Chapter 16: Bloodline

Kiku squinted as he began to wake up, hearing Alfred and Matthew downstairs. He looked at his clock. 8:00am. "Ah, it is the day of the party. How could I have forgotten?" Groggily, he exited his room and began to clean himself up.

He walked downstairs in his day clothes. Emily was outside setting up tables while the twins began putting up the decorations.

"Good morning everyone," he said as he walked out.

Emily smiled. "G'morning Kiku! Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, in fact I did. Do you need help?"

"Oh how thoughtful. Actually, we need a lot of help! If you can start putting the helium in the balloons, that'd be great sweetie."

"I will Jones-san." He walked over to a bag where the balloons were held and began to inflate them. He became frustrated when he couldn't make a knot, the air escaping as a result.

"Ha ha, need help Kiku?" Alfred asked.

"Ah, u-uhm, shamefully I do."

"Nothing to be ashamed about! How 'bout this? You inflate the balloons, and I'll tie the ribbon around 'em."

"Okay."

Kiku wasn't sure how many balloons they needed, but he didn't stop until Alfred told him to. He went to the front yard and tied three to the mailbox: one red, one white, and one blue. Smiling at his handiwork, he went back inside to help decorate.

By 11:45am the house was set up. Matthew finished cleaning the pool and walked inside. "It's getting hot out there already."

"Today's gonna be like 95 degrees or something," Alfred replied.

"That is…that is quite high."

"Aww don't worry Kiku, when everybody gets in the pool, it won't be bad! Plus, we have the AC on."

"Okay boys, I'm going to go get ready so if people start coming, just let them in to the back." Emily disappeared upstairs.

"So when does the party start?" Kiku asked.

"We said noon to one, so hopefully people get here on time."

"That is early…"

"Well then it'll be too hot and everybody will wanna be inside!"

Kiku got nervous as the first doorbell rang, but gave an audible sigh when Manuel walked in with his family.

"God Manny, you don't have to be the first one… It takes you literally thirty seconds to get here. You won't miss anything.

"Alfredo you are helpless with setting up parties. Have you even turned on the grill or set out the meat to defrost?"

"No…"

"I see you didn't even decorate the exterior nicely."

"Hey now."

He shook his head. Jose walked outside to start the grill while Maria went into the kitchen. "Anyway, here is your present and Mateo's. ¡Feliz cumpleaños!"

Matthew took the gifts. "Thanks Manuel. Well you're early, so I don't know what to tell you…"

"I'll just help out. It's fine."

"Okay."

Alfred crossed his arms and shook his head as Manuel followed his brother. "That Manny. Well Kiku, are you ready?"

"For what, Alfred-san?"

"To meet my cousins!"

"Oh, y-yes."

"I've told them a lot about you!"

"Have you?"

"Yeah! They can't wait to meet you!"

He blushed a bit. "Well I hope they won't be disappointed."

"Oh c'mon dude, you're adorable and pleasant company!" He gasped when he saw a car pull up on the street. He ran outside, leaving a flustered Kiku standing awkwardly near the doorway.

"Calm down Kiku. Stop stressing over everything. You will be fine and his relatives will like you. Do not let an information dump mishap occur again like at the zoo you imbecile!"

He straightened his posture when Alfred walked in with a very tall guest. He was a bit buffer than him and his hair was a bit darker. He was sporting a cowboy hat. "Well, is this the Kiku I've been hearin' about?"

"Yeah! Kiku! This is my cousin, Dean. Dean, Kiku!"

"Howdy!"

Ah, that accent… "Hello Dean-san. It's a pleasure to meet you." He bowed, earning a laugh from the other. He grabbed him into a tight hug, Kiku's face flaring up.

"No need to be so formal! A simple handshake would've done ya just fine. Woah. Hey, ya alright? Your face is hotter than the sun on an August evenin'."

"Y-Yes, it's just uhm—"

"Kiku's sorta shy and blushes reeeeal easily. Sometimes I'm afraid his face might explode!"

Dean laughed. "Well ain't ya just as cute as a button! Nice to meet ya Kiku." He tipped the rim of his hat. "Where do I put your gift Al?"

"The coffee table in the living room."

"'Kay."

Kiku watched as Dean walked outside and greeted the Sanchez family. Manuel laughed when he gave him a big bear hug. "Your cousin, is he from the south?"

"Texas, actually. He's one of my closest and favorite cousins, a great dude!"

"He is very affectionate just like—"

"Al!"

His face brightened again, and a girl a few inches shorter than him ran to hug him. She had brown hair and sun kissed skin. "Oooh, I haven't seen you since the last reunion! I'm sorry I couldn't make your last two birthdays." She took off her sunglasses and smiled at Kiku when she saw him. "And is this the cutie patootie you've told me about?"

Alfred laughed. "Yeah, Kiku! Say hi to Olivia!"

"Hello, Olivia-chan." She squealed and hugged him, his face turning red once more.

"You're smaller than I thought, but so adorable. I look forward to getting to know you better at the party!"

"Same here."

"Al, is Matt outside?"

"Yup."

"Oh! Manny's here too!" She clasped her hands together and whispered to Alfred, "Is he single?"

He laughed. "Uh, Liv, I'm pretty sure he's not interested, and the age gap is just too big."

"It's only a few years! You make it sound like I'm really old! But hey, I can wait until he's 21." She smiled and walked outside, greeting Dean first and then Matthew.

Kiku looked at Alfred. "Uhm, before I meet any more of your family, I have to ask…are they local or out of state?"

"Liv is from here, California, but Dean's from Texas, and there's one more cousin that's supposed to come. I would've invited all of them, but my house isn't that big to hold them all. Ah, there he is."

"Alfred."

"Hey Gary!"

"Nice to see you again."

Kiku looked up at the tall man. He looked similar to Alfred with the glasses, but his eyes were gray and his hair black. "This is Kiku?"

"Yeah! Kiku, this is my cousin, Gary."

"Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you, Gary-san." He bowed.

"You don't have to be so formal." He held out his hand for a handshake. He smiled. "Pleasure to meet you too." He slowly shook his hand, glad that he wasn't being crushed by another—oh wait, wait—yeah, spoke too soon. Gary smiled and hugged Kiku, though not as hard as Dean or Olivia. "Don't be so stiff!" he said. "You should relax a little more. Al told me you were a cute kid, but I had to see it to believe it."

Kiku simply blushed again, causing the tall man to chuckle.

"I'm glad you could make it Gary."

"Yeah, sorry Alfred. I finally got some vacation time. Who else is here?"

"Just Dean and Liv. I thought it'd be too excessive if everybody came. Maybe for graduation."

"Sounds like a plan. Nice to meet you Kiku." He patted his head and then walked out, greeting the rest of his family, Dean crushing him in another hug and Olivia jumping to hug him around the neck.

"He's from New York, before you even ask," he said to Kiku with a chuckle. "And that's the only extended family you'll be meeting for a while.

"Alfred-san, your cousins are very…uhm, affectionate."

"'Course! They have the Jones hospitality and bear hug!" He grinned. "They're my favorite cousins. You should come outside and talk with them!"

"I will, but uhm, somebody has to be here answering the door, don't you think? Our friends have yet to arrive."

"Shit, that's true… Well, then I'll stay—"

"No, I will manage the door. Go have fun with your cousins."

"Dude, you sure? I don't wanna leave you by yourself in here."

He smiled. "I'll survive Alfred-san."

"Great! Man I'm soooo excited!" He hugged Kiku tightly, the small teen catching his breath. He ruffled his hair with a wide grin and walked out to the backyard. Kiku put a hand to his heart, hopelessly trying to stop it from beating so fast. He smoothed his hair out and then waited on the couch for the doorbell to ring. Little by little, his friends walked in the front door with their parents, asking Kiku where to put the presents and food they brought. He directed them outside, watching them all mingle and set their swimming utilities on plastic chairs.

Emily rushed downstairs in blue swim shorts and a red and white striped bikini top. She was still adjusting the strap. "Kiku be thankful you're not a girl or that you have really big boobs. Man this will probably shrink once I get in the water..." His response was stunned silence. "Is everyone here Kiku?"

"Oh, yes, I believe so. They're in the back, starting to get into the pool."

