"Xander's missing. You remember him, from college?" Steve prompted, receiving a distracted noise in response from his wife.
"Who's - wait. You went to college?" Will asked, too surprised to even try to hide it.
Steve grinned broadly. "Yes, I did. University of Maxville, my alma mater. Well, I didn't technically graduate, as I met your mother halfway through my degree and we decided to fight crime full-time after that, but they did make me an honorary graduate," he said proudly, adjusting his shirt before smiling broadly over at his son. "It would be the greatest honour to have you attend my alma mater, son. Attending the University of Maxville is a family tradition," Steve added firmly.
"Ah, yeah. But I... I was kinda hoping to fight villains full-time. Y'know, like you and Mum," Will added quickly, looking between them. Realising that neither parent was happy with his admission, Will hurried to change the subject. "So who's missing?"
"Xander. He was my... uh," Steve trailed off, his ears pink.
"Roommate," Josie said firmly, dumping the bacon, juice, and pieces of glass and ceramic in the bin. "They were roommates, Will. Just like you'll have a roommate when you attend UM."
"Umm... I want to make a difference in the world, not do more study. Can't I... y'know, just go into real estate as my cover?" he asked quickly, his heart racing at the second protest about their plans for him in as many minutes.
"Real estate requires further study as well, Will. Would you prefer a certificate in real estate or a college degree that will get you further in life? You can't always be a Hero," Josie said pointedly, hands on her hips.
"You and Dad are!"
"Yes, but we will have to hang up our capes one day, Will, and when that day comes, then... Uh, dear, what exactly are we doing when we go inactive?" Steve asked curiously.
"Real estate, Steve. Unless you want to return to UM and complete your Political Science degree?" Josie asked.
"Do you think I could? I think I could be a great politician," Steve mused.
Grateful that his parents were distracted from his admission and argument, Will flew upstairs to get changed into his Airborne outfit so he could pick up Magenta and patrol Westville. He would fight a villain soon, he just knew it! Then they'd see he didn't need a college education to be the best Hero ever.
...
"Ry, hurry up! We're going to be late," Connor called, even as his laptop started ringing loudly.
"I'm coming!" Ry called.
"Ewww," two young voices chorused from Connor's laptop.
"Hey, now. Don't be crude."
"Sorry, Uncle Con."
"Hmm, you're forgiven. Now, how tall are you two? I can't see it very well on this thing. Step back a bit, and - whoa, look at you both!" Connor said, grinning broadly. "Ichiko, you're almost taller than your mother! And Ichigo, I swear you were a whole foot shorter last time I saw you!"
The two children laughed, and Ry ran into the room, almost slamming into his father as he sat beside him. "Lemme see, Papa!"
"Ryuu."
"Please, Papa?" Ry added.
Connor turned the laptop screen so his son could see properly.
"Holy... Kuso, you're both so tall!" (Shit. Japanese)
"You're a proper boy now, Ry," Ichiko said, her eyes wide.
"Is your favourite dinosaur still the same?" Ichigo asked, sounding suspicious.
"How strong are you?"
"What do you like to eat?"
"Do you - "
"Kids, calm down, come on, now. You're overwhelming people on both ends of the camera."
"Uncle Andy!" Ry said excitedly. "How are you? How long have you been back? Where did you go? What did you do? What MRE's did you eat? Were any of them good?"
"Ryuu, you can calm down, too. C'mon, son, breathe," Connor said with a laugh, patting Ry on the back gently. "Hi, Andy. How are you?"
"Glad to be back. Though, I swear these two make as much noise as anything I heard overseas," Andy said, ruffling his children's hair. "And Ryuu, you should know better: no MRE's are good; though the braised steak and vegetables has improved, though no one's sure if it's actually beef," he said with a grin. "Yuki's just getting the laundry in; she'll be back in a second. These two decided they couldn't wait for either of us and Skyped you a full five minutes early."
"We had to! You were taking ages!"
"Five minutes is forever," Ichiko agreed with her brother with an elongated groan.
"It's all right, Andy. I'm just glad we didn't miss you again. How's Mississippi?" he asked.
A cloud passed over Andy's face at the question. "Ichiko, Ichigo, go help your Mama with laundry?"
Andy's children didn't look pleased at the request, but did as they were asked when Yuki called out for them. Andy shut the door behind them and sat on the computer chair, sighing heavily and running a hand over his face.
"Andy, what's going on?" Connor asked, shifting the laptop to look at his friend closer.
