The cell door opened and Gilbert entered with what Emil figured was his breakfast. Emil didn't bother to sit up or look at the other albino, hopping that the guy would get the message and leave.

"Your guys hired Ludwig and he got Lukas a visit with you later today." Gilbert said, putting the tray down and sitting down on the ground next to the cot.

"Who's Ludwig?" Emil asked.

"My brother. He's a crimminal defense lawyer." Gilbert said, "Funny, huh? I'm a detective and try to put people in jail and he tries to keep them out of it."

"I don't want to imagine what your dinner conversations must be like." Emil said blandly, "What do you want?"

Gilbert chuckled, "What? Am I not allowed to chat with a friend of a friend?"

"I'm not Mathias's friend."

Gilbert shot Emil an evil grin, "He said you'd say that."

"Go away."

"No. I was told to update you on your current situation."

Emil couldn't help but glance at Gilbert. He sat up and looked at the breakfast without enthusiasm, "I'm listening."

"Your guys kidnapped Peter."

Emil choked, "What? Why don't go prove to Arthur I'm part of the North? Are they seriously going to make this a 'give back my little brother and I'll give back yours'? That's ridiculous! They don't think I can handle this! They think I'm going to crack! They should have waited and-"

"Yo! Slow down! They don't think that!" Gilbert interrupted quickly, "Lukas said that Arthur already believes you're guilty and, nothing you do is going to change his mind. They don't see the point of leaving you in here any longer than necessary and Arthur has no intention of letting you out."

Emil glared at Gilbert.

"Hey! Don't hate the messenger!" Gilbert whined, "Lukas's visit with you will be supervised, so he won't be able to talk to you openly."

"And where is Mr. Kirkland? Why isn't he supervising you?" Emil snapped, "It's not like he trusts you!"

Gilbert shrugged, "He hasn't come in yet. It's not like his to be late, but with Peter missing, it isn't surprising."

Emil glared at his breakfast. The North kidnapped Peter.

Lukas leaned over and looked over the building blueprint. There was a red X on one room. There was a note at the bottom.

We want the child. We will pay 300,000.

Lukas and Emil looked over the crumpled paper and Lukas sighed, "We don't do kidnappings."

"That's a lot of money."

Lukas straightened and started to pace again. Emil watched him go back and forth. A cold dread filling him with each step.

Mathias entered, he took one look at the paper and crumpled it up again with a dark laugh, "Who do they think we are? We don't do kidnappings."

"It's a lot."

"We don't do kidnappings." Mathias said again, he walked carefully to the fridge and got himself another beer, "That's final."

The North had kidnapped Peter. For Emil. To protect Emil. Because Arthur already knew. Because Emil had given himself away.

What did they think he was some child who needed protecting? Arthur could know, but if he had no evidence, then there was no problem, right? They overstepped their boundaries! Emil could take care of himself! Emil wasn't going to crack!

Arthur already knew. Emil had already failed. Emil was the North's weak link. They kidnapped Peter. For Emil.

Emil could feel his eyes welling up with tears again. It wasn't fair. Why was this happening? People did what they had to in order to get by. Stealing was how they survived. They didn't deserve this. Emil had forced them, his friends, his family, to do something truly cruel. Kidnapping. To take Peter from his friends and family. All for Emil.

Emil was the weak link.

Emil hadn't even noticed Gilbert had moved until the man was hugging him. Gilbert hugged Emil and was silent as Emil cried.

"It's going to be okay." Gilbert said softly, there was something brotherly about Gilbert, something that reminded Emil of Lukas, "Life just sucks sometimes, but it's going to be okay."

"We done for." Emil choked out between sobs, "We're done."

"No you're not. You'll be fine."

Emil pushed Gilbert away and glared at him through his tears, "You're right! I will! I will be fine! I know I will because they are idiots and are going to do something stupid and I'm going to loose them!"

Gilbert just stared at Emil for a moment then smiled gently, "Nah, they know how to take care of themselves. They're the best. Don't worry about them, they will handle everything."

"Thats it! That's the problem!" Emil's voice was high, on the verge of screeching, and tears streamed down his face, "They will handle everything! They always handle everything! What about me? What am I supposed to do when they're locked up?"