"Oh good! C'mon sweetheart, let's go join them. It's getting hot outside."

"Uhm, actually I will just watch."

The woman pouted. "Kiku dear, why don't you wanna get in the pool?"

"For physical reasons."

"You can't swim?"

"No, I know how to swim, it's just…uhm, well I'd rather not get in the pool."

"Oh, okay honey, but still dress cool because you're really gonna hate the heat."

She walked out the sliding door and threw her hands up in the air as she welcomed everybody to her twins' seventeenth birthday party. The Japanese boy couldn't help but smile. "She is so proud of them both. I have never seen a mother adore her children so much. Jones-san is a very good parent."

He sat down and watched his friends splash around in the pool. Internally he laughed when Matthew wouldn't dare get near Katyusha. Ivan was on patrol, making sure nobody tried any funny business with her, until he realized she was saddened that people began to ignore her.

"B-But—"

"Matthew, you I can trust," Ivan said as he pushed him near his sister. "Please take care of her." His face went pink as the Russian boy swam away to join Yao who was already having a bad day, trying to keep Yong Soo from groping unsuspecting partygoers.

"This is a nice party Matthew!" Katyusha said. "They're always so full of spirit."

"A-Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Of course! I'm having a lot of fun already. I hope you like the gift I got you!"

"I like anything you give me!" he said. "You're always so thoughtful about others."

She giggled, twiddling with her fingers as she looked down, a blush coming to her face. Matthew couldn't help but smile at her. Oh she's just so cute, he thought to himself.

"Matthew?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I intimidate people?"

"Huh? No! A lot of people like you!"

"Then why is it that nobody wants to hang out with me?"

"It's not that they don't want to it's…well, uhm, I'll hang out with you!"

"You will?"

"Yes, in fact, I'll be your party buddy for the rest of the day so you're not lonely, okay?"

"Oh, thank you Matthew!" She hugged him, earning a nervous chuckle from Matthew, trying not to look down as her large boobs pressed up against his chest. Holy shit I should have worn a shirt. He simply patted her back, terrified to hug her in case Ivan should see.

Alfred couldn't help but laugh and whistle in his direction, infuriating Matthew. "Al I'll climb out of this pool and drag you to the bottom of the deep end you bastard!" Kiku was amused, chuckling behind a hand.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try!" He walked over to Kiku and said, "Hey, since you're not getting in, even though you kinda should, can you hold onto my glasses please?"

"Yes, of course Alfred-san."

"Thanks!" He removed his shirt and tossed it on the floor. Kiku's heart stopped when he took in the blonde's physique. He looked away and pretended to read his book as Alfred put on sunscreen.

Don't look, don't look, DO NOT LOOK! was the mantra that kept going through his mind. He couldn't stop his heart from beating or his face from burning up. Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Man, Kiku are you okay? You don't look so good."

"I-I'm fine Alfred-san!" He looked at his face. "I will just move to a shadier spot."

"Well, alright," he said as he finished putting sunscreen on his arm. He ran to the pool and made a cannon ball in the deepest end of it. Kiku moved to a shadier spot and began to fan himself with his book, but it wasn't because of the heat.

Oh, I don't understand. I have seen him without a shirt before in the locker rooms... The last time I felt this way was when I looked at Heracles-san, but now when I see him, there isn't a reaction. Instead, Alfred-san is the one who has gotten me so flustered. But who could blame him? Countless girls crushed on the blonde goof, and now Kiku realized why. He has a very toned body and those muscles are just... Well, both he and Matthew-san do but Alfred is… Oh, it was now getting to the point where he dropped the formality. He covered his face with a hand. I think I will finally have to admit it to myself, as much as I'm afraid to…

Kiku continued to read, trying to cool himself down. He wanted to get in the pool but was embarrassed of his slim structure. Everyone else had striking body frames, the females slender with curvature in desirable places, while the muscles and jaws on the males made them look more masculine than Kiku could ever hope to be. Hell, even Yao looked like a man. He sighed heavily and continued to read. It was the criminal psychology book he had purchased a few days ago, but he really didn't feel like reading.

"Alright, c'mon."

He looked up suddenly to find Alfred in front of him, his arms crossed. Water was dripping from his hair and down his shoulders. "Kiku, you can't stay here like a loner."

"But I'm quite fine with—"

"No, you're not. You look like a raincloud took a crap on you."

"Uh, what?"

"You look sad! I'm not gonna leave you out."

"B-But—"

"Today is a day for fun in the sun! C'mon buddy." He put his book aside and set the glasses down on top. "Gimme your shirt."

"Wh-What?!"

"You can't go in the pool with your shirt. See, the policy is, 'with shirt, no service' like the opposite of the actual one. …except it doesn't sound as catchy. Hand it over."

"Uhm…"

"If you're worried about how your body looks, nobody is going to give a damn. I mean, people don't like Francis's hairy chest or Arthur's hideous caterpillar eyebrows, but we really don't care about that because we're here to have fun, not poke at people's insecurities or what we don't find attractive in the human body."

Kiku blinked. "You are right Alfred-san. I'm sorry."

"There's no apology needed. Just discard the shirt, and come on in!"

"Oh, well, alright." He hesitated in removing his shirt because Alfred was watching him, but he had to get it over with. "Th-There," he said as he stood up, hugging his arms. They walked to the pool.

"Hey you can swim right?"

"Yes."

"Hold your breath!"

"Why—"

He was pushed into the water, the sound of the splash resonating throughout the pool. He swam up to the surface to breathe the next moment, taking a gasp of air as he emerged. He didn't think he could get angry with Alfred, but boy did that tear it. "ALFRED!" he shouted. It was so ferocious that everyone else looked at Kiku, a bit of astonishment on their faces.

"That is unacceptable behavior!" he continued. "Very, very unacceptable! I am capable of entering the pool just fine, thank you very much! In fact, I would have jumped in, perhaps in an attempt to make a cannon ball, but you had to push me without prior knowledge of the intent! Were you trying to drown me or something?! I can see why Matthew and Arthur get so infuriated with you sometimes! You are obnoxious, loud, childish, and I swear if you do that again, I will come at you with all my wrath!"

"Dude," Gilbert said, his eyes a bit wide. "Kiku just got pissed off."

Alfred stared at Kiku with shock all over his face, the other glaring at him, his shoulders spiked up in anger as his hands turned into fists. "Geez. I didn't know you'd react that way. I'm sorry Kiku…"

He calmed down, looking at his friends who continued to stare at him. His blush painted his features more vividly than it had ever before. His composure suddenly relaxed, tucking a lock of wet hair behind his ear. "N-No, I am sorry Alfred-san. I-I-I did not mean it. I was just in shock and I was not expecting to be flung into the water. F-Forgive me, please. And, a-and everyone else too. I am very, very sorry. It was out of place for me to yell like that." Kiku recoiled, swimming to a corner and sitting on the step.

How embarrassing. I lost it… He hid his face in his hands, hearing the voices of the partygoers begin again. He heard somebody swim to him but he didn't look up until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"A-Alfred-san…"

"I'm sorry Kiku. I guess I got carried away…"

"No, I know you were playing around."

The blonde sat next to him. "No, I shouldn't have done it regardless. I really scared you, didn't I?" He sighed. "That's how we stopped talking those years ago in the first place…"

"Ah! But that was different! Please, don't fret over it Alfred-san! I was just upset."

"Still, I feel bad."

"No, no please don't. I'm fine, don't worry."

"Are you just saying that because it's my birthday?"

"No, I'm being honest. And those things I said—"

"—are true."

"N…No they aren't."

"Yeah they are. I mean, if you didn't really feel that way, you wouldn't have said them, right?"

"Uhm…"

"Yeah, ah ha."

"But, but you are a very charming person and have more good points than bad. And I would need an entire day to point them out."

"I have that much time."

His cheeks reddened again. "Uh, okay, w-well, you are very brave and encourage people to do their best. You have faith in everyone, and you're intelligent. You're enthusiastic and optimistic, trying to see the bright side of every situation. You also have a warm heart, and that's what I like the most about you. You care a lot about those you love, and that is a quality I wish everyone had."

He smiled. "Thanks. But, y'know, I'm glad you yelled at me."

"Why?"

