After the incident at Ozzie's, Kore and Striker talk things out and things do happen.

Vol 11: Ozzie's Part 2

"Striker, what's wrong?" Kore asked.

"Oh, Kore, it's about…" Striker sniffled with a sob. "It's about my parents."

Kore gasped. "Your parents? Were they mean or were they loving?"

Still sobbing, Striker showed her his phone.

Kore looked at the photo of her husband's parents. "Oh, you must've had a happy childhood with them."

"Yeah, but as far as I know, I think they're gone." Then he remembered something. "My parents enjoyed seeing you when we were together."

Now, all this came back to Kore. "Oh, that's right and my parents accepted you."

"Seth looks just like me and I don't want to lose him like I lost my parents."

"You won't. Not while I'm here."

A tear trickled down Striker's cheek. "I won't?"

"He's got your good looks."

This put a smile on his face as he wiped a tear from his cheek. "Thank you and your horns."

"That's true. He's got both of us in him."

Meanwhile, two figures went into Seth's room to check on Dexter who was next to Seth.

"Aww, they're so cute togethers," Tara said sweetly.

"They are," Samantha agreed, smiling warmly at their sleeping forms.

Tara closed the window they came through.

As the girls checked on the boys, the girls listened in to Striker's conversation with Kore.

"His parents died?" Tara gasped.

"Maybe so, but that was no excuse for how he treated us back at the Festival."

"That may be true, but from what I'm hearing, he doesn't want to lose Seth like he lost his parents."

For once, Samantha agreed after what they heard from Asmodeus that Striker quit working for an overlord. "I'll admit I felt bad for him when he was bitched at on the phone."

"Me, too."

"His song against Ozzie and Fizzarolli was impressive, I'll admit."

"Yeah, I'm glad it was not about Moxxie for once."

Samantha nodded. "Same."

"Seth has a little bit of Kore and Striker in him."

"I can tell," Samantha said, sitting on the bed, smiling at Seth and Dexter, "He has his father's looks and his mom's horns and he has both their personalities in them."

Tara nodded. "Exactly."

"Well, I'm going to go check on Seth and Dexter," said Kore as she got off the bed.

"Sounds good, Kore," Striker told her.

Kore made her way to Seth's room and found Seth and Dexter sleeping together in the same bed.

In Striker's and Kore's bedroom, Striker heard an object being set down. Before he could find out the source of the sound, whoever set down the said object must've left. He got up to see what it was. It was a cup and next to it was a note on top of a dresser. The note read:

Dear Striker,

I am very sorry for what happened to your parents, but I've learned that you have been getting better with your friends and family. I had no idea. I made you something to help you forget about Ozzie's.

Striker took the cup by the handle and took a sip of his drink. After taking a sip of it, he set it back down and yawned. He returned to the bed and started to lie down. Then he closed his eyes and nodded off.

Kore came back from Seth's room, only to see her husband, fast asleep.

"Striker?" she gasped.

"Kore, it's okay," a familiar voice said.

Kore turned to see who it was. "Samantha? What happened?"

"I gave him chamomile to help him rest and forget about what happened at Ozzie's."

Kore stroked Striker's hair lovingly.

Samantha handed her a note she had written and Kore carefully read it.

"You mean you overheard my conversation with Striker?"

"Not just me," Samantha replied.

"I did, too," a sweet voice added.

Kore gasped again. "Tara?!"

"Yeah, we had no idea that Striker was improving his relationship with you and your son until we heard about Striker's dead parents," Tara answered.

Kore looked at her sleeping husband and heard him breathing coupled in with a little snoring. She just smiled with relief.

"I told Striker my backstory a month ago," said Samantha, "It was when I was still alive."

"So, what happened when you were alive?" Kore asked curiously.

"I had an ex-boyfriend. We dated until I saw him belittle a defenseless little girl." Tara gasped, remembering her telling her and Dexter that story.

"So, Striker reminded you of your ex?"

"Yes, Kore, but my ex was trying to beat her."

Kore nodded and let her continue, "I couldn't let him continue this, so I stood in front of her and just as he was about to shoot me, I dodged his bullet, which ricocheted and hit him in the face. I comforted the poor girl until I heard men talking and told her to run. She did and I ran after her and suddenly, I was shot in the leg."

"Ouch!"

"Yeah. The girl was saved and the men that were after us were arrested. I was taken to the hospital, but by the time I was there, I died and ended up in Hell."

"Reminds me of Mrs. Mayberry, except you didn't kill yourself."

"Who is Mrs. Mayberry?"

"Our client Blitz told us about. She caught her husband cheating on her with that cannibalistic and satanist whore, so she shot him, but she regretted it. So, she shot herself in front of her students."

"Yikes!" Tara and Samantha gasped, feeling bad for the poor teacher.

"She deserved better," said Tara.

"Right? But Moxxie and I offed that bitch she wanted killed."

"Mom?" a young voice said.

"Honey, what are you and Dexter doing up?" Kore asked, surprised to see the two children awake.

"Dexy, did we wake you up?" Samantha asked Dexter. "We're sorry." She picked him up and hugged him.

He whimpered a bit until he felt a hand touch his ears.

"It's okay, sweet little Dexy."

Dexter then whimpered happily and wagged his tail.

Seth gasped, upon seeing his father asleep. "Dad?"

"Don't worry, he's sleeping," Samantha assured him.

Then Seth heard snoring and breathing and he sighed in relief.

Kore kissed Striker on the cheek, but he didn't stir.

So Samantha crawled into bed and kissed his other cheek.

