Chapter Thirteen: Reunion

A/N: Between school, joining fandoms and going on writing tangents in them, and other nerdlike things, plus writer's block, this fic has been on the backburner. Fear not though, because I've managed to actually get this chapter done after months of rewriting it. Also, there are now basic chapter outlines until up to chapter 20 because look at me finally being halfway prepared as a writer. Updating still won't be consistent though, as I may go on hiatus myself once the school year starts. Fingers crossed, but it'll probably happen. Anyway, here's the next chapter, starting off with where we left off with Roman.

Roman took the seat next to his mother, taking her hand after Angie left, saying she'd get them food and come back. He took in her weary, heartbroken expression, laying her head on his shoulder. He took a deep breath.

"He's gonna be okay, mom. He is," he told her quietly. She sniffled, frowning.

"I know that, but I'm just worried that one of his injuries will be permanent. Wrestling means a lot to him, and it would crush him if he had to retire because of this." She felt her eyes begin to water, but she fought back the tears. "I am going to give him such an earful when he wakes up! He could've waited a night before coming to see us. He could've gotten someone from work to drive him home. He, he-" An angry sob.

"What're we gonna tell Rosey? He called last night wondering where we were. He's at Galina's house right now, but…" Patricia sighed.

"I'll go get him later. I'm not leaving until they tell us something," she stated firmly. As soon as she said that, a doctor, middle aged, tired, came up to them.

"The Anoa'is I presume?" he asked them. Patricia sat up quickly, hope evident in her eyes.

"How is he?" was the first thing to leave her mouth in response.

"He's not in critical condition anymore, though there were a few times we almost lost him." Roman let out a breath of relief, however small the relief was. "However, the list of injuries is extensive. Prior to the attack, Mr. Anoa'i had sustained a mild concussion, dislocated right arm, bruised left knee, and a sprained wrist prior to the attack. However…" He stopped, looking down at the clipboard in his hands and paling considerably. Roman would have none of it.

"You better not be withholding any information, doc, or you might have another problem on your hands." The doctor looked at him, annoyed, before continuing, nervously.

"The attacker used a small knife and lead pipe in their assault. He was stabbed in the dislocated arm and cut several times. They were all very shallow though, nothing life threatening. Then, from what police have discovered, a lead pipe was used to bruise a few ribs and his face, and knock him unconscious. He had a couple of internal injuries, but nothing overly life threatening. He lost quite a bit of blood. His condition is improving as we speak, however, so he should wake in a few days at most, perhaps a week if some complications arise." The two absorbed everything he told them, thinking.

"Can we see him?" Roman asked hopefully. The doctor looked at him sympathetically, smiling softly at him.

"We have to run a few more tests and check his vitals, but after that, yes. I'm sorry our staff was being difficult last night as well. Our celebrity policy states that any celebrity in the hospital is barred from having visitors unless they give the okay. It's more for their safety than anything else. We don't want rabid fans storming the patient's room after all."

"I… understand. I'm sorry for my behavior before. I thought I wasn't going to get to see him if something else happened."

"Forgive my staff for overreacting." He checked his phone, which vibrated from within his pocket. "They need me in his room. I'll send someone out when you can see him."

"Thank you," Patricia told him. He nodded politely to her and receded back to the patient's wing.

XxX

Bradley closed the door behind him and the three teens sat down on the worn couch on one side of the room. Dean sat next to Sylvia, pulling her into a one armed side hug, and Seth sat on Dean's other side. Bradley sat in the armchair across from them. He sighed, green eyes staring into the distance. He had hoped for the day when he could be with both his kids to come, but now he didn't know what to do. It'd been so long, he was afraid that he didn't even know them anymore. He probably didn't. They were kids when he left after all. He let out another sigh before he stood up and walked over to his two kids.

"Get over here," he practically weeped, crushing them in an embrace over 7 years late. The two accepted it gratefully and returned the gesture, Seth smiling gently at the heart melting sight. His brother would never allow that. It was a minute or two later when the three finally broke apart.