"I needed somebody to kick my ass. Matt and Artie do it on a constant basis but I don't take them seriously because of it. You rarely get angry and so it was a real shock factor for me. I was even a little afraid!" He gave a nervous laugh. "Like they say, beware the nice ones."

"I'm sorry…"

"There's no need to apologize. It reassured me that you're a friend who's here to stay."

"I'm confused…"

"You weren't afraid to yell in my face about the kind of person I am, the bad things at least. And you stood up for yourself, even against a friend. That takes a lot of guts, especially in front of everyone else."

"I am still quite embarrassed…"

He patted him on the back. "It's okay. I think for a moment there, I reverted back to my childhood habit…"

"What do you mean?"

"Ah…well…" Alfred looked at Heracles and Navah who were talking with Gupta and Neeraja. "You see, when I was little, I used to act even more obnoxious, but it was usually around the girls I liked. As I got older, it stopped and I went with like, a cool guy act, but I guess it turned into a nice guy act." He gave half a laugh and shrugged. "I really don't know!"

"But you were not acting nice. You are nice."

"Thanks. But I think Heracles and Navah dating got to me after a few days, so that's why I've been more annoying." He looked at Kiku. "And that's why I dunno how many times I'll tell you sorry until I forgive myself, especially since you're my best bud."

Oh, the puppy dog eyes. Kiku really hated looking at those. He got weak in the knees whenever Alfred gave anybody that look, though he wasn't sure if the blonde was aware he did that. "I cannot stay angry with you," he smiled. "Your disposition is too adorable for me to continuously be cross with you, Alfred."

He grinned, a bit embarrassed. "Aww shucks Kiku, I'm gonna blush!" He blinked. "Wait, you just called me 'Alfred', didn't you?"

"Uhm, uh I-I did?"

"Yeah."

"I apologize, Alfred-san…"

"No! There's nothing to be sorry about! That's a good thing, right? When you drop the honorifics? It means you're more comfortable around me now."

"Ah, w-well uhm, perhaps I just forgot. I still prefer to give everyone honorifics…"

"You don't always have to be so formal dude. You don't hear the rest us calling each other mister or miss, do you? We're all friends here."

"I'm afraid it'll still take some time for me to lose the habit."

"Well, okay then, if that's what you wanna do."

"Uhm, Alfred-san?"

"Mm?"

"How do you feel now about Navah-chan?" he asked slowly.

He paused before answering. "Eh, well…I think I'll get over her sooner or later, preferably sooner. Being bummed out about crushes and stuff kinda sucks."

"Then, I know how you feel."

"Oh, with Herc, right? I remember."

"Yes."

"What about you? Are you feeling a bit sad 'cause he's with her?"

"Actually," he said as he looked in their direction. "To my relief, I'm not at all bummed out or even jealous." He smiled. "And that actually makes me quite happy."

"Did you get a new crush or something?"

"You could say that…"

"That's great Kiku!" He poked him in the ribs with his elbow. "So who's the dude?" he asked in a whisper, a mischievous grin on his face.

"U-Uhm, actually, I still prefer to keep information like that private."

"Aww, okay. Anyway, you wanna play some volleyball?"

"In the water? Won't it be difficult?"

"It's played all the time at pool parties."

"Very well, I shall play."

"Good! I call dibs on you to be on my team, so whoever is the other captain can't claim you!"

He chuckled. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Alfred-san."

Matthew ended up being the other team captain and both sides had a considerable amount of players, though in the end, Alfred took the victory.

"Yesss!"

"C'mon, you had more tall people than I did!"

"Mattie, you had Ludwig and Ivan, okay? You can't use that excuse for your own incompetence."

"Okay everyone," Emily said as she stood next to the grill. "It's time to eat!"

The tables were soon filled with the guests who all had plates full with food. Alfred and Matthew were more excited for the cake since Francois was the one who made it this year. They absolutely loved her pastries, and she was more than happy to bake a cake for their birthday.

"Francis," she said to her son. "Will you check on the cake please? Make sure it isn't smashed by anything in the fridge. Oh, and get it prepared, yes? It's almost time for dessert."

"Of course, maman."

He got up and walked inside the house, making his way to the kitchen. Arthur walked down the stairs from the bathroom when he noticed him. Figuring nobody was around, he strolled into the kitchen nonchalantly.

"Do you know where the plastic cups are? We seem to have run out."

"This is not my house. Alfred and Matthew should know where they are." He put the cake box on the counter and opened it. "Oh good, it has no blemishes."

Arthur ignored his suggestion. "So, your mother made the cake this year?"

"Yes."

"Ah, I can't wait to try it. She always cooks deliciously." Francis didn't reply. "…did you help her make it?"

"It doesn't matter whether I helped or not. It's to be eaten, not to be saved in a glass case."

"Well I mean, you always did so fantastically well in home economics class and all our peers loved your cooking—"

"—except you, so I don't understand where you're going with this."

"W-Well, I just said that because I didn't want your ego to get inflated any more than it already was, but it's not like I hated it."

"You could have fooled me, Arthur." He took the cake to the dining room and set it on the table. "Hmm, Alfred and Matthew will sit here so it should face this way."

"Francis—"

"What, Arthur?"

He withdrew a bit at the venom in his voice. Standing upright, his brows furrowed. "Why have you been ignoring me?"

"You can answer that yourself, I'm sure. You're not that stupid."

"If this is about what I said a few weeks ago—"

"Oh good, you answered your own question."

"Look, I said I wanted you to stop bothering me, not stop talking to me!"

"But you always did say I was a nuisance every time something came out of my mouth, whether it was vulgar or tame, did you not?"

The Briton sighed. "Francis, I just wanted you to stop being such prankster with Gilbert and Antonio—"

"Well you know what Arthur? That's what we do, and I'm sorry you don't like it, but that's how we bond and enjoy ourselves. Of course you wouldn't understand because you are so uptight and think you are better than everyone else, holding up your nose in the air."

"I don't think I'm better than other people!"

"That's the air you give off and if you want people to stop targeting you for pranks or tomfoolery, then you need to change your attitude and stop being such an ass!"

"I'm not always an ass! I can be a good-mannered person sometimes too you know! I'm getting tired of you thinking I'm too proud and stuck-up to properly maintain relationships with peop—" He paused, and then looked at Francis with realization.

"Ah, so it finally hit you in the face." He threw away the cardboard box. "Until you walk in somebody else's shoes, you really don't know how certain events affect them, do you Arthur?"

He walked back outside and joined his friends, leaving the other staring at the glass door. He groaned and held his head in his hands. "God…"

About fifteen minutes later, everyone went inside to have some cake. Alfred and Matthew gawked at it, impressed by how nicely crafted it was. The cake was shaped like a star with blue frosting, a white diagonal line going down the middle. The right side had red and white stripes on it, while the left side had exactly fifty little white stars.

"Franny!" Emily said. "This cake looks amazing!"

"It tastes even better ~" she replied. "It's chocolate flavored with a tangy tropical fruit filling between the two layers, my very own special recipe. But I can't take all the credit. My dear Francis helped me as well." He smiled proudly.

"Well what are we waiting for?!" exclaimed Alfred. His mother laughed and lit the candles.

Kiku watched as the twins beamed, looking at the cake, ready to blow out the candles when the song was finished. He felt happy for them, and smiled as he took their picture on the camera. He shot another when they finally blew, letting a giggle escape him as he looked at their puffed up faces. "This one I am definitely saving."

The cake was cut and slices were given to everyone, Alfred and Matthew getting the biggest pieces. Kiku went outside and sat in a chair since the temperature had cooled down a bit. He began to eat it when Olivia approached him. "Hey Kiku!"

"Olivia-chan, hello."

"This is a great party. I haven't been to one in a while. I'm always busy," she chuckled. She smiled when Dean and Gary joined her, Kiku greeting them shyly.

"What do you do, Olivia-chan? Uhm, if you don't mind me asking of course."

"I help my parents run a vineyard up north," she replied, eating some cake. "I brought Aunt Emily a few bottles of wine, so I hope she likes them. Have you ever been to one Kiku?"

"No, I don't believe I have."

"What about a ranch?" asked Dean.

"…no, I haven't been to one either."

"Well maybe sometime y'all can come on down to Texas and see my ranch!"

