Hey you guys!

How are y'all doin' out there?
So, as always, thanks for reviews/follows/favs!

And I'm sorry it took me this long to update.
You won't believe the amount of trouble I went through to get this chapter done.
It was a very uhm... tedious process, so to say. XD
I was at war with that stupid voice in my head once again, you know, that voice that always talks shit about everything that you do.
I'm sure you all know that voice.
That goddamn annoying voice.
Ugh.

Anyway, to say that it's gone might be too big of a word, but it's at least silent enough upstairs for me to update the story.
FINALLY!

Hope you guys like it!
Enjoy!

While waiting for the shower to get warm, Vinnie leaned on the sink and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
Although the world was still spinning around him due to the alcohol in his system, he could feel that the effect was already starting to wear off again.
Some might say that was a good thing.
You know, to get his head straight again.
But the thing was, he didn't want to get his head straight.
There was a reason why he had broken his promise to his bros and nicked a few bottles out of the store, and that was that right now, his head was the last place he wanted to be.
It was like wandering in a bad neighborhood on his own with demons lurking around every corner, waiting to jump him.
The alcohol took that all away, and even though he knew it was only a short-term solution, it was good enough for him.
Short-term was just fine…
…until it wasn't.

As usual, he was overtaken by reality.
Reality always came back, no exception, and after being suppressed for a little while, it was even more real.
More tangible.
And with reality also came the past.
The very one he had, with a little help from Stoker, buried as deep as he could.
But apparently, talking to Charley this morning about how he knew those Martian mind tricks had unlocked the door.
Seeing Ivy, ready to do the ultrasound, had practically blown the damn thing out of its hinges.
Some might call him stupid or even naive, but until that moment, the whole pregnancy thing had felt unreal.
Kind of like a dream, good or bad, that part he still hadn't figured out.
But then there was Ivy all of a sudden, and wham.
Hello, reality.
Hello, darkness…
…my old friend.

And now here he was.
Knowing that no matter how fast he was, he couldn't outrun this.
Knowing he had to face this, as he, indeed, owed that to Charley.
Without taking his gaze away from the mirror, he took a big swig out of the bottle that was now almost empty, a fact that only fed his inner restlessness.
Then again, no matter how much it pained him to admit it, not even the alcohol was able to soothe this whirlwind of emotions inside of him.
Nothing was.
There had been only one person who was able to comfort him whenever he was feeling this upset, and she wasn't with him anymore.
She had left him way too soon, cracked under the agonizing pressure that was called her life.
Gods, how much he missed her.
He never really realized that he did.
But he knew now.
Fuck, if only she were here…
He just wanted to see her, so, so badly.

Then why don't you?

Because it scared the crap out of him, that's why.
But again, he didn't really have a choice.
Not anymore.
The baby had changed everything.
Which was actually quite astonishing or even impressive considering it wasn't even born yet.
But that didn't matter.
It was there.
It was alive.
It was growing inside Charley's womb and one day, it would come into this world.
This fucked-up world…

After taking another big gulp, all to give himself the courage for what he was about to do, Vinnie wiped off his mouth and reached into his pocket.
The moment his fingers made contact with the object he was looking for, his heartbeat accelerated almost at the speed of light, and so did his breathing.
It was tempting to stop, to just go out and find some more bottles of whisky in the hope that drinking himself into a coma would take away this god-awful anxiety, but he knew he couldn't.
Charley deserved so much more, and their unborn child even beyond that.
He had to at least try to face his worst fear and find a way through it.
In other words - he had to stay put and fight like the hero he pretended to be.
Swell.
With his hand now shaking almost uncontrollably, he pulled the necklace out of his pocket and only feeling its weight made him almost throw up.
Only catching so much of a glimpse of the small red diamond brought back so many memories, memories he wished he didn't have.
Memories that made him want to drink himself into a coma once more.
Or maybe even something more permanent…

Swallowing with difficulty and ignoring the dark turn his thoughts just took as he knew it was only an attempt to get away from his pain, he put the bottle on the sink and laid the medallion in his now open hand.
He was hardly able to look at it, and yet, he did.
His scarlet eyes wandered from the silver necklace dangling between his fingers to the sun-shaped locket, and again, he felt sick.
Seeing the red diamond that represented the core of the sun only reminded him of his mother's eyes.
Eyes he wished he could see looking back at him, if only for this one time, yet at the same time, he wished he could just erase her from his memory, if only not to feel the giant void in his heart that she had left behind.
His throat started to burn, and his chest tightened.
But he still didn't give up.
He merely reached for his ear, and after struggling with it for a brief moment, he took out the red diamond earring.

