"You said if I didn't try to talk about the surprise, you'd answer me."

"Ugh, fine," T rolls his eyes, "ask."

"Has he really been working on the tunnels and new rooms?" She asks, feeling better now that she recognized the route they were on.

"Yep," T tilts his head up, "quite a difference in headspace."

She glares.

"Sorry, sorry, what I meant to say is that you're short."

"Hilarious." She rolls her eyes.

"I mean," T shrugs, "yeah."

"Okay, moving on." She chuckles as she pushes against his shoulder, "so, working on the tunnels, and he's been helping Yensid with the illusion of the ship?"

T lowers her to her feet, "s'far as I know. I thought you'd be heavier now, but you're still a bird."

She grins, "another thing that didn't change-"

"Don't be happy about that." He chides, "You're already so snatch-up-able."

"I'm not specifically happy about that. But I'm looking for all the silver linings I can get."

"Oh. True." T nods, "well in that case," He catches a handful of her hair," you can check off super soft hair that never gets ratty to the list too." He tugs before he lets it slip through his fingers. "Tina's jealous as fuck. So was E."

She tugs on the ends of her hair.

So really, in the end, her encounter with Mim left her with scars and no flames.

After being forced to witness the atrocities she and the other witches committed against her fellow Isle Borns, she was lucky to still be alive.

She takes a deep breath, "was my father really only distracting Mim?"

T grimaces as he looks away, "wasn't my best-"

She shakes her head, "I just, he said he never considered my death while talking with her, like not even an option to him. But the face he made, I know that look, T." She sighs, "He always has that look when he's considering all options. When he's trying to make sure a deal favors him more."

T pauses, "I can't say that I was paying attention, but- I believe you. Sounds like him."

"But he said he wouldn't have."

T tilts his head to the side, "he didn't stand a chance before you took off the cuff, though. So, don't know how he could'ah really done much otherwise."

Her brow furrows, "you didn't stand a chance, and you still came for me."

"Yeah, like fuck was I lettin' that cunt steal you from us."

That made sense.

T hated to lose, and more than that hated feeling like something was his fault, even when it wasn't.

But if T was implying that her father had shown up, not standing a chance, and hadn't even considered her death as a way out-

It didn't make sense.

But, if his plan had been to let Mim kill her to take the barrier down, then why had he changed his mind?

She sighs.

"You're gonna hurt yourself."

"Trying to figure out my father? Yeah, probably."

"As long as you're aware." T shrugs.

"I think he changed his mind when you nearly died."

"I don't know," T tilts his head, "he is pretty bored. So maybe?"

She bites her lip.

There was more to it than that.

It was right there. All she had to do was touch the line connecting the dots, and she'd be able to understand.

But she couldn't do it.

Not now.

He'd given her a caring parent moment that didn't end with him asking her to remove the cuff.

Which in itself was bizarre, since she'd clearly already done so once.

She just wanted the moment to linger.

Feel grateful instead of worried.

Suspicious.

Wasn't her family always saying don't look for teeth?

She blinks when T puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Okay, Star Gazer, here's the thing. Your father is as bad as I am. He doesn't know what he wants. Doesn't know what he's going to do. And he certainly doesn't know why the fuck he does the shit he does. But, in the end, he fought tooth an' nasty nail to make sure Mim could never fuck with you again. It was fucking ugly. And there were definitely times I was sure I wasn't gonna make it outta that valley- But he managed it. Can't say he did it out of the goodness of his heart, but you know, he did it. "

"Progress, not perfection."

"Exactly." T nods, "I'm not asking you to forgive him, fuck, I'm not even asking you to acknowledge him. What I'm asking is that you put it on a shelf to look at later. Maybe talk ta the old man. Fuck even Tina. But, I'm super stoked about this surprise and I don't want you to ruin it. They've been through the ringer. Let's just enjoy the silver lining together while we can. Even if you had a year to chase this constellation, you wouldn't be able to come up with an answer. The wind is more predictable."

He was right.

It stung, but he was right.

What did the why of her father's actions matter?

Right now, he was helping them.