"You run it?"

"No, my pa does, but it's a lot of work, so I help a lot."

"So, it is a ranch, and not a farm?"

"Ranch, yes sir. Though no matter what a person manages, it's still a hell of a job. Alfred loves visitin' there. Have ya ridden a horse before?"

"I don't remember…"

"Dang Kiku, what have ya done?"

"Uh…unfortunately, not much."

"Well then I'm definitely gonna talk to Aunt Emily about a visit. Ya need to try it!"

"If he doesn't feel up to it, he shouldn't be forced," Gary said.

"I ain't forcin' 'im! But it's a shame he hasn't tried ridin' a horse. Wonderful animals they are."

"Have you been to museums?"

"Of course, Gary-san."

"Maybe during the holiday season, Aunt Emily can bring you over to New York. I'll take you guys on a tour."

"Oh, I've always wanted to go there."

"You'll like it."

"What do you do, Gary-san?"

"I'm a lawyer hoping to be a district attorney," he chuckled.

"That is very impressive!" He looked at the three. "All of your livelihoods are impressive! Running a vineyard, owning a ranch, and a lawyer! Alfred-san didn't tell me that his family was so accomplished!"

They smiled at him. "Aww Kiku!" Olivia said. "The Jones family is known for their hard work and dedication! The only reason we got to where we are is because we didn't stop trying to reach our goals, no matter how hard it became."

"And trust me, it did become difficult along the way," Gary said.

"Mm hmm," Dean agreed. "What do ya wanna do Kiku? You're still in high school right?"

"Yes. Uh, I don't know… I wanted to be a doctor because my uncle wished it for everyone living in his household."

"But is that what you wanna do? 'Cause if it ain't, then you're gonna pretty much hate your life. There's a difference between a career and a job. Choose wisely since you'll most likely be doin' it until your grave."

He looked at his lap and said, "Well, I get complimented a lot on my photography, and I enjoy drawing…"

"Then you can become a photographer for a magazine, like National Geographic," Gary said.

"Or," Olivia began. "You can do something with video games or animation. Kiku you're still very young, so think about what will make you happiest." She poked him in the chest. "A doctor makes a lot of money, but the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

"Did you all want the current careers you have?"

"Well, I did some modeling when I was little, like for clothing magazines, and I tried my hand at acting in Los Angeles, though I only got minor character parts or background ones," she admitted. "But when my parents took me to the countryside, I fell in love. I adore taking trips to places like the coast or the forests. That's when I was introduced to vineyards. I thought to myself, 'This, right here, is where I wanna spend the end of my days.' And that's where I am now!"

"How did you get it?"

"Oh, I inherited it from my late grandparents. I miss them but…" She sighed and smiled. "I promised I'd take care of it for them. And thankfully I'm managing it quite well, y'know, with my parents help ah ha."

"And you, Gary-san?"

"A lot of college and grad work. It was rough and I had to keep three jobs to pay for my schooling, but I managed. I lost sleep, but I've reached my dream, so I'm satisfied."

"And you continue shooting for an even higher goal?"

"Of course. Somebody's gotta uphold justice."

"What particular field do you work in?"

"Criminal law. I was going to do business initially, but then I changed my mind after learning about just how many types of unjust acts can be inflicted on a person."

Kiku tapped his fingers together. "Uhm, Gary-san, I have recently been studying criminals on my free time, but uhm, I hope you don't mind, I wanted to ask you some questions since you're an actual lawyer…"

"Have an interest in criminal justice? I can recommend some good colleges for that—"

"Uh, n-no it's…a personal interest."

"Oh, well that's fine too. Sure, you can ask me a few questions."

"Well it's more about the behavior of certain criminals…"

"Like which ones? That topic is very broad."

"Uh…pedophiles…" The three were silent, and though he was embarrassed, he said, "B-But before you say anything, my questions aren't going to be asked because something like that happened to me." He looked back to make sure he was alone with them. "It's about a friend of mine…"

"Are they here?" Gary asked, a bit concerned.

"Uh…y-yes, but I don't want to point him out to you because h-he will become very upset and I don't want to anger him…"

Olivia and Dean got up, patting Gary's back. "We're gonna go inside so you two can talk." When they left, Gary said to Kiku, "Does he want to do anything about it? How long ago did it happen?"

"Why?"

"Because in California, I believe the statute of limitations is a year for reporting that particular crime if the victim is under eighteen years of age, and if it expires, then they may never get justice."

"Really?"

"Yes. How much do you know, exactly?"

"Uhm, well…" He was careful to leave out any names and only give the important details of the crime. "…so, if it was done to a child, can they still be persecuted?"

"Well, it was already reported, and if what you've told me from your friend's story, the police are most likely still searching for the man. Until then, there's no further course of action to take. Ah ha, sorry, I'm not too familiar with California law, shamefully. Has he tried therapy?"

"No… He said he doesn't need it, but…ah! The zoo!"

"Zoo? Well, it's true animals are very therapeutic—"

"No, I mean—" He recounted the events of the field trip. "—and now I am certain that's what happened! He is still at large, isn't he?!" He narrowed his eyes, his fists clenched on his lap. "I have a photo and I can send it to the police! That will definitely help Manu—uh, my friend!"

Gary's eyes widened a bit, catching the first part of the name. "…Al's neighbor?"

He clutched his face in his hands. "Kiku you're so stupid!" he said to himself.

"I won't say anything since it's not my place, but if he doesn't want to do anything, you can't force him. It's troubling though… If that really was the man and he recognized him—"

"B-But can he, recognize my friend I mean?"

"Well…it happened when he was a child, so it'd be highly unlikely since the structure of a person's face becomes more defined as they age."

"So then there is a slight possibility…"

"Perhaps." He put his hand on Kiku's shoulder. "But if you think negatively, then you'll only be worrying yourself for no reason."

"In your experience, Gary-san, have these criminals ever been stalkers?"

"Kiku in my experience, I have seen everything and tried just about every type of case in criminal law, and the ones I haven't, I've heard from coworkers, so nothing will surprise me. And to answer your question, it's possible."

He groaned and Gary tried to save himself by saying, "B-But there are also at least three people for every person in the world who look similar. How do you think they get stunt doubles for movies?"

That still didn't help Kiku.

"Hey you two, glad you're talking so much, but Al and Matt are gonna open gifts!" Emily called from the door.

"Uh, I'm sorry if I worsened your worry Kiku," Gary apologized. The short young man shook his head and said, "No, I asked you questions and you simply answered honestly. But thank you Gary-san. I feel like I have learned more."

"You know, you remind me of a detective."

"I do?"

"Yes. Have you thought about becoming a police officer?"

"Actually, I haven't."

"Photographer, video game designer, detective—Kiku, you have a lot of options here, and potential for different careers. Think about it some more, okay? Come on, let's go inside."

Alfred and Matthew opened their presents excitedly, thanking everyone each time they finished revealing their gift. That took Kiku's mind off the serious matter earlier. He busied himself taking photos of them for Emily and blushed when the twins personally went to hug him for the gift he bought them.

"Oh, this is a good one!" Emily said as she looked through Kiku's camera. "I can't wait to print these out!"

"I try to take them as best as I can."

"Well they're really good!"

"Kiku!" Alfred shouted from the living room. "It's your turn!"

The Japanese teen walked to the couch and took the controller. "I'm guessing your winning streak is still going strong?"

"Yup! I am kicking ass in this game."

"We shall see about that." He selected a character on the game screen.

"Kirby? Really?"

"Just because he is pink and cute doesn't mean he isn't strong. Looks can be deceiving. You'd do well to remember that, Alfred-san."

"Bro, those are fightin' words!"

"Oh c'mon stop flirting and play already!" Gilbert said, a controller in his hand.

"Dude…"

Kiku blushed in response. Elizaveta slapped the German upside the head. "Shut your mouth. You haven't even selected anybody!"

"Okay I'm going woman!" he said. Rubbing his head, he selected another character.

"You can't be Link."

"Why the hell not Al?"

"Because I'm already Link!"

"There's different colors so who gives a flying fuck?!"

Huffing loudly, Elizaveta snatched the controller and selected a different character for him. "Start the game already Al!"

"Okay okay!" He selected a battlefield and began the game. The three of them readied themselves, but Gilbert growled.