"It won't come to that." Gilbert said, shaking his head, "It won't, Ludwig will make sure of that."

Emil just stared at Gilbert. He wanted to believe him. Emil really wanted to believe that everything was going to be alright. He just couldn't.

The door swung open and both albinos jumped and looked at the newcomer. Vash looked at them impassibly. Silence stretched and Emil wiped his cheeks.

"Gilbert, Arthur lost the case. It's being given to your team." Vash said then turned on heels and left.

Emil stared at the empty doorway the turned slowly and looked at Gilbert, his new enemy. Gilbert's eyes were fixed on the floor. They both knew things were different now, Emil just wasn't sure how different or if it was a good thing.

"Everything is going to be okay, right?" Emil asked softly, hoping Gilbert was still on his side.

Gilbert looked up, his face unreadable. He studied Emil then stood and started toward the door, "We'll see, won't we?" The cell door swung closed.

Arthur came out of the boss's office and looked at the group of people who had assembled there. Arthur blinked. His whole team stood there, looking upset and angry. Francis's team was also there, looking please, except Gilbert, who looked rather conflicted.

"What?" Arthur asked, looking at them.

"We lost the case." Alfred said numbly.

Where did they get that idea? Okay, they had come close to loosing the case, but Arthur could be surprisingly persuasive when he wanted to be. Arthur couldn't help but smile. That's what all of this was about? He shook his head, "No we didn't."

"But Francis said you were called to the boss as soon as you got here!" Alfred said, concern still etched in his face, "Why else would you be called?"

Arthur smirked, "The North case is being given top priority since the kidnapping and we have the whole department at our disposal."

The grin fell from Francis's face. Arthur couldn't help but feel some satisfaction at that. His own team gave a collective sigh of relief and all turned to head back to their office. Francis frowned.

"Is that all they wanted to tell you?" Francis asked.

"No." Arthur said and walked past Francis and after his team. He wasn't about to give Francis the satisfaction of knowing they had tried to take the case from him. He had only just convinced them to let him keep it, but Francis didn't need to know that.

"Arthur-" Francis started, but Arthur kept walking.

"Sorry, I've got to prepare for Lukas's visit!" Arthur called over his shoulder, "Talk to you later!"

The moment Arthur got to his office, his team looked at him expectantly. They knew that things were different now.

"Vash, track down every single person Emil has regular contact with and get me a list." Arthur said, walking over to his desk, "Alfred, put the other case on pause and you and Gilbert go get all of Emil's absence records from the school. I also want grades and any behavior or health reports. Kiku, you and Vash are going to go start talking to the people on the list that Vash makes."

"What are you going to do?" Alfred asked.

Arthur smiled, "Lukas has a visit today, so I need to be present for that, but his lawyer will be there too. Also, I need to talk with Vlad some more."

Alfred nodded and the team got to work. Arthur pulled out the report for his first talk with Vlad and glanced through it.

"Arthur?"

Arthur jumped and looked up at Vash; he hadn't even noticed him come over, "Yes?"

Vash frowned, "You are taking this rather well."

"Pardon?"

"Peter being taken."

Arthur's face must have fallen for a second, because Vash gave a small nod. Arthur swallowed and turned back to his work, "Don't worry about it. Get that list."

"We're all here for you." Vash said, then turned and went back to his desk.

Arthur stared at the report and shook his head. He wished he could turn to his team. Even if the radio conversations with the North had been scripted, the North had known about Arthur having called out the police to help him. The North did have a mole. A mole in Arthur's team. He was alone among the people he had thought would always have his back. He couldn't trust any of them.

Arthur led Lukas and his lawyer to the room where Emil was. Emil sat waiting and stood the moment that Lukas entered the room. The two brothers just looked at each other, then Emil surged forward and embraced Lukas. Lukas was stunned a moment before returning the hug.

The two brothers had a striking resemblance. Emil was practically a small, white haired Lukas. When they finally sat down, Arthur stood behind Emil and Lukas's lawyer stood behind Lukas.

"Are they treating you well?" Lukas asked, giving Arthur a cold look, "Are you doing okay?"

"Yes." Emil said, "No complaints."

"We'll have you out of here soon, I promise."

"Thanks."

