"Caleb, I really wish that you would reconsider coming back to the states with us. I know your mother would appreciate it,"Robert Coffey said as he sat on the tailgate of the old truck.

Ethan was leaned against the side of the Lagoon company building, "Dad, I haven't been in the states for more than a few days, since 1980. I appreciate that you never had me declared dead, not sure I would have been as generous in your place. What the fuck would I do there though?"

"You could work for me. You probably know more about individual protection than anyone I have working for me, not to mention you said you worked in most of the worst flash-points. That is knowledge that not that many people have, and it would help expand the company, and after I'm too fucking decrepit to run it, you get it," the man said.

"Me a fucking corporate suit? I'd shoot some dickhead in the face ten minutes into my first negotiation. I'm not suited for that world, and it doesn't want people like me. I can't blame it. Look at the U.N.. They have a resolution on the table that could be ratified at any time, that basically renders me a relic. Then this will be it. I already know what happens if I am working for a national government, and I get captured," Ethan took a drink of the beer in his hand.

"A nine millimeter slug in the back of your head, and a spot in some random mass grave. Sounds like a good reason to try to find a place in civilization. What about Hannah," his father asked.

"She is better off without me in her life. I love her, and I loved her mother. I don't know how to be a fucking father. Dad, after Adira, Hannah's mother, kicked me out, I became a piece of shit. I just didn't care anymore. I killed, I drank, and I fucked. That was about all I did. Looking back, half the hookers I slept with were probably children, who were just trying to survive. I may have even put them in the position that had to do that. I may have been the one that gunned down their parents. Do you want that raising your granddaughter?"

Robert stood up, "Caleb, do you regret it? Wish you could have done something different?"

"Who the fuck wouldn't? I'm thirty fucking years old, and that is all I know. I don't even know when my fucking birthday is. Do I wish that somehow I could change time so that you didn't end up in that fucking POW camp, and turned into a fucking abusive prick? Yeah. I would love to have some things change, but leave me lucky enough to meet Adira, and to not walk out because of her piece of shit parents. I would love to be a man that could be Hannah's father. First, I would have to be a man, and that is one thing I definitely am not," he tipped the bottle in his hand up again.

Robert rested himself on the wall next to his son. He wasn't sure if there was anyway that he could convince his son that he wasn't as bad as he thought, because it was really hard to argue with everything he was saying. He had to give it to him, he was pretty damn humble for the life he had lived.

"So, what's the actual story with the redhead," he might as well change the subject.

"Revy," Ethan looked down the neck of the bottle and frowned when he found it empty, "What about her?"

"You seem close to her. Something there beyond coworkers?"

"My sibling by blood spilled. Yeah, there ain't ever going to be a chance that we sleep together. Ok, actually we have slept naked in the same bed, but nothing happened. The mute girl that is our housekeeper, we got blackout drunk and puked on her, and she got us stripped, put us in the same bed with nothing to cover ourselves, and tied the door to the one across the hall so we couldn't get out. To this day, Revy can't go a day without making fun of my dick. I won't ever let her know, but it actually makes my day a little brighter. So, you up for adoption." Ethan gave a half smirk as he reached down in the ice chest his old man had brought with him.

"I'm sure your mother would love to have another daughter. I'm just not sure she is ready for one that violent. So, what about the girl you captured during the invasion? What are the plans there," he took a bottle from Ethan and twisted the top off.

"I'm surprised that you still drink. I don't know. I feel a little responsible since I didn't kill her when I should have. I don't think it was really the wrong choice now. I, don't know. I'm going to try to put out some feelers, and see if I can find a psych ward in a nation with decent mental care, and that doesn't ask too many questions," he said as he opened his own beer.

"The christian thing to do. I guess the church didn't fail you too much. Oh, this is beer, I can't even get drunk off this piss water."

"I can't argue with that. I'm more of a tequila guy myself. Wasn't the church that saved her life though. Was the woman that I was with during the thing. She put a gun to my head, and told me to be a better man than I knew how to be. Turns out I can be a man for a moment if I have to. That woman is worth it," a slight smile showed on his face.

Robert picked up on it, "Well, I was beginning to wonder if you were addicted to whores. Hard to keep money spending it like that. So, tell me about this woman."

A voice sounded to the left of them, "Caleb."

Robert looked over, and was blown away by the woman he saw. Part of it was her beauty, and part of it was the immense size of her rack. He might have been a married man, but there wasn't anyway you weren't looking at that. Though the French Maid outfit threw him for a bit of a loop.