Almost in slow motion, he put both pieces of jewelry in one line on the edge of the sink, but he didn't let go.
He simply didn't dare to.
He wasn't ready.
He wasn't sure if he would ever be, and he shook his head somewhat helplessly.
"Fucking hell…"
He didn't want to do this.
He really, really, really didn't.
There was just no way that he would be strong enough to fight his way through his fears on his own.
He wasn't really good on his own.
He needed someone to lean on, someone who could guide him through it, who would tell him what to do…

'You can't run from this forever, Vin. So you better figure out a way to deal with all this. You owe that to her.'

As if on cue, Throttle's somewhat soothing yet also stern voice echoed through his head, and Vinnie wrinkled his nose.
Ugh.
What was it with Throttle and always being right?
It was spitefully annoying, really.
At the same time, hearing these simple yet all-telling words was all he needed to keep going for he knew they were true, and as he braced himself as best as he could, Vinnie let go of the two objects.
His red eyes watched how they pulled to each other like magnets, and with a soft click, the earring clicked into the sun-shaped medallion.
For a brief moment, nothing happened, and Vinnie straightened his back before grabbing the bottle again while keeping his gaze fixed on the two objects that now had become one.
Just when he swallowed the burning substance, there was another click, and soon after that, the medallion started to vibrate with a soft humming sound.
Not just that, the red diamond began to glow as well, and Vinnie subconsciously took a few steps back as he buried his front teeth in his bottom lip.
And that's how he stood there, silently watching the glow becoming brighter and brighter with his heart pounding painfully in his chest.
He wished he could say he was prepared for what he was about to see, but he couldn't, simply because that would be a lie.
On the other hand, he supposed nothing really could prepare him, and thus he just quietly watched the reddish light flicker a couple of times before it became more steady.

And there it was.
The moment he had dreaded with all his heart.
As it turned out, he was right.
He wasn't prepared.
Not even close.
His grip around the bottle tightened almost to the point that the glass cracked under his fingers and his heart…
Well, his heart just went haywire.
For there, projected on the wall, was his mother.
Looking back at him with those insanely red eyes of hers.
Eyes filled with love and sympathy but also pain.
So much pain…

A soft whimper escaped Vinnie's lips as he gazed at her with bated breath and feet glued to the ground.
Gods, it was her.
It really was her.
Her diamond-shaped face.
Her white curly hair, mixed with black strands.
Her chipped buck teeth.
The red diamond earrings in her ears.
The sun-shaped necklace resting on her sternum.
Her snow-white fur…
Sweet Mothers of Mars.
She was just like he remembered her and even more.

Although he knew this wasn't real, that it was only a memory she recorded for him to watch whenever he was upset or feeling lonely, only seeing the image of her made him able to even smell her scent.
That comforting scent of hers, one he couldn't describe with words.
All he knew was that it made him feel safe.
At least, that's what it did when he was young.
Now, it only triggered a feeling of deep longing.
After looking at him for a little while, a smile appeared on his mother's face, and the invisible hand that had been around his throat ever since he took the necklace out of his pocket now tightened, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
Gosh, how much he had missed that smile of hers, and the bottle slipped between his fingers as they were suddenly too weak to hold onto it.
It landed on the bathroom floor with a clank, but he didn't even notice.
There was only his mother, smiling at him, and tears rose to his eyes as he stumbled back a few passes.

Soon, his back made contact with the wall next to the shower, and he pressed his hands against it, hoping that feeling the solid surface would help him to stay grounded.
Or at least to keep him on his feet, as his legs became wobblier with the second, and this time, it wasn't because of the alcohol.
No, it was only because he knew what was next.
After all, this wasn't his first time watching this, and although it had been quite a few years since he had seen it, he still remembered it like only yesterday.
His feet were itching to run away as he knew he wasn't ready for what came next, but he merely didn't have the strength for it.
Well, in all fairness, he wasn't sure if he even wanted to.
You know.
Run away.
Perhaps, deep down, he did want to see the next part in the hope it would have the same effect on him when he was just a little kid.
Maybe, that little kid was still inside of him, buried under all the trauma and losses, praying for salvation…
Or maybe he just remembered that running away wasn't an option anymore.

Well, whatever it was, he remained where he was.
Leaning against the wall with his wide-open eyes fixed on the image of his mother projected on the wall and his heart almost jumping out of his chest.
His mother's smile became even more fond, as far as that goes, and he clawed his fingers against the wall, hardly able to breathe.
His antennas started to glow, she took a deep breath and…

"You are my sunshine… My only sunshine…"

A shock went through his body when he heard her voice echoing inside of his head.
That lovely melodic voice of hers, sounding like tiny bells.
It started with a chill running down his spine, but soon, every muscle in his body was quivering under his skin and fur as if he had a fever, and he closed his eyes as his bottom lip started to shake as well.

