I Am Everything Between

Crow and Jack were downstairs, both grimly looking up as Yusei came down. "So, what's happening?" Crow asked. "How's Kalin?"

Yusei shook his head. "Not good. This is really crushing him."

"He cared about that biker punk that much?" Jack grunted.

"Yeah," Yusei said. "More. And I could have saved him if I hadn't just run off and left him!" He clenched his teeth. "He was so much more than I thought he was when I first came here. If I'd known . . . if I'd realized . . . I would have done more for him. But I should have anyway! I help people whether they deserve it or not. So why not Radley?"

"What's done is done," Jack said. "You handled the situation the way you thought was best at the time."

"And hurt Kalin again," Yusei said bitterly.

Crow sighed. "Yusei . . ."

"You know, Kalin was technically our leader, but he was always a live wire waiting to go off," Jack said. "You were the better leader between the two of you, Yusei."

"I wasn't," Yusei insisted. "It was all Kalin's idea to take down the cruel Duel Gangs. I just went along because I believed in it. When Kalin started crumbling, I left him because I thought it would bring him to his senses. Instead he just fell apart worse. Everything—his downfall, his arrest, his death, becoming a Dark Signer, even his guilt over that—all of that is ultimately my fault because of my bad decisions. Kalin needed help, not prison! Maybe if he'd got that, none of the rest would have happened!"

"Hey, it's not like resources for mental health were available to Satellites," Crow said. "You tried your best, man. None of us knew how to handle Kalin when he flipped. At least you never gave up on him like Jack and I did."

Yusei heaved a sigh. "And now what? Kalin's lost the way he is now. What he told me about his feelings for Radley . . . I'm not sure he'll ever heal."

"Seriously? What'd he tell you?" Crow frowned.

"He loves Radley like he loves me." Tears pricked Yusei's eyes. "And I destroyed what they could have had together."

Jack suddenly grabbed Yusei by the front of his shirt and pulled him towards him, eyes flashing. "You destroyed it?! You beat Radley to death or electrocuted him with the shock collar?! It was Malcolm and his sadists who destroyed Radley's life and whatever he and Kalin could have shared! Stop blaming yourself! You're as off your trolley as Kalin if you think it was all your fault!" He let go, shoving Yusei back at the same time.

Yusei stumbled, looking up at Jack in shock. As he steadied himself, Crow spoke.

"Jack's right. I mean, I get why you're upset and why you'd blame yourself, but just stop and think about it! You had to get Kalin out of that place. That was your first priority. And as soon as you had him safe, you were planning to rescue all the prisoners. You and Kalin did everything you could to save them! Okay, so some of them didn't make it. Yeah, that's rotten. But it's not your fault! It's because of Malcolm and his screwballs!" Crow sighed too. "You can't save everybody, Yusei. I know you'd like to, but it's just not possible."

Yusei looked away. "It's not just that, though," he said. "I'm upset about all the prisoners we couldn't save, but . . . it was Radley who meant so much to Kalin. I couldn't save him, so now Kalin hasn't been saved either." He dug a hand into his hair. "And Radley was like us, trying to save this place. If we'd worked with him, maybe we could have all saved it without him being killed! At least . . . if he'd still died, it wouldn't feel like it's my fault because I wasn't thinking enough about him!" He shook his head sorrowfully. "I don't know what to do now."

"There's nothing you can do except try to be strong for Kalin," Jack said.

"And . . . well, maybe it's a long shot, but you could always pray for a miracle," Crow said.

Jack snorted.

Yusei looked up with a surprised blink. "Huh?"

"I mean, I'm just sayin'. Couldn't hurt." Crow gave Yusei an encouraging smile. "I know miracles that big usually don't happen, but getting Kalin back alive was a pretty big one. Who knows? Maybe there'd be one in store for Radley, especially if he was really a good guy."

Finally Yusei nodded. "I always figured God wanted us to make our own miracles. But I'll try anything right now."

"Good deal," Crow smiled.

"You're just giving him false hope," Jack growled.

