Part 5: Mail
Seventeen years later (Reuben's POV)

"You are so taking me out to meet my friends," Erina looked at my license, front and back, before returning it to me.

Because I was a senior, my classes normally lasted only half the day. Mom had scheduled an appointment for me to take my driver's test. I passed with flying colors and my first journey without an adult, licensed driver in the car - picking up my younger siblings from school. Erina, my eldest sister, a freshman had run towards the car shouting 'shot-gun', knowing full well that our brother, a junior, wanted to sit in the front.

"He's not taking you anywhere until he takes me somewhere," Hector leaned forward from the backseat and tapped my shoulder. "Isn't that right, bro?"

I shook my head and snorted. "Sit back and buckle up. You know better than that. And you," I glanced over at our sister, "I'm not taking you anywhere. You're supposed to be grounded."

Erina rolled her eyes before looking out the window. She had gone to our grandparents' every single day last month, didn't study and went to school unprepared. The result, mom and dad had to sign her test that she failed. Normally, they wouldn't have been so upset about that sort of thing. They were lenient mostly because we were decent kids. We got into trouble every now and then, but nothing that was serious. Our father said we were allowed to make mistakes - it was how we learned.

The difference in Erina's case? She lied to our parents about studying and about the test. In fact, she hid the failed test from them both and forged dad's signature. And that was something unforgivable.

"I didn't want to disappoint them," she huffed.

"You lied, I think that was past..."

"I don't need to hear it from you," Erina shot back at Hector.

"I don't need to hear it from you."

"Are you mimicking me?"

"Are you mimicking me," he repeated, but this time he attempted to sound like her.

"This isn't funny, Hector Coulter!"

"This isn't..."

"Hec," I warned him as he chuckled and reached forward to ruffle Erina's hair. She pushed his arm away before turning back around to stick out her tongue at him. Those two were always arguing. At the same time, they were also very close. You weren't supposed to have favorites, but among our siblings we did.

Erina, Hector and I were the older ones. We grew up in the first house that mom and dad lived in after they had gotten married. For the first few years it was only the three of us. It was natural that we hung out together.

Then our parents moved us back to Amity where we lived in our great-grandparents' house, after our great-grandmother had passed away. Mom wanted to be there for her grandfather. Not too long after that, we were introduced to two more siblings - five-year-old Owen and four-year-old Camilla. And just like us, those two were tight as thieves. According to Owen, girls had germs - except Camilla. Because she wasn't a girl, she was his sister.

"You know that you could never disappoint mom and dad," Hector sat forward, still without his seat belt on. I shook my head at him but didn't say anything because I knew he was giving Erina a pep-talk. "Yes, they're upset that you lied and covered it up. But, they love you Erina."

"They won't love me for long," she mumbled.

"What was that," I turned to look at her quickly before redirecting my eyes back out on the road. "What did you do?"

"It's not anything that I did. It's something that I want to do."

"Get a tattoo," Hec interjected as I shook my head at his ability to bring humor into a serious conversation. It was just like to make a joke right now.

Hector reminded our mother of her brothers - always playing pranks and getting into trouble. It was mostly harmless stuff, but enough for the teachers and other parents to call my parents and inform them of what he was up to. Like me, he was smart - possibly smarter - but he lacked the drive. He was more carefree, and I believe that had something to do with the fact that he wasn't the oldest.

"I don't want to become an engineer or a biologist," Erina looked between the two of us.

"You don't have to follow our career paths," I pointed out.

"There's a lot of choices out there, sis," Hector added. "You could go into geology."

"I don't want to do that either," she mumbled.

"What about the internship program at Dad's office," I offered. If we didn't spend time off from school working at Amity Produce, we would do something for our father. Although - and don't say this to Mom - working at Dad's was better.

Erina sighed, looking both conflicted and disappointed.

My hands tightened on the wheel as we turned towards our driveway. "We're not mind-readers, Erina Coulter."

She turned and gave me a look - a look that said she was doing something that she didn't want to do, but she knew it would make us happy kind of thing. "I'll do the stupid internship, then. Just stop talking about it. We're home," she went to un-buckle her seatbelt the moment I parked.

