☂

     There was a certain pair of heels that scared both Diego and Nova, and it had nothing to do with the actual heels.  It had to do with the woman who wore the shoes, and how she could sneak up behind the two with ease, and the last thing they'd hear before death was the clicking of the shoes on the tiled floor.  "Do you seriously still not understand the chain of custody?  If you touch it, I can't use it," Eudora said, standing next to Nova, and behind a crouched Diego.

     "Hi Eudora," Nova smiled.

     Eudora reluctantly smiled back at the girl.  "Hey, Nova.  What are you doing here?  A smart girl like you should know to stay away from a troublemaker like him," Eudora pointed to the back of Diego's head.  Nova chuckled quietly.  

     "Let me save you some time running ballistics," Diego rose to his feet.  "These nine—millimetres haven't been manufactured since nineteen—" 

     "Nineteen sixty—three.  Odd, I know," Eudora took the bullet from him.  "Matching casings were found at a murder scene last night.  Ishmael's Towing."

     "The driver?" Nova asked as the three turned and began walking towards the centre of the store.  Nova furrowed her brows at the sight of the mannequins shot down, complete with bullet holes through their non—existent organs.

     "Found him hanging from the ceiling," Eudora sighed.  "Looks like he must have known something after all."

     "It's a shame nobody told you to go talk to him," Diego said with a shit—eating smile, making Nova slap his arm.

     "In the span of 24 hours, I've had attacks in three different places across town.  Whatever this is, whoever this is, they're not slowing down.  So, if you really give a shit and you've got any fresh ideas, I'm all ears.  Both of you," Eudora looked back and forth between the two with pointed eyebrows.

     "The guy's kid, in the doughnut shop?" Diego asked.

     "I've got units tracking the extended family in case anyone goes after him."

     "What about surveillance?" Nova asked.  "This is a clothing store for crying out loud," Nova looked around, gesturing towards the endless racks.  "It's gotta have footage."

     Eudora shook her head.  "It doesn't exist.  The first unit on the scene clocked two shooters fleeing the premises, wearing, get this," she leaned in closer as Nova and Diego did the same.  "Creepy kids' masks."

     There was a quick pause.  Nova crossed her arms, stroking her chin gently with the thumb on her right hand.  She did this a lot when she fell into deep thought.

     "The city is really going to shit, huh?" Diego said.

     "Coming from the guy dressed in spandex?  It's a wonder why Nova steps out in public with you," Eudora laughed.

     "Bueno, I know," Nova agreed, tucking her right arm in her left.

     "It's not spandex, it's leather," Diego defended, turning to Nova.  "And you like it.  A lot.  Apparently, you only let it show in private," he said in a low voice.  Nova slapped his arm again.

     "Okay," Eudora said, shuddering.  "Oh, I meant to ask, how's Hannah?  I haven't seen her around lately."

     "I don't really know honestly," Nova shrugged.  "I've been swinging around town with Diego for the past couple days, but last I heard her boyfriends' parents are in town so she's probably occupied by them.  Don't worry, Patch.  She'll always finish her homework in time for you," Nova smiled, tilting her head as Eudora nodded.

     "I still can't get over the fact that you two used to—"

     "Not another word, discount Batman," Eudora cut Diego off, a laugh escaping Nova's lips.  "Not another damn word."

☂

     "I mean, do you really think Mom would hurt Dad?" Vanya was the first to ask as they all gathered around a small TV in the living room playing a tape from the day Reginald Hargreeves died.  No one was exactly excited or happy that Nova was there, except Diego and maybe Allison.  Diego insisted Nova stay with him and she didn't disagree, because she knew Diego's mom was a sore subject for him. 

     "You haven't been home in a long time, Vanya.  Maybe you don't know Grace anymore," Luther said.

     Grace?  Nova wanted to ask.

     "If he was poisoned, it would have shown in the coroner's report," Diego said in a singsong voice like he was gently reminding Luther, but he wanted to be annoying.

     "Well, I don't need a report to tell me what I can see with my own eyes," Luther argued.  Diego nodded.  Klaus snacked on a bag of something, maybe chips.  Nova breathed, leaning up against a pillar in the room, trying to stay out of the way.  Which was hard, because she knew everything about the case that Diego did.

     "Maybe all that low gravity in space messed with your vision," Diego said, stepping towards the TV and clicking a button.  "Look closer.  Dad has his monocle.  Mom stands up.  Monocle's gone."  

     Klaus chuckled, which made Nova nervous, honestly.  "Oh, yeah!"

     "She wasn't poisoning him.  She was taking it," Diego said as he stepped to the back of the group with a lowered head.  "To clean it."

     "Then where is it?  No, I've searched the house, including her things.  She doesn't have it," Luther asked.  

     Nova tensed as she saw Diego's mouth open, before closing and then opening again.  "That's because I took it from her.  After the funeral."

     "You've had the monocle this whole time?  What the hell, Diego?" Allison asked, turning to Luther. 