"I... They've got powers, Con. I thought - hell, I don't know what I thought, but Mississippi's looking to take Montana's stance. You're lucky you got out when you did, but then, you've always been lucky, huh?" Andy said with a wry laugh.
"Andy... Shit. Come here. Bring Yuki and the kids, come here. We've got... lucky friends, too. They'll help, I know they will."
"We can't, Con. It's too late. They've been tagged already. Ichigo rerouted some kid's iPad, managed to get some government intel right there in the middle of fucking fifth grade English. Ichiko's managed to get us free HBO and free Internet for the last year and Yuki didn't even realise - she thought I'd set them up as a goodbye present to keep her and the kids occupied while I was deployed. She thanked me when I came back," Andy said with a laugh, the sound turning to a sob. "People are watching the house, they follow us when we go out shopping. Yuki can't even go out to a spin class without someone waiting in the gym lobby for her."
Connor felt sickened at what Andy was saying and beside him, Ryuu took his hand and squeezed tightly. Whether providing or seeking support, Connor didn't know.
"We'll work something out, Andy. I promise. I'm not letting them take your kids."
Andy sighed, somewhere between resigned and hopeful. "I don't know, Con. I don't know what to do." A screech of tyres outside had him looking to the window, a nondescript van with a satellite dish sitting on the street outside. "They're back," he said with a sigh, rubbing a hand over his face.
"I'll... I'll be right back," Ryuu said, his voice breaking as he hurried from the room.
Wiping at his eyes, he unlocked his phone and navigated to the group chat, his hands shaking. A message appeared before he could start typing.
Warren: what's wrong, Ry?
Layla: are you okay? Your emotions feel terrified.
Craig: 1) creepy that you can feel that, and 2) what's going on, Ry? Who do I need to hurt?
Adam: I heard; want me to tell them?
Ry: please
He couldn't bring himself to voice or even type what was happening - what could potentially happen - because then that would be real. Ichigo and Ichiko couldn't be taken away. They were the sweetest kids in the whole world and Andy and Yuki would be distraught if their kids were taken away.
Grant: I can be in Mississippi in twelve hours.
Jewel: I've got a hybrid; I can be there in six.
Craig: I can teleport & be there in 6 minutes. How soon can they pack?
Honey: do not attempt this in one shot, Craig. You'll lose an arm, and I mean that literally. You can do three shifts and arrive in twenty minutes. Five shifts on the way back; use different states.
Craig: fine, but only 'cause I use this hand for self love ;)
Adam: I will hurt you, C
Adam: after you get back
Terrence: Do you know what comms they're using? I can scramble the wavelength, or just disable the comms entirely.
Ry: no idea
Wendy: what can Donny and I do?
Robin: I can create a distraction, but it could be fatal. I've never tried over state lines before.
Honey: start getting everyone to the Hive, Wendy and Donny
Honey: don't, Robin. Not yet
Robin: dammit
Ethan: Craig, take me with you. I can melt them all down for easier transportation.
Honey: good idea
Ethan: Can someone look after Zach while we're gone? I think he is close to blinding someone over this.
Craig: Adam will. We'll be at yours in 5, Eth
Ethan: See you soon.
Ry: thank you so much, guys. I'll tell them to get ready now.
Honey: write it on paper, don't say it. People are listening, not just watching
Craig: okay, that's creepier
Craig: also, where do they live?
Ry sent the address to him and then shook out his hands nervously. He was trying to work out how to explain this to his father and Uncle Andy, when Connor opened the door and looked out, concerned as to what was taking his son so long.
"You good, Ry?"
Ry shook his head. "I'm looking for my notebook; I've got an assignment to write."
Connor frowned at his son's words. "You... have an assignment," he said slowly, trying to understand what he really meant since school hadn't even started yet. Ry just nodded in response. "You need the computer?"
"Paper first, please, Papa," Ry said.
Connor wondered what on earth was going on, but found a notepad and pen, passing them to his son.
"Uncle Andy can help me with it," Ry said, slipping past his father to return to the laptop, already starting to write on the paper.
Connor read the words over Ry's shoulder as he wrote them, even more confused by what he read.
Craig coming to get you all.
Ethan will melt you down.
Pack everything.
They'll be there in 20 minutes.
Seeing the words Ryuu had written, Andy frowned and looked around for a piece of paper to respond. Finding Ichigo's artwork, he wrote on the back: WTF?
Behind Ry, Connor shrugged in confusion. Ry wrote on the notepad again.