"You're too cynical!" Crow retorted. "Let's give it a try."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Go ahead if you want to, but don't be surprised if it doesn't work!"

"And you can be surprised if it does!" Crow said, draping an arm around Yusei's shoulders as they walked out.

xxxx

Being dead was terrifying.

The last 48 hours had been a nightmare that had kept snowballing worse and worse until it had finally hit the stone wall and splattered everywhere, with no hope of ever getting better.

Radley slowly sank to his knees, just staring aghast at the scene before him. Instead of moving on anywhere, he was stuck here as a disembodied spirit who could not communicate despite seeing and hearing everything around him. To watch Kalin, to see him grieve and explain the truths about himself to a lifeless body and wish he was dead too, Radley couldn't imagine that there could be a worse Hell.

"Oh Kalin . . ." Tears slipped from his eyes as he embraced his friend from behind. Kalin couldn't feel it at all, but he didn't know what else to do. "Kalin, I'm so sorry. I thought I was losing you and I felt so lost. . . . Then I lost everything else too and you didn't seem to care. . . ." His voice caught in his throat. "I couldn't take that! That was why I broke and screamed at you. But I should have been stronger. I . . . I tried so hard, and I failed so badly, but it's not an excuse. I was the closest thing the town had to a leader. I should have kept calm. . . ."

He was harder on himself than anyone else. He had struggled for four years to be the leader the town and the Bunch needed, without ever having a trusted confidante to talk to when things grew too overwhelming and turbulent. But as far as he was concerned, that didn't matter. He'd had so much pressure on him to fix everything and had finally shattered when it had all fallen apart around him. But he was the one who always had to be strong. He couldn't ever give in to human emotions and outbursts. He couldn't have held out as long as he had if he hadn't been so level-headed and long-suffering. Yet all of his level-headedness and long-suffering hadn't saved them in the end. He had fallen to Lawton's cheating cruelty and the town had dissolved into chaos. And when he, who had given everyone else hope, had needed it himself, no one had been there to reciprocate. He had been abandoned and left to die. And he had.

Kalin just continued to weep, wracked with anguish to his very soul.

Radley stared at him in dismayed sorrow. How was it possible that Kalin really had so much love and grief bottled up inside him? He had been such an ice-cube for so long. Now Radley saw the person he had desperately longed to find in Kalin's heart, but it was too late for them to share anything anymore.

"If only I'd done something different," he lamented. "But could I have done much else? I wouldn't have had to make that sick threat, but it didn't affect you at all anyway. Everything else was just stacked against us. Malcolm and Lawton made sure we'd all lose." Radley hugged him more, even though he couldn't feel it.

Kalin rocked back a bit, still staring morosely at the still body. His eyes had looked so dead when he had first come to town. Then they had perked up, occasionally sparking with life. Now they were still filled with emotion, but absolutely shattered. Radley would have preferred the dead look to that. He couldn't take this.

"I wish I'd really understood," Radley berated. "I knew you were upset with yourself and that you felt unworthy to be loved, but I didn't really grasp how bad off you really were. I didn't see the depression and self-hatred. How did I miss it? How could I have just thought you were aloof and unsociable? . . . Maybe because I had so much else to worry about, but it's no excuse. If I'd really got it, maybe I could have figured out how to be what you needed me to be."

Or could he? He had thrown his heart and soul into everything he had tried to do for Kalin, and Kalin had always brushed him off sooner or later. Kalin hadn't felt worthy to accept. And yet Radley had touched Kalin's heart deeply and powerfully anyway. He had got through; Kalin had just refused to reach out and take his hand. But it was hard to see things in that light right then. The more Kalin cried, the more useless and helpless Radley felt, and the more guilt-stricken that he hadn't understood the truth. Somehow he had to make this right. Somehow he had to . . . even though it looked like it could never be possible now.

