When Joseph and Cassandra followed Jill out of the small patch of woods, they were greeted to quite a scene. The place was swarming with police officers, EMTs, and BSAA agents who had all responded to Chris' call for help. Jill really went all out with bringing backup, and the couple were beyond thankful for it.
Despite the huge crowd, it didn't take long for them to spot the rest of their family waiting for them. When they walked over, Joseph was immediately embraced by Miranda and Mandy while Cassandra was hugged by her mother and sisters. They were all shedding tears of relief and joy to see each other safe.
"Thank god you guys are okay." Joseph choked.
"I thought I was going to lose you." Miranda cried.
Her Godson pulled back and gave her a warm smile.
"I would never just leave my family like that. I said we would all get through this, and I keep the promises I make."
The Priestess smiled back and gave him another hug.
"You should have seen Mandy." She said. "Two of those thugs tried to sneak up on us and grab her, but she took them both out by herself."
Joseph turned to his sister with wide eyes.
"Really?!"
"Oh yeah." Mandy said with a smile. "They thought it would be easy since I'm a paraplegic. Boy did I prove them wrong!"
His smile grew even wider as he released Miranda to give his sister another hug.
"I'm proud of you, sis."
"I couldn't have done it without you, little bro."
Joseph choked up at those words. He had failed his sister once before. So to hear that he was able to be there for her and protect her meant the world to him.
"Oh, Cassandra! Please show it to me!"
The two siblings turned to the Dimitrescu family. Alcina had noticed the ring on Cassandra's finger and was insisting on seeing it for herself, something the brunette was more than happy to do. As she did, The Countess put her hand on her mouth as she shed more tears of joy.
"Oh my." She said. "It's even more beautiful than when Joseph showed it to me."
Cassandra gave a confused look.
"He showed it to you?"
Joseph chuckled as he released Mandy and walked over to his fiancé.
"Had to ask for her permission." He said. "She said I didn't even have to, but I insisted."
Alcina shook her head
"You really didn't have to. There is no one I would trust to take care of Cassandra more than you."
Joseph just shrugged.
"I didn't want to be impolite."
Cassandra just smiled and gave her fiancé a kiss. He was always a sweet and kind hearted person, so the fact he asked her mother for permission to marry her didn't surprise her at all.
"Hey guys!"
The couple parted to see Heisenberg and Master Hisashi jogging towards them. They both gave a smile and Cassandra hugged her uncle while Joseph hugged his former master.
"Sorry we're a little late." Heisenberg said. "We were making sure those news reporters stayed off our backs. Those assholes just don't know when to take the hint."
Joseph chuckled.
"Yeah, they usually don't. I'm sure you guys found a way to discourage them though."
Now Master Hisashi chuckled.
"Oh we sure did, but that's not important. What's important is that we are all okay, and we no longer have to worry about this threat looming over us."
His former student nodded.
"Absolutely. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off of us. In fact, it went better than I could have ever hoped."
"How so?"
"Long story short, my prayers about my Mom were answered. She never hated me. She was just blinded and confused by her emotions like I once was, but Cassandra was able to help her see things more clearly. She…She shot my dad to protect me."
Everyone was shocked to hear this, and some even let out an audible gasp. Like Joseph, they were not expecting something like this to happen at all.
"Mom did that?!" Mandy asked.
"She did." Jill said. "She then surrendered to us without a fight. It sure surprised the hell out of me."
"Well, I'll be damned." Heisenberg said. "Guess this proves you can't judge a book by its cover, huh?"
"I guess so." Elena said. "Then again, I'm not really surprised. You guys used to be like that too."
Bela let out a short laugh.
"Ain't that the truth."
Joseph nodded in agreement before taking a more serious face.
"Listen, I want to talk to my mom before they take her away. Do you guys want to join me? I want her to see that she isn't alone in how she's feeling."
Everyone smiled and nodded, and Cassnadra took his hand.
"Of course, babe." Lead the way.
Joseph needed only to ask a BSAA agent where his mother was to be led to the car where she was detained. Joseph and Mandy wanted to have a private talk with their mother first, so they asked everyone to stay back for a moment. As the two siblings approached, Diane looked up with a blank expression on her face. She was probably still trying to process everything that had just happened. But when she saw her children, her eyes immediately started to tear up.
"Are you two okay?" She asked.
They both nodded.
"We're fine, Mom." Mandy said. "Can we talk to you?"
The soldier slowly nodded back. Joseph took a deep breath before he spoke.
"Mom, I want to tell you something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time. I am sorry for what happened to Mandy. I did a terrible thing to her that day, and I've spent every day since then wishing I could take it back. I let you and dad down, and I-"
Diane held up her cuffed hands to silence him.