"Why'd you give me Bowser? He's fucking slow!"

"Oh don't complain," she said as she looked at the screen, her fingers moving the controls. "You're not gonna last long anyway."

"We'll see about that, Princess Peach!"

"This frying pan will do just fine in kicking your ass."

Most of the friends watched them play, but some went outside to swim some more or hang out. It was a relatively calm evening and nobody had any plans in leaving. When the sky became darker around seven thirty, Emily took out the fireworks, hearing some explosions in the distance.

"Alright guys, pause whatever you're doing because it's time for fireworks! People are starting already!"

Everyone went outside and began unpacking the fireworks, the adults setting up chairs to watch them on the sidewalk. Other neighbors already started lighting theirs throughout the block.

Kiku watched as the first one went up into the sky and exploded into a willow of green and blue. He took pictures with his camera of the fireworks they set off and any he happened to catch of the neighbors'.

"Here Kiku," Alfred said.

"What is this stick for?"

"You light them up and they spark!"

"Is it dangerous?"

"Pfft, no, unless you intentionally point it at your body or someone else, but none of us are sadists so."

He giggled. "Okay, I shall try it."

Some people made patterns in the air with the sparklers, drawing out words or pictures. Antonio made a heart toward Lovino who blushed and scowled at him, even giving him the finger, earning a laugh from his boyfriend. He turned away in a huff, but he couldn't hide the smile that grew on his face as he walked over to Feliciano and Ludwig.

The Spaniard looked around for Manuel who he spotted talking with Logan and Peter.

"This has been a great day!" the Australian said. "I don't think I've ever had this much fun before. I'm glad I became friends with everyone! Well, even if Arthur is still a bit irritable."

"He's just stupid," Peter said, soliciting a laugh from Manuel. "Though, he's quieter lately. I dunno why."

"Hello!" Antonio greeted.

"Good evening mate!"

"Hello Antonio!"

Manuel ignored him by walking away with the excuse, "I'm gonna go get a cup of water, okay?"

"Alright," Logan said. "We'll be right here!" He noticed the Spaniard's sad disposition as he watched his friend walk away. "Everything okay, Antonio?"

"Y-Yeah!" he said with a smile. "Everything's fine…" Ugh, he's avoiding me again, and just when I thought things were better… "Uh, hey, can you hold onto this?" He handed Logan the sparkler. "I'm gonna go get another one."

"But we're almost finished exhausting the firew—ah, he's gone."

"Alright, last one!" Emily said as she lit the biggest one. It had a picture of a dragon on it. When it soared into the sky, it made a loud screeching sound. Within seconds it exploded in a flurry of vibrant colors, everyone watching it in awe. Kiku made sure to get a very clear picture of it.

"This is the part I hate the most," Alfred said.

"What is?"

"The cleaning up. And it's not that I don't wanna clean. It's 'cause the day is almost over…"

"There's always next year."

"But that's another 365 days I gotta wait!"

He shook his head at the blonde, giving a short chuckle. The remainder of the hour was spent cleaning up and taking everything back inside. Emily sighed as she went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She gave a smile leaning back on the counter, watching the teenagers in the living room cheer whoever was next in playing the game.

"What! Kiku you won?! Aww hell no!"

"Damn it! I was beaten by a fucking pink marshmallow!"

"Stop being such a sore loser Gil."

"Liz you came in second place so be quiet!"

Kiku tried not to let a smug grin dirty his features. "If the game was made in Japan, I have played it, and I play most of them well, especially multi-player universe mash ups, such as Brawl."

Alfred pouted. "Okay Gil, we need to let somebody else play… Rules are third and fourth place people have to switch out."

"This fucking sucks dick," he said as he handed the controller to Ludwig. "Take them both out West."

"I still have no idea why you call me that," responded the younger German, sitting on the couch next to Kiku.

"Because your room is on the west side of the house!"

"That's still an odd nickname…"

"Okay Lovi, let's see how you fare with this," Alfred said as he handed him the controller. The Italian sat on the couch, next to Elizaveta.

"I'm going to murder you potato bastard."

Ludwig gave a heavy sigh.

"Hey guys, watch out," Alfred said as he observed Kiku selecting Toon Link. "Every time he picks a cute character, Kiku wipes the floor with your tears."

"You're over exaggerating Alfred-san," he said, sounding a bit amused with a smile on his face. He simply pouted in response, watching from behind the couch.

Outside, Antonio found Manuel organizing the tables and chairs.

"What are you doing here by yourself?"

"Is it a crime to want to be alone?"

"No, I was just curious."

"Well I'm helping señora Emily clean up the backyard. She looks tired from everything that happened today."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"'Course it does pendejo."

"Okay, tell me."

"Huh?"

"Why are you being harsh with me again?"

"You already know why."

"No I don't!"

"I forgave you and look what happened!" he nearly shrieked. He pointed an accusatory finger at him. "I fucking told you that you'd go back to giving Lovino your undivided attention, and now you're together, as in a couple, as in smooching and banging! It's not funny anymore! Didn't I tell you this was going to happen?! It always happens! Every. Single. Fucking. Time!"

Antonio looked behind him to make sure the glass door was closed. "Why are you so mad?! I really like Lovino, okay?! And of course I was going to say 'yes' when he asked to be my boyfriend!"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is Manuel, because every time we have this sort of conversation, you never make it clear what's bothering you!"

"Augh!" He threw his hands up in the air. Growing frustrated, he stacked the plastic chairs up in a tower. "Whatever, y'know!"

"No, it's not whatever. And don't shrug like it's no big deal! You're still okay with Lovino, but not me, and that is what I don't fucking understand!"

"Look, you have him, so why do you insist on continuing to be friends with me?"

"Are you seriously asking me that question? Really Manuel?! Really?!"

He looked like he was going to explode, but he shook his head, holding his hands up. "I, am not doing this right now. I'm not going to talk about this right now. Nope." Antonio grew frustrated as he walked past him, heading for the door.

"Manuel, come back here! We need to settle whatever the hell it is that keeps bothering you! You can't keep bottling it up!" But he was ignored as the door closed. He watched as the shorter of the two went up the stairs.

Shaking his head, he laughed in disbelief, a sour smile on his face. "¡Eres imposible!" he shouted at the sky. "Augh!" He sat down on a lawn chair, holding his head in his hands. "No matter how hard I try—!"

"'Tonio?"

He looked up and saw Lovino. "Oh, Lovi, ah ha, hey. Done with your game?"

"I got bored after I died...uh, a few times… Are you alright you big idiot?"

"Yeah, fine, 'course!"

"Then why did Manny walk inside looking like he was ready to murder somebody? What the hell did you do to him this time?"

"Nothing!" he said as he shot up suddenly, throwing his hands in the air. "He is so stubborn and proud that he keeps building tougher and tougher layers of shell around him like some kind of insect! Or onion!"

"He's more like a crab. A hard exterior, but a soft interior."

"Well gee, I wish I got treated like you did."

Lovino sighed as Antonio mumbled to himself in Spanish, his brows furrowed. He calmed down when he felt his boyfriend slowly entwine his fingers with his right hand. He managed a smile at the Italian. "I'm sorry Lovi…"

"What are you apologizing to me for?"

"…can you talk to him, please? You have better luck with him than I do."

"I'll try, but if he ends up hating me again because of it, I'm gonna kick your ass. Quit laughing, I mean it."

"Okay, okay." He kissed him quickly on the lips. "Gracias, mi amor."

"Stop being such a moron…"

"Aww, you're blushing ~"

"NO. Don't START."

Manuel shook his head as he looked out the window from the second floor bathroom. "And he wonders why I act the way I do." He crossed his arms. "It's never going to change. He's still a fucking idiot." He flushed the toilet, pretending that he had used it. He sat down on the lid and stared at the floor. A heavy sigh escaped him, his visage becoming downcast. "But I'm the even bigger idiot for refusing to do anything about it… I denied it too long. Guess that's what I deserve for being a dick..."

Alfred got a soda from the fridge, still amazed that Kiku managed to stay in the game for so long. "Damn he's good," he said, drinking from the can. The doorbell rang. He set the beverage on the table and went to answer it. "I'll get it," he said to his mom. "I wonder who it is at this hour?"