     "Give it to me," Luther demanded almost immediately.

     Why?  Nova wanted to ask.

     "I threw it away."

     "You what?" Luther asked.  Allison laughed, bringing a cup of whiskey to her lips.

     "Look, I knew that if you found it on Mom, you'd lose your shit, just like you're doing right now," Diego said, pointing his knife.

     "Diego," Nova spoke up.  The woman watched her man intently with crossed arms.  She spoke in a calm yet warning voice.  "Watch the knife."

     "Diego, you son of a bitch," Luther ignored Nova and started charging towards Diego.

     "Hey, no, calm down," Vanya stepped in, touching Luther's arm gently before dropping it to her side.  "Look, I know Dad wasn't exactly an open book.  But I do remember one thing he said.  Mom was, well, designed to be a caretaker, but also as a protector."

     "What does that mean?" Allison asked.

     "She was programmed to intervene if someone's life was in jeopardy," Vanya explained.

     Nova nodded.  "Makes sense.  She's a mom after all."

     "I'm sorry, what are you here for again?" Luther turned to the girl in the corner.

     "To make sure you don't get your ass handed to you on a silver plate like the other day," Nova said, gesturing to Diego, who was slipping the knife he was holding into a place in his uniform.

     Luther sighed.  "Well, if her hardware is degrading, then we need to turn her off."

     "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait," Diego didn't hesitate to cut in.  "She's not just a vacuum cleaner you can throw in a closet.  She feels things, I've seen it!"

     "She just stood there, Diego, and watched our father die," Luther argued.

     "So?  Didn't you all want to kill him?" Nova asked, taking a cup that Klaus handed to her, hearing his chuckle like a faded memory as she took a sip before handing it back to him.  It definitely wasn't as strong as she needed it to be, but it would do.  She put her hands up in self defence as she saw Diego's face.  "Hey, I'm not saying she did it."

     "I'm with Luther," Allison said.

     "Surprise, surprise," Diego mumbled as he turned to face his sister.

     "Shut up," she said.  Oh, nice middle school comeback, Nova thought.

     "I—I don't," Vanya stuttered as Luther and Diego both turned to her.

     "Yeah, she shouldn't get a vote," Diego said.

     "Yes, she should," Nova argued.

     Diego grumbled.  "Okay, she should get a vote."

     "I was gonna say that I agree with you."

     Diego nodded, content with his sister's answer.  "What about you, stoner boy?  What do you got?" Diego turned to Klaus.

     "Oh, so, what? You need my help now?  Oh, 'get out of the van, Klaus!'" Klaus blinked, doing a spot—on yet horrible impression of Luther.  He was mostly just upset with him.  Nova knew he didn't really care about whether Grace was turned off or not.  "Well, welcome back to the van."

     "What van?" Allison asked.

     "When Klaus tried to be there for Five and Luther earlier today, they kicked him out of their conversation," Nova filled him in, rolling her eyes when Luther scoffed.  She didn't care if she sounded like a snitch, they deserved to know how out of place Klaus felt.

     "What's it gonna be, Klaus?"

     "I'm with Diego because screw you!" Diego pointed happily at his brother.  "And if Ben were here, he'd agree with me," he said before pausing and then hissing at something off to the side.

     "So that's three to two," Diego held up three fingers on one hand and two on the other.

     "Vote's not final yet."

     "What?"

     "Five's not here.  The whole family has to vote, we owe each other that," Allison said.

     "Right," Luther said.  Right, like you would've remembered Five if the situation didn't deal with making Diego mad.

     "No, we should wait," Vanya agreed.  It didn't take long for everyone to disperse out of the room after that.

     "Hey, I just wanted to thank you," Klaus pulled Nova aside.

     "For what?"

     "Well, always having my back," he smiled sheepishly.  "And fixing Ben's statue after the funeral."

     Nova winked.  "Anything for a friend," she said.  Klaus smiled and walked away, leaving Nova with Diego and Vanya.  

     She blinked, realizing Grace was standing there.  "Hey," Diego walked over to her, followed by Vanya and Nova.  "How long you been here?" he put a hand on her shoulder.

     "You all seem upset," Grace said before smiling.  "I'll make cookies," she walked away.

     "Do you ever wonder—" Vanya started, earning attention from both Diego and Nova.  "All those moments with Mom, the things she said.  Like, was it her, or was it really Dad?"

     "What do you mean, V?" Nova asked gently.

     "Well, he built her.  And he programmed her to be a mom, to be our mom.  Sometimes when I look at her, I just see him," she turned to Nova, her brows furrowed ever so slightly.  "Does that make sense?"  Nova nodded.

     "Maybe that was true at first.  But she evolved," Diego said.

     "Well, how do you know?" Vanya asked.

     "Because Dad only loved himself," Diego insisted.

     "Not to sound like that person, I mean, I never even knew your father," Nova tucked her hands into her jeans.  "But Diego's right.  Your mom is definitely not your father."

☂

no spoilers for the new season please