"No, Joseph, it was me who let you down. Like I said before, I thought all those years I was trying to help you, but I know now I was only helping myself. If I had just swallowed my pride and got you the help you needed, I don't think any of this would have happened. I am just as responsible for Mandy's accident. I…I don't deserve to be called your mother."
"Don't you dare say that!" Joseph yelled, surprising Diane.
He took a deep breath before continuing.
"I know exactly what you're thinking. I was the same way after Mandy's accident. I thought I was a pathetic excuse of a brother and that I didn't deserve to be called that. I felt like I was drowning in my own guilt. Believe me, I know what that feels like, but you can't beat yourself up like that. You'll be putting yourself in an endless cycle of pain and misery, and you don't deserve that. I don't believe you're the main person responsible. I would say that's dad, and I don't believe you were acting out of pride."
"I agree." Mandy said. "While dad was never abusive, he was always manipulative. Whenever one of us disagreed with him, he would always find a way to get in our heads and make us believe what he believed. Even before I was paralyzed, I could tell his ego was rubbing off on us. That prevented you and me from seeing the truth."
Joseph nodded.
"Definitely. I just never realized how far he would go with it. I can't believe he tried to kill me, even after I tried to show him mercy."
Diane growled in anger.
"I can't believe he did that either! I would have never married that scumbag if I knew he was capable of something like that!"
Joseph decided to try and lighten the mood.
"But then me and Mandy wouldn't exist." He said with a smile.
Luckily it worked as his mother turned away and let out a chuckle.
"You know what I mean, smartypants."
She took a breath before turning back to her children.
"Mentally manipulated or not, I am still partly at fault. I am so sorry. I failed you both, and I will accept responsibility for what I've done. I just hope you two can find it in your hearts to forgive me."
They both smiled.
"We forgave you the minute that phone call we had on New Year's Eve ended." Mandy said.
The soldier's eyes widened.
"W-What?!"
Joseph nodded.
"What I said to dad before also applies to you. I don't hate you, Mom. I learned to move on from that a long time ago. Hate doesn't solve anything. It's only through forgiveness that we can heal and move forward."
Diane was about to say something, but Joseph put his hand up to allow him to continue.
"I want to properly introduce you to everyone."
He then called over the rest of his family who quickly gathered around the side of the car. Joseph then turned back to his mother.
"Mom, you've already met Cassie. These people are her sisters, Bela and Daniela, her mother Alcina, and her uncle, Karl Heisenberg. And these people are Elena, Miranda, and Master Hisashi."
The last name made Diane's eyes widen.
"You mean, Master Ishiro Hisashi?"
Now Joseph's eyes widened.
"Wait, you know him?"
She nodded.
"I saw his name in the records from your time in Japan when we were looking for you. You stayed with him for three years, right?"
Joseph was a little surprised, but nodded.
"Yes. He offered me help when I needed it most. Despite knowing what I had done, he treated me with kindness and got me back on my feet in addition to teaching me how to be a better person. He saved my life, mom."
Diane then turned to the martial arts master with a look of awe and gratitude.
"I can't even describe how thankful I am of what you did, Master Hisashi. You took care of my son when I couldn't, and you treated him with love and compassion. You deserve to be a parent to him much more than I do."
The martial arts master shook his head.
"That's not true, Diane. You shooting your own husband to protect Joseph is proof of that. It shows beyond doubt that you have always loved him."
The soldier shook her head.
"I know, but it still doesn't change the way I treated him when he was growing up. In fact, there's something I want to say to everyone."
She turned her head to look at everyone to confirm they were all being acknowledged.
"I am truly sorry to each and everyone of you for what happened today. I put you in danger for my own selfish reasons, and that is just unacceptable. I don't know what punishments the courts will have for me, but I will take all of it. I deserve it after what I've done."
Miranda stepped forward.
"No you don't. You and I actually share the same pain, because I know what it's like to feel like you've failed your child."
Diane looked surprised by this.
"What do you mean?"
Miranda took a deep breath before continuing.
"I lost my daughter to sickness years ago. Despite my skill in medical science, I couldn't save her."
The soldier gasped and put her hands on her mouth.
"Oh my god. I…I'm so sorry."
The Priestess nodded as she held back tears.
"What happened afterwards is complicated. But in short, I went mad with grief and became a very bitter person. As a result, I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, including projecting that bitterness on these people around me, but I never noticed how much damage I was causing because of how blinded I was. In fact, if it wasn't for Joseph, I would have succumbed to my emotions for sure"
Alcina then spoke up.