He opened it and stared. "…can I help you?"

It was a tall man with dirty blonde hair and gray eyes. He had a disheveled appearance, and was wearing a long worn coat. "Is this the Jones residence?"

"…why?" he began slowly. "Who are you? A solicitor? A hobo?"

He simply smiled. "My, how you've grown."

Looking back and continuing to shift his glances in both directions, he said, "Uh, moooooommm?"

Emily walked over to him, Matthew following her as he had been talking about suggestions for next year's party. "Yes?" He pointed to the man, uncertainty on his face. The woman's heart sank when she looked at the stranger.

"Alfred, Matthew, go inside."

"But—"

"Go. Inside."

"Oh, come on now Emily, you're going to hide them from me after so long?"

"Mom, what's he talking about?" asked Matthew.

Alfred stared at him. "Who are you?"

"Let's talk inside, shall we?" he said as he began to step through the door, but Emily stopped him.

"Get. OUT!"

Her shouting diverted the guests' attention to the doorway.

"Now now Emily, don't want to cause a scene outside." He maneuvered his way into the entrance. "There, that's better."

"Mom?" the twins asked when their mother remained still with horror. "Mom…? Who is this?"

"Oh, don't tell me you've already forgotten boys. Really now."

They looked at him questioningly.

"I'm your father, Louis."

The ruckus in the room began to still, the game put on pause. A very awkward and uncomfortable silence followed.

"…what?" Alfred began slowly. "You're…" He was quiet for two minutes until his anger flared up. "YOU'RE the loser who left mom?!"

"Now, is that any way to talk to your dad—"

"You're NOT our dad!" Matthew exclaimed. "We've never had one!"

"Why are you so upset?"

"WHY?!" Alfred was seething with rage. "You leave mom when we were only a year old, and let her raise us by herself?! Do you know how much she had to endure because you were an inconsiderate and irresponsible prick?!"

"Emily, you raised them to talk so foully—"

"She raised us just FINE! In fact, she's the best parent in the whole damn universe! You have no right to speak about her like that or to even be here!"

"I came to see you on your birthday. You're both eighteen now, a big milestone."

Matthew was astounded. "We're seventeen!"

"Oops, off by one year. Ha, I must be getting old."

"Oh my God!" Alfred shook his head in disbelief. "You…you! You need to get out of our house, now!" He glanced at his mom who was still speechless, the fright never leaving her face. This was not happening. Not now, not on such a perfect day.

Louis looked at the guests who were staring. He made a face. "Mm, you made friends with foreigners. I hope they're legal in this country."

Wow. "You did not just—" Matthew couldn't finish his sentence out of pure amazement.

"What do you have here? Some Europeans? Latins? Oh, Asians too, and two Middle Easterners. I'm surprised you don't have—wait, yes, there's a black person there."

"She's not 'a black person' and don't refer to them like that! They have names!" Alfred said.

He dismissed his last exclamation. "Just for the record boys, I didn't leave your mom. She left me."

"And I can see why! You're just like the ignorant guys at my school! Get out of our HOUSE!" His voice was escalating.

"No, I don't think I will," he said with a dark smile. "Not until I've learned how you boys are doing. You grew up to be fine looking young men, haven't you?"

He heard somebody come down the stairs. He looked up, and his smile turned into a grin. "Well, what a coincidence. I didn't expect to see you here."

Manuel looked at him with confusion, but when he stared long enough, his breath hitched. His skin started to pale as he stared at him, his eyes widening. Kiku looked at the man and back at Manuel. This is…! His mouth was open in shock.

"…y-you…y-you're…" the Mexican began slowly.

"That's right, the man from the zoo. You have a good memory."

"N-No…no…no no no no no no."

"Oh, so you remember. This is the third time we meet, Manuel. You still haven't found that marble under the leaves, have you?"

Alfred looked at his friend. "Manny…what's…?"

Antonio and Lovino walked in, feeling the heavy weight of silence in the room. The stranger ignored their entrance as he continued to grin at Manuel. The Spaniard looked at his friend on the staircase, noticing the tremble in his hand as he gripped the railing.

"You're…you're…YOU'RE!" he began. He laughed out of fright. "How did you even…no, no this is not happening…! It's not!"

That was when Antonio realized what was going on. He looked more closely at the man, his eyes suddenly filled with rage, the memory returning to him. "YOU!"

"Ah, you must be the other boy I saw that first day."

Manuel's voice cracked. "You're the one! You're the one who—!"

"—molested you as a child? Wow, your memory is very good, even after all these years. Who would have thought you'd be the friend of my two boys?"

Alfred, Matthew, and Emily were crushed by a wave of devastation, genuine horror on their faces. Everyone else was in a state of paralysis.

"You've grown so much in those years lost. When I saw you at the zoo, I knew something was familiar. And that's when I saw your eyes. They were just like that day. So big, so innocent, so filled with fear. And it was simply a matter of following your bus to the neighborhood where you lived. Clever, aren't I?" He chuckled. "Your body is definitely more mature. You've become quite an attractive young man. I wonder what it'd be like to mess with you again, squirming underneath with your eyes tightly shut in pain, crying and pleading for it to stop?"

Manuel wouldn't stop trembling. His eyes began to water up. He clenched his head, trying to get the memory out. "No no no..." He cautiously began to step backward, finally fleeing upstairs, slamming the closet door shut, the only place he could think of at that instant. He held the sides of his head in his hands, crying in the darkness of the small space, wishing the recollection would just leave him alone.

Antonio snapped. He lunged at Louis, Francis and Gilbert jumping to hold him back, using all their strength to restrain him. "¡TE VOY A MATAR DESGRACIADO!"

The smile never left his face. "I don't speak Spanish. You're out of luck."

"LET ME GO!"

"Antonio calm down!"

"Toni! Don't be an idiot!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"

"Are you?" he asked, aggravating the other.

"YOU WRETCHED SON OF A BITCH!"

Lovino couldn't help but be slightly frightened. He had never seen Antonio so enraged before, the wrath in his eyes burning like hellfire.

"There's no reason to get so upset. I just came back to check on what's mine."

"YOURS?!"

"But of course. Manuel's innocence was taken by me, and thus, his body will always be mine, no matter what happens."

"I WILL MURDER YOU!" He forced himself out of Francis and Gilbert's grasp, only to be stopped by Ludwig and Aksel. "¡SUELTA ME! ¡SUEL-TA-ME! DAMN IT, I SAID LET ME GO!"

"Toni!" Aksel said, trying to restrict him. "You don't know what this guy is capable of doing!"

"Listen to him Antonio!" Ludwig added. "You need to calm down—"

"CALM DOWN?!"

Alfred looked at the man who called himself his father. "You're fucking sick. You are…you are evil! Manny was seven years old! He was so little and you do such a horrible thing like that to him! What the FUCK is wrong with you?!"

"Oh, it's not like he was the first. But he's definitely one of the lucky…survivors. If that Spanish boy over there hadn't caught me, well, your friend might not be here today."

That sent a chill down the blonde's spine. "…you're a murderer too… No, this isn't happening. This is not…not happening…! My father…my father is…"

Antonio struggled to free himself from his restraints. When he broke through them, he rushed up the stairs. He looked for Manuel in all the rooms until he finally came to the hallway closet at the end. He knocked. "Manny," he said desperately. "Please, let me in—" He tried to turn the knob but it wouldn't budge.

He heard him crying through the door. It was breaking his heart the longer he stood there. He fished through the pocket of his swimming trunks and took out his cell phone. I wasn't able to help you back then Manuel, he said as he began to dial. But now? Now I can do something. I'm going to right my wrongs.

Downstairs, Louis continued to taunt Alfred. He was absolutely livid. "I won't tell you again. Get. The fuck. OUT!"

"Sure." He looked at Kiku, the eye contact making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "If you tell me who that adorable little Asian is—" A fist connected with his face. Alfred grabbed him by the collar of his coat and slammed his back against the wall.

"You piece of SHIT! Do you even fucking know the kind of trauma you caused my friend?! He tried so hard to forget it ever happened and you come looking for him to torture him even further?!"

"It's not my fault. He shouldn't have been trying to seduce me."