"Wait," I reached my hand out and covered the buckle. "Come on, tell us."

"If you rather work at Amity Produce, you can say that too," Hec smiled. "Between the three of us though, I rather work at Dad's."

"The breakroom," I smiled at him, thinking about that one summer that Hector and I fell in love with their frozen yogurt machine. Our Dad had said that we took the most ten-minute breaks out of everyone in the company. Technically, we were interns - he couldn't necessarily 'fire' us. We did get a stern talking to from our mother, but that didn't deter us from traveling down there every now and then to get some sort of snack.

"Oh, oh," Hector replied with excitement, "that computer system." He straightened out in the backseat. "Good Morning, Hector," he imitated the woman's voice that greeted us whenever we swiped our cards for entry.

"Oh God," Erina groaned.

Remembering that we were talking about her, we both looked sheepish. "Sorry," I apologized. "Seriously, there are a lot of things to look forward to this summer. What's bugging you?"

"You really want to go to Amity Produce," Hec questioned. "I guess, if you'd rather work there," he shrugged.

I nodded. "That's true. And dad isn't pushing you to..."

"No, you don't get it," she shook her head and looked out the window. "I don't want to do anything in the field of science," Erina said quietly. We heard her, however.

Hector leaned back in his seat, obviously shocked about what our sister had just confessed. I, too, was slightly surprised. Our father was a COO for the top engineering company. They also owned several other small companies that my father managed - such as pharmaceutical, chemical and electrical plants or laboratories. It came to no shock that I was following our Dad.

Hector leaned towards biology and how advancement and progress affected wildlife - something we all believed was influenced because of our move to Amity and our great-grandmother's wildlife sanctuary.

Not to mention that our mother taught science at the high school. She had spent a couple years teaching Literature. When the science professor had retired, she went back to school for two years and studied, resulting in her being hired as Amity's head of the science department.

We all believed that Erina would follow.

"Then, what do you want to do," I asked softly, gently.

"I want to write," she said, looking at us with a serious stare. "Mom had a dream about becoming a writer, did you know that?" Hector appeared between the two of us again and shook his head. "She studied under Dr. Sharipova - the love-child of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft. Like that was huge," her smiled widened. I didn't know that. And it was obvious that Hector hadn't either. "She wanted to do more in life, but instead she settled for becoming a mother."

Hector's eyes narrowed. "She didn't settle."

"Erina how could you say that? Why would you belittle mom's decision to have a family?"

"It's not like that's a bad thing," Hector said, "we wouldn't be around, if that was the case."

"And mom doesn't treat us like we're a burden," I added. "I'm sure she would have enjoyed writing, but just as Hec said, in no way did she 'settle'. She has no regrets."

"I didn't say that she did," Erina sighed. "I just feel that I should go out and have those experiences for her, use what she has given me to my full potential. Then maybe I can come back and do the practical route."

"Sounds like you want to do more than write about adventures, you want to have your own," Hector smiled - a small one that said he approved.

"You're really serious about this," I looked at her, studying her expressions. There was a slight flicker of fear, but I knew that was mostly about disappointing our parents.

"Wait, I need to ask," Hec began, "did you fail that chem paper to prove that science wasn't your thing?"

My head jerked back in shock. That was a long shot, but judging from the look on our sister's face, Hec had read right through it. Obviously, she was just as smart as us. We knew that she knew the work. But did she really create some sort of scheme to get out of science?

"Erina," I scolded.

"I enjoy science, don't get me wrong," Erina replied, "but I want to do this."

I nodded and looked out of the front window, staring at our house - our great-grandfather's house. I remember my father mentioning that he and Mom had met in Dauntless - not in Erudite. And when times had got hard for mom, she didn't come back to Amity. She wanted to brave the world on her own. And Dad wanted that for all of us. He wouldn't force us to choose a career like him, but if that was in the books, he wouldn't deter us from it either. Erina was following in mom's footsteps - she was just doing it in her own way.

"You should do it," I nodded.

"Do you two think that I could? Like would Dad let me," she posed with worry etched upon her face.