"God, please!" Radley cried. "Please, he's been through so much. Please help him find some kind of peace! I won't deny I wish I could have that too, but I know I don't deserve it. I faltered and fell in the end. I used Malcolm's cruel methods of fear and intimidation. I blew up at Kalin when I should have kept having control like I'd had all along. I was completely useless. I didn't help save the town; I just became another victim! But . . ." He stared at the trembling man. ". . . This is hurting Kalin so much. If there's any way . . . if You'd grant us both one more chance to get this right . . . ! I'm not sure he's going to get better from this if I don't. And I . . . I don't want to be dead. . . . Please, God, I don't want to be dead. . . . I know I have no right to ask, but . . . for Kalin's sake, maybe . . . maybe it's not so wrong to ask?"

He closed his eyes tightly, still silently praying for a miracle that seemed too impossible to be granted.

xxxx

Kalin, of course, had no knowledge of any of what was taking place among his old friends and former followers, nor that the man he was mourning was lingering on as a spirit and trying to comfort him. He was lost in grief and guilt, and he sorrowed as he brought Radley's lifeless hand to his forehead.

"I never told you the full truth," he whispered. "You deserve to know it. When I was in the Facility, I gave in to the darkness. I was promised power and a chance to see my friends again if I accepted the Dark Signers' evil. I was almost dead anyway from being starved by Sector Security. I didn't want to just fade away. I wanted to see my friends again . . . to have one last duel with them . . . and I accepted the power.

"It took me over completely. Suddenly I wanted revenge on Yusei. I'd really had those feelings when I'd been arrested, but . . . I couldn't stay mad at him. I couldn't hate him. Not until I was a Dark Signer. Then it came so easy.

"I tried to kill Yusei!" he sobbed. "I tried to destroy the Satellite and the entire world! That's why I could never accept your friendship. That's why I wasn't worthy of it! But by refusing you over and over, I drove you to despair and death! I killed you too!" He sank against Radley's lifeless body in tears. "I killed you too. . . ."

Above him he could see Radley's tackboard. The pictures of their snow adventure, and of several other happy times, were still there. He hadn't thought his heart could shatter into any more fragments, but now, seeing how happy Radley looked standing with him, the fragments splintered ahundredfold.

"I understand now," he whispered. "I see what was right in front of me all along. You were a good leader, worthy of holding the mantle and of having loyal friends and followers. You didn't really fall to the darkness like I did. You made that one threat, but it was out of despair and desperation. You never would have gone through with it. I drove you to that point! Now, I would be honored to follow you, if you could only come back. I know it's not possible, but . . . I was given another chance. Why not you? Please . . . if there's any way . . ."

Was he praying? Had he ever prayed before? He couldn't imagine God would want to hear from him, after all he had done. Maybe for being from the Satellite too. He had always wondered why God had allowed the Satellite to fall into such disrepair. It hadn't seemed to him that God cared about it. But now he was desperate. He was grasping onto any possibility, no matter how slight, to save Radley's life.

"Please, God, please save him," he choked out. "He deserves to live. I want him to be alright . . . more than anything. I used to be a leader. Maybe I can be again; I don't know. Radley is a leader right now. So many look up to him . . . including me. Maybe it sounds like a joke, but it's real. I want to have another chance to treat Radley the way he should be treated. I know there's no reason to grant it for my sake; I don't deserve any blessings. But Radley does! Please . . . for his sake . . . please."

Kalin lowered his head onto Radley's chest. For a long and fruitless moment he laid and cried. Then, to his disbelieving astonishment, he felt the stilled chest move.

That jerked him upright again. "What the . . . ?! . . . Radley?!" It had to be a mistake. He must have jerked the body in his grief. It couldn't be anything else. . . .

The hand laying limply in his suddenly moved, gently squeezing Kalin's hand. "I'm here," Radley rasped. His eyes opened, focusing blearily on the grieving man.

Kalin went stiff, his breath catching in his throat. "R-Radley?!" he choked out. "This . . . it can't be . . ."

"Hey, you prayed for me," Radley said with a weak, moved laugh. "Yusei did too. And I was praying to get back. God answered us. He must care about me after all, unlike what my family told me." He hesitated, then rose up and pulled Kalin into a hug. "I couldn't have got back on my own."