Another blow to his head. He was bleeding from his mouth, but still continued to smile at his son. Alfred's fists were trembling, his eyes wide with rage. The door busted open.

"Police!"

"Son, step away from the suspect!"

Guns were pointed at Louis who did nothing to try and escape. He was still smiling. Alfred let go, the police officers slamming Louis face first against the wall, handcuffing him. The officer searched him, taking out a gun.

"Did you think you could escape us forever, huh?" he said him. "Oh, look what we have here. Planning to go trigger happy Louie?"

"Louis D. Williams," the female officer said. "You're under arrest for the kidnappings, rapes, and murders of Mary Porter, James Huang, Eric Brouwer—" Alfred was in shock at all the names she continued to list. "—stalking in the first degree, and the rapes of survivors, Tomiko Yamamoto, Nicolai Reshetnikov, Aiden Drake, Carlotta Bertolino, Gabir Kanaan, and Manuel Sanchez. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney—"

He was forced into the car and the officer slammed the door shut. She walked back to the house, the other patrol cars waiting outside.

"Ma'am," the male officer asked softly. Emily looked up at him. "Are you all right? Is anybody hurt?"

"N…N-No…"

The female officer walked into the living room. "We ask that nobody leave until we get all of your statements. This may take a while, so please bear with us."

Alfred was approached by the man. "Are you okay?"

"…yeah." He rubbed his knuckles.

"He could've used that gun."

"…I wasn't thinking. I just…wanted him out of my house…" He looked up at him. "How did you know he was here?"

"We got a call from a cell phone minutes ago and got here as fast as we could. Apologies for the door, but we couldn't take our chances with this guy."

"…we'll fix it and just get a new one later. It's fine…"

"Were you the one who called?"

"No…"

"Manny," Antonio said softly, sitting outside the door. "Please let me inside…"

He said nothing.

"He's gone. La policia have him in custody. Please…please can I come in…? ¿Porfavor?" There was no response. "Please Manny…let me help you…let me help you this time..."

Manuel sat against the door, holding on to the knob tightly, trying to stifle his sobs. Antonio tried to open it a second time. "Manny…please? It's over now. You don't have to worry anymore. Please let me come in..." He slid down to sit again, waiting next to the door.

There was a pause until he spoke through the inch of wood. "…he was Alfred's father…my best friend's...this entire time…and I didn't…"

"Nobody knew. Nobody could have possibly known that."

"…why did it take this long to catch him?"

"I don't know… But he's going to go away for a long, long time. He can't torment you anymore, or anyone else."

"…how many…"

"How many what?"

"…how many more children…?"

"…I don't know. But the officers are downstairs, and they probably want to speak with you."

"I can't go down there."

"Why?"

He sobbed some more. "I can't…I can't…I can't do it…" He shook his head slowly. "I'm such a weakling. I pretend that everything's okay, that I can do just fine on my own and defend myself but I'm just… No, I don't want to see his face again, I don't, I don't, I don't…"

"It's fine to cry, especially about something like this. And you are not a weakling. You were only seven, a little boy, Manny. Please don't blame yourself… He's not going to get away this time, okay? The judge will make sure of that."

"Judge? You mean I have to look at him all over again, tell everybody in the court the horrendous thing he did to me? I won't, I can't…" His mother was right. He should have faced it a long time ago.

"Yes, you can. You have to. You won't be alone. I'll be there for you, and I won't ever leave you again Manny."

To his surprise, the door opened just enough for Antonio to see Manuel's face. Oh, the wounded expression he wore. His face was flushed from crying and his cheeks stained with tears. He had never seen him cry, not ever since that horrible day nine years ago. Antonio's heart wouldn't stop bleeding. Manuel looked at the ground, taking a long pause.

"…you promise?" he asked softly, his voice breaking.

"I promise."

When he began to cry again, Antonio opened the door some more, embracing him tightly. Manuel gave a heavy sob into his chest, clutching his back with his hands. I won't abandon you ever again, he thought. If only you knew…how much I cared… If only you would just let me… Why? He buried his face into his hair and mouthed, Why won't you let me love you? but he knew he couldn't feel it.

Their comfortable silence was broken in an instant as they heard footsteps coming closer to them. The female officer smiled at them. "Are you Antonio?"

Embarrassed, Manuel quickly let him go, looking elsewhere, wiping his face and attempting to compose himself. Antonio looked at the woman. "…yes."

"Were you the one who called to tell us about the emergency?"

"…yes, señora."

"Thank you. You've done us a huge favor. We've been trying to catch him for years, but he's been elusive and we couldn't figure out his pattern until recently. You helped save a lot of children in danger."

"…I just wanted him caught. He couldn't get away with what he did to those kids."

"Are you Manuel?" she asked the other.

"Si, señora."

"Can you come downstairs please? We need you to tell us what happened."

"Oh…" He looked at her closely. "You're the woman, the one who—"

She smiled. "Yes, I'm the same officer who responded the first time when you were little."

"But…but it's been years. Why—"

"We never dropped your case, or the cases similar to yours. It's been open all this time, and finally, it looks like it'll be coming to a close. Can you talk to me please?"

He stood up and followed her out the door. "Come on," she said, putting her hand on his back reassuringly. Antonio leaned back against the wall of the closet, releasing a sigh. "Maybe now…he'll finally begin to move on."

Like the officers had said, it took a while to get all the statements. "I'm sorry I had you retell the event," the female officer said to Manuel. "I know you must hate the recollection, but it's very important that we get it. You will have to testify during the trial."

"…so I do have to tell it all over again… Why can't you just sentence him? I mean, you already know all the horrible things he did to me."

"Even though he's a vile person, he still guaranteed a trial, just like everybody else in this country. A few other teenagers will be on the stand as well."

He looked at her with a bit of surprise.

"You're not the only one who survived, Manuel, and you're definitely not alone." She smiled.

"…why me?" he asked quietly.

"A lot of victims ask that, and…most of the time, there is no definite answer. It's the criminal's motive. In this case," she gave a quick sigh. "he had been targeting children from immigrant families, unbiased of their origin, so long as they weren't American-born."

"…what?"

"Your family is from Mexico. Another one was from Japan. Then there were children from families that originated in the British Aisles, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America, eastern and southern Asia, and even Africa. All his victims were children from immigrant families. He managed to kill most of them to silence them, but for one reason or another, you, along with a few others, were spared from death."

"But why us?"

"Until we interrogate him, we won't know his true motive."

Manuel looked at the floor. The woman patted his shoulder. "You're almost done. Once the trial is over, you won't ever have to see him again."

"…"

"The evidence we have and the deceased victims, along with the ones alive, all of that will give him the needle. He's going to pay for what he did to you and the other kids."

"Thank you…"

"…?"

"For doing what you do, your job I mean."

She smiled again. "Somebody has to defend those who can't defend themselves. The favorite part of my job is seeing the dirt bags get their punishment, and the victims get their justice."

Alfred watched as Antonio sat beside Manuel, telling him something that made him smile slightly, but he couldn't hear what it was. Maria hugged her son, Jose doing the same thing to Antonio, thanking him for calling the authorities.

"—fred?"

He blinked, and looked at Emily. "Huh?"

"Did you hear that?"

"…I'm sorry, I was spaced out."

The male officer repeated. "You, your brother, and your mother will be witnesses in the trial, possibly for both sides."

"…oh, okay."

The guests had left after the police did, saying sorrowful and sympathetic goodbyes to the Jones family. Nobody spoke of it on the way out until they were already driving in their car. Some didn't even want to bring it up at all. Alfred's cousins said they'd come visit again when things were sorted out.

Maria and her family were the last to leave. Emily was about to apologize when the Hispanic woman held up her hand. "I know what you're going to say, and don't say it. This is not your fault Emily."

"But he—"

"—is not your husband. He is basura and we didn't even know each other when our sons were a year old. Please, do not blame yourself."

"But…b-but Manuel—"

"—will survive. After everything…he finally agreed to get some…well, professional help. He will get better." She held both her hands in hers. "No llores mas, Emily. ¿Porfavor…?"

She gave a sniff and nodded.

As the Sanchez family walked out, Alfred tried to speak to Manuel, but he couldn't get any words out of his mouth. The other didn't even glance at him and continued out the door, Antonio next to him. He looked back at Alfred with a sad smile and left.