My hands reached out and pulled her towards me, giving her a quick hug and small pat on the head. "I don't think that you could," I replied, pushing her back, "I know that you can, and you will. You're a Coulter, Erina. You can do anything you want to. Become the Queen of your own world," I added - something that our Dad always told her.

"Ditto," Hector lifted his hand and pointed to himself.

All three of us shared a laugh.

"And if you need help with Dad, I'll back you up," I offered.

"Thank you, thank you," Erina threw her arms around me and hugged me back.

"I'm going to record this, because I'm pretty sure Dad might have a heart-attack," Hector joked, causing Erina to pull back with wide eyes.

I punched his shoulder playfully as he chuckled. We grabbed our things and headed out of the car. We couldn't have timed it better, because just then the bus had come down the road, followed by the mailman. Hector went to the front to watch out for Owen. He was finishing his first year in school and couldn't wait for Camilla to join him next year. Camilla was at the wildlife sanctuary. Our great-grandmother, Camilla, instituted a day-care there - before she passed away - that was headed by one of our mom's close friends, Madeline Rossi.

Owen came running down the street, calling out for Hector.

I shook my head and went towards the mailman. "Good Afternoon, Mr. Anthony."

"Good Afternoon, young Coulter," he replied with a nod and a smile. He handed me a few envelopes of assorted sizes. But there was only one that I was interested in. "I think you might like that one," he winked as I held up one of the larger ones with the sender Erudite University.

"I think so, too," I smiled at it.

"Congratulations again kid. I know your parents are proud of you." Mr. Anthony laughed heartily. "And so are your grandparents. That old Joe - how's he doing?"

"Not so old," an extra voice was heard behind us and I smiled when our Pops - my great-grandfather - came wading out slowly. "I can still boogie."

Erina saddled up to our Pops with widened eyes. "No one really 'boogies' anymore, Pops," she said as Pops chuckled. She took his arm and led him back inside. If our mother found out he was walking around by himself again, she might not like it.

I shook my head and held up the mail. "Thanks again, Mr. Anthony."

"Anytime kid," he waved before slowly driving off.

I thumbed through the rest of the mail - most of it was for mom and dad. A couple was for Pops. And surprisingly, there was a letter for Owen. Then again, he had been doing this 'pen-pal' thing with our Aunt Jenny. She said that too much kids these days didn't appreciate the art of writing a letter. So, it could have been from her. I flipped over the envelope and saw her address stamped on the flap.

"Hey Owen," I called out as we entered the house. He came running back towards me with an earnest expression.

"Aunty Jenny," he asked as I handed him the envelope. He took it and jumped up and down a few times before running back off to open it. He settled in front of Pops' chair as the old man smiled at him. "Did you want me to read it to you, Pops?"

"Sure," Pops replied as Erina placed a cup of our grandmother's tea on a coffee table next to him.

I placed the mail in the correct trays but noticed that one envelope - large as my college packet - wasn't addressed to anyone. It had our address on it, but no name. I flipped it over once, then twice. And then a third time. Finally, I decided that I should open it. Dad allowed me to open mail that was addressed to the family.

The second that I did open it, a few things slid out and fell onto the ground.

Erina had walked out of the living room and saw the contents fall. "What is this?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "It was in today's mail."

She leaned over to pick it up before shrugging also. "It looks like pictures from mom and dad's wedding. Wait," she picked out the second one, "this one is a baby at the hospital. Is that you," she came by me and held out the picture.

We both scanned it as I nodded. "That's my birth-date on the card. And it says parents are Eric and JoyAnna," I added, reading the small card that was labelled on the side of the incubator I was placed in. "What else you got there?"

"There's a picture of Hector riding a bike," she pulled out another one. "Is that in Erudite? I miss that house," she added with a smile. "It was so cozy."

"It was pretty great house for just the three of us. But honestly, do you want to share a room with Hec," I asked her with a smile of my own, knowing that she enjoyed the fact that we had separate rooms now.

Erina snorted. "Oh God, no," she groaned before we both laughed.

"Wait, was it that," I asked as she paused from flipping through the pictures.