" *lets out a breath* Where do I even start?" Bradley asked, trying to get himself together. "I don't know what to ask first. I…" He looked to Dean. "How've you and your mom been, son?" Dean gulped, fingers tapping at his thigh absentmindedly.

"We've… we've been okay. Work hasn't been too horrible and school is bearable these days." He sent a quick grateful look Seth's way. "Mom is… adjusting to the news of you being back… For a few reasons."

"What do you mean 'for a few reasons?'" Sylvia asked him, the first hint of concern making its presence known in her voice.

"She… She's been through a lot of boyfriends in seven years, and now she's finally settled down with a guy. They've been together for… about two years, maybe a little less, and she really likes the guy." Dean's small fond smile faded, replace with a glower. "He's a sneaky, dishonest, untrustworthy, shady, no good son of a bitch if you ask me," he growled. "He's hiding something. I can feel it, but she doesn't believe me. My gut has always been right, and this time isn't gonna be any different."

"If he hurts her, you'll come get me so we can take turns torturing him, right?" Sylvia asked, sweeping a few reddish hairs out of her face.

"Now, sweetheart," their father began, though he couldn't help the affectionate smile creeping up on his lips.

"What? Jon's not the only one who can dish it out! If he doesn't first, I'll kill the guy myself!" Seth stared in amusement. She was the female version of Dean, which was a nightmare in itself, yet she seemed even more out of her mind than he was.

"I don't doubt that," Seth piped up, joining the conversation. He really felt like he should go, and Dean's sister's look further cemented the feeling. She turned towards him, almost irritated by his presence it seemed.

"And this clown. I'll ask again, blondie: Who the Hell are you and what are you doing with my brother?" It came out cross and threatening, though not as intimidating as she hoped. She was only barely thirteen after all. Seth regarded her for a moment with a frown, trying to figure out the best way to word his response. She returned the frown with annoyed, bugged out eyes, glaring.

"Sylvia," Bradley warned again, face more serious this time.

"What, some emo boy comes marching up to my porch behind my brother and I can't ask a simple question?"

"I'm Colby," Seth told her, keeping his tone of voice neutral, albeit a bit cold. "Colby Lopez, his…" he paused. After a moment, he finished the thought.

"Friend."

"Brother," Dean replied at the same time as Seth. They looked at each other, Seth in wonder and Dean as if the word choice was obvious. Sylvia watched the exchange with narrowed eyes.

"Mmm," she hummed in response, clearly making it known that she didn't like nor trust Seth. "Sure." There was a tense silence before Bradley spoke up again.

"But you've been alright? Money's okay, you have a car?" Dean fished the keys to his Camaro out of his pocket and set them down on the table. Bradley looked at them with a sad smile. "So you kept her?"

"Yeah. I work at an auto shop as a mechanic downtown. I fix her up, give her all the new parts, update her with the times. She looks a lot different, but it's most of the same material." Dean smiled a little. "She's my pride and joy."

"And you like it? Where you live, where you go to school, work, the town?" Sylvia gazed at her father quizzically. "Because you know you're always welcome here, if you need somewhere to go."

"No, I know." He looked at Seth. "I like where I'm at. There are people where I live who care and make everything worth it." Seth grinned, hand briefly rubbing his shoulder gently in thanks. "I think I'll be alright."

"Is high school okay? I'm only wondering because, you know…" Sylvia looked down into her lap. "No one talks to me or anything, not that I mind, but…" Dean smiled reassuringly, turning his gaze to her.

"They give you more homework, and you get stuck with the people you knew from middle school AND new idiots you have to deal with, but it's not too horrible. Besides, I have Colby and Joe to keep me on my toes if I start slackin' off."

"Who?"

"Another one of our friends. We're all on the same street," Seth told her. "We try to keep him outta trouble for the most part."

"Good luck with that. He has the worst luck I've ever seen."