"I can attest to that. I hated Miranda for years because of the way she treated me and my daughters, but that was also before I learned of her own daughter. Once I did, I realized she wasn't cruel and sadistic like I thought she was. She was just a broken and sad woman who missed her child. And as a mother myself, I completely understood her pain."
Heisenberg then spoke.
"Yeah. It took us a while to learn to forgive Miranda and each other, but it helped to know we were in the same boat. We all got high off our emotions and let it get the best of us, just like you. So we get where you're coming from."
Cassandra decided to add to the conversation too.
"The most important thing that we learned however is that it's never too late to change yourself. It doesn't matter what you did, or what others think of you. Everyone deserves a second chance."
The brunette then smiled.
"And guess who taught us how to do this?"
Diane thought for a moment, but then her eyes widened in realization and she turned to Joseph.
"Joseph, you did all of this?!"
Her son nodded.
"When I met them, I saw a reflection of myself. I became determined to help them so they didn't have to suffer like I did."
"You did more than help us." Bela said. "You turned everything around. You taught us kindness in a way that we didn't think was possible. You saved us from ourselves and bonded us together as a family."
Miranda smiled widely now and nodded.
"And just like how Joseph showed us understanding and kindness, we will do the same for you Diane, and I think I know just the way to do it too. One moment."
The Priestess walked away. Diane looked confused.
"No offense, but how does Miranda think she will be able to convince the two leaders of the BSAA to help me?"
Joseph turned to his mother and smiled.
"She's an informant for them. Plus, Chris and Jill are much more empathetic and understanding than you realize. You'll see what I mean."
And after a few minutes, The Priestess returned with the two Generals.
Chris looked at Diane and spoke first.
"Hey, so Miranda brought us up to speed on everything. According to her, you started to feel guilty about Mandy's accident and disowning Joseph not long after it happened, but your husband mentally manipulated you to hate Joseph instead and bury how you really felt. Is that right?"
Diane nodded.
"Yes. Michael always had that effect on people. It was scary how good he was at it."
Chris turned to Joseph and Mandy who both nodded to confirm this was true.
Jill then walked up and leaned down to look Diane in the eyes, giving an intimidating stare. She was testing the soldier's sincerity.
"Let me ask you something. Do you truly feel that Michael was misleading you into helping him? Do you truly regret what you did today, or are you just bullshitting us? Be honest. I will know if you're lying."
Again, Diane nodded. She didn't even flinch under Jill's stare.
"Michael did play a part in what happened, but it was also my fault. I failed to see the truth and chose to follow my hate instead. I regret doing that…no…I regret everything that I've done, not just what I did today. I regret not helping Joseph the proper way. I regret Mandy's accident. I regret putting them in danger. I regret all of it! How could I not regret hurting my own children?!"
Diane was starting to get emotional. This and the look in her eyes told Jill that she was telling the truth. She let her husband's words get to her head, which convinced her to do all of these things, and she clearly felt awful about it.
Jill stood up straight before speaking again.
"I believe you. You have that look and tone that only a mother would have. I know, because I'm a mom myself. Here's the thing though. The crimes you committed today include attempted kidnapping and attempted murder, and you did them against people under BSAA protection no less. That's too serious for us to just write off."
The General then held up her hand.
"However, given your situation, I think me and Chris can still come up with a way to legally protect you."
Jill now had Diane's full attention.
"How so?" She asked.
Chris then spoke up.
"Let me tell you a short story. I have a brother in law who works as a government agent. Thing is, he didn't take that job willingly. He was a survivor of the Raccoon City Outbreak, but he was the one who saw and knew too much."
Diane's eyes widened. As a former soldier, she knew what that meant.
Chris nodded.
"Yeah. He was in quite a pickle to say the least. Fortunately, the president came up with an idea to help him out. He gave him a position to work for him as an agent. That way, he would be under government contract and protection, so nobody would be able to take any action against him. It worked out pretty well for him, and he's still an agent twenty years later."
Jill turned back to Diane.
"So me and Chris were thinking we could do something similar with you. You would work for us in the BSAA, and therefore you'd be immune to any legal action. All we'd have to do is change the report a little. As far as we're concerned, you were forced to do this against your will, because you kind of were."
Diane was flabbergasted. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The two people who lead the BSAA and were highly respected individuals were willing to stick their necks out for her, someone who they just fought against minutes ago.
She couldn't help but ask the obvious question.
"Why? Why are you so willing to do this after what I did, and on a whim no less?"
Jill sighed.