Erina seemed to drop everything else in the stack of pictures. Her hand shakily held onto the picture that I saw. My eyes widened, and I felt my body get cold - like a chill had filled the air around us. I glanced around the hallway as though someone were watching us - like some sort of boogey-man, or evil clown. Another gasp left my sister, causing me to look at what had her attention. The pictures on the floor had our father beating people, murdering them. Turning back to the picture in her hands, I realized that I had started to breath harshly. I grabbed the picture - feeling anger coursing through my veins - and crumpled it.

"Why did you do that," Erina screamed.

"Don't look at it, Erina! In fact," I picked up the rest of the pictures and stuffed it into the envelope, "I'm throwing all of this out!"

"No! Don't," she grabbed onto my arm and pulled me back.

"Why would we keep it?"

"To show mom and dad," she answered. "Ask them if it's true!"

"Ask Dad if he murdered someone," I stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. "Better yet," I snapped at her, "why would I want to show a picture to Dad of someone raping our mother," I shouted.

"She wasn't being raped," Erina shook her head, tears forming at her eyes.

"What do you think those men were doing to her, while she was tied up in her underwear," I questioned.

Erina looked up at me. "I refuse to believe that about our mother! Dad would have protected her."

"By murdering people," I questioned.

"Dad loves mom. And she," Erina paused, "she... I don't care what you say Rue! It's not true!"

"What's going on," our Pops appeared in the hallway. Owen was by his side, looking scared. He patted Owen on the shoulder before Owen ran upstairs to his room. Hector stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching Erina and I.

Shaking my head, I looked at the envelope in my hand and couldn't fathom what was happening. Pops walked over to me and took the envelope from my hand. Fear, anger, frustration, concern and panic flooded my veins. This was the first time that I had felt such strong emotions. What was going on? Pops looked at me sternly before nodding at my sister for her to go upstairs.

Erina's bottom lip trembled. Pops took a deep breath before kissing her forehead and patting her shoulder, urging her to go to her room. "You too, Hector," Pops told him.

"Whatever you have to say to Reuben, you can say to me," Hec took a step forward - the prankster personality all but gone. My brother stood there, looking very much like our father. His fists clenched at his side.

"I'm not going to tell Reuben anything," Pops glanced back before standing taller, impressive and confident - despite his elderly age. "Finish your schoolwork, play with Owen," he instructed, "do your chores. Anything else, but this," he slipped the envelope under his arm.

"The pictures," I questioned.

"It's not my place to say what your parents were involved in years ago. Now please, go upstairs. Focus on your younger siblings. And I don't want to hear another disrespectful, angry outburst from you," he pinned me with hard eyes. Pops was firm - but he had never been this authoritative with us. I nodded. "The same goes for you, Hector Coulter. Your parents will talk to you both later."

Hector, Erina and I were tense for the rest of the afternoon. Erina kept her earbuds on and just stared out her window. Owen tried to play with his toys, but he wasn't feeling that either. He had opted for taking a nap on Erina's bed. Hector was bouncing a rubber ball off the wall and catching it every now and then. When the front door opened, we all jumped up - minus Owen - and sprinted down the stairs.

Our father smiled lightly behind his beard and shook his head. "That's the first time the three of you rushed to help us unload the car," he said as our mother joined him. Her eyes widened at seeing the three of us meeting them at the front door. "I didn't even call for them," our Dad added, "they must have been tracking us with that app that's on their phones."

"Oh, I hope you weren't driving and looking at your phone, Reuben Coulter," our mother scolded.

Camilla came running and giggling behind her with one bag of groceries - a very small bag of groceries, that is.

"Slow down, young lady," she shouted as Erina took the bag she was holding. "Thank you, Ree. And where is Owen? I hope you folks didn't let him watch that horrible television show. You know how he gets nightmares," she scolded sternly.

She squealed as our father wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in for a kiss. "I love it when you get all demanding," he growled, causing Hec and I to choke. They were still romantic with one another - it was like that fire hadn't gone out. The only problem was that that fire would often show itself when we were around.

Hec must have gagged loudly because our parents pulled apart, our mother made her way to Hec and patted his cheek. "How was your day, sweetheart," she said as our father took off her jacket and hung it up. Everything that they did, showed a loving marriage - nothing like the dark pictures that we had seen.