"Don't I know it. Last week, he ended up setting something on fire during lunch because of something from science. We were outside for about an hour." She smirked sweetly. It was the first Seth had seen out of her and instantly the air became much more breathable, tension much less thick than before.

"What'd he set on fire?" she asked anxiously, eyes bright and curious.

"Some jackass's backpack who was messing with Colby during class changes. Scared the shit out of him and his pals, as if Halloween wasn't enough of a message."

"I heard about that actually," Bradley said, emerald eyes twinkling with amusement. "A friend of mine caught wind of your little incident at school. Looks like you boys can put up quite a fight."

"You don't know the half of it," Dean told him. For a while, they sat and talked about recent events, Dean and Seth about school and a few things at home, Sylvia about her time with her aunt.

"Uncle J didn't want to have to deal with me, so he took me to Aunt Claire's and told her what you told him. I haven't heard from him since," she told her dad, who nodded, head resting on his hand, lost in thought. "Last I was told, he moved a few states away for a new job."

"Did she treat you right?" he asked her. She shrugged, smug looking.

"Spoiled me rotten, so I guess so." The two continued to chat, Dean and Seth listening in.

"What've you been up to, since you got out?" Dean asked after a time. "Obviously you've got this place."

"I got a job, and I've got my connections- Nothing illegal, don't worry!" he assured as soon as Dean opened his mouth to protest. "They give me a ride to work and tell me about things around town. I don't deal in anything these days."

"I don't want to seem nosy or rude or anything," Seth interjected, "But can you elaborate on that?" Bradley didn't seem fazed at all by the question. In fact he seemed more than happy to answer.

"Weapons: knives, swords, guns, melee, legal and illegal, black market goods they don't sell in stores really. I am-was-one of three in the state, though my right hand man still has all my stock. Most of my connections are local, but I've got people all across the country." He threw his hands up. "I'm just that good. I worked in security. Basically, I was a gun for hire, in a way. The weapons were always put to good use because there's all sorts of people out in this city." Seth looked at him thoughtfully. "Why? Are you gonna go tell the police that I'm associated with the scum of Cincinnati?" His voice was light, joking. Seth laughed quietly.

"No, not at all." They talked some more until a few more hours had passed. It was about midday when the conversation began to wind down.

"So, what were you doing before you came over here? Don't think I haven't noticed it's a school day. Sylvia hasn't been enrolled yet, so she has an excuse. You however," Bradley started, addressing Dean, "Don't."

"We were at the hospital keepin' a friend company. His dad's in pretty bad shape, and we ended up staying the night with him. Mom said she'd call the school and tell them we wouldn't be there today. I… I thought it'd be a waste of a chance not to come and see you." Bradley's tone softened after that.

"Always lookin' out for family, huh, Mox?" Dean nodded. He felt a pang of sadness in his gut as he stood. Sylvia and Seth eyed him with confusion.

"Well, mom and the others'll be gettin' worried, so… I guess we'd better go-Not that I don't want to stay!"

"No, I understand. She'll be worrying her beautiful red head off about you two by now, won't she?" They were all standing now, Bradley and Sylvia engulfing him in another huge embrace. Pulling away, Dean thought he saw tears in his sister's eyes. They disappeared when she turned once again to Seth, face blank and eyes contemplative. Finally, she stuck out a hand, leaning forward on one foot with an expectant look on her face. Seth shook it, surprised by her strong grip.

"I still don't like you, Lopez, but my brother trusts you, so I guess I have to too." She walked past him to open the front door, whispering in his ear, "Just so you know, I don't care if it's ten days or ten years from now, maybe even longer. If you break his trust, if you break his heart, I will find you, and I will end you. No one will know what happened and it'll be like you vanished off the face of the Earth-"

"Sylvia, stop failing to be scary and let him go," Dean told her. She looked back at him with a vulnerable expression and he quirked an eyebrow. "I can look out for myself. Besides, he knows I'm perfectly capable of killing him if he does something." Bradley rolled his eyes at his children, apologizing to Seth, who shrugged it off.