And when he decided to stop helping?

They wouldn't be able to do anything about that either.

So why add to an already overwhelming pile?

"Yeah, sorry. You're right." She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, "I let him get to me."

T nods before he narrows his eyes and studies her.

"So, the surprise? I'm assuming it's not our game, because that seems a little overkill right now, even for you."

T laughs hollowly, "I ain't tryin' ta die at the moment."

"That's good to hear." She chuckles.

"At the moment." T repeats.

"I told you you're not allowed to die-"

"And I know you know, that I know, that you know, that I don't follow orders well."

She shrugs before she takes another step to get ahead of him, "true. At least I've got my father keeping you alive. Oh look, another silver lining!"

"Oh, no, don't say that. Gross."

She chuckles before she takes his hand, "come on, enough gloom. Right? Let's see this surprise."

"Right!" T grins, "c'mon," he drags her, "I can't wait to see his face, when he sees the look on your face."

Harry's or Gil's?

The extra bit of confusion was enough to drive her mad.

Luckily, they weren't far from the family.

"Oooh, or Ume's face. That's gonna be gold too-" He grins as he rummages through his bag.

"So, everyone's face?"

"Yes."

She chuckles again before she hears the others moving around just out of sight, "they know we're coming."

"Yeah," He glares towards their cavern, "and if Harry ruined it he will rue it."

As they walk into their sleeping chamber, the first thing she notices is the space looked different.

The furs were all pushed into the far corner, and there was a small crate turned upside down in the middle of the floor.

"Yo," T greets before a black blur tackles him and sends him to the ground with a bark of laughter, "sup, Lil' Demon?"

She smiles as she watches the two.

She hadn't thought about what would happen when she came back, but after that outburst?

It was hard to make eye contact with Gil or Uma.

"Treasure!" Gil scrambles over to her.

"Baby Girl," Uma grins, "ya doin' better?"

"Yeah," she carefully looks up, "sorry I ran."

"Ya came back," Gil shrugs, "all that matters."

"Oh," T asks as he catches Daniel in a headlock, "likin' that bar."

She snorts before she wraps her arms around one of Gil to keep him from rounding on T.

"For. Her." Gil glares.

"Nah, nah. Definitely a fam thing."

"Problem Child," Uma glares, "she didn't leave the cove."

"Oh, so there's fine print?"

Uma puts her hands on her hips, "did you not run off this morning?"

"Oh yeah…" T blinks before he releases Daniel and shoots up, "speakin' of-" He turns to them. "Ume's there, you two here. Now."

She frowns as T orders them around, but it was even more surprising when Uma didn't question it.

Ah, the surprise.

She finds herself giggling as T tugs and turns Gil, muttering under his breath until he nods.

"Yeah, annnnnnnd, I'm here. Perfect." T looks around, "wait, shit, Harry. Get it. You do it."

"Oh I see, ya ain'nah carin' ta see me face, aye?"

"Aye, glad we're on the same wave." T snorts, "'sides we can only catch so much without a camera, so deal."

"Ya be bein' cute when ya be gettin' all bossy like." Harry chuckles as he takes a wrapped bundle from T's bag.

T scowls, "I am terrifying, not cute. Get it."

"It never works for me either, T."

"Yeah, but you're cute, not terrifying."

"But I can-" she stops, "I can be terrifying."

"Fire, no fire, you're still pocket-size."

"I do not fit in any pockets!"

"Whatever ya say, shortie."

She crosses her arms over her chest.

Uma clears her throat, "so, the surprise, T?"

"I'm not sure I want it anymore." She teases.

"I mean if that's how you feel…" T shrugs as he moves to take back the bundle from Harry.

"Eyyy, no no no." Harry spins away from T's reach.

"Guuuuys," Gil whines, "we've been waiting forever."

"Don't make me make it an order."

"Ya'll are no fun." T huffs.

"So, who I be ah givin' it to?" Harry chuckles as he walks up between her and Gil.

"Me!" Gil raises his hand eagerly, "she said she didn't want it, I want it. Please?"