"It was," Hec paused and looked over at me.

Our father caught it and narrowed his eyes at the two of us, "what's going on?"

"We," I started but looked down in fear - not wanting to know the answer.

"This came in the mail," Pops walked forward and handed the envelope to our father. He glanced at it, before taking it.

"Oh, is that the welcome packet from Erudite University," Mom began. "Your father and I are so proud of you, Rue. It's just so great to see you..."

"Getting first place at the science fair," Dad interrupted her with a picture in hand.

"What," our mother asked, walking to stand by him. "There's one of Owen's first day of school. Where did you folks get this?" She looked at us, but the same thing that happened earlier, happened again. Our Dad pulled out one picture that made him drop everything else. And as the pictures scattered again on the floor, our mother inhaled a harsh breath, releasing a shriek before turning around and curling herself into our father's arms. "Get rid of it, Eric! Get it out of this house, now!"

We watched our parents embrace tightly as our Dad whispered encouraging words to her. He pressed his lips to her forehead before his gaze met mine. I knew what he was trying to convey. Quickly, I knelt to pick up all the pictures. Hector started to do the same.

"Put those in the fire pit outside," Dad instructed as we stood up straight. I nodded and made my way towards the back door with Hector following me closely, leaving our mother's soft sobs behind us.

I felt blank - still a bit angry and upset over the entire situation. But seeing my parent's reactions, especially my mother's, made me realize that they had kept it quiet for a reason. I had never seen my mom so frightened, so empty, so vulnerable.

"I'm burning it," Hector said as he picked up some pieces of wood and stacked them neatly.

We watched the pictures burn in silence - a tense, uncomfortable silence before walking back into the house. Pops had Owen and Camilla eating spaghetti and meatballs.

"I gots pasketti," Camilla smiled up at us before slurping up a noddle.

"And giant meatballs," Owen had one of his fork and held it up to Hec who made dinosaur noises before he took it off the fork. Both Camilla and Owen giggled and laughed before continuing to eat their food.

"Where's mom and dad," I asked.

He gestured for Hec and I to enter our father's office.

Both Hec and I were surprised that there was a door off to the side inside his office. We had never seen that door before. But there it was, standing open for us to walk through.

Erina sat down on a couch inside, fiddling with her hands in her lap. Earlier this afternoon, our biggest concern was her being grounded and now, we weren't so sure. I glanced at our parents - mom sitting in a chair with our father standing protectively over. Her face was wet with tears. Dad gestured for us to sit down. Hec did, but surprisingly I stayed standing.

"It would be best if you heard this, sitting down," our father cautioned. I shook my head, causing him to sigh. "Very well then," he nodded. "I just want to say that this happened before any of you were born," he started before taking a deep breath. "My parents were involved in crime - organized crime. The mob, hit-man 'stuff' that you folks watch in the movies," he rubbed Mom's shoulder. She looked up at him and gave him an encouraging smile. "None of it was glamorous. My Dad knew that wasn't the way to live his life. So, he and a few others, did their best to get everyone out. After my Dad passed away, my mother and my Aunt influenced Aunt Jess and myself back in."

"So, you did murder people," I questioned, uncertain of how I was supposed to feel.

"I did," my father looked me straight in the eye while answering. I flinched slightly because he was still my dad. And it was obviously from Erina's tears and Hec's expression that none of us wanted to believe it. "I didn't think there was anything worth living for, except doing what I did best." I shuffled nervously as he watched me before his other hand went to pull Mom out from the chair. "I met your mother and for the first time, I realized what my Dad meant about having a meaningful life." When I saw him look at our mom, I saw truth behind every word. "Your mom was my everything, my light in a world full of darkness. She pulled me out from that life, she gave me hope."

My lips twitched into a soft smile as I looked down. It made me realize that their love was strong and that she had shown him something he couldn't get anywhere else. He had told me about that - about falling in love and treating a girl with respect when I had expressed my desire to start dating.

"Under any other circumstance, I might say that this is a romantic story," Erina sniffed, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her jacket.