"You make me happy… When skies are gray…"

Her voice went up a little at the end, and for some strange reason, it gave him goosebumps all over his body.
Resting his head against the wall, Vinnie tried so hard to keep breathing, but it was hard.
There were literally no words invented to explain what this did to him to hear her voice ringing in his ears as if she was standing here next to him.

"You'll never know, dear… How much I love you…"

His legs became weak, and while a short breath escaped his lips, Vinnie slid down the wall, his eyes still squeezed shut tight.
He couldn't look at her, not anymore.
Hearing her was already vivid enough without seeing those eyes of hers, scorching with love and pain…

"Please don't take my sunshine away…"

"Oh, gods, mom…", he panted, burying his face between his knees as he hugged his pulled-up legs tightly.
This was crazy.
Even beyond that.
And he knew now.
Opening this door was the stupidest idea he ever had in his entire life.
Or well, maybe it was already open due to the baby, but he should have closed it instead of stepping right through it.
What on Mars was he thinking?
That he was strong enough to fight this?
To face his past, his bloody past…?

"Vinnie… My dearest Vincent. There's a place in your heart and I know that it is love. You're as pure as a person can be. Above all, you're nothing like him. Remember that, love. Remember that…"

The light coming from the diamond extinguished, and just like that, Vinnie was alone again, which frightened him more than he liked to admit.
Even though seeing and hearing her had completely swept him off his feet, the somewhat eerie emptiness she now left behind was even ten times worse.
Or maybe it was just knowing that she was wrong.
So, so wrong.
He was far more like him than he ever wanted to be…

Mama…
I just killed a man.
Put a gun against his head.
Pulled the trigger…
…and now he's dead…

His body painfully convulsed as a wave of sheer agony washed over him, along with a hint of panic.
Panic because he was about to break, and he wasn't where he was supposed to be.
He needed to be in the shower, where he could cry in peace.
Where the tears would become one with the streaming water, unable to be distinguished.
For some strange reason, it made it feel a little less like crying.
Less weak.
Above all, there was solitude.
No one would know.
No one would know how weak he actually was.
How afraid he was.
Afraid of his demons and ghosts from the past.
However, it was too late now.
His body merely refused to cooperate, and as he hugged himself even tighter, Vinnie, the so-called fearless hero, broke down into tears.

…

Sitting on the small couch in the corner of the garage, Modo shifted his weight a little uncomfortable as he tried to focus on his James Bomb book, but it was hard.
The sound of running water coming from Charley's bathroom upstairs sounded like a waterfall so loud, and with every second that ticked by, Modo's unease grew bigger.
His eye darted to the clock once again, only to see that only a minute had passed since the last time he checked it, which was strange as it felt more like an hour.
Every cell in his body screamed he needed to go check on Vinnie, but at the same time, he felt reluctant to do so.
Not only because he was still a little pissed at him for worrying him and Throttle by going MIA for almost eight hours, but also because he knew that Vinnie didn't want to be checked on.
All he wanted was to be left alone, and although Modo knew that he just should respect his wishes, it went against everything he was at the same time.
This wasn't how his dear grey-furred momma had raised him.
'Heavy are the words that go unspoken' was what she always said.
And as always, she was right.
At the same time, he was fully aware of the fact that having something as simple as a conversation didn't solve one's problems all at once.
After all, there was no such thing as magic.
It did, however, give some space.
And sometimes, space was exactly what one needed, making them able to put things into perspective.

But this was Vinnie he was talking about.
Very annoying, obnoxiously loud, toe-curling arrogant, and highly stubborn Vinnie.
His dearest little brother, who never learned how to deal with his emotional problems.
Who didn't have a loving mother around long enough for him to learn that it was okay to talk about whatever was bothering him.
That it wasn't weak but rather brave to open up.
So yeah, it was probably safe to say that Modo was conflicted about what to do.
Throttle usually took the lead when it came to Vinnie, knowing perfectly well how to handle the stubborn young mouse, but he wasn't here, now was he?
Modo was.
And he suddenly couldn't stand the thought of Vinnie suffering alone for a second longer.