Craig - teleportation.
Ethan - water manip.
My friends.
Pack. Now.
Andy frowned again but nodded slowly. He wrote again on the paper: they're listening?
Ry nodded firmly.
"Okay, I think I got the speakers working again. Try now," Andy said, already heading towards the doorway to find his wife and children, folding Ichigo's artwork and putting it in his pocket.
"Can you hear us now, Andy?" Connor called.
"That's better. Great! I'll get the kids," Andy called over his shoulder. "Ichigo, Ichiko! Yuki, the laundry can wait. The speakers are working again. Kids, why don't you tell Uncle Con and Ryuu about your week at school?"
Ichigo and Ichiko were in front of the computer a moment later, talking over each other to get their attention.
"We can't hear you, kids. A little louder," Connor said with a grin.
Ichigo and Ichiko took Connor's words to heart and practically shouted. Depending on how they were being listened to, it would be a painful experience for the listener. Connor didn't regret a thing.
Fifteen minutes later, Ichigo and Ichiko were finally out of news, so Ryuu started answering their earlier questions. In the background, he could see Yuki packing the recently-folded laundry into a duffel bag. Andy was grabbing their photo albums and a selection of the kids' toys.
As Ry talked with the siblings, Connor wrote 'Hourglass?' on the notepad. Off-screen, Ry wiggled his hand in a 'sort of' motion, which only left Connor more confused than before.
Ry held his breath as he saw Craig and Ethan pop into the background, both wearing masks to disguise themselves. Beside him, Connor looked from the two teenagers to his son, who was pale and shaking. He grabbed Ryuu's hand and squeezed, but didn't know whether he was offering or asking for support. Ry squeezed his hand firmly in return and they both watched as Ichiko and Ichigo were quietly led over to their parents, the family of four and their hurriedly-packed belongings melted down in a second and added to Ethan's arm.
Craig gave a thumbs up to the computer, then grabbed Ethan's hand and they disappeared from sight without any further warning.
Connor ended the Skype call and closed his laptop lid. "How long until they're here, Ryuu?"
"Twenty minutes, maybe more."
"Good. You've got enough time to explain," Connor said, his voice firm and not allowing for any argument.
Ryuu nodded. Their phones went off with a text message, and Ry looked to his phone to see a text from Honey.
Come to the Hive.
...
Connor drove to the Hive in silence, uncertain how to ask Ry what was happening, or perhaps afraid of the answer. Ryuu fidgeted on the passenger seat beside him, spinning his phone in his hands.
The drive there was almost twenty minutes and Ry couldn't help but check his phone every few seconds, anxious to know if they'd arrived yet, if they were safe.
"We're here. You... just tell me you've thought about what you're doing, Ryuu, whether it's good or bad."
"I have, Papa. For, like, three weeks. It wasn't a spur of the moment decision," Ry promised.
Honey met them at the start of the path and led them down to the Hive, no one saying a word for the moment. Connor stopped short in the library doorway, seeing the trap door open wide and stairs leading down.
"This makes a lot more sense now," he murmured.
"There's more - " Ry said, reaching for his father's hand, only for Honey to grab his forearm.
"Not yet, sweetie. Four more minutes. Kitchen first," she said, leading them down the hallway to the kitchen where the others were waiting.
Grant and Jewel were pacing while Adam was tracking Craig's FitBit account. Layla and Warren were watching over his shoulder, and Zach was already stress cooking, pausing in whatever he was doing to listen to the updates as they were called out.
"They're in California," Adam called. "Two more shifts and they're home."
"Hey! Do the kids have a favourite food?" Zach asked on seeing Ryuu and Connor.
"Uh... yeah, they're both big on Italian. Spaghetti, pizza, that sort of thing. There was a wasabi incident when they were young and it traumatised Ichigo," Ry said, smiling at the memory briefly.
"I can make spaghetti," Zach said with a firm nod.
"I'll make pizza bases for later," Warren said, squeezing Layla's shoulder gently as he moved over to the kitchen.
"Sarah, it's me. That thing I asked you to buy, how much longer until the sale is finalised?" Honey asked.
"Which thing, Honey? You've asked me to buy a lot of things in the last week alone," Sarah said pointedly.
"Turnpike Road."
"Oh, right. Five days. Do you need more time?"
"No, I need it sooner. Can you offer an extra ten to get it in... hmm, two days?"
"All right. You're sure?"