"I signed up for it as soon as we became friends. I got a fair enough warning way beforehand and I'm not backing out now." With a nod and wave to them both, he followed Dean out to his Camaro, watching his brother's family stand at their front door to see them off. Now if only Roman's situation could be approached easier. They kept him in their thoughts as they headed back to their neighborhood.

XxX

Angie had returned well over a few hours ago, but her mind was a mess. How did he give Dean his address? Did he give it to him personally, or ask one of his buddies (she shivered at the thought) to do it for him. And Sylvia… Her sweet little girl looked just as worn out and closed off as her son, though the look oddly suited her, the mix of pink, leather, and short hair to match her own. Still, it saddened and (slightly) angered her that Dean neglected to tell her he was going to see them. She knew why of course, her reaction to his father's call probably still fresh in his mind, but it would've been nice if he'd just confided in her. They would have a very long talk about this when they got home. Right now though, her focus should be on Patricia and Roman. She looked to the on edge mother, seated by her still unconscious husband's side, holding his hand and mirroring her son across from her. The redhead stood behind her, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Patricia looked up with a small smile before returning to her original position, staring at the hospital bed.

"He's going to be perfectly fine. You know that, right?" Patricia laughed softly, though without much warmth.

"I wish people would stop saying that," she mumbled. "I know he'll pull through this no problem. That's not what I'm worried about. It's not just if his injuries last after he recovers, it's the toll this'll take on the two of us." Her gaze shifted to Roman, who had his head bowed, whispering in Samoan, father's limp hand firmly clutched in his. "Joe, he… He takes things like this, situations and people close to his heart, very seriously. He likes to hold grudges, feels he has to shoulder some of the blame for something out of his control. Once he invests his heart in someone… It takes a lot for him to recover when something tragic happens." Angie nodded.

"He's a strong boy. He'll be alright. He's got you and the boys…" She trailed off, a bitter feeling rising within her.

"Speaking of the boys," Patricia began, "Where did they go off to? Breakfast and a little sightseeing shouldn't take them this many hours."

"Dean mentioned visiting old friends," Angie replied rather blandly. "Maybe they're visiting."

"Maybe." She approached her son and shook his shoulder, startling him out of his trance. "I think that's enough, Leati. Let him continue to rest." She glanced at the clock on the other side of the room. "School's getting out soon. I can drive us home, drop Angie off at her house, and then bring Rosey here to see Sika. Should I drop you off at Galina's?" Roman could only nod as he got up and followed the two ladies out, throwing one last glance over his shoulder at his father.

XxX

The ride back was silent in both cars. In Dean and Seth's case, it was a somewhat comfortable silence, mixed with uncertainty and worry for Roman. In Patricia, Angie, and Roman's case, it was a melancholy, tense, mixed feelings sort of silence. Both cars stopped in front of Dean's house at about the same time, Angie giving the two a strained smile as they saw each other. They watched Patricia take off towards the other side of the street, presumably towards Galina's house, and began to follow. Before Dean was out of her reach, Angie caught his arm, squeezing slightly.

"We need to talk about something, whenever you get the chance," she whispered. Dean kissed her cheek.

"'Course, mama," he told her, before rejoining Seth. She sighed, pulling her house keys out of her pockets and heading inside. Patricia stopped outside of Galina's house, watching her son robotically leave the car, walk up to the front door, and knock. The door was answered almost immediately, Galina wrapping her arms around her boyfriend, pulling him close. He basically collapsed into her, clinging to her as they went inside. Rosey appeared in the door, exiting the house and joining his mother in the car. Patricia turned back towards the road, seeing Seth and Dean approaching in her rearview mirror. Roman was lucky to have friends as worried as them. She put the car into gear and drove off towards the hospital once again, ensuring to her son that his dad was just fine.

"On a scale of one to ten, how bad do you think its gotten to him right now?" Dean asked lowly, concerned for Roman's health. Seth let the question rattle around in his head for a second.