With heavy boots, the grey-furred mouse stomped up the stairs, hoping that the sound of his footsteps would give Vinnie a warning that he was coming and crossing his bionic fingers that the white-furred youngster didn't take his beloved ray gun with him in the shower at the same time.
Goddess of the Two Moons only knew what would happen if he did and Modo showed up to ask if he was okay.
Things could only get ugly, and the last thing Modo wanted was for Charley to come home in a wrecked garage after being discharged from the hospital.
The poor girl had already suffered enough.
For a brief moment, Modo felt a pang of hesitation once more.
Maybe he should go back to his book.
It was a good book, after all.
Above all, something as simple as reading a book didn't involve the risk of a burned-down garage.
But again, it was the love he felt for his little brother that kept him going.
No one should be alone when being in pain.
Not even annoying, loud, arrogant, and stubborn Vinnie.

When he reached the door to the bathroom, Modo pricked his ears and listened, but all he heard was the sound of running water still.
If only he knew that was a good sign or not…
After clenching and unclenching his bionic hand a couple of times, the grey-furred Martian raised it, and after another hesitation, he knocked on the door.
"Vinnie…? You uhm… You okay, bro?"
No response, and Modo frowned as knocked again.
"Vin?"
Still nothing, and after resting his ear on the door for a brief moment without result, Modo took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.
"I'm coming in, okay?"
As it was more like giving him a heads-up instead of asking him for permission, the grey-furred giant opened the door without waiting for a response.

Steam coming from the hot shower, along with the slight scent of alcohol hit him in the face, and he took a little moment to give his eye some time to adjust to the poorly lit environment.
Of course, he could just simply turn the rest of the lights on, but he didn't want to startle Vinnie even more, and thus, he just squinted his eye a little as his gaze wandered through the room.
The first thing he noticed was the necklace lying on the sink, one he had never seen before.
The frown on his face grew even deeper when he saw Vinnie's red diamond earring lying next to it, but before he could connect the dots, a sound coming from his left broke him out of his thoughts, and his eye darted to the shadow in the corner that seemed to be the source of it.
It took him like a nanosecond to realize what he was looking at, but when he did, his heart skipped a beat and he rushed over to the little bundle that was his baby brother.
"Vinnie…", he breathed as he crouched next to him, and his chest tightened.
"Ah, man, Vinnie…"

The white-furred youngster was sitting on the floor with his back resting against the wall and holding himself tightly.
His face was buried between his knees, but Modo didn't need to see it to know that he was crying his eyes out.
His body shook with every sob that came over his lips, and the sound of it gave Modo the chills.
It was safe to say that he had never seen his baby bro this upset and it literally broke his heart.
At the same time, this was by far a healthier response to everything that was going on right now instead of the drinking and acting like he was fine.
Still…
Nibbling on his lower lip, Modo reached out to him, but right before he made contact, he stopped.
His hand was now floating uselessly in the air close to Vinnie's shoulder as he tried to think of the best way to help him.
Perhaps touching him wasn't a good idea, for it seemed as if Vinnie was completely oblivious to his presence.
Then again, his entire appearance practically breathed loneliness and without further thinking, Modo rested a hand on Vinnie's shoulder.

Although he could feel Vinnie tense his muscles even more the moment he felt Modo's touch, he didn't back away as the grey mouse expected him to do.
In fact, he seemed to rest lightly against Modo's hand, as if he was in desperate need of some comfort, which was actually mind-blowing times ten.
Now knowing he had made the right decision to come here, Modo quietly sat down next to him.
He didn't say anything, he didn't do anything, he just sat there, all to give Vinnie space to do this on his own terms as he knew that asking difficult questions would only chase him back into his shell.
Soon, Vinnie leaned a little to his left, just enough for his shoulder to make contact with Modo's upper arm.
Knowing that putting an arm around him would be a little too much of a good thing, Modo merely reached out his tail before it entwined with the long white one of his little brother, all to let him know that he was here.
He was here because that's what big brothers did.
They took care of the little ones, always and forever.

And for once, Vinnie let him, which was highly unusual, to say the least.
But instead of telling him to go away, or being even less subtle and punching him in the face, the white-furred mouse now leaned against his older brother with his full weight, slightly shaking his head as he tightened his grip around his legs.
"Fuck", he breathed in between sobs, telling Modo he was doing everything within his power to calm down, to grab himself together as he was obviously ashamed of himself.
Just like he always was whenever he lowered his walls in his brother's presence.
If only Modo could get it into his thick head that there was nothing to be ashamed of.
Their life had been far from easy, and it was perfectly logical that it left its traces.
No one was invincible, after all.
Not even Vinnie.
Especially not Vinnie and Modo gently patted him on the arm before resting his arms on his knees again.
"It's okay, baby bro. It's okay."

