One day, thirteen hours, and forty five minutes before Sententia.

FZZZAK!

"That thing makes me sick every time we ride it," Rumor moaned as she used the wall to support herself.

The fight had scared her terribly for more then one reason. First of all she hadn't managed to say a word. Now she was bruised and bleeding. She'd been living a normal life before she came back for the funeral. Now she didn't even have that anymore. When it mattered the most it appeared she couldn't deliver. She sighed miserably.

"I wish I could sympathize but we've got much bigger problems," Space said coolly, "including the fact that you froze back there."

Angry at having her thoughts voiced in such a condescending way she snapped;

"This isn't the easiest thing to jump back into, especially with flying garbage cans firing death rays and some freaky weird team that comes out of nowhere and- Diego!"

Kraken leaned against a table and irritably stretched out emergency bandages.

"I'm fine," he said.

It didn't take an expert in lying like Rumor to see that he wasn't. Blood was splattered all up and down his left side.

"Where's Vanya?" she asked.

"Put her upstairs," he grunted as he finished bandaging up his side, "I had to come down to find the medical cabinet."

"You know," said Space tersely, "maybe you wouldn't get your guts blown out if you didn't go running off on your own."

The medical tape pulled back with a snap. Séance squinted at Kraken's wound. It was obvious he was thinking about poking it. Rumor put a restraining hand on his arm.

"You're right," Kraken hissed, "Maybe if I followed you I wouldn't have to bleed it out…maybe I'd just get myself killed."

"Still mad at the world because father didn't love you?" Space shot back.

"HE DIDN'T LOVE ANY OF US!" Kraken shouted as he put his shirt back on, "But you're still trying to impress him after we just put him in the ground."

Rumor fought the urge to bash both of her brothers' heads together to get them to shut up. Kraken and Space hated each other but now wasn't the time. It was obvious to anyone but them. All she could do was stare in disbelief. Calmly Space replied;

"I guess you're right…he didn't love me. But I haven't spent my life pretending he did. Like you have with Vanya. Like you're still doing."

An angry and tense silence filled the room.

"What did you say?" Kraken growled.

"You heard me," said Space, "Just because you're sleeping with her doesn't mean-"

Spaceboy narrowly managed to avoid the knife thrown at him. Kraken launched himself from his spot and engaged in an all out pummeling brawl with his brother. Séance watched in amusement as blood splattered the floor, from old wounds and new.

"Take that back you son of a bitch!" snarled Kraken.

"Stop it!" Rumor yelled, trying to avoid using physical force to separate the two battling brothers.

"Why, so I can live a lie like you?" Space shot back.

"Fuck you you miserable ape!"

Stepping back Rumor took a deep breath before screaming at the top of her lungs. Everyone, including Séance, stopped and stared at her.

"Now that I have your attention," she hissed, "Will you all please stop trying to beat each other's brains out!"

"Siding with him," said Kraken as he wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, "Why am I not surprised?"

"I'm not on anyone's side-"

"Enough of your bullshit," he said as he walked up to her. Quietly he hissed at;

"My room was next to yours when we were kids. Do you really think that talking to your 'dearest Luther' in the mirror was such a great idea? The walls really do have ears in this house."

Rumor's face went pale. Kraken turned to Spaceboy;

"And you, you're just jealous that nobody's ever given a damn about a pathetic waste of space like you! That's why you're called Spaceboy!"

"Fine, don't believe me get your heart broken again," snapped Space, "That'll make you so much less bitter. But you can't say that I didn't warn you."

"So what, angry that I'm happy?" Kraken snarled, "What would you know about that? It's not like you've ever given a damn about anyone in your life."

He shot a meaningful look at Rumor before shouting;

"You get more like Hargreeves every day!"

Turning away from them Kraken stalked up the stairs, two at a time. They heard a door on the top floor slam shut, hard.

"That was not very nice."

Out of reflex Space drew his laser gun and fired an inch from where a dark silhouette stood. Clicking her tongue the woman walked up to them. She was dressed in a dark brown suit and skirt ensemble, probably Armani. In one of her arms she carried a briefcase.

"Neither was that."

"And you are?" Space asked suspiciously.

"Tsk tsk," the woman said, "You are so rude. I, however, will show proper etiquette. I am Georgiana Lockwood, but you can call me Georgiana. I am what you could call a…solicitor. You see, I was a friend of your father's."