"Ten," he finally answered.

"Twelve," Dean shot back. Seth stared at him. Dean shrugged. "You saw how he got back there. You thought I was bad…" They approached Galina's house, not too surprised to find the front door open and unlocked. They stepped inside and headed down the hall to Galina's room. They saw her sitting on the bed next to Roman, his held on her shoulder as she listened to him talk in a barely audible whisper. They looked up when they heard footsteps on the carpet, Roman looking both of them in the eye before casting his gaze to the ground.

"Hey, guys," he muttered. Galina rose from her spot on the bed.

"Tea and a little brotherly bonding will fix you right up, Joseph. Don't worry about it so much, alright? We will be here for you every step of the way," she comforted, heading for the kitchen. Roman looked at his two brothers again.

"Oh, Joe," Seth whispered, taking a seat next to him on the mattress and wrapping his arms around him. "We gotcha, man." Dean sat on his other side, one arm going around him, the other pulling their foreheads together, hand gently holding onto the back of his head.

"Just breathe, Joe. Everything's gonna work itself out, you hear me? Let us be here for you." Roman didn't say anything, just returned the gestures in silence. His watery grey eyes clearly showed despair and heartbreak, as well as a tiny bit of anger.

Eventually, he replied, "I know… I'm sorry…"

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

"Y'all pulled yourselves together when your family stuff happened. Me? I'm a wreck."

"Dude, one of our parents showed up out of the blue. You almost lost one of your parents. I think you have a right to be all messed up," Seth replied.

"Honestly, you're fine. Just don't lose yourself in the despair, okay?" Roman could only nod and close his eyes. Breathe in… Breathe out… Breathe in… Breathe out… Okay.

"You shouldn't go to school like this," Seth told him. "Just stay home for a few days, recover-"

"What? I'm not injured or anything-"

"Bullshit!" Dean drawled. "I call bullshit on that. You practically got shot through the heart after that call, big dog, so yeah, you're hurt. You're injured. Don't try and deny it. Everyone can see it."

"Even if you're right, I can't miss school."

"Just lie and say you're sick," Dean suggested.

"We'll vouch for you," Seth added.

"Guys, I-"

"Nope." One word. Dean pulled back, arms crossed and face determined. "Don't even try to start. Stay. Home. You said it yourself, you're a mess. You won't get anything done in school and you won't be focused at practice."

"You guys were at school."

"Yeah, but our dads aren't in the hospital. This is not up for debate. I will have Galina and your mom lock you in the house if I have to." Galina snickered from the doorway at Dean's words, coming over and handing the mug of tea to Roman. He thanked her and took a generous sip, sighing.

Seth added, "Look, I'll show you the stuff you missed in class if you want and Jon can keep you up to date on stuff in practice, okay? Be with your family, man. You gotta remember that your mom and brother are hurting too."

"Alright, alright. I'll stay home, just until he wakes up."

"Good man," Dean told him, patting him gently on the back. The three surrounded him in an uplifting, comforting embrace, drawing a sad laugh out of the ravenette. He melted into it, and for the first time in a while, he felt a spark of hope that everything, school, their family issues, would be just fine.

XxX

Seth and Dean arrived at school without Roman the next day, drawing stares from many fellow classmates. The two stuck close to each other, wary and alert. "Do you think they'll try something since Joe's not here?" Seth asked at lunch, the two of them sitting at the far end of a table.

"Nah. They know not to mess with us, whether we're all here or not." Seth nodded before smacking Dean's hand, which was halfway towards his fruit cup.

"What're we telling Thatcher at practice though? Our next competition is this weekend and Joe really has been getting better. Dude's gonna have a cow at this point."

"Joe's got a stomach bug, throwing up his guts every five minutes or somethin' like that. Doesn't seem too out of place. We stayed home yesterday to look after him since his parents couldn't. Done."

"And if he shoots that down?"