Vinnie, again, shook his head, his face buried between his knees still.
"No, it's not. It's not okay. Fuck, Modo, it's everything but okay…"
His voice, already thick of emotions and unstable, faltered even more at the end, something that seemed to irritate him, for he clenched his hands into fists with so much strength that Modo could have sworn he heard something snap.
That, in turn, only fed Vinnie's aggravation, and without warning, he struck the bathroom floor with his fist.
And again.
And again.
This time, Modo definitely heard something snap and he quickly grabbed Vinnie's hand before he could damage himself even more.
"Stop it. Ain't you hurting enough already?", he muttered, not understanding why Vinnie always felt the need to inflict pain on himself whenever he was upset.
Maybe it was just because he had no idea how to deal with it all, but for some reason, Modo suspected it was a little more complicated than that.
With a groan, Vinnie yanked his hand free before wrapping his arm around his legs again, and he let out a shaky sob, burying his face even deeper between his knees.
"Gods, Modo, what am I gonna do? I can't be a father… I just can't …"

And so there it was.
The reason why his white-furred friend was slowly falling apart.
It didn't really come as a surprise, however, it wasn't merely about the words but rather about the sheer dread audible in his voice that gave Modo a somewhat uneasy feeling.
Like there was more to it all or at least more than not being ready to become a father.
Without really realizing it, Modo's gaze wandered through the bathroom, only to land on the necklace lying on the sink and a tiny shock went through his body when he suddenly realized what it was.
It was a Memory Chain.
He had heard of those, once.
It was a device able to carry one memory forever, safely locked away to make sure it could only be seen by those whom it was made for.
That also explained the earring.
It must be the key to activate it.
And just like that, it all made sense.
Just like that, Modo suddenly knew perfectly well what this was all about, and he let out his breath.
"This is about your father, isn't it?"

He might as well have dropped a bomb.
Vinnie looked up with a jerk, and after blinking almost in slow motion, he turned his head to look at his older brother with his swollen and bloodshot eyes wide open.
"What do you know about my father?"
"Everything", Modo merely answered, knowing there was no need to beat around the bush.
For some reason, that simple answer shocked Vinnie even more, and the young mouse gawked at Modo with his lower jaw practically resting on his knees.
"H… How?", he eventually managed to squeeze out, and Modo shrugged, shifting his weight a little uncomfortable.
"Throttle told me."
Vinnie's eyes now almost popped out of their sockets.
"Throttle knows too?"
"Stoker told him."

Vinnie closed his mouth with a clap, and a tiny muscle close to his nose twitched as he jerked his head the other way with eyes fuming.
"Wow. Remind to never tell Stoker a secret again. The guy gossips more than my aunties, goddammit."
Although Modo could understand why Vinnie felt betrayed, he seemed to forget about one thing here and that was that Stoker didn't do anything without good reason.
Even more so, he always acted with the best of intentions.
"Don't be like that. He only told Throttle because he cares about you."
Vinnie snorted as he angrily wiped another tear away as he was still unable to stop them from coming.
"You don't spill someone's family secrets because you care about them. That's a line you just don't cross. Even I know that."
"And since when is life that simple, huh? It ain't no black and white, Vin. There are a whole lotta grey areas when it comes to protecting those you care for and you know that", Modo told him, perhaps a little more stern than he intended to, but this was about Stoker.
And Stoker always did the right thing.
Always.

Vinnie stared angrily at the floor, his chin resting on his knees.
"It wasn't his place to tell."
Another tear trickled down his cheek, and Modo heaved a sigh.
"Maybe not, but honestly? I'm glad that he did. Because you never would have told us. And then we wouldn't be able to help you get through this. We can only help if we understand your pain, Vin. That's why he told Throttle. That's why Throttle told me. Because they both knew this moment would come, one day."
"What moment? That I would knock up a human?", Vinnie grumbled as he slightly shrugged to show his still-present displeasure.
"You guys should start a business in fortune cookies."
Knowing he only acted like this because he was in pain, Modo merely shook his head as he softly squeezed Vinnie's tail, patient as always.
"The moment that you get overtaken by your past. Even us Martians can bury it all for so long, bro. No Martian Mind Trick can keep it all away forever."
Vinnie rolled his eyes as he softly gnashed his teeth, stubborn as always.
"Ya think?"