Striker slowly opened his eyes and saw everyone in the room, including…

"Samantha?"

"Yes, it's me, Striker. I'm sorry for what happened to your parents and I gave you a cup of chamomile to help you forget about what happened at Ozzie's."

"Oh?"

"Samantha and Tara told me, themselves."

"Dad, you're okay!" Seth went over to his father and hugged him.

"Yes, I'm back, my buckaroo!" Striker patted his son's back, returning the hug.

"Aww!" Samantha, Tara, and Dexter said, finding the scene cute and Dexter wagged his tail.

"Oh, by the way, Samantha, I read the letter," Striker told her, "And I'm sorry, too."

"It's alright. All is forgiven," said Tara.

"Striker, I miss my parents, too," Kore told Striker.

"I miss Grandma and Grandpa, too," Seth confessed.

"We haven't seen them in a while," said Striker, "We need to see them sometime soon."

"Oh, and Samantha and I heard how Seth has his daddy's good looks and your horns, Kore," said Tara.

"Yep, and we both have our human forms, which I inherited from my parents," said Kore.

Striker yawned. "Would you look at the time?"

Seth went to his father's side of the bed and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, buddy."

Then Seth moved on to his mother's side of the bed and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, sweetie."

The impling and Dexter returned to the former's room and settled in for the rest of the night.

"Samantha. Tara. We have a guest bedroom," Kore told Samantha and Tara. "It's on the right of Striker's and my room. You won't miss it."

"Okay, sounds good," replied Samantha as she and Tara made their way out of the room. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Kore turned off the lamp and cuddled with her now sleeping husband.

Outside the bedroom, Samantha was able to find the guest bedroom Kore told her about with her green, glowing cat green eyes.

The bedroom had beige wallpaper, light brown pillows, a cream colored blanket on the bed, and a pale brown carpet.

"The room looks nice," Tara said thoughtfully.

"It sure does," Samantha agreed.

When the two got to the bed, Samantha and Tara removed the bedsheets from the pillows, so they could scoot themselves into the bed. Once they did, they crawled into bed and tucked themselves in.

The bed itself felt warm and soft. As were the pillows since they were squishy. Within a few minutes, Samantha and Tara were sound asleep.

…

The next morning, at around 10 AM, Striker woke up to the familiar smell of breakfast. It had a sweet smell to it, so he got out of bed to find out what it was.

He entered the kitchen to see his wife making breakfast.

"Morning, Striker," she said, flipping flapjacks.

"Morning, Kore."

"I made you coffee."

Striker made his way to the coffee maker and picked up his mug. "Thank you." He sat at a table and sipped his coffee.

In Seth's room, an impling rubbed his eyes and smelled something familiar. "Dex, do you smell that?"

A hellhound pup opened his eyes and sniffed the air. "Yeah."

"That's my mom making breakfast."

The two scrambled out of bed and raced to the kitchen.

Striker was reading the newspaper when he heard footsteps. He stopped to see what it was. "Oh, good morning, kids."

"Good morning, Dad," Seth replied.

"Morning, Striker."

Kore set down a plate full of pancakes for everyone to grab. So they each grabbed their own plate.

"I'll make bacon and scrambled eggs," Striker told her and he smooched her in the cheek.

She kissed him back as a "thank you".

"Oh, and I'll take over on making pancakes because you've done a lot." Striker winked at her.

Kore blushed a bit, making her white hearts glow a slight pink.

Striker opened the fridge to get bacon and eggs and closed the fridge when he had the items he needed. He sprayed the pam on the pan and poured some pancake mix onto it. Next, he placed the bacon onto another pan, letting them sizzle. Then, he flipped the pancakes one by one. Once he flipped both sides, he put them on a plate.

Suddenly, two women entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, girls," said Kore.

"Good morning, Kore," replied Samantha and Tara.

"How was the guest bedroom?"

"It was warm and soft," said Tara.

"I can concur," Samantha agreed.

"What does 'concur' mean?" Dexter asked.

"It means 'I agree'," Samantha told him.

Striker kept watch on the bacon and flipped them over.

"Oh, Striker, honey, I'll make the eggs," Kore said, "Because you have your eyes on the bacon."

"Are you sure?" Striker asked.

"I insist." With that, Kore got out a gallon of milk and a bag of shredded cheese out of the fridge and closed the door.

She grabbed a bowl from a cabinet and cracked two eggs into a bowl. Next, she poured three tablespoons of milk. Then, she got out a pepper shaker from the pantry and sprinkled pepper onto the eggs. Finally, she whisked the ingredients with a fork.

She wiped the pan that had pancakes on it with a paper towel and she turned the stove back on and sprayed it with pam. She then poured the ingredients into the pan.

Striker grabbed a paper towel and placed it on the plate, so he could place the bacon on it and get some grease from the bacon.

Once the scrambled eggs were fluffy enough, Kore sprinkled shredded cheese on them and turned the stove off, so she could cover the cheese like it was an omelet. She used her spatula to cut the ingredients into bits and pieces. Finally, she announced, "The scrambled eggs are done!"

Soon, everyone gathered to get some scrambled eggs and bacon to go with their pancakes and finally, everyone at the table ate in peace, enjoying their quiet morning.

AN: I saw a video that part two of Ozzie's might be releasing, although Vivziepop and her crew are currently working on season 2 of Helluva Boss, but for now, this will be the second part of Ozzie's for this story and the end of the first season for A Cowboy's Wife and Son. Stay tuned for season 2 of A Cowboy's Wife and Son.