AN: Sorry for Ash getting sort of pushed aside. I wanted to give her recent development time to percolate and I had a request for more Alphonso interacting with Johnny and Ryan.

Part 72

Tyler hated television at 2 o'clock in the morning. It was nothing but infomercials or CineHub After Dark. But he couldn't sleep. What if the twins woke up? They'd been worried enough that she had to go to the hospital and she had promised she would be back soon. That was over twelve hours ago.

Lance's photograph now sat on her mantle in a black frame with a black ribbon. Tyler sighed, thinking about the young porcupine.

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While Ash went with Rosita and the other girls to get a white dress, Tyler sat with his friend. He had no more jokes. Nothing felt funny now.

"Hey, how are you doing?" He asked. It was a stupid question.

Lance shook his head. "I'm pissed!" He admitted. "Ash and I were so close. We were THERE. It's a cruel joke." He lowered his head.

Tyler bit his lip. "Hey, don't lose faith. Miracles happen all the time. And doctors are wrong quite often too." He didn't know how much hope there was to have but he knew Lance would only go downhill that much faster without any.

He nodded. "I guess… Tyler, I know we haven't known each other long but you and Alphonso are the only ones who really gave me a chance. I don't blame the others… I earned their distrust… but..." He looked out the window at the bright sunshine and the blue sky. "Ash is strong. She's willful and determined. I know she'd probably be perfectly fine on her own but that doesn't mean she should have to do it on her own…" Lance was struggling to put his request into words. "Look… I just… I need to know she's going to be taken care of."

Long, curved fingers took his hand and squeezed. "She will be. I will be there for her and I'll help her with the twins. And anything else she needs." Tyler vowed. "I promise."

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The sound of jingling broke him out of his thoughts just as the door opened. Ash came in, looking exhausted. "What's the good word?"

She nodded. "He woke up. He's going to be fine. How were they?"

"They're always great for me, I love watching them," he reassured her.

She sat down on the couch. "Is there anything good on?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Just the same old crap. How are you doing?"

She groaned. "Tired. Both physically and emotionally. I'm glad he's alright but damn… something's gotta give. We already lost Buster. I just lost Lance. I don't need anymore…" Ash leaned over and buried her face in her hands. "I thought… I was afraid…" She sobbed.

He carefully wrapped a long arm around her, letting cry on him. "It's alright. It's safe. You're safe. Just let it out…" He rubbed her back.

She would end up crying herself to sleep on the couch. Once asleep, he covered her up and lay on the opposite end to get some sleep himself.

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The next morning, Eddie woke up after getting some real sleep. He saw Gunter was still sound asleep on the cot the hospital provided for him. He looked around until his eyes found Nana sitting in the chair by the window. "Good morning Nana."

The old ewe smiled, tears in her eyes. "Good morning Eddie. Why didn't you tell me that your mother had gotten out?"

He sighed. "Because I thought I was safe. I didn't think she could get to me again. I'm sorry, Nana. I should have said something. But I'm alright…" They both looked up at the door as a doctor and a policeman came in.

The doctor examined Eddie quietly. "I guess you need to question me about yesterday?" He asked.

"No, that won't be necessary. I need to talk with you and your grandmother though," he sighed. "We found your mother. Last night, there was screaming in an apartment complex. The tenants got the landlord and… She was found dead of a heart attack."

Both sheep looked at him as though he'd just grown a second head.

"Are you sure, Officer?" Nana asked.

He nodded. "A search of her purse confirmed her identity. The expression on her face, it's like she died of fright. The apartment was trashed, claw marks on the walls and the furniture was torn to shreds. And pieces of both gray and white fur…"

Eddie's eyes went wide. "Gray fur?" He and Nana exchanged a glance.

Nana nodded. "Thank you for letting us know, Officer. Let the city know that they can handle her burial. She is not a member of this family. She's tried to kill my grandson three times now." She was convinced that she always intended for Eddie to commit suicide in order to keep his eventual inheritance for herself. She should never have let her son marry her.

He nodded. "Gladly. I'm sorry to bring news like this. We did catch the guy who did this and he claims she paid him to do it. He was caught trying to cash a check she wrote. It bounced and they called the cops. Well, I will let you get back to resting. Get well soon, Mr Moon-Suarez." The officer left.

Eddie didn't know how to feel. She was his mother. She gave birth to him and raised him. For so long, he believed that she loved him. Yet she betrayed him so completely that he couldn't help feeling relief. "I dreamed about Buster," he said. "He promised me that Mom wouldn't be able to hurt me again."

Nana sat beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "And I have no doubt that he kept his promise. Are you alright?"

"I don't know. I should be sad, right? But… she hasn't been my mom in so long. Rosita is my mom," he sighed. "Or maybe I'm just an ungrateful son…"

The opera singer shook her head. "If you don't feel sad, that's perfectly fine. Do you see any tears here?"

He chuckled darkly. No, there was no love lost. Eddie realized that he'd been mourning his parents for the last five years. They had stopped being his loving parents right after they exiled Buster. He just had no more tears left for her. None.

He looked beside him at the sleeping pig. "Something good came out of it though…"

Nana followed his gaze to Gunter. She smiled. "If that means what I think it does, then I'm so happy for you both."

"I'll always love Buster but Gunter understands more than you know. But now I'm in love again," he grinned. "I didn't think it was possible. I thought my ability to love died with him but… I love Gunter."

The elderly woman favored him with a hug. He had made it through. He was safe and he was loved. She no longer needed to worry. And she had the entire troupe to thank for it.

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AN: Okay, I'm ending this chapter here. Sorry it's been delayed. I need to ask for help again. Upcoming: Porsha's 18th Birthday is in March. Ash and Tyler together help the twins come to terms with the loss of their father. I really need help with Ash. I know where I want it to go but it's far too soon for it to go there yet.