Modo cast him a sideways glance, one that told him that he really needed to drop the attitude because it wasn't going to help him.
They were way past that now.
It was time to face things.
To face reality.
By some miracle, Vinnie seemed to realize that, too.
After staring at the bottle of whisky close to his feet almost longingly, he glanced at his grey-furred friend out of the corner of his eye.
"Would you uhm… Well, you said I never would have told you, which is true, I guess… But ah… Well, would you?"
"What? Tell you guys the truth if it was about my father?", Modo asked in return, just to be sure that he was on the same page as his little brother, and when the latter nodded, he slumped back against the wall and thought about it for a second.
But then, he also nodded.
"Yeah, I think I would. You guys are the closest thing I have to family, and as my dearest old grey-furred momma used to say; 'In times of test, family is best'."

Despite everything, Vinnie's lips twitched.
"She even made a rhyme this time."
Modo smiled, too, though it might be said it was a sad one.
"Yeah. She was good at that."
For a moment, he was sucked back in time.
Back to the days when he still had his beloved mother around.
To say that those were better times was perhaps too big of a word, but it was… simpler at the very least.
He could just always count on her.
She was just always there.
To give him advice, to help him grow, to make him a better mouse…

Oh, momma.
If only you were here now…

But she wasn't.
It was up to him now to carry on her legacy.
To keep his family together.
To take care of them.
And so he did.
"You're not your father, Vinnie. Blood's important but ain't that thick. You can get loose if you want. You can be whoever you want."
Vinnie's ears drooped, and he slightly shook his head.
"I'm the son of a killer, Modo. Hell, I'm a killer myself. I'm more like him than I ever wanted to be…"
His voice broke once again, and he rubbed his face as he clearly had no idea what to do with himself.
Modo knew him well enough to know that his feet were itching to get out of here, to get away from all this, but for some reason, he remained where he was.
He even continued explaining himself, albeit desperately.
"How can I be a good father with all that blood on my hands? I don't want the kid to be like me. It deserves so much more than that."

Though ill-timed, Modo suddenly realized that this was the first real and in-depth conversation he had with Vinnie ever since they met, now ten years ago.
For some reason, it made him feel proud and flattered at the same time.
Proud because Vinnie was obviously maturing.
Flattered because he trusted him enough to open up.
That didn't, however, make this whole thing easier, mostly because it was actually quite painful to hear how low Vinnie's self-esteem actually was.
So painful, that if he had to be honest, he preferred toe-curling arrogant Vinnie over this version of him.
This… broken version.
Above all, he couldn't be more wrong.
"Your actions don't define who you are as a person, and neither does blood."
After a short hesitation, he rested a hand on Vinnie's arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"That kid you're talking about couldn't ask for a better father. All you need to do is let go. Let go of your past and create your own future. Be the person you want to be."

Vinnie glanced at the bionic hand resting on his arm, and despite the tears that were still streaming down his face, the left corner of his mouth curled up into a fraction of that trademark cheeky smile of his.
"Another cheesy magazine quote. I guess I was right about that fortune cookie business. You would make some good money."
Modo quickly bowed his head to hide his smile, knowing that Vinnie was only trying to lighten up the mood as another attempt to make himself feel a little less embarrassed or even less vulnerable.
Of course, he just could go along with it as it was an understandable response, but that wouldn't help his little brother.
And indeed, when he remained silent, Vinnie's face darkened again as he slumped back against the wall.
"But seriously. Just like that?"
"Just like that", the grey-furred Martian nodded, resting his head against the wall as he gazed up at the ceiling.
"Oh, and you need to tell Charley about your father", he added in passing, trying to sound as nonchalant as he could while bracing himself.
But against all odds, instead of protesting, Vinnie merely heaved a sigh.
"I know."
He lowered his gaze and stared at his hands fiddling with the tip of his tail.
"I just don't know how."

Modo gently jabbed his elbow in Vinnie's ribs.
"Now you're just overthinking it. Just tell her. She'll understand."
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of…", the white mouse mumbled, his eyes still fixed on his fingers softly pulling the tiny white hairs on his tail.
This answer confused Modo, and while narrowing his visible eye, he cast his younger bro a sideways glance with his lips pursed.
But then, the penny dropped.
"Because then there's no way out of this", he concluded, and Vinnie nodded almost invisibly in answer.
Heaving a quiet sigh, Modo's face softened as he felt his heart break a little more by seeing his baby brother so… lost.
Scared, even.
As the seemingly fearless mouse he could be, he wasn't frightened easily.
He would drive into battles without batting an eye, even more so, he would even enjoy putting his life on the line for the greater good.

But this…
This was what scared the dauntless young mouse.
Demons from the past.
Vulnerability.
Responsibility.
Insecurity.
Things that weren't tangible, things he couldn't fight with their so-called Martian Thunder.
In other words - things he couldn't just blow up while making a snappy line.
It would have been some sort of ironic if it wasn't so sad.
But it was.
Sad.
Even beyond that, and Modo just wished he could take it all away.