"Trust me, I know what it's like to be under someone else's control and do horrible things because of it. It's a special kind of hell, and I don't want to see you go through that too, nevermind in prison."
The look on her face told Diane it was a painful memory, so she didn't ask about it. Instead, she thought about the BSAA General's offer. At first she was hesitant. She felt she didn't deserve a chance like this after everything she did. How could she? But then she remembered what Cassandra did earlier.
The brunette could have easily killed her, but she didn't. Instead, she showed mercy and offered the soldier a chance to make things right, which she did by shooting Michael and saving Joseph. She gave her a second chance, and that's when Diane remembered what Cassandra said earlier.
'It is never too late to change yourself. It doesn't matter what you did, or what others think of you. Everyone deserves a second chance.'
She's right. The soldier thought. I have to be strong and do this for my children. I owe them that much at least.
Diane finally took a breath and faced Jill again.
"I accept your offer, General Redfield. I will work for you in the BSAA. I know this will likely be permanent, but it beats the hell out of prison. Not to mention, it gives me a chance to help people and make things right for myself."
Jill formed a huge smile on her face. She looked really happy.
"Alright then, come on out." She said as she opened the door.
When Diane stepped out, Jill removed her handcuffs and gave her a salute.
"Welcome to the BSAA, Lieutenant Brody. Since you were in that rank in the military, it will be transferred to us."
Diane smiled widely before returning the salute.
"Thank you, General. It's an honor to join you."
She wanted to cry and hug Jill so tight, but she knew that wouldn't be professional so she kept her stance. Thankfully, she didn't have to do it for too long as her children suddenly crashed into her with a tight hug, a hug she was more than happy to return.
For a moment, mother, daughter, and son all stood there in each other's embrace, crying tears of joy. None of them said anything, and they didn't have to. Chris and Jill promised them they would protect them and their family, and they certainly did in more ways than one.
Soon, Joseph and Mandy released their grip and turned to the two generals.
"Thank you guys so much." Joseph said. "This means the world to us."
Chris smiled and nodded.
"Hey, no problem. After everything you guys have been through, you deserve a break."
At that point, Cassandra and Daniela ran up to Joseph and Mandy and gave them hugs as well. They were overjoyed to see their partners patch things up with their mother and become a family again. As the two couples kissed, Diane made a face.
"Mandy, how long has this been going on?" She asked.
Her daughter immediately turned to face her, blushing furiously. She nervously chuckled and scratched the back of her head.
"Oh yeah, hehe, I forgot to tell you. Mom…umm…I'm gay, and Daniela is my girlfriend."
Diane stood there for a moment. Mandy wasn't sure how she was going to react, given her past disapproval of same sex relationships. But after a moment, she gave a smile.
"I guess I should have seen this coming. You always were different from other girls, Mandy."
She took a breath before continuing.
"I won't lie. This will take some time for me to get used to, but I'm willing to change for you, sweetheart. If Daniela makes you happy, then that's really all that matters."
Mandy and Daniela both smiled widely before hugging the soldier.
"Thanks, Mom." Mandy said. "That means so much to us."
"Yes. Thank you, Mrs. Brody." Daniela said.
Diane's smile got bigger.
"You're welcome." She replied. She had to admit, going against what she previously believed in felt odd, but seeing her daughter this happy made it worth it.
When she released her grip, she turned to her son.
"Joseph, you said you, Mandy, and Cassandra were going to compete in a triathlon in a couple days. Is that right?
Joseph nodded.
"Yeah. We're doing the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon Relay. We've been training for it for months, and making some shirts and a banner for us too."
His mother formed a small smile.
"Well in that case…does your group have room for one more member?"
Joseph and Cassandra's face lit up.
"Yeah! We would love to have you join us!" The brunette said. "Bela and Elena are still working on the banner, so that would be perfect!"
Diane turned to said couple.
"Are you two okay with that?"
They both nodded.
"Of course!" Elena said. "Any help you can offer is welcome!"
"Ditto." Bela said. "We want this banner to be as good as we can make it, so anything you can do would be great!"
Diane smiled.
"Well, I'm no Bob Ross, but I'll do everything I can to help."
The couple both smiled.
"That's all we care about." Bela said.
Cassandra smirked and nudged her fiancé.
"You know the drill, babe. A new group member means a new person to tell the bear story too."
Diane gave a confused look.
"Bear story?"
Joseph chuckled.
"Yeah. Cassie and I first met when I saved her from a bear attack. I killed it with my katana. Since then, everyone has called me the Bear Slayer."
Diane raised an amused eyebrow.
"You all are quite the interesting group."
Alcina laughed.
"Darling, you have no idea."
