No one took the news well. No one at all.

Halo called his family back home and they all broke down. Jungkook told the mafia and they couldn't even bring themselves to hang up the phone, he had to hang up on everyone himself. Jimin told his friends, Chungha, Rosé, Hye-jin, and Mani. Not one of them took it semi-well at all. In fact, Chungha appeared practically immediately after he called her because she couldn't believe her ears.

She held her friend and they cried together before she had to leave. She held him tight and promised to be there for anything he needed, and then she was gone.

Prince told Yuta and they cried on the phone together.

Giant chunks of everyone's hearts were torn out and burned.

No one expected it to affect Ryan as badly as it did. Well, that's because he didn't want to show anyone. He came home after having spent time with Jungkook.

Ever since Samiah's death and Jungkook recovering from his coma, whenever either of the two has a lot on their mind, they go out for a walk. Sometimes visit the loved ones that have passed.

As soon as he opened the door, there stood George wearing a white oversized shirt and black shorts.

"Hey. I haven't seen you in days. Started to think you abandoned me. Or worse, died," George chuckled.

Ryan's eyes started to turn red from the tears he was holding back. He took off his jacket and kicked off his shoes. Throwing his jacket on the couch, he charged toward George who took a slight step back in worry.

"What's wrong? What happened?" George rushed out before Ryan pulled him into a tight hug.

"Oh! Okay... this is different," George mumbled into the beta's shoulder.

"We were supposed to be planning an ambush," Ryan stuttered through tears as he held the smaller alpha, "but instead we have to plan a fucking funeral. A funeral!"

George held him and rubbed his back.

"We're gonna make those fuckers pay," Ryan hissed as he buried his face in George's neck. "If you could've seen the way Halo sobbed. The way he wailed. God, I can't imagine."

George exhaled softly and then pulled away. He wiped Ryan's tears and smiled softly.

"Do you want some food?"

"Food?" Ryan croaked out with his face scrunched up.

George nodded.

"To comfort you. You can have me and some food."

"I don't really want food, right now," Ryan sniffled as he rubbed his face against George's hand.

"What do you want?"

"I've been holding back tears all day. When I finally got to cry, I cried with Jungkook for hours. I'm so fucking tired. I just want to sleep."

George nodded and took Ryan's hand in his own and dragged him toward the couch. He laid down and opened his arms for Ryan who practically collapsed on top of the alpha.

He wrapped his arms around the alpha's waist and buried his head in his chest. He let out a weak sigh and exhaustion finally took him over.

With George's fingers running through his hair and his other hand patting and rubbing his back, he felt peace for the first time in a long while.

~

Liz stared at his husband's moving body as he cleaned up the mess Rein made right before her nap in their room.

"Tae—"

"Baby, if you're gonna say what I think you're gonna say, can we not have this conversation right now?"

Liz sat up with a frown.

"It's kind of hard to not have this conversation when this conversation is to keep you from leaving me like my dad just did."

"Liz," Taehyung turned to him.

"You... you can't possibly be still thinking about joining the mafia after this. Whose are you going to fucking join, Tae? My dad's!? He isn't fucking here to swear you in!"

"Liz!" Taehyung threw down the plushy he had just picked up and stared at his husband whose eyes started reddening.

"My," Liz let out a quick sob, "my brother has to take over for my dad now. Jimin now has to run a mafia alongside his husband if Jungkook wants to avoid merging them. If their subordinates aren't in agreement with merging."

Liz let out a soft breath and then stood on his knees on the bed.

"Taehyung, this is what mafia life means. It means death, it means loss, it means drugs, it means pain. I don't want you in that. I already have a brother and brother-in-law in it. I... I had a dad in it. Now? Now, what, babe? Now, what?"

Taehyung walked over to Liz and held his face and left a long kiss on his forehead.

"You lose people in this shit. I lost my dad. I know I sound like a broken record but it's just, he's always bounced back. Always. He loved his work, he loved being able to provide us with everything. Now we have nothing," Liz let out a sob. "I have nothing! My daddy is gone!"

Taehyung held his husband as tears fell from his eyes too.

Leo would be laughing at how melancholy the house is. He would've hated it. He would've started playing loud music to drown out their sadness because it would bum him out.

God, this was hard.

"Okay, baby. Okay. I won't do it," Taehyung sniffled.

Liz let out a sob of relief and held his husband tightly. They stayed like that for a moment.

Because what else can you do?

~

Once Liz and Taehyung separated, the omega made his way into