"Where are they?" Maka asked after walking out of the hospital, wiping away the tears that were streaming down her face.
"They're over there." Carlo said as he threw his arm around her shoulder to pull her in the direction of the waiting car.
"Do you think that he's going to do something stupid?" Maka asked with a small sniffle.
"I don't know I hope he doesn't though." Carlo muttered as they approached the car. He reached out and opened the door for her letting her inside and stepping inside after her, closing the door behind him.
"Maka, are you crying?" Jared asked, bewildered.
"Black*Star is being suicidal." Carlo explained to him.
Jared looked at Pops. "Is that why you sent Frank inside?" he asked.
"Carlo called me before I went to go pick you guys up. Don't worry Maka; I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Pops told her.
Maka curled in to Carlo, her hand going up to her cheek. Carlo understood what was going on. He rubbed soothing circles on her back and wrapped his other arm around her as Pops pulled out of the parking lot.
Jared glanced back at Maka. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing." Maka muttered.
"She was getting out of hand and I slapped her." Pops told him.
"You did what?" Jared exclaimed, anger rolling through him.
"I slapped her; you know not to mess with me in a day like this." Pops informed.
Jared's hands rolled up into fists. "That's my step-daughter that you slapped. Pops, she didn't know any better." He growled.
"Look, it happened, and it's too late for that now." Pops told him.
"How could you be so cool about this?" Jared asked.
"Because it isn't worth getting over whelmed." Pops stated.
Jared glared at his father. "You disgust me. It's enough that you killed my mom but do you have to go ahead and take whatever is left in my life that is important to me?" he growled.
"I didn't kill your mother for the last time Jared!" Pops yelled out, slamming his head against the wheel in frustration.
"No, you ordered her kill that makes it a whole lot better." Jared said sarcastically. "You have no idea how traumatizing it was for me to watch my own mother die before my eyes."
Pop's hands tightened around the steering wheel. "Do you want to know why I sent for her kill?"
"After years of wondering why daddy would kill mommy, it would be nice." Jared sneered.
"She cheated on me with White*Star." Pops growled.
Jared froze and stared at him. "What?" he muttered.
"Jared… you're a bastard." Pops growled.
"But… I." Jared was speechless. "What?" he muttered.
"Black*Star is your half-brother." Pops responded.
Jared sat back in his seat, trying to recollect his thoughts. "Why are you telling me this now?" he asked.
"Because, I still see you as my son, I raised you." Pops said.
Carlo looked at Maka to see that she was listening to this with wide eyes.
"I loved your mother… but the love was only one-sided." Pops muttered.
"I, I don't know what to say." Jared murmured.
"You don't have to say anything. I'm just telling you why I did what I did." Pops said and sighed. "This conversation is over." He muttered.
"I need to talk to Soul." Maka blurted out.
Carlo froze, a sickening feeling spreading through him. "Why?" he asked her.
"I just need to talk to him." Maka said.
"Speaking of Soul, he sent you a note after I told him that he couldn't tag along." Pops said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the note and reaching back to hand it to Maka but not taking his eyes off the road.
Maka reached out to grab it but Carlo beat her to it, plucked it out of Pops hands, stuffing the note into his pocket.
"What the hell Carlo?" she asked, outraged.
"Training is going to be hard on you; I say that you save this note for a rainy day." Carlo said.
"I want to read it now though." Maka said.
"I think Carlo has a point. Maka, he is going to drill you pretty hard there, it's best if you save the note for a rainy day." Pops said.
Maka sighed and nodded in agreement.
"Alright, this is going to be a long road trip, I decided that I would take you guys to the camp instead of you guys going to the airport, saves me some money." Pops informed.
Jared stayed quiet, looking out the window. How could Pops be so calm after telling him that he wasn't his son? Could he really be so heartless?
Jared couldn't help but remember all those times that he had been hit by who he thought was his father, all those times that he put up with the abuse thinking that it was a father's way of showing love… did Pops even care for him?
About an hour passed and light snores came from the back seat, Jared looked back to see Carlo's head leaning on top of Maka's, both of them sleeping. Maka was Kami's daughter, sure, he saw her like a daughter, but she wasn't exactly his, she's the product of what Kami used to have with this Spirit guy. If it came down to it, would he actually claim her as his daughter? Would Pops claim his as his son?
"Jared, stop it." Pops grumbled feeling the tension that Jared was throwing.
"What?" Jared asked.
"I know what you're thinking. Stop it. You're my son, no matter what type of blood is running through your veins." Pops told him. "Like I said, I raised you to be my son, and that is what you are. I'm proud of what you became."
Jared examined Pops. "But… I'm not your son." Jared mumbled.
"Not biologically… but I still see you as my son. Get that in your head Jared, you can't get rid of me that easily." Pops huffed.
"Did you have to go as far as killing my own mother though?" Jared asked.
Pops sighed. "Don't you think it's a bit too late for that?" Pops asked.
"I guess." Jared mumbled, not satisfied, but he knew he shouldn't push it. "Hey… did you ever have any other children?"
"Nope, I stayed loyal to your mother, while she went off and had sex with my brother." Pops growled.
"I don't get it." Jared mumbled.
"What is there not to get Jared? She slept with my brother." Pops stated, starting to get a bit frustrated.
"No, not that, I understand that." Jared grumbled, turning his attention back to the window.
"Then what is it you don't understand Jared? Everything seems pretty clear to me." Pops said.
Jared sighed and then turned his attention to Pops once more. "Why are you out to avenge White*Star when he slept with your wife?" Jared asked.
Pops sighed and pulled over to the side of the freeway that they were on and looked Jared in the eye. "When the Star Clan was founded, White*Star and I made a pact that we would avenge each other if it came right down to it… although we did split the Star Clan apart all these years ago, I am a man of pride. I will keep my word, no matter what it takes and what has happened." Pops said.
"Would he have done the same thing?" Jared asked.
Pops pulled back into the road. "Jared, White*Star wouldn't be able to do that even if he tried, why do you think that his whole side of the Star Clan failed? He was a careless fool that never thought ahead, he was greedy and nasty." Pops growled.
"It sounds like you hated him." Jared mumbled.
Pops chuckled. "I did." He said.
"Then… I'm confused." Jared said.
"Look, Jared, I hated his guts ever since we were little kids. He was moms favorite, always got what he wanted. A spoiled brat, that's what he was." Pops said as he reached into his pocket to pull out a cigar. "Light it for me will ya?" he asked Jared.
"Sure." He mumbled as he reached for the lighter that was next to his arm rest. Fumbling with it a bit, he held it up to the cigar that Pops was holding and lit it. "Why would you go through all this trouble then, would you still do it if you guys hadn't done the pact?" Jared asked putting the lighter back where he found it as Pops took a drag out of the cigar, rolling down the windows so that the cool air filled the car and the smoke would be let out.
"Of course I would still do it. Any one that carries the Star blood, I'll take care of them. Even though I hated his guts, he is part of the family, and family sticks together. You understand?" Pops asked Jared as he took another drag of his cigar.
"Yeah." Jared said, having a new found respect for Pops. Raising a child that wasn't his own and making sure to avenge a guy that he hated… now there's something you don't see every day. "How much longer until we get there?" Jared asked.
"About ten minutes, we'll have to stop for gas on the way back." Pops said.
"So… you're proud of me?" Jared asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Don't push it Jared." Pops said with a small chuckle.
A/N: Sorry I didn't update earlier in the day! Don't forget to review! Don't be afraid to ask any questions either.