But he couldn't.
The only one capable of defeating himself was, well, Vinnie.
All Modo could do was stand by his side.
And so he did.
He would always be there, to help his baby brother back to his feet after falling for the umpteenth time.
To guide him back to where he belonged.
Home.
After all, maybe he couldn't take it all away, but that didn't necessarily mean that Vinnie had to do it all by himself.
"Just tell her, Vin. Heck, take her on a Mind Walk for all I care. Just… let her in. Let her help you. You don't have to do this alone. She's on the same boat as you, after all. I'm sure she's scared, too."

Vinnie swallowed with difficulty, and although he said nothing, Modo could tell he had gotten through to him, which was all that mattered.
Figuring the young mouse had enough for one day, Modo rubbed his slightly watery eye before slapping his hands on his upper legs.
"Come on, baby bro, let's get you into that shower."
After climbing to his feet, he offered Vinnie a hand while flashing him a somewhat meaningful slash teasing smile.
"I mean, no offense, but you stink."
Vinnie wrinkled his nose.
"No, you stink", he replied childishly before sticking out his tongue.
He did, however, take Modo's hand, and the grey-furred giant let out a rumbling chuckle as he pulled his younger brother back to his feet without any trouble.
"You stink more."
"You stink most."
Modo's smile grew bigger, and he shook his head in amusement.
That's Vinnie for ya.

…

Meanwhile, in one of the better neighborhoods of Chicago, Pux tiptoed down the stairs of her mother's house.
She wasn't able to sleep, not even close.
Her mind just kept racing and racing, as it always did, but this time, it was different.
Too much had happened in a too short matter of time.
It was literally too much to process, and thus here she was.
On her way to the kitchen to get some warm milk with honey in the hope that would ease this jittery feeling.
A feeling that was like a stone in her stomach, keeping her body in this constant state of alertness.
Kind of like it was waiting for something bad to happen once again.
It was nerve-wracking, really.

Pulling her fluffy bathrobe closer around her body, the blond-headed girl stepped into the kitchen, only to see that she wasn't the only one who couldn't get to sleep.
Her mother was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping from a glass of wine and having that awful frown on her face.
You know, the one that told Pux she was troubled, and not just a little.
This, in turn, only made Pux even more nervous than she already was, but she ignored her now racing heart as well as she could as she made her way over to the fridge.
"Couldn't sleep either?", she asked so-called nonchalantly as she opened the fridge.
Her mother put her now empty glass on the table before reaching for the bottle standing next to it.
"You know I never can after doing two night shifts", she said while pouring wine into the glass, and Pux rolled her blue eyes before she bent over to search for the milk with one hand resting on the fridge door.
"I'm not five anymore, mom. I know you only drink when something is eating you."
While she was talking, she took the milk carton out of the fridge and closed the door with her foot while she turned around to face her mother.
"I also know that finding out that we're not alone in this universe tends to mess with one's head."
"That's an understatement", Ivy muttered before putting the wine glass to her lips again.

Pux shifted her weight to her heels and back as she quietly watched her mother for a moment with a furrowed brow.
How she tilted her head a bit back.
How her lips opened to let the drink in.
How she closed her eyes when the wine made its way down her gullet.
How her right eyebrow slightly twitched…
Hm.
Her mother was far more upset than she wanted to show, that was for sure.
She always did that thing with her eyebrow when she was trying so hard to keep her mask on.
You know, the one that adults always put on to cover up that something was wrong in order to protect the little ones.
Forgetting that the so-called little ones were perfectly able to feel that something was up.
Forgetting that keeping them in the dark didn't help them but only gave them unhealthy coping mechanisms and the feeling of being entirely alone in the world.
"Mom, what's wrong?", Pux asked with a slightly trembling voice, and her mother opened her eyes, only to give her daughter one of her famous 'it's all good in the hood' looks.
"I'm just tired, sweetie. That's all."

But it was just like Pux said.
She wasn't five anymore.
"If you were tired, you wouldn't be sitting here. If you were tired, you would have been in bed, peacefully asleep", she said slowly, keeping a close eye on her mom, her body on high alert once more.
Something was really, really wrong.
She had no idea what, she also had no idea how she knew exactly, but the fact remained that she just did.
She could sense it.
It practically poured out of her mother's pores, even though she tried so hard to look all nonchalant.
To look like nothing was wrong.
Actually, the fact that she tried so hard made Pux even more restless.