"It was," Mom said, leaning her head on Dad's chest. "It still is. But it's full of a lot of dangerous people." She turned to face us. "I had been engaged - before I met your father," she added when seeing our shocked expressions. "It wasn't a good relationship and I didn't have the courage and strength to get out of it until the day of my wedding," she laughed lightly. "He was the son of another criminal."

"Wait," Erina held up her hand. "Dad's Dad - our grandfather was involved in crime. And you were engaged to someone else whose Dad was also involved in crime?"

"Yes."

"Wow," Hector laughed, "this story just gets weirder by the second."

We all sort of shared a laugh. But I still wanted to know the important stuff. "So, what happened," I asked.

"My ex-fiancé only wanted me because," she took a deep breath and looked at our Dad, "well, because our family owns basically all of Amity," she answered as all of us looked at each other in shock.

"So, we're rich," Hector stood up with a smile.

"Sit back down," Dad sighed, but shook his head with a chuckle. "We're financially well-off. I don't want the three of you getting any ideas." We all shook our heads, though I could see a few things in my siblings' heads turning. Erina was so going to ask for a vacation to some foreign country - at least once a year. I knew it. "Your mother stands to inherit a lot of property, all of businesses. She's given some to her siblings, so they all split up the income that it generates. Their great-great-grandparents worked hard for it. And if you expect it, then you all need to do the same."

"Yes sir," I nodded as Erina and Hector agreed.

"Apparently, my eldest son," Mom looked at me, "will be a shareholder on the profit. Pops made it that way."

Finally, it clicked in my head. "The other guy," I assumed, "he just married you in the hopes of his kid getting profit."

Hector must have come to the same conclusion. "So, they would get their hands on it."

"Amity is a good place to hide illegal activity, apparently," Mom nodded. "They wanted the land, they wanted everything."

"He must have been pretty pissed when you left him," Hector added.

"He was," Mom answered. "And I don't know want you saying that word around Owen and Camilla, do you understand?"

"Yes mom," he looked down sheepishly.

"He did everything that he could to tear me down. He also sent me pictures about your father - hoping to discredit our love," she reached out for his hand and he came to stand by her, showing a united front to us. "Your father helped me to see what it was to be loved, cherished and respected. I wasn't scared knowing about your father's past, because all of that was in the past," she confessed, looking up at him. "We both had these previous nightmares holding us back, but we learned to let it go."

Mom paused before looking at us.

"That man's name is Cain Banner. His family had a lot of government in their pockets. The men that they employed murdered and attacked people who were close to me. They had attempted to kidnap me more than once. He succeeded one night, took me and," she paused and breathed in some air, "took me and Uncle Hector," she glanced at Hec, speaking about her friend who Hec was named after.

"The picture I saw," Erina whispered.

Our mom left Dad's side and sat next to Erina, wrapping her in her arms. "I had hoped that you'd never come to know something like that, something so degrading and vile." She pushed Erina back as both their eyes were filled with tears. "Your father rescued me before anything could happen. But it changed me, changed how I interacted with others - especially my family. I couldn't stand to have anyone touch me, not even my brothers and it was a horrible experience," she wiped the tears from her face.

Feeling angry and upset, I had to blink my eyes to stop the tears from forming myself.

"That was the last time I murdered someone," Dad spoke up as mom pulled Erina to her. I looked up at my Dad. "I had hoped that neither you or Hector ever needed to know about that. But I did it with my bare hands," his fists clenched, "to get that damn bastard away from your mother. I know what the two of you may think about me. I know that this is going to take some time to process but..."

Hector was up in a flash and had hugged our Dad. Dad held Hector.

"I'd do anything for those that I love, son. I'd protect you all by any means necessary. When I say that, I mean it," he pushed Hector back and looked at him before glancing at me. "We're a family. No matter what happens, we look out for one another."

"Does that mean that people are looking for us," Erina questioned.

"Or someone's been watching us," I posed as Mom and Dad shared a look. "The pictures."

"You folks remember Aunt Blossom," Mom began. "She helped take down as much people who worked for Cain Banner as possible. Years ago, when you were born," she looked at me, "we were able to get a lot of the men behind bars."

"This doesn't sound good," I shook my head.