She has to quickly cover her face to stifle the roar of laughter. "That was fast." She manages to say.

Gil looks at her with a pout, "but, T, and the look, he was grinnin' an' this is gonna be awesome!" His hand twitches as he slowly reaches for the parcel.

"Aye, Sweet Boy ain'nah bein' wrong there. I were bein' mighty surprised at T's sudden stroke o' brilliance."

"What's surprisin' 'bout that?" T glares, "all my idea's are brilliant-" he pauses, "okay, like most. Fine." He whines, "But it's at least fifty-fifty."

"Aye, at least. I can only be imagin' how many o' yer ideas ain'nah ever seein' the light o' day." Harry teases before he hands Gil the bundle.

"Cause someone sucks."

The flinch of pain on T's face was more than enough to guess who.

Gil grins as he unwraps the package quickly, before he looks at T in confusion, "I-" He frowns, "don't get me wrong, I'm happy to have a gun again but-" He frowns, "I don't get why you're so excited."

She gasps as she looks from the tattoo gun to her hands.

"Bingo." T grins.

"GIL!"

Gil drops his eyes to her in surprise, "what?"

"Me! You," her hands shake with excitement.

A tattoo!

Not just a tattoo, the Tattoo. The tattoo that showed what family she belonged to.

The Kraken's family.

"If I can scar," her voice trembles.

For the first time, facing Mim didn't feel like the end of the world.

"I should be able to-"

Gil blinks. "You can-" His eyes widen, "Oh my god! I didn't even-Yes!" He pumps his fist exuberantly, "Shit, this is gonna be so cool!"

She turns at Uma's carefree laughter, drinking in the untroubled sound. She couldn't remember the last time she'd heard her cousin so happy.

Genuinely happy.

She turns to find T watching her.

"Thank you."

T grins, "figured it might-" he groans as Gil scoops him up and squeezes him tightly, "too much love."

She snorts as Gil spins in place, unmoved by T's statement.

"I have a surprise for everyone too, and a question."

Gil stops and T all but flies to hide behind her.

"Daniel." Uma holds out her hand to him.

Daniel turns his gaze from T to Uma before he walks over and takes her hand.

"You haven't been with us long, but you have quickly become a part of this family. There's a bond there, here. And I'm wondering if you feel the same."

Daniel looks around slowly as a blush spreads over his face, before he looks back at Uma and nods.

"We have this like ri-"

She frowns when Uma stumbles over the word ritual.

"You serious?" T asks excitedly, "you wanna initiate him? Like for reals?"

"Well, yeah." Uma chuckles, "we already let him sleep with us armed, what more trust can we have."

T turns to Daniel, who was already looking up at him, "your call, short shit." He grins.

"You've seen the mark on my hand," Gil holds his palm out, "that's what we do, a blood promise."

Her eyes widen as she looks from Gil's palm to her hand.

She could get that mark too!

"Because we choose to be family." She adds with a smile.

"Aye, an our family be bein' the best."

Daniel turns back to Uma and nods quickly before he drops her hand and lunges at her, clinging onto her in the tightest hug he could muster.

She chuckles when Uma's tackled by T as well.

Then Harry.

Gil chuckles before she finds herself pulled into the hug as well.

In the middle of despair, fear, their uncertain future, and the almost complete loss of hope, they'd somehow found something worth clinging to.

It was beautiful, and something she couldn't wait to write about.

So-

Who was expecting the tattoo gun?

Or for Uma to ask Daniel to join the fam so soon after meeting them?

Fuck, I miss 'fucks I care' T. Serious T isn't nearly as adorable.

Not that T's adorable, just you know, like a derpy dog or a spazzy kitty.

What did you guys think of Deez and T's conversation?

Deez definitely isn't expecting T's responses in regard to her lost abilities- Are any of you surprised by it?

And what about D'z response to T's breakdown of Senior?

And what does it say that even T can see the parallels between him and Senior?

Dead.

Gil's just as giddy as fucking T in this-Just like in the first book. Gil loves gifts as much as Faustina.

Or at least our version of him does…

Much love and shit

-Twisted