"Rosarita, I wasn't expecting to see you today. How are Fabiola and Garcia," Ethan stepped around his father.

If only Delilah were there at the moment, instead of back in Bangkok getting their luggage ready to leave the next day. She wouldn't admit outright, even though she knew that Robert was aware of her not just liking men, but she would have been soaking wet over this woman. How the fuck had his mercenary son lucked into this? What was going on with this world?

"They just departed a couple of hours ago. I am still going to be here for another couple of months finishing my recovery. Also I am going to be acting as the Young Master's agent while we finalize the location of the hotel. So, we aren't going to be saying goodbye for a while," Roberta smiled as she spoke.

The smile on Ethan's face was just as big, "I can't say that makes me cry. Oh, uh, I... Rosarita, this is my father. Robert Coffey. It was his men that came in clutch and made it possible to kick the Russians out of the city. Dad, this is Rosarita Cisneros, aka Roberta, as she prefers to be known for the most part. I don't know if I should say anymore than that, because it could save you a lot of trouble if the wrong people were to start pressing you."

"The Bloodhound of Valencia? You're fucking a Colombian terrorist? I, don't know how I feel about this. That said, just off sight I can't blame you. We, may not want to tell your mother about this though. We can wait until after the wedding to do so anyways," Robert said, more than a little shocked.

"Wedding," a blush rose on Roberta's face.

Ethan frowned, "Dad, I don't know if that will ever happen. Things, are a little more complicated in our lives, than might allow it. Sounds nice, but, I don't know if it is good to dream about things that may never happen. Plus, we have only really known each other for a few days, maybe a week now. At least you were able to extend your trip without a lot of issue. So, you're heading to your base that these men are out of, before you head home."

"Yeah, I have to deal with the aftermath, and take care of the dead. It is a lot of paperwork, and a lot of letters to the next of kin. Don't change the subject. How the hell could you not want to marry this? She puts every centerfold in Playboy to shame. Plus, she has a crucifix. You actually found yourself a catholic girl. I am extremely proud of you. I know I should have been saying that way more when you were a kid, but I am definitely saying it now," Robert clapped Ethan on the shoulder a couple of times with a wide smile on his face.

"Senor Coffey, though I am not fond of the actual comparison to, modelos pornograficos, I am flattered. I sadly have to agree with Caleb here. As much as I would love for such a thing, our lives are not conducive to marriage. I am very pleased to meet you, and I can see why Caleb grew into such a handsome man as he has," Roberta curtsied.

"Grown into such a handsome man. I guess he did. Honestly, he was all arms and legs when he was a kid. He couldn't play sports because he kept tripping over himself. He was already five foot tall when he was nine. I'm surprised that he didn't end up being taller than me, instead of staying a shrimp," the giant chuckled.

"Go fuck yourself. You're only three inches taller than I am," Ethan shot his middle finger up as he spoke.

"Lot of fire in him. I imagine he wears you completely out in the sack, especially if he is hung anything like me," Robert was enjoying tormenting his son at the moment, realizing how much he wished that he could have done this in the past.

"Why did I leave my gun upstairs? Am I stupid or something? At least I know why my manners are so fucking poor," Ethan's knuckles were cracking as he repeatably clenched his fists.

"Hehehehehehehehe. He, has a little trouble keeping up with me para ser honesta. If we had a honeymoon, he might not survive. He definitely doesn't leave me empty though," something seemed to switch in her.

"Wait, are you same woman that was screaming in complete mindlessness taking me to the hilt? Wait, what the fuck is happening? Though, I can't say that I ain't falling more in love with you, talking like that. Thank god Hannah isn't down here. I do not want her hearing shit like this. Already bad enough that I curse like a sailor in front of her. Make sure that Jennifer teaches her that aversion to profanity she has. That would be good for her," Ethan covered his eyes with one hand in frustration.

Robert stopped laughing after a minute, "If you are looking for a good reason to leave this life, I think you would have a hard time finding a better reason than this lady here. I can't force you to do anything, and I ain't got the right to try. I can only give you a little advice, and then it is up to you what to do with it. Are you sure you don't want to spend another night with her, and bring her up to the airstrip tommorow just before we leave."