"Thank God. Oh, thank God!" Kalin choked on a sob and clutched Radley close, still in reeling disbelief. Was this real? Was it a fantasy? Had he cracked up? "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he said, shutting his eyes tightly. "I hurt you so much!"

"It's okay," Radley said softly. "I get it now. I'm sorry too. I didn't understand and my patience finally broke. I had no idea you were carrying so much more than you'd even told."

"I don't know how anyone could be patient with me," Kalin said. "You and Yusei both tried as long as you could, and you didn't even know what was wrong. I was never willing enough to tell you."

Radley hugged Kalin close. "Why would you want to tell me something as devastating as that? I know you said there was more, but I never could have imagined this."

"And you don't want to push me away even knowing?!" Kalin said in disbelief.

"Of course not!" Radley retorted. "Now that I know . . . now that I finally understand . . . maybe I can help you like I couldn't before."

"You just being alive . . . that helps me," Kalin insisted. "Nothing could help me more than that!"

That brought a smile. "I mean so much to you," Radley said in awe. "That was all I wanted. I just wanted you to care about me."

"I did! I have, for so long, even though I denied it again and again!" Kalin clutched his friend as tears slipped from his eyes. "You've been everything to me for weeks!"

"Then I was right in the first place," Radley realized. "Kalin, I'm so sorry for doubting you. I shouldn't have let your coldness get to me."

"I would have broke anyone!" Kalin said. "I was trying to make you go away. I thought that was what would be better for you. If I'd really known what it would do to you, I never would have!"

"Let's put it all behind us if we can," Radley said kindly. "I just wanna move forward in the future together . . . if you really want to."

"I want to!" Kalin insisted. "But . . . you want me around?! I was going to leave. . . ."

"I want you to stay," Radley said. "You saved the town, Kalin, and you saved me too. I didn't have the will to live until I realized you really care. I'm not alone like I thought I was."

"No," Kalin agreed. "No, you're not. You could never be alone!"

Yusei appeared in the doorway. "Kalin? Trudge says the Bunch is coming in from the desert . . . Radley?!" He stared in shock.

Radley looked up with a genuine smile. "Hi."

". . . How?!" Yusei finally exclaimed in disbelief.

"I prayed for a miracle," Kalin said. "We actually got it." He hugged Radley close.

Yusei smiled. "That's . . ." He shook his head. There were no words good enough. "Radley, I'm so sorry about what happened. I thought . . . we both thought that you would be okay until we could save everyone. We didn't know Malcolm had ordered your death, but that's no excuse for this. If this . . . if God hadn't brought you back, neither of us would have ever got over it."

"I'm just glad I'm here now," Radley said softly. "Kalin was in bad shape. You had to get him out when you could."

"I still should have done something for you too," Yusei said. "I didn't know that you . . . you are so special to Kalin. . . ."

"I didn't know either," Kalin said. "Deep down I knew, but I was denying it."

"I had no idea until I saw how you were reacting," Radley said. "I thought you hated me. I'm sorry you had to see me like that, Kalin."

"Thank God you came back." Kalin hugged him, still reeling. It felt like a dream, something too wonderful to be real. And yet, somehow, it was. Radley was alive, and he was healed too. The blood and the bruises were gone. Everything would be alright now.

Yusei smiled. "I'll leave you two alone and go tell the Bunch the good news when they come," he offered.

"Thank you, Yusei," Kalin said.

But the Bunch burst in before anyone could move. "Radley!" Scotch charged him, hugging him close. "We thought you were gone! They all told us . . ."

Radley laughed, hugging him back. "I came back," he said.

The rest of them all hugged him too, some crying and all exclaiming for joy and expressing how sorry they were for how they had hurt Radley. Kalin stood back to let them have their moment.

His friends hadn't turned against him despite his betrayal. And now, Radley's friends had all come back and he was welcoming them in despite theirs. It was a beautiful scene.

Yusei smiled at Kalin. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm still thinking how alike we are in some ways," Kalin said. "And how our experiences parallel and complement each other." He looked thoughtful. "We're both leaders whose friends love us in spite of everything. And . . . we love them too."