"Everyone wanted to talk to you, but I was the only one allowed in." Lukas pulled a smart phone out his pocket and turned it on, "We set up a web chat last night."

Lukas put the phone between them and Emil leaned over.

"Hey! Emilly! How you doing?"

Arthur couldn't see the screen, but he saw Emil smile for the first time since he had met the boy.

"I'm okay. You guys aren't mad, are you?" Emil said, his voice more emotional then Arthur had heard it.

"Hey! Give me the phone!"

"No! Give it back!"

"Hi Emil! When you get out, you owe us a huge explanation!"

"Yeah, sorry guys." Emil said softy, "Don't do anything stupid without me, okay?"

"Us? Do something stupid? What are you talking about?"

"Listen, I'm going on vacation for a while, so you probably won't see me when you get out."

"Oh?" Emil said, "Okay."

Arthur glanced at Lukas's lawyer. They guy had an excellent poker face.

"Emil? We aren't mad, just worried. Come home soon, okay?"

"Yeah! Get your butt back here!"

Emil nodded.

"You don't need to stress out, okay? Everything is going to be okay."

Emil nodded.

"Don't look like that! It'll be fine! I promise! We all promise!"

"I promise!"

"Promise."

Emil nodded, "Okay. I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it!"

"Hey, I've got to go to work now."

"Yeah, talk to you again soon!"

Lukas leaned forward and took the phone. "See, everyone's okay."

Emil continued staring at the place where the phone had been and he nodded yet again. "Do you have to go too?"

Lukas gave a small sigh, "Yes."

As Arthur lead Lukas and his lawyer into the hallway and closed the door, Emil watched them with wide, childish eyes. Arthur didn't want to think about what the kid was going through.

"Lukas? Would you mind talking to me for a while?" Arthur asked politely, "I have a few things I'd like to ask you."

Lukas glanced at his watch, "I'll have to leave for work in twenty minutes."

"I'll try not to take that long." Arthur lead them to a room similar to where he had questioned Emil the day previously and sat down, "To start out, where do you work?"

"I'm a guard at the mall." Lukas said and sat down across from Arthur, his lawyer stationing himself behind his client.

"And are you able to comfortably support yourself and Emil with that?" Arthur asked.

"We get by. Our parents left us a considerable amount in their will." Lukas's face was perfectly blank, not unlike Kiku or Vash. However, there was an underlying hostility in Lukas. It was suddle and Arthur may have not noticed it if he hadn't been expecting it. All told, Lukas was handling things extremely well.

"Did you ever suspect Emil might be engaged in crimminal activity? Does he have any past of risky behavior?" Arthur asked.

"No, I still don't believe it." Lukas said.

"Do you have any past in any crimminal activity?"

"I used to graphiti trains." Lukas said, his face still blank.

Arthur nodded with a small smile, "Yes, my older brother did as well."

"I don't think that immediately condemns the younger sibling."

"Oh! No, of course not!"

"Are we done here?"

Arthur sighed, if Lukas didn't want to talk at this point, there wasn't much Arthur could do about that, "I suppose so. Thank you for your time."

Lukas stood and started for the door, then stopped, "I will sue this agency to get Emil back. He's innocent."

Arthur looked back at Lukas, the challenge in those eyes was unmistakable, "You work as a guard at the mall, I'm not sure how you would manage that."

Lukas's face grew hard, "I will do whatever it takes to get him back."

"Of course."

Lukas turned and looked at Arthur with that piercing gaze, "What would you have me do? What would you do to get your brother back?"

Arthur flinched, "I'm doing absolutely everything I can think of to get him back."

Lukas's eyes widened, the mask cracked and a look of confusion crossed his face, "Excuse me?"

"The North kidnapped my younger brother Peter."

A stream of conflicting emotions raced across Lukas's face; frustration, sympathy, anger, and his face softened, "I'm sorry."

Arthur shook his head. There was nothing he could say. He understood how Lukas felt, but at least Lukas knew where Emil was, who he was with, and could visit. At least Lukas knew Emil was safe.

"Do you really think Emil is apart of this?" Lukas's voice was tired, scared, and soft.

Arthur nodded, "I'm sorry."

I hope you're still liking this story, we are coming to the climax :)

As always, thanks to my reviewers! You guys are awesome!