The house was left alone to the Jones family. Emily sat on the couch, her head in her hands. Matthew sat down next to her. "…are you okay mom?"

"I should be asking you that question."

"…I've been better."

"Boys, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about your father, but I did leave him for a good reason. Call me paranoid but…ha, when I noticed he was giving more attention to other children than his own, that's when I became worried. I guess I did the right thing at the time…" She gave a barely audible laugh. "I watch too many crime shows. But I think if I didn't, I probably would have never left…"

Matthew rubbed her back, holding her hand tightly. Kiku appeared in front of them, a tray of tea in his hands. "Uhm…Jones-san…I cannot even fathom how hard this is for your family, but…I am willing to listen to everything you have to say. Tea usually helps so…" He set the tray down and poured the hot beverage into three small cups. "Please."

She smiled at him, taking a cup and handing it to Matthew. She took another in her hands. "Kiku, you're such a sweetheart."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, but don't you worry. We'll get through this. You'll see." She smiled at him, the vigor slowly returning to her demeanor.

Jones-san is so admirable. Even in the darkest of times, she remains optimistic, believing that everything will turn out just fine. He smiled. "Yes, you will. I will be here for support and assistance the entire way."

She drank some of the tea. "Thank you. You make really good tea Kiku." Emily looked at Alfred. "…are you okay Al? You haven't said anything since the police left."

He merely stared at the floor.

"Al?"

"…yeah, I'm fine." He headed up the stairs. "I'm gonna go to bed. I'm tired. Good night."

"Alfred—"

He walked up the staircase without looking back. Emily was about to follow him, but Kiku said, "Please Jones-san, do not fret. I will speak with Alfred-san."

"…okay."

As he headed up the staircase, he wondered how he should approach the topic. His stomach began to hurt the closer he got to the door. He gathered up all his courage, and knocked. "Alfred-san? May I come in?"

There was no answer.

"…I will come in then."

The room was dark as he closed the door behind him. Only the moonlight that filtered through the curtain illuminated the few areas of the room that could be reached by the beams. Alfred was sitting on the floor against the bed, mindlessly fiddling with his glasses in his hands as he looked down.

Kiku sat across from him. "Alfred-san?"

"To think that I used to want to know what kind of man my father was and maybe understand why he wasn't in our lives." He gave a bitter laugh. "I would have rather been kept in the dark about it now."

"…"

"…I asked him why he had a gun when they took him away. Do you know what he told me?"

The other shook his head.

"…he said, 'If the police hadn't come when they did, we were gonna have a game of Russian Roulette. Everyone was going to play, you and Matthew being the first to join in the fun, since it is your birthdays after all.' and I just…couldn't say anything. I didn't know what to say." He smiled. "I watched my mom struggle to give Matthew and me a good life. She cried a lot in the beginning. I kept it to myself though. Then grandpa, the only man to have ever been in my life, gets cancer, and the chances are narrow of him even surviving it… And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I find out one of my closest friends was tortured as a kid… The best part was that it was by my own father…" He laughed again, forcing it out.

"Alfred-san…"

"…and now I wonder, what went wrong? Is he just a sociopath? A psycho? A demented person? Was it something that mom did? Was it something Matthew and I did?"

"No, Alfred-san, you and your family have done nothing wrong. Please, don't think like that."

"But he's just…such a horrible person. And his blood runs in my veins. What does that mean for me? Will I stray from the path of justice that I always enjoyed following? Heroes can fall Kiku…and I'm…"

"No! Stop thinking like that! What you're saying is nonsense! Listen to me Alfred-san! You're not like your father, not even in the slightest! Blood has nothing to do with it! This is not like some kind of disease that can be inherited!"

"But what if he was born like that? What if he was just wired wrong? Will that eventually happen to me too? What if something triggers it? What if…what if I—"

He was slapped across the face. He looked at Kiku with shock, his hand still raised from the action. He looked at Alfred sternly, gripping his shoulders fiercely.

"You are a great person! You have a good sense of right and wrong and you embrace people regardless of their insecurities or any flaws you notice! You love everyone you've come to know and you wouldn't hesitate to defend them if they were ever threatened! You're fun, optimistic, thoughtful, and very courageous! You took me in after I was thrown out of my own house! You include everybody in activities so we may all enjoy it and share fond memories with each other! You're funny and charismatic and, and a genuine person! You have the biggest heart I've ever seen so do not ever think for even a second you will turn into a monstrosity like your father! You are truly a heroic man! Blood means nothing!"

Alfred looked at him. "…then why…" he began, his voice wavering. His eyes glossed, his lower lip quivering a bit. Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. "…why doesn't he love me Kiku?"

It had happened. The one face Kiku never wanted to see on Alfred. It was full of pure sadness and hurt. His heart broke when Alfred began to cry. He looked so defenseless, so vulnerable, so small. It's as if all the vigor and heroism that Kiku loved was sucked right out of his soul. He realized he was one of those people, the kind who hid behind a smile, making everyone think he was fine when in reality, he was anything but.

Kiku hugged him tightly with all of his strength, ignoring how small he was in comparison to the other. Alfred grasped his back with his hands, crying into his shoulder, his fingers gripping the fabric on his shirt. His sobbing was unbearable. He couldn't help but cry with him, the tears steadily dripping down Kiku's cheeks.

His hero, the one he had come to adore with every inch of his heart, was reduced to a melancholic mess. He had to support him. He had to be there for him and his family. He had to always be at his side, ready to assist and defend when the time arose. He had to be, because Kiku had never loved anyone as much as he loved Alfred. You will always be my hero Alfred-san, he thought as he tightened the hold around his back, the other hand behind his head, his fingers tangled in his blonde locks. You're the greatest person I've ever known. You don't even see how important you are to everyone, especially me. I can't help but cry for you. If I could take your pain away, I would, and I'd endure it all on my own for a thousand lifetimes. Because I love you so very much. I didn't think I could love anyone as deeply as I love you.

He suddenly felt like his uncle's treatment was nothing. At least his uncle still gave a damn. At least he was slowly learning to accept it. At least he still had all his friends who loved him and watched out for him. He had wondered what would be worse than being thrown out, worse than being ignored by one person because of his life choices, worse than having both parents dead. Well, he might have found it.

Kiku would rather have all of that than a living villainous father who never once loved him.

A/N: I can edit this chapter as many times as I please and I still won't like it. I've had to rewrite it like seven times because there were things that really bugged me about it, but...gah. Like, Manuel's reactions to all of it, since every victim of this crime reacts a different way, and I just tried to make it seem realistic without taking away from his established character? And Antonio's was another I was concerned about since he's usually a cheerful happy-go-lucky kind of guy, but I have seen him get scary in certain fics... Guh, did I do okay? I hope so... I am pretty sure this is the longest chapter by far, but you can see why. I'm not a Criminal Justice major so I had to look up stuff online but that didn't really help so...if I got something wrong, please correct me in a review so I can hurry and fix it before anybody else notices! I don't have much else to say except that this was the biggest plot point in the first half of the story, so now we're moving on to the second half. Poor Alfred. Now it's Kiku's turn to support him. :(

This whole chapter reminds me of a review I got for an earlier one, I think it was the camping chapter, about how it reminded them of Law & Order: SVU. The funny thing is that I hadn't even heard of that show before, and then just last year around October or November I started watching it on Hulu and got addicted. Lol Crime dramas really hook you in sometimes...

I dunno when I'll next update since finals are at the end of the month. I will spend my birthday preparing for them. *cries* So I'll probably update in June then. Now if you'll excuse me, I am extremely behind on my sketchbook for art class so I will attempt to finish all the missed entries in two days. (That's a lie. I'll probably just end up reading FrUK fanfics until bed time because I'm the biggest procrastinator in the entire universe...) See you next chapter!

Translations:

¡Eres imposible! = You're impossible!
Gracias, mi amor. = Thanks, my love.
¡TE VOY A MATAR DESGRACIADO! = I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU WRETCH!
¡SUELTA ME! = LET ME GO!
La policia = The police
basura = trash
No llores mas, Emily. ¿Porfavor…? = Don't cry anymore, Emily. Please?

If I missed an accent mark somewhere, please let me know.