"Is the possibility for the Garrison still an option?" Keith asked a week later as Shiro drove him home from their third get-together.

"Not sure, Keith." Shiro admitted, pulling to a stop as the light before him switched from orange to red. "That week was the week where the public school children could apply. I'll do my best, but I'm not sure how it'll work out. Now that the 'Public Week' is over, you'd have to take more tests."

"More simulator tests? I think I can handle that."

"That's only some of the many things we'd have to do. You'd have to get blood drawn to get tested for sicknesses that would effect flying, have to get your Guardians' signatures, an emergency contact, and collect five letters of recommendation. That's only a few of the things you'd have to jump through. I'd vouch for you, of course, and I'll do as much as I can to help you, Keith, but…"

"Do it." Keith ordered. "I don't care what it takes; I want to do it."

"Keith, I'll gladly give you a letter of recommendation, and I bet that I can get my roommates to, as well. You'd still need to get two other letters, though. You'll need to convince the Universes to sign a few papers, do you have an emergency contact?"

"No."

"Alright. I'LL be your emergency contact." Shiro suggested, then decided that he might as well break the good mood. "I'm afraid you'll have to leave your knives someplace safe."

"What about my shack?"

"That's good. Just make sure they're somewhere secure in case somebody had the bright idea to wander out twenty miles, and break into your shack."

"Alright." Keith nodded, but fell silent. He still didn't trust Shiro completely, and had only opened up to him once about the whole 'demon' kid. They both never brought it up, and Keith pretended it never happened.

"So." Shiro said as they pulled up to the Universe's house. "Friday sound good?"

"No. I'm busy with sword training." "Saturday?"

"Yeah. Fine." Keith shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked up the stairs to the Universe's house. He turned around, nodding sharply, and smiled weakly. "See ya around."

"See you, Keith." Shiro raised one hand in a farewell, and Keith hesitantly raised his in return.

He watched as Shiro climbed into his car, starting up the engine, and headed into the road.

Keith dropped his waving hand, entering the house silently. "I'm hoooome!" He called, pulling off his jacket as he headed for his room.

"Welcome home!" Connie called from the kitchen, leaning out of the room to wave. "The two new kids will be arriving at anytime, will you please show them around?"

"Whatever." Keith answered absent-mindedly, closing the door behind him as he tossed his satchel bag onto his bed and hung his coat up on a peg above his bed frame.

Truth was, he wanted to join the Garrison for more then one reason. Of course, the Universes annoyed him with their over cheerfulness, but, also, Connie was pregnant with a baby boy, and thus would overtax the house with children, and Keith was a kid who needed space. Keith had also decided that his chances at finding a good house that would pay for his education were out the window, so the best he could do was have a dorm at the Galaxy Garrison and work part-time at different places to earn his tuition. Keith glanced at the newly added bunk-bed in his room that would serve as a bed for the two newest foster kids, Toby Dumzolski and Adrien Agrest. Yes, this house WAS getting crowded.

Keith sighed as he heard a knock on the front door, and he rapidly shoved his favorite knife under his pillow, sticking a few dozen throwing knives into his jacket's inside pocket, and stored the rest of them in a chest, which he promptly shoved onto the far corner of his bed with his neatly folded up clothes. Grabbing the target, he shoved it under his bed, and dusted himself off.

"Keith, they're here! Come on over!" Connie called, and he exited his room, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Toby, Adrien, this is Keith. You'll be sharing his room."

"Hi." Toby waved nervously.

"Hello." Adrien nodded, shyly blinking as he glanced around the house.

"Adrein's mother died to a car crash, and his father his abusive." Connie whispered to Keith, leaning over. "And Toby's father left him, and his mother is in the hospital. So be nice to them." Then, drawing away, she smiled at the two children. "I hope you enjoy your stay here. Keith, how about you show them around, and then wash up for dinner."

"Com'n." Keith gestured to them, leading them to their room. "This is our room. Toby, Adrien, the bunk bed is yours. The twin bed his mine."

"Okay." Both responded, then glanced at the dresser.

"Which drawers do we get?" Toby asked politely.

"Divide them between yourselves. I don't care." Keith shrugged.

"What about your drawers?" Inquired Adrien.

"I store everything elsewhere. You guys basically have the whole room to yourselves, in fact, there's only one rule."

"Yeah?"

"What?"

"The sector with my bed in it is the only place you cannot go into. My property is from where the bed sits all the way to the ceiling. You're not aloud to touch it."

"Okay. Hey, just out of curiosity, what happened to your parents?" Adrien asked, blinking at him.

Keith felt his stomach clench, and his fingers balled into fists. "Okay, one more rule," he hissed, his eye flashing.

Both boys yelped, staring at him with a mixture of fear and curiousity.

"Never. Speak. About. MY. PARENTS!" Keith glared, swinging his fist into the wall.

Both boys stared at the wall as it broke, cracks running from where Keith's fist lay.

"Dude." Adrien stared.

"Bro." Toby gapped. "What was up with your eyes?!"

"How are you so strong?!"

Keith glanced at the wall. "Can you two just buzz off?" He demanded, before gently running his fingers along the cracks, biting his lip. "Whoops."

"That was unbelievably wicked." Toby stared.

"Ugh, will you just shut the frick up?!" Keith growled. "Stop asking me personal questions."

"Understood." The other two boys nodded, Keith grunted.

"Let's get this tour over with." He deadpanned, leading the way down the hall. "Bathroom." Keith nodded towards the door. "That's Rose and Candace's room, that's the master bedroom, kitchen, laundry room…"

"Okay, kids! Wash up and come to dinner!" Connie called suddenly, and Keith instantly rushed the two boys to the nearest bathroom.

"Wash your hands, quickly!" He ordered. "The girls are vile, killing machines. If they got here first, they would take forever to wash up, and if they get here before you're done, they'll plead with you forever to hurry up!"

That was enough to get the boys into action, and they hurriedly sped through the motions.

Then they headed to dinner, relieved that they had completed their task before the girls had arrived. Keith sighed as he trailed after them, closing the door behind him as he stared in shock at his hands. Did he really just make a wall…crack? With one fist? His sickness was getting stronger. In some ways, quite literally.