Bye y'all, see you in a week! I'm posting this and logging off so... your comments will be nicely aged by the time I'm back.

Thank you to @Doctors-orders-neeks who currently has me fearing for both my life and the ones of everyone I love, if I'm not back by Sunday you will know what happened.

But ya, just a huge thanks to all of you wonderful people who have been reading this, I'm looking forward to coming back. Love y'all! -Liv❤️

-Lafayette POV-

I pull my husband to the couch beside me, lining up his fingers with the handprints on my chest. I close my eyes as he sits there, allowing me to hold onto him. 

I'm still shaking after the video, but it needed to be said. 

There's a sense of pride knowing I have the power to take control back over my body. It's my life, and I have the ability to live it without cowering away from my problems.

That being said, there's another issue at hand now that Alejandro is gone. And Herc can't help me with this one.

I stand up, leaving my husband on the bench as I walk towards my father.

"Can we talk?"

He nods, and I lead him into my dressing room.

"What are we, dad? Or are you still that too me? I love you, I always have, but you hurt me. I'm not even sure if you want me as your son right now."

"I left you when you needed me most. But I want to be here now, I really do."

"You need to stay with me then. I can't handle being abandoned by you again. If we want a relationship we need to work for it. Both of us."

My father offers me his hand, and I pull him into a hug.

"I'm going back home soon. But I want to make it work this time."

"I do too. I'm going to be here, and I'm going to be a part of your life." He pauses, looking at me with concern in his eyes. "Son?"

"Dad."

I give him a squeeze, smiling down at the smaller man in my arms. I pull him against me, resting him against my shoulder.

"I want to know what I've missed in your life. I want to understand you, Gil, and everything you need from me now."

"I guess what I want most is answers. The big question, what made you send me away? Why did you decide to give up on me at thirteen?"

He sighs, wiping at his eyes. I tip his head up to face me, this is the question I've been asking myself for 9 years. I need this answer if I'm going to be able to figure this all out.

What did I do as a kid that made my father hate me to the point he didn't even want to be in the same country anymore?

"I have no good explanation. I've regretted it from the month after you left me. I had no idea how to be a good dad, and I was struggling as a husband. I figured no dad was better than a bad one."

"You were wrong, you know."

"I understand now, and I wish I had taken care of you.

"No, you're wrong about the other thing. You aren't a terrible dad. You're trying, and I appreciate the support from you. I just wish I could have received it before."

I feel myself start shaking again as he places a hand on my chest. Just tell him how you feel Laff.

Why is this so hard to say? I thought facing Alejandro again was terrifying, but at least I didn't have to worry about hurting his feelings. But I can't break my dads heart. Not like he broke mine.

As much as he deserves it, I don't want to completely trash any bond we have a hope of forming. But I needed him, and he left me in the middle of nowhere.

"You left me alone with a mother who wasn't capable of caring for me. And when she died, you still didn't take me back. Do you understand how much it hurt, calling you on my birthday just to be sent to voicemail? As a kid, do you realize what it did to me when all the other kids had parents to love them? All the other kids had homes and families to attend their games and ceremonies. You know what I had? I had a dad across the world, a dead mother, and a trash bag full of my stuff. You left me in a weird country where I hardly knew the language."

I push him back, pacing the room as I get more stressed out.

"I want you now, but you need to understand how much you affected me. And you need to know that there are some things you just can't fix, the Washington's and my husband have already picked up those pieces you left nine years ago."

He nods, waiting a minute before standing up and hugging me. I hesitate before wrapping my arms around him as well.

"I love you, and whatever role you need me to play for you is good enough for me."

"You just need to stick with it this time."

We stay there for awhile, holding each other. I'm hesitant to put my full faith in him again, the last two times I trusted people I was raped and left alone.

But this is his last shot, and I think he knows it. And I think that he is going to try this time.

I sure am.

I hear Herc's phone vibrate as we make our way down the street.

"Fuck, I never did call Alex back."

I pull out my own phone as well, there's 15 missed calls. Herc has 7.

I call Alex, relieved when he picks up.

"Mon ami, how are you doing?"

"How am I doing? How Am I Doing? I've been trying to contact you all day, this place has gone to hell recently!"

"What happened?"

"No, I tried telling you fifteen times already. Next time pick up."

"I'm sorry Alex, it's been crazy here."

"What could be more important than John and I?"

"Taking down a rapist and launching an awareness campaign."

"...oh. Well, I meant to tell you- JOHN SET THAT DOWN!"

The line beeps, he hung up. That doesn't make me at all nervous.

I scroll through the rest of my notifications, trying to figure out who the hell a lady named Sarah is. She obviously knows me, I have 21 texts from her in the last hour today.

Her last name pops up after I click on chats. It's Mulligan. 

I never even knew Herc's parents names, he avoids mentioning them whenever he can. Ever since the incident, I've been his family.

I screenshot the vile chats that fill my inbox, positive her boss would love to view her opinions on why I deserve to be brutally executed via guillotine. 