"Yes, positive. I've got to go. Text me their response, okay?"
"Sure thing," Sarah replied to the dial tone.
"Final shift," Adam called, Donny clearing the area between the kitchen and dining room so Craig could shift safely.
There was no warning: first there was empty space and then Craig and Ethan appeared out of nowhere. Honey grabbed Craig as Donny grabbed Ethan's shoulders, steadying them.
"Wendy, buckets!" Donny said.
"I hate you," she groaned, holding out two buckets to them.
Craig and Ethan both retched and didn't answer.
"Eth! Are you okay?" Zach asked, hurrying over to rub his boyfriend's back gently.
It was a long minute before either Craig or Ethan could answer their friends' questions and concerns. Honey guided them over to the chairs and Adam set glasses of water in front of them. Ethan was trembling and Craig was so pale his freckles had disappeared. Wendy put the buckets outside and set the hose on them, looking vaguely nauseous herself. By the time she returned, Craig and Ethan had finished three glasses each and looked a little steadier.
"Let me unmelt them. Stand back; I have to do them one at a time; I feel too nauseous to do them all at once," Ethan said.
"Andy first," Ry said, Ethan nodding briefly.
Andy was in front of them a moment later, swaying as though he wanted to collapse. Yuki was next, her eyes wide and skin green from the nauseating trip. Ichiko and Ichigo were next, both children clinging to their parents, shocked and scared.
"Hey, kids. You're even taller in person," Connor said, smiling at them broadly, his worried gaze turning to Andy and Yuki as the siblings ran forward in excitement at seeing their Uncle Con and Ryuu.
"I never want to travel that way ever again. I now know what toothpaste feels like," Ethan said with a soft groan as he sat beside Craig again.
"Totally worth it, though," Craig said, smiling tiredly at the children's chatter and Ry's expression of relief.
"Very true," Ethan said, smiling and trembling from using his power and travelling via teleportation nine times in the last hour.
"We can take their belongings into the library," Robin offered.
"Lower Hive; we'll come with you. Zach, Warren, call us when the food's ready?" Honey asked, getting nods in return. Honey smiled and led the others through the Hive and down the trap door. "The lower Hive is a necessity since Connor and Ry will be investigated when the agents realise Andy, Yuki, Ichigo, and Ichiko have literally disappeared. You left Skype open, so they'll see the most recent calls," she added in explanation.
Andy and Yuki looked to Connor and Ry, Ichigo and Ichiko talking excitedly and not realising what was happening.
"We'll be fine, Andy. Nothing we haven't dealt with before," Connor added.
Ryuu nodded firmly, squeezing his father's hand.
"You'll only be here for a few days. I'm in the middle of purchasing a laundromat with a three-bedroom apartment above it. When the deal is finalised, you can move in and get the kids set for home-schooling. Sky High won't be possible unless you want to be found; they've put a mark on powers like your children's, so anyone newly enrolled with similar powers will either be investigated or taken away completely and - "
"Hey, breathe. It's okay, Hourglass, they'll home-school the kids," Connor said, setting a hand on her shoulder gently.
"I know. Thank you," she murmured, breathing deeply.
Andy and Yuki realised that they were with Hourglass and stared at her in shock and awe.
"What's down here?" Ichigo asked.
"Can we go exploring?" Ichiko asked, her brother nodding in excitement.
"Is it all right?" Andy asked, looking from Connor to Honey.
"Layla, close a few rooms, please?"
Realising that Honey was probably referring to the training arena and the room leading to the underground tunnels, Layla nodded and concentrated, trees blocking the doorways completely.
"Done. Craig, do you want to show them around?" Layla offered.
"Sure. Do you like popcorn?" Craig asked, grinning when the siblings started talking and then arguing about the best popcorn flavours.
"We'll go with them," Jewel said, Grant looking concerned about Craig as they followed after them.
"Ugh, I'd better make sure they stick to the safe areas," Adam muttered, following.
"Safe areas?" Yuki asked in alarm, looking to the tunnel around them as though it would collapse.
"I believe he is referring to the areas where they are not allowed to make out. Adam has sanitised everything down here and does not want to do it again," Ethan added.
"Wait, what?" Connor asked in confusion.
"They're very horny teenagers, Papa. No one wants to see that," Ry said, snickering.
Donny shuddered as he caught various images of the trio. "Elephants, goddamn it."
"Let me show you where you'll be staying for the next few days," Honey said, continuing through the tunnel towards the connected rooms.