"Mrs. Carol Banner," our father added, "the matriarch - I guess you could call her - of the Banner family, was never found. Last week, we found out from one of my contacts - a Tobias Eaton, a man that if you should ever meet him can trust him," Dad looked at each of us. "He helped saved your Mom. His father also was a criminal."

"Eaton," Erina perked up, glancing at me before looking at mom. "Andrea Eaton called a couple weeks back. She was on the phone with you, wasn't she?"

Mom nodded. "She wanted to intern this Summer at the sanctuary before heading to University. She'll be studying at Erudite University just like Reuben."

"Are the two of us in danger," I looked at my Dad.

"I didn't think so," he answered before his face fell. "That was until Tobias called and said that Mrs. Banner was at a restaurant that he and his family was eating dinner at."

"Maybe she didn't think he would notice her," Hector suggested.

"She paid for their meal and as she walked past, dropped a note on their table." The three of us inhaled sharply. "Apparently, she's dying. And her dying wish is that she gets retribution for her family."

"Wait, just because Mom broke up with her son," Hector questioned.

"Grandson," Mom corrected. "And it's more than that. I took away their chances at getting their hands on Amity. Your father, Aunt Jess, Aunt Blossom, Tobias - they all helped in putting her family behind bars. Her sons are gone, her grandson is dead, her granddaughter is behind bars, along with her daughters-in-law. You all need to listen to me, listen to your father," she stood as did Erina.

We all stood closely and looked at her and Dad.

"Things are going to get dangerous from here on out, until we can get Mrs. Banner locked up - along with all of her associates," Mom stated. "Your father is right. We're a family," she eyed each of us as we nodded. I could feel the acceptance, the determination, the bravery and the respect that flowed between the five of us. "The only way we can get through this together is to do it together."

"Like that old movies, the Avengers," Hector added, which made me shake my head. Leave it to him to make a joke at a serious moment. "It came out like twenty years ago," he nodded. "And Captain America said that they'd cope with something like that - together."

"The kid has got a point," Dad chuckled. "I swear he gets his humor from me." Mom glared at him a bit before smiling. "But you're right, Hector. Things are going to get tough. People are going to try and tear us apart, make us scared, make us believe that we have nothing to live for. They'll have us questioning one another. But I don't want any of you to give up," he took Erina's hand as she gave him a confident nod. "We're not letting this break us. Understand?"

"Yes, Dad," Erina replied.

"Yeah, I got it," Hector nodded.

"Me too," I added.

Now that some of it was out in the open, I couldn't say that I was scared of my Dad or fearful of what he had done. I knew - could tell from the memories that I had - my mom and their children, their family was everything to my Dad. He may have been a criminal at one time, but one look at him and I knew that he had definitely given that up for what he had now.

The rest of the night our parents answered any other questions that we had - most of it about what we were going to do now. Dad explained that there were other places - like this room - that we could get to and hide. Mom explained that she had to hide in a safe room once and said that it helped save her and Eve. We went over a few other details, Dad promising that he'd show us a few defensive moves - just as a precaution.

Mom almost flipped out when Erina asked if she could also learn some moves. After calming mom down, Dad promised that he'd call Aunt Jess. Erina and her could work something out. Dad gave me and Hector a few names - the few people he trusted, like Tobias Eaton, Owen Grady and Edward Ferrars. There was also another list of people such as Aunt Blossom and Hector Rodriguez that could answer questions should anything happen to him or Mom.

It was a serious moment, that was for sure. And we didn't come out of there until Pops came in and said that it was well-past our bedtime. But he insisted that we eat something. As we made our way out of the room and I saw our Mom and Dad embrace one another, I knew that everything was going to be alright.

My father chose my mother. They buried their past together and started a future together. And now we were all going to continue to fight for our future - damn my brother for bringing up this old reference - but we'd do it together.

The End.

Or is it?
I hope that you folks enjoyed this story. It was an exciting journey for Ana and Eric on this tale. I have to say that I didn't think that it would have resulted in a story this lengthy. But here it is! Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed and enjoyed Contrast.
For more Ana and Eric stories, please see Differentiate and Restoration.