If I had a quarter for every time I was told I should be murdered using ancient French equipment, I'd have two quarters. Which isn't a lot, but it's still weird it happened twice. 

The entire situation would be funny if she hadn't completely destroyed my husbands mental state for almost a year.

Death threats from some bitchy catholic are the least of my worries today. I've had enough close calls with actual threats, between being held at gun point and having a knife against my neck, I can handle a text message.

 The guillotine gets a 6/10 for creativity. I had to take a mark off for practicality though.

I send the account info to Natasha and Peggy, the two of them can figure out what to do from there. I turn off my phone before Herc can look at the screen, he doesn't need to know about his mom discovering us.

-Herc POV-

Lafayette is still in his shirt from the awareness video, and the waitress gives him a look as she sits us in a booth. I place a hand on his lap as he shifts uncomfortably under her gaze.

"Staring is rude, and my client has been through one hell of a day. So, if you would be so kind, keep your eyes up and your nose out of our business."

She blushes, dropping the menus off before skirting away.

"You can call me your friend Thomas."

"I can call you what I want. I'm here on a business trip, so don't get the wrong idea about this. This isn't a 'bros night out'. This is a celebratory supper."

Lafayette lets out a snort as Thomas places his feet on the edge of the table, flipping through the menu.

"Then I suppose you go get ice cream and take photos with all your clients."

"Of course, what good lawyer doesn't?"

"Alex never mixes his social life and his job."

"I said good lawyer."

I drop it, letting the friendly banter continue to be their thing. I'm not good at it anyways, all I did was open an opportunity for Thomas to one up himself from Alexander.

Mr. Fayette and I just shrug at each other. There's been some awkward tension between the two of us, and I tap on the table as we look at the arguing pair.

Lafayette is the easiest person to get along with, but him and Thomas love throwing abstract insults at each other before laughing it all off. It's a weird relationship but it works for them.

I pull a pen from my fanny pack, drawing a grid on a napkin before placing an x in the top left corner. Wordlessly I slide the objects across the table to Mr. Fayette. He grins, placing an o in the centre.

There's an unspoken connection as we play the game, the other two completely ignoring us.

"You literally are called 'the Fayette' in your name."

"Yeah, and I have a title. Don't see no Marquis de la Jefferson."

"You have seventeen fucking names, and you choose to go by The Fayette."

"Better than having a girly middle name, Thomas Annabeth Jefferson!"

"You're making that up, Marie. I don't have a middle name."

"Keep telling yourself that, tu petite merde."

Whatever, if it makes them happy, the two of them can fight all night for all I care. It keeps Laff distracted. I assume that's Thomas's reasoning as well, because he backs down from that point and shifts topics.

"So, what did you guys talk about earlier?"

"Is it any of your business what I say to my son?"

"After you hurt him, yes. I'm keeping him safe from you until I know your intentions. You unknowingly invited his rapist into your home, and I want to be sure you don't damage him again with your mistakes. I will do whatever it takes to protect him, okay? And if that means he doesn't have you in his life, so be it!"

I snap at him, quiet enough my husband won't hear. Mr. Fayette nods at me, and I see something in him break, his eyes sad. I switch my tone, not meaning to hurt him. I'm just stressed between my mom and Laff's campaign. At least Laff hasn't seen the comments yet.

"I'm sorry. There's a lot going on right now. I know you mean well, but both him and I were hurt by those supposed to care for us. Each other is all we have ever had, and it's hard for me knowing you finally want him back now that he's mine."

I rest my head on the table, smiling softly when I feel a hand on my back.

"Herc, what's up, mon amour?"

Laff rests his head on the table as well, facing me. He pulls my arm out from in front of my face. I giggle slightly as he sticks out his tongue at me, crossing his eyes. 

"Okay, you made me laugh. Mission accomplished. I'm just stressed with everything going on. Can we talk about this later? Alone?"

"Of course, mon fleur. Whatever you need, I'm here for you. You've done so much for me. Especially this past month. Let me return the favour. I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle together."

Our fingers intertwine below the table as we sit there, lying on a table and looking into each other's eyes.

"Love you Laff."

"Love you too. But we should probably sit up."

I oblige, scooting against him. I refuse to keep good posture, instead leaning against his body.

We sit until someone takes our order, after that point I have an intense need to leave the situation.

"I need to use the restroom."

I push my chair from the table with a little more force than necessary. I make my way to the bathroom, letting the tears fall as I press against the door.

I feel so selfish right now. Laff has gone through hell this summer. And here I am, worried about a Facebook comment. I'm jealous because he has a dad that accepts him, even though it's all Laff has ever wanted.

I'm being stupid, we should be celebrating taking down Alejandro. This is a big thing for my husband. And instead of putting my issues to the side I'm crying in a bathroom stall.

Get a grip, Herc. Control  your emotions. This is nothing compared to everyone else's issues. Deal with it later.

Why can't I focus on him for tonight? Why, after all these years, is my mom still able to hurt me?

Why can't I enjoy my husbands victory without making it all about me?