"Well, he's just gonna have to deal with it." The bell rang, signalling class changes. They stood, putting their trays away and heading out. "That is later. Right now, we-you-have a project to finish."

"What, you picked the topic and you haven't done any research? Why do I have to do everything?"

"Hey, I found some stuff, but it's not like I read through it."

"The least you could do is…" Their bickering went on for some time as they walked through the hallways.

XxX

Roman found himself once again at the bedside of his father. He heard the heart monitor's steady rhythm of beeps, watched the drip drip drip of the IV bag. He examined his dad's face, expressionless, yet somehow at peace. He observed the man's steady breathing, taking his hand much like he did the day before. He whispered well wishes in Samoan, eyes closed, grasp soft. He opened his eyes and pulled away, and for the briefest moment, he thought he felt the slightest bit of pressure around his hand. He looked down in shock, though the scene before him remained unchanged. Roman headed home, eating what little he could stomach and getting a fitful night of sleep, if you could even call it that. He repeated this for the next two days, and each time he pulled away, he felt his father squeeze his hand, the pressure increasing steadily each time.

It was the fourth day before anything major changed. It was Saturday, sometime in the evening, and Roman's ritual remained unchanged. This time, Rosey, Patricia, Seth, Maria, Shane, Dean, and Angie joined him, crowding into the room in respectful silence. They watched Roman repeat his words of well wishes before getting up to leave. As he did, he was surprised to find his hand caught in a somewhat strong grip, keeping him rooted to the spot. He let out a surprised breath, turning back to look at his father, whose eyes opened slowly. The first thing he saw was his son, who was damn near close to tears as he gasped out a weak and disbelieving, "Pa?" Everyone in the room looked up at that, relieved smiles lighting up their faces, and it was only then that Sika realized just how full his room was. He didn't recognize a few of the adults however.

"Who-?" he began, before he saw his wife stomp up to the bed, an agonized look on her face. He paled and the room erupted into laughter when she grabbed his ear and went off on him.

"The most irresponsible-! …scared us half to death! …ever do anything like that again, I'll-!" were a few choice phrases they caught. Roman wore a genuine smile for the first time since the situation arose, watching Patricia let go only to plant a kiss on the man's lips, telling him how much she loved him and that she was overjoyed he was awake and well.

"Are you going to introduce me to your friends over there?" he questioned, motioning to the other three parents in the room. They stepped up to the bed, each with a warm, friendly smile.

"I'm Shane, Colby's father. I'm glad to finally meet you, if only the circumstances were different." He nodded.

"I'm Maria, Colby's mother. A pleasure." Another nod.

"I'm Angie, Jonathan's mother. We're glad that you're alright." A smile. A nurse poked her head in to see what all the ruckus was about, grinning widely when she saw the patient awake and conversing. She observed the scene with fondness before going to grab a doctor. When they returned, they saw his son guffawing happily, eyes bright and atmosphere buzzing positively.

"As much as it pains me to say this, I'm going to have to ask you all to let him rest after we check his vitals. You can come back tomorrow morning when visiting hours start." Without much fuss, the room slowly emptied, Roman and Rosey the last two out. Rosey left after one last hug and Roman leaned his head against his father's, whispering he'd be back soon before leaving. Before they all departed for their respective households, they agreed they'd all get together for the holidays. Patricia, ever the planner when it came to this sort of thing, suggested they come over to her house. It would be a sort of welcome home gathering for Sika and a family gathering for the three families in the neighborhood. Everyone fell asleep with smiles on their faces that night.

Closing A/N: Aaaaaaand so begins the setup to what will be a very interesting Thanksgiving chapter. I don't even see how that many people will fit at a table, despite how big said table might be in Roman's huge house, especially when there will be extra guests. Apologies for any grammar or spelling mistakes. I wanted to get this posted ASAP. Also, who here is losing their mind over the whole Seth and Dean thing with teasing a sort of Shield reunion? Also also, Roman's crazy situation with Braun, Brock, and Samoa Joe.