Yusei smiled more and drew an arm around Kalin's shoulders. "Yeah," he said. "You're right."

xxxx

Radley dozed lightly on the couch, one hand resting on the cushion and the other on his chest. His hair, still damp from a shower in the attached bathroom, was spread out on the pillow.

Kalin just sat and watched him in silent awe. The Bunch, not wanting to risk disturbing him, was downstairs getting a late dinner. Radley was hungry, but he was more tired than hungry and wanted to sleep more than he wanted to eat.

Finally it dawned on Kalin that Radley might be cold. He reached for the thick throw at the back of the couch, gently laying it over the other man. Radley snuggled into it, smiling a bit in his sleep.

Kalin smiled too. He was really alive, and he had forgiven Kalin and the Bunch for all they had done. . . . Kalin wasn't sure which was the most incredible.

Radley had been sleeping for a while when one hand slipped out from under the throw. Kalin gently reached for it to slide it back under but then paused, holding it in his hand. It was still limp, as before, but it was warm. It didn't feel chilling to hold it. Kalin smiled.

Radley stirred, blinking sleepily at Kalin. "Hey."

Now Kalin went red, awkward to be caught holding it. He quickly let go. "Hello. How are you feeling?" It bowled him over that overall Radley felt so well. The worst physical injuries had been healed, but he had been left with exhaustion and emotional wounds from the ordeal. At least, Kalin was sure Radley was still haunted. The look in the back of his eyes certainly indicated that.

Still, Radley didn't seem about to confide that in Kalin. "I'm okay," he said. "Hey, I'm alive, I'm cared about. . . . I couldn't ask for much else."

Kalin hesitated. The old him would have just accepted that and been content to not talk. But . . . this new him, if he had truly changed, would want to talk with Radley and not let him bear all his burdens alone.

Yes, he wanted that.

"Really?" Kalin asked. "I . . . I know you have no reason to want to talk to me, after I hurt you so much, but . . . if it doesn't sound too galling, I'm here if you want me."

Surprise flickered in Radley's eyes and then he smiled, moved. "Yeah, huh?"

Kalin nodded. "You talked about moving forward into the future. . . . I want that. I want to be what you hoped I would be when you tried so hard to reach out."

Radley smiled a bit, but he still looked melancholy. "Hey . . . don't try to be something you struggle with just to make me happy," he said softly.

"I'm not," Kalin said. "It would make me happy too. Yusei and you . . . you're both good listeners. But . . . you don't have anyone to help you when you need strength. I want to learn to be that for both of you. You've both been such good friends to me and to others, even when I didn't appreciate it at all." Regretful tears pricked his eyes. "You're better leaders than I am."

"Don't sell yourself short." Radley reached out from under the blanket and tugged on Kalin's sleeve. "You beat all the Duel Gangs in the Satellite. Not just anybody could do that. That's what I was trying to tell you all along. And you saved Crash Town, Kalin. Not me. I tried so hard . . . but for all my efforts, I just got humiliated in a mock duel and turned into another prisoner who needed saving. I'm pathetic and useless."

It pierced Kalin's heart to hear Radley put himself down. "No!" He gripped Radley's shoulders. "You held Malcolm at bay for years. Who knows how bad off the town would have been if he had got control even sooner than he did? You wouldn't let him have the town! And . . . even as a prisoner, you did good. You saved Jordan! He might be dead without you!" He looked away. "I'm sure he would be."

Radley smiled a bit again. "I'm glad he's going to be okay. He deserves that. He and his kids. West's hope finally paid off."

"Because of you," Kalin said. "Yes, maybe I saved Crash Town, with the Enforcers' help. But you saved West's and Nico's father and proved their hopes for a better future weren't in vain!"

Radley pondered that. "Well, maybe we all did our part. I'd like to believe that. I died feeling so useless and unloved, and unworthy to be loved."

Kalin's voice broke. "You could never be unworthy of it."

"Neither could you," Radley said softly.