Roberta looked between the two with curiosity as Ethan replied, "I don't know, if I could let her go, if I don't do it now. You don't know how hard this is on me. I know it was hard on you, and woke you up to your faults when I ran away. This though, I am having to make this choice, so soon after I know she exists. I look at her face, and I see her mother. Adira meant so much to me, and I hate myself for leaving her everyday, and call myself a fucking moron for not seeing through her father's manipulations. I have to do this though, because I can't give her a life here, not when I have to worry about her catching a stray round every time she walks out the door."

Roberta was a little confused, but didn't say anything. Why would he think that he couldn't give his daughter anykind of a life if she was with him? Then she heard a quick burst of gunfire, and heard a stray round richochet off the building above them.

"So yeah, I didn't really need or want my point proven. Still, see what I mean. It barely registers if I am only thinking about myself...," they looked up as a shiny pistol was pointed out of a window, and several nine millimeter casings rained around them, "There is also the fact I don't know if it would be healthy for an eight year old girl to live under the same roof as Revy."

"Dumbfucks not knowing how to aim at what they are shooting at. The fuck is wrong with them, don't they know there are kids in this city," Revy said as she holstered the cutlass and sat back down on the couch.

She was mainly just grumbling because the richochet had cracked the window from a chip off one of the bricks next to it, and it had woken her up from a nap. She rarely took one, but she was always pissed to high heavens when she was woke up before she was ready. She considered it a perfectly good reason to shoot someone in the face to interrupt one.

"That was dangerous," a small voice said from the side of the couch.

Revy had been just about to lay back down, "So what? Guns are dangerous. So are fuckwits popping off rounds randomly and interrupting my nap. So, why don't you go, play, or something."

"Can I take a nap with you," Hannah asked out of the blue.

"What?"

"I want to take a nap too," the little girl said.

"Are you fucking serious," Revy couldn't believe the girl's request.

Hannah nodded, "I used to take naps with Mommy. It always made me sleep better, and she said she did too."

Revy stared at the girl blankly. She, couldn't really be serious. This little girl, wanted to take a nap with her? Even though, it was pretty clear they didn't really like each other that much. What the fuck was wrong with the fucking world? And why was she pulling one of her cute gambits?

"Why don't you go bother someone else? Isn't your pops here somewhere?"

"He is outside talking to Sibea. I don't want to interrupt them," she said.

"I don't know. What about Dutch or Heidi. Go see if they will entertain you."

"They aren't here."

Revy laid back and covered her eyes, "Why fucking me?"

She suddenly stiffened as she felt a weight climb up between her and the back of the couch. This had to be a fucking joke. There was no way this was really happening. Ethan had to have put her up to this.

She took her hand off of her eyes, and went to yell at the girl, but... she couldn't. Looking down to where Hannah was getting herself comfortable and laid her head down on her left boob, she just couldn't yell at her. She didn't understand it. She really didn't care that much for kids, and only liked Heidi as well as she did because she was self sufficient and washed her underwear for her.

"Urgh, fine. Just don't squirm around a whole bunch, or I'm throwing you over the back of the couch on your head," she said, even though she realized she really didn't mean it.

It was a real surprise to her. It, actually felt really good. She really didn't like people touching her tits all that much, but, she wasn't really minding the girl using one as a pillow. It, made her feel happy for some reason.

Hannah squirmed around a little more and finally found a comfortable spot and settled down. Revy looked down at her for a moment, before she noticed that she felt something weird. A kind of light, rythmic bump. It was, comforting.

"Don't try to keep sleeping once, I, uh, decide I am ready to get up," Revy said weakly.

"I won't."

Despite herself, Revy found her arm wrapping around one side of the girl. She finally drifted off with a small smile on her face, not too different from the little girl that was laying on her.

A few minutes later Ethan and Roberta walked up to get Hannah to send her with his father. Ethan wasn't looking forward to it, but he had to do it. Yet when he saw the sight, he almost couldn't believe it.

"I, was not expecting to see Senorita Revy, like this," Roberta commented in surprise.

Ethan shrugged, "I, didn't either. I may have to do like my old man says, and just take her to them tomorrow. I, don't think it is healthy to wake a child up from a nap, and I know it isn't healthy to wake Revy up. The only difference is who is harmed," then he said quietly, "Thanks Sis. I want her to have every happy memory she can."

Revy smiled in her sleep as the quiet words reached her ears. Somewhere in the long silenced parts of her brain something woke up, and it was ready to burn the world to the ground to protect this child.