As we recounted events for the comic, my mind kept going back to the Alpha. Was our comic really accurate without all of my encounters with him? But telling those would include telling the boys who that man really is.

"Something on your mind Chloe?" Simon asked.

I shrugged, "Good day today remember. No crap."

Derek looked over at me a little suspiciously.

"You should talk about it though if its eating at you this much."

"I can really only talk to Kit about it. It's about my aunt," I lied.

"Go find Dad then, get it off your chest so you can enjoy the day," Simon suggested.

I looked at Derek, he nodded in agreement with Simon. I sighed, stood, and went back into the house. Taking a moment to kick my shoes off before walking in further. I looked around the dining room and kitchen and didn't find him. As I cut through the living room to look upstairs, the man who had been doing the cooking stopped me.

"Looking for something?"

"Kit," I said.

"He's upstairs, be down in a second." He said. Motioning for me to wait down here for Kit. "I'm Matt by the way."

"Chloe," I said. "If you don't mind me asking Matt. What are you?"

Matt set the newspaper beside him that he had been reading. He was dressed in old clothing, I think he's been here for a while. He was probably in his forties, his hair was starting to gray.

"What would be your guess?"

I shrugged, "Some sort of witch maybe? You don't give off any vibes that say nonhuman."

Matt smiled, "You're not far off. I'm-"

"Batman," Kit interrupted jokingly as he came down the steps.

I laughed.

"Need something Chloe?" Kit asked.

"I need to talk to you about my aunt." I said.

I hesitated on the word aunt, hoping Kit would pick up on that not being the actual reason.

"Come," Kit said and he walked back up the steps.

I followed him up to the boys room. Kit shut the door and mumbled something. I swore I saw the doorknob glow for a moment.

"What did you just do?" I asked.

"A spell that soundproofs the room," Kit explained. "There's lots of ears here. Sometimes you need a little magic to get true privacy." Kit sat down on a bed. "So what do you really need?"

I sat down on the next bed facing him, "I need to talk about what we talked about the other morning." I paused. "I need to tell Derek who that man really is."

Kit shook his head. "No."

"He deserves to know."

"No."

"It's his father Kit. Derek should know what is really going on."

"No."

"Stop just saying no. Give me a real reason."

"Because how do you think he'd react Chloe? Meet the person who gave him willingly over to the Edison Group. Abandoned him. Never came looking for him. The cause for the way that he is. Then shows up to kill him because they are deranged to keep their power. How do you think he would take that?"

I argued, "It doesn't matter how he would take it. It matters that he knows the truth."

"No Chloe."

I stood, "I should tell him whether you like it or not. Derek deserves to know that whats happening isn't his fault."

"And how has he taken that in the past Chloe?" Kit asks. "How has he taken the 'its not your fault' speeches?"

Kit waits for a response. I don't say anything.

"Exactly. If you tell him, he's going to blame himself even more. And we don't need another suicidal werewolf on our hands."

I walked to the door and grabbed the door handle. It was white hot. I hissed and jumped back.

"Im sorry but you're not going anywhere near him until you agree not to tell him."

I looked at Kit like he was insane. "You can't hold me hostage."

"I'm not holding you hostage," Kit shook his head. "You are free to go as soon as you agree not to tell him. The spell can tell if you're lying."

"Is that your only reason? Because of how he would react to knowing?"

"Don't you think he would do something stupid too?" Kit asked. "Like go after him for answers or revenge."

I paused. That was a Derek think to do.

"Do this spell crap to him then," I said. "He can leave the room when he's calmed down and thinking rationally."

Kit raised an eyebrow, "Now you're thinking this through. But still no."

"Why?"

"Have you not been listening to me Chloe? You'll send him off the deep end."

I growled, "Fine. I'll at least agree to waiting to tell him."

Kit stood, "That's a start."

I grabbed the door handle and it felt normal. I was telling the truth about at least waiting to tell him. But I still wanted to. Derek deserved to know regardless.