"Why . . . how can you care about me so much after all I did?" Kalin asked. "Yusei at least knew me in better times and had those memories to fall back on. You, all you had were cruel and cold experiences with me!"

"I always thought that Yusei and the others must have followed you out of respect and love and not fear," Radley said. "When I died, I finally saw the side of you that would make people want to do that. You're a warm and loving person, Kalin. It was buried under your depression, but it was still there. That was what I always saw in you . . . what I started to think was my imagination. But it wasn't."

Kalin shook his head. "I've never thought of myself as either warm or loving. I'm cold and harsh."

Radley sighed in resignation but then smiled. "We'll work on that. I want you to see yourself like Yusei and I see you."

Kalin grunted. "That implies we'll be spending a lot of time together. You . . . really meant it? You want to?" He wavered, looking lost and unsure.

"I meant it," Radley firmly replied.

Kalin finally smiled. "If you're sure."

"I was always sure," Radley said.

Unseen in the doorway, Yusei smiled too. This would be good for Kalin on many levels. Maybe now he would finally have the chance to truly heal.

Crow and Jack came up beside him. "So that's Radley, huh?" Crow whispered.

"Yeah. A leader, like Kalin," Yusei said. "And more importantly, a friend."

Crow nodded thoughtfully. "Kalin looks real happy."

"He does," Yusei said.

"It's about time," Crow said. ". . . I guess that means he's not coming back with us, doesn't it?"

Yusei sighed a bit but still smiled. "I think so. It's alright; he's found another path. The town wants him. Those kids want him. And maybe most importantly, Radley wants him. I would never want to take him away from that."

"So you'll still support him too," Crow said. "Just from a distance."

"Of course," Yusei said. "Just like you and Jack will."

Crow gave him a thumbs-up. "Oh yeah."

Jack gave a curt nod. Yes, he would too.

Yusei smiled and turned away. "Come on. Let's go downstairs and fix them something to eat."

Crow's eyes lit up. "You're on!" He swiftly followed.

Jack lingered a moment, watching Kalin's and Radley's happiness, and then moved to follow as well.

xxxx

The night passed peacefully and happily. Kalin didn't sleep until at last he fell over in exhaustion and Radley tucked him into bed on one of the couches in the lounge. Yusei and all the others stayed over as well, with the Bunch sleeping in all manner of odd places and positions.

Crow had to shake his head in amusement. "It reminds you of us, doesn't it?" he remarked.

"It does," Yusei agreed. A bit of sadness flickered through his eyes as he added, "And like us, they've been through some pretty tough times too."

"But they're getting through it," Crow said. "Like we finally are."

Jack gave a curt nod. "It's long overdue."

"It is," Yusei agreed, sounding far away.

Radley looked over at them. "I'm glad I finally get to meet all of you," he said. "Kalin talked about you a lot."

"He did?" Crow looked a bit suspicious.

"Good things!" Radley assured him. "He always thought highly of you."

"Good," Crow retorted.

"As for you, we don't know much about you," Jack said gruffly. "But we see how Kalin acts because of you. You must be doing something right."

Radley smiled. "I certainly try."

"Kalin really loves you," Yusei said. "It's not easy to get close to him; it never was. You have to be special to have made it so far into his heart."

"Thank you for giving me a chance," Radley said, looking humbled. "I wasn't sure you'd want Kalin with me."

"Kalin's a big boy now. He can decide for himself." Crow gave a cheeky smirk.

"And in this case, it would seem it's a good decision," Jack said. "We've talked to the townspeople. The majority of them are for you."

"And Kalin was completely lost without you," Yusei said. "I'm glad he'll be with someone who loves him."

Radley looked to where Kalin was asleep and even smiling. "Always," he said softly.

xxxx

Kalin stayed asleep until awakening near morning. He immediately went to check on Radley, who had returned to his office to sleep on his own couch. For a long moment Kalin stood over him, watching him, still marveling that he was breathing. Radley was alive. . . .

He didn't hear anyone coming up behind him until Yusei spoke quietly from the doorway. "You want to stay here with him, don't you?"