Yuki held Andy's hand tightly as they were led through the lower Hive to rooms, her grip lessening when she saw the room with proper beds, drawers, and an adjoining room with bunk beds for Ichigo and Ichiko. It would have looked like a hotel, if not for the fact they were underground and had no windows.
"If you find you have forgotten anything or need something else, please let me know. You are the first family we have had down here, so I would be curious to know what else is required," Ethan added.
"We're too far underground to get wifi; it's good and bad since it stops other signals finding us so far down, but it'd be nice to use the Internet every now and then," Terrence said.
"The movie collection makes up for it, and the room across the hallway has toys and board games, as well as a selection of books," Layla said.
"Ma, Pa! Come quick!"
Andy and Yuki had already started running towards the sound of Ichigo's voice before he'd finished speaking.
"They've got a real popcorn machine!" Ichiko called excitedly.
Stopping short in the entertainment room's doorway, Andy and Yuki both felt somewhat embarrassed at their response, but neither regretted it. Their children's safety came first.
Craig grinned at them from the lounge, Grant showing the siblings how to make popcorn, and Jewel taking a selection of animated DVDs from the collection to demonstrate the projector.
"How do you get it to show clearly on the rock wall?" Yuki asked curiously.
Craig pressed a button on a remote and a large white screen descended slowly from the roof. "Don't worry, all of the remotes are labelled. The DVDs are - uh, were - in alphabetical order," he amended, seeing the stack next to Jewel.
"Lunch is ready!" Zach's voice echoed through the lower Hive.
"Super Jesus, that scared the shit out of me!" Jewel muttered.
"You and me both," Yuki said. "Come on, kids."
"You can have popcorn after lunch," Andy said when the two children looked to the popcorn machine in disappointment.
"Don't worry, there's a button to keep it warm," Grant said. "It'll taste just as fresh when we come back," he added.
"Zach made spaghetti," Craig cajoled.
Ichiko and Ichigo looked at each other and ran from the room, racing each other upstairs to the Hive.
"We'll have to continue the tour later; there's bathrooms and a laundry room down here, too," Honey added. "Clearly labelled, just like the remotes."
Andy and Yuki waited until they were upstairs and everyone was eating to start asking their questions.
"Why are you doing this?"
"What is this place?"
"How many people have you done this for?"
"Why us?"
"Where are we?"
"Who are you?"
"What will we do here?"
"Can we ever go back?"
"What about our jobs, our friends?"
Ichiko slurped her spaghetti, while beside her, Ichigo watched the questions between their parents back and forth like a tennis match.
"Andy, Yuki, breathe," Connor said, resting a hand on Andy's gently.
Andy's chest heaved, a panic attack looming, and he forced himself to breathe calmly and eat.
"Did you get all of their questions?" Layla asked Ethan, who had started typing them on his phone when he realised they weren't stopping anytime soon.
"I believe so," he said, passing his phone to her and Warren. "The spaghetti tastes great, Zach. Did you make the pasta yourself?" Ethan asked, twirling strands onto his fork.
"Yep! Warren has a pasta machine. I'm going to try ravioli next, if I can get some spinach, Lay?"
"It's in the garden. It'll be ready in five minutes."
"Awesome, thanks!"
Layla smiled at him warmly and beside her, Warren finished reading the typed questions, passing the phone to her.
"We'll answer your questions once we've finished eating, if you don't mind? We all need to keep our energy up," Warren said, serving more spaghetti on Ethan and Craig's plates.
"All right," Yuki said with a nod. Though she still looked worried, her expression softened when she saw her children talking with Ry happily between long slurps of spaghetti.
Eventually, everyone finished eating and the table was cleared of dishes. Ichigo and Ichiko both stopped talking, feeling the tension around the table, and watched the teenagers and adults.
"All right, we'll answer your questions now," Layla said with a smile.
Across the table, Ryuu clutched his father's hand and hoped that everything would work out okay. He couldn't live with himself if Andy and Yuki hated him and took the kids away, or if they would resent him for taking them away from everything they knew and loved. He had done this for them, certainly, but he'd also selfishly done it for himself. Ryuu had so few friends that he couldn't bear to see the ones he did have hurt or, worse, dead.
Connor squeezed his hand gently and Ryuu let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding.
Even if they all hated him for what he'd done, he couldn't bring himself to regret his decision and choice. They were alive and safe; that had to be better than the alternative. Eventually, they'd come to see that, too.
...
End of the hundred and first chapter.