I opened the door and walked out. Kit followed me downstairs and took a seat in the living room. Near the open window so he could hear what we were saying outside. I slipped my shoes back on and stepped outside.

"How'd it go?" Simon asked and looked up. He saw the flash of anger in my eyes. "Yo, everything okay?"

Derek looked up concerned. I sat down in between them.

"Fine," I grumbled. "Just didn't go how I expected that to."

"Maybe you should get ahold of your aunt," Derek said. "Talk to her directly."

Derek was the last one I would expect to suggest bringing my aunt back into the picture. Especially after the way they parted ways.

I took a deep breath, "Yeah, maybe. Or maybe I can stay locked in my little bubble, hoping for better futures."

Derek put an arm around me and pulled me closer.

"What's your better future look like?" Simon asked curiously. "I think I should own my own comic book store."

I smiled, "I think that'd be good for you." I thought back to my dream. "I wish for a future with all of us in it. Together, happy, living in a nice small town somewhere. Maybe we all have families of our own. Safe and sound. Human."

Simon smiled, "That would be nice, all of us being neighbors."

I nodded and looked over at Derek who had been quiet. He just sat there with his signature scowl that I had not seen in a while.

"What is it bro?" Simon asked.

"Families?" Derek singled out that word out of everything I said. "You guys think it would be safe for us to have families?"

I guess I had forgotten about how Derek doesn't want kids when I spoke about the future.

"No one said that," Simon said. "We were just saying ideally that'd be a nice future."

"Even with all our mutations?" Derek shoots back. "You think it'd be fine to pass those on to even more people?"

"Derek," I snap. "Watch it."

Derek mumbled something under his breath about it being stupid to have kids.

"Some of us like the idea of families," I said quietly. Derek got quiet, I couldn't remember if I had ever told him that or not.

Simon nodded agreeing. "I'm an Edison Group success, I don't see why I couldn't have a family. They would be 98% plain human."

"I'd be the one taking the biggest chance, don't you think?" I asked Simon. "I mean I can raise the dead almost too easily."

I felt Derek's arm tense like he was holding back something to say.

Simon shrugged, "Yeah, you might run into difficulties but it wouldn't be anything you guys can't handle. Besides, my smoke spell could keep a kid distracted."

Derek tensed even more at the 'you guys.' I ignored it, if he wanted to say something he could.

"You're hired," I smiled. "What's your hourly rate for babysitting?"

"A bag of chips an hour," Simon laughed.

I shook Simon's hand, "You drive a hard bargain. Deal."

Derek stood up rather ubruptly. We both looked at him and I'm sure Kit saw too. Derek didn't say a word as he walked down the steps out into the yard and just kept walking. Simon nodded for me to go after him and he turned his attention back to the comic he was sketching.

Derek's strides were much longer than mine so I had to speed walk to catch up to him. Derek walked to the path I had been on yesterday and stopped.

"Hey," I said a little out of breath. "What's going on with you? You know that was all hypothetical talk. We know our lives aren't going to get normal."

"Family?" Derek asked. "You know that I can't bare to put kids through what I've been through. Even without the Edison Group's medaling."

"So that means I can't wish for that?" I asked. "I know Tess has you haywire but really Derek?"

Derek sighed, "We have been lied to our entire lives and you'd have to lie to your kids. You can't drop a bomb on them about what their parents really are and how they don't know if the kid is ever going to be in control."

"You need to calm down," I said gently. "We were just trying to have some fun. How can you expect things to get better when you can't handle a conversation?"

"It's not just Tess that has me on edge. It's the fact that, that man tried to get you to change. You weren't ready but he initiated that and there is no taking that back. Your body is going to try to do it again."

"That's why I keep coughing blood," I said.

Derek nodded, "Yeah, I found that washcloth. I'm worried about you, I don't think you are ready."

"We all have to face things we aren't ready for yet," I said. Then tried to put a hopeful spin on it, "Maybe he was telling me not to when he whispered."

"Maybe," Derek shrugged.