"Yes," Kalin said quietly. He walked over to Yusei and then past him into the hall, not wanting to disturb Radley's much needed sleep. "I'm sorry, Yusei. I know you were hoping we'd go back together, but . . . I really feel like this is my home now. There's so much work to do rebuilding the town, and looking after Jordan while he recovers, and . . . so much I want to do to make up for what I did to Radley. . . . So much I want to share with him now that I finally understand and feel free to care about him. . . ."

Yusei nodded. "Kalin, I get it. You're happy here." He smiled. "You have a purpose again."

Kalin nodded too. "Even if I went back with you, I don't know that I'd be happy there. I'd be happy to be with you, but . . . I'm not the same person I was then. I want different things out of life. I'm still trying to figure out who I am anymore."

"And Radley and the kids will help you figure it out." Yusei smiled. "I'm happy for you, Kalin."

"I want to make up for what I did to you too, Yusei," Kalin said. "I don't know how I'm going to make it up to either you or Radley."

"You don't owe me anything," Yusei insisted. "Knowing you're happy again is all I could ever want."

"Hmph," said Jack from the stairs. "You still owe me even if all the others are satisfied." He folded his arms.

Kalin sighed. "I know. I owe you, and Crow, and so many others." He shook his head. "My debt is too big to ever repay."

"I'll tell you what you can do," Jack said. "Just make a good life for yourself here. Be useful. Don't sit around berating yourself or other things that are pointless. Make Radley proud you're staying with him. And when I come back to challenge you for a duel . . . be ready."

Kalin gave him a thumbs-up. "I will."

"Yeah, no pity parties," Crow spoke up as he came up the stairs behind Jack. "You'll have too much to do for that."

Yusei frowned a bit. Mental illness couldn't really be overcome so easily and it wasn't something to treat flippantly. He was sure Kalin would still struggle. But now that Radley understood the problem, Yusei was also confident that he would help Kalin through it.

"Just let me know if you need anything," he said. "I want to keep in touch."

Kalin smiled. "I want that too. Don't worry, Yusei. I will."

Seeing Radley stirring, he headed back to the room to be there for his other friend. The rest of the Enforcers stood and watched.

"It's weird to see our old leader actually wanting to let someone else lead," Crow remarked.

"But it's better," Jack grunted. "Kalin's really better off leaving the leadership role to someone else."

"I think with him and Radley, they'll be more like equals than leader and follower," Yusei said. "That was apparently what Radley wanted all along."

"I kinda miss the old days, though, you know?" Crow said. "It'd be pretty cool for the Enforcers to come back again and stay together this time."

"Those days are over," Jack said. "We can't go back to that; we've all changed too much. Anyway, we've still got plenty of problems fighting evil as the Signers. It's difficult enough trying to accomplish my goals around that. We don't need to add anything more to the mix."

"Yeah, I know," Crow sighed. "I'm just sayin'. You get it, don't you, Yusei?"

"Yeah," Yusei nodded. "I see both sides of it. I miss the old days too. We can't go back to it, but we can still move forward in the future together, even though we'll be living in different places."

In the room, Kalin and Radley were talking and both were happy. Yusei had to smile.

"You're right," Crow said. "And hey, I'm happy for Kalin. It's not the future I imagined him finding, but if it works for him I'm cool with it."

"So am I," Yusei said sincerely. "Come on, let's give them some privacy and go downstairs. It sounds like the Bunch is starting to fix breakfast."

"They are," Crow confirmed. "It's smelling real good down there!"

"Do you think they can actually cook?" Jack grunted.

"Oh, I'm betting at least some of them can," Crow said as he led Jack to the stairs. "Dinner was good, after all, and when they work in a restaurant I'd hope that wasn't a fluke!"

Yusei followed, casting a last glance back at Kalin and Radley with a smile.

Radley was also definitely aware of the delicious food being prepared. He smiled at Kalin. "Shall we?"

Kalin nodded. "Let's." He reached to help Radley up and Radley accepted with a smile. Soon the two new friends were heading downstairs to join their old friends.

Everyone together, just as it should be.