Ivy slowly opened her eyes, and after catching her daughter's gaze, she flashed her a warm smile.
You know, a smile that literally screamed 'don't you worry, sweetheart. It's just adult stuff', and Pux put the milk carton on the table with a loud bang before pointing a finger at her mother.
"Mom, I swear to God, if you're gonna tell me that everything is okay, that I've got nothing to worry about, I'm gonna have a serious temper tantrum. Stop treating me like I'm five and be straight with me, if only for this one time."
She didn't want to talk to her mother like this, the woman didn't deserve that after all, but dammit.
She was just so done with everybody treating her like some helpless kid.
She was so much more than that.
Her mother stared at her for a brief moment, obviously conflicted about whether to reprimand her daughter for having a mouth this big or to give in, and Pux flashed her a somewhat apologetic smile in the hope she would choose the second option.
Which she, by some miracle, did.

Letting out her breath, Ivy lowered her eyes and watched her fingers rubbing the stem of her wine glass.
"You're right. Something is eating me, and it ain't the aliens… Or well, not really."
A little baffled that her mother just gave in instead of sending her to her room, Pux pulled out a chair and slowly sat down.
While she was doing that, her brain digested her mother's words, and when it was finally done, her insides were already tied into a knot again.
"This is about the baby, isn't it?"
After staring at her hand circling the glass over the table for a little while, Ivy nodded.
"Its development is nothing like I've ever seen, which makes sense, I guess, but that isn't the point…"
She fell silent again, and Pux rested her arms on the table before leaning a little closer to her with her heart fluttering in her chest due to this unsettling feeling that seemed to be stuck in her nervous system ever since she laid eyes on the famous Biker Mice From Mars.
"What does that even mean?"

Ivy raised her eyes and looked her daughter straight in the eye.
"It means that I have no idea if Charley's body is capable of fulfilling this pregnancy."
She might as well have dropped a bomb, and Pux fell back in her chair again, her blue eyes wide open.
"You mean she could die?"
Ivy shrugged a little uneasy.
"If the fetus keeps growing at this pace, then yes, I suppose death can be a result. It would literally rip her body apart."
"Jesus", Pux breathed, deeply shocked as she slumped ever further back in the chair.
This, all this, just never seemed to end.
Whenever the dust seemed to settle down, another giant hurricane came around the corner once again, creating mayhem and havoc.
It was unsustainable, really.
"Did you tell Charley?"

"No. I figured it was for the best to just monitor her closely and see how it all develops. Maybe its growth will slow down after a little while, who knows? I sure don't. All I know is that I don't wanna cause panic over something that could be nothing."
"But you're panicking", Pux concluded flatly, or maybe even stuffy, something that seemed to snap Ivy out of her head and she quickly leaned over the table to rest a hand on her daughter's.
All to comfort her.
"No, I'm not panicking, Puxie. Not yet. I'm just a little worried is all."
"So Charley's gonna be okay then?", Pux asked with a small voice and slightly trembling lower lip.
It was only seconds ago that she demanded her mother to treat her like an adult and look at her now.
Perhaps she wasn't as strong as she wanted to be.
Maybe, just maybe, she was still the one thing she didn't want to be anymore.
A child.
She sure as hell felt like one, all of a sudden.
"I'm sure she will be. We're just gonna have to make sure of that, aren't we?", Ivy smiled warmly as she fondly rubbed her daughter's hand with her thumb, and Pux swallowed away her tears before she nodded.
"Yeah… Yeah, I suppose we are."

Perhaps it was all going to be okay in the end.
Perhaps it was, indeed, too soon to panic.
It was rather understandable that her mother was worried.
This was no normal baby, after all.
This was an alien baby, and not even her mother with all her knowledge and experience was able to predict how this pregnancy was going to develop.
That could all be very much true.
But Pux couldn't shake this feeling that even though Charley had survived the vicious attack of the Angel of Death, she still wasn't out of the woods just yet.
Maybe that's the reason why she couldn't sleep.
Why her body just remained in this state of high alert.
Maybe, just maybe, the worst was yet to come…
Well, time would tell.
And time only.

So, I was wondering.
How do you think Vinnie should tell Charley the big mysterious story about his father/past?
Just tell her, or take her on a Mind Walk once more?
Lemme know what you guys think!

And, as it turns out, Charley ain't out of the woods just yet.
I'm sure it feels a little uhm... Twilight-ish, you know, with the whole 'can she carry this child till its fully grown or will it rip her apart?' thingy.
Well, without giving any spoilers but to comfort you, Charley won't have to drink blood. :')
Aliens ain't no vampires, after all (thank god).

Anyhoo.
I hope you guys liked this chapter.
Please feel free to leave a review, always very much appreciated.
Stay safe out there, it's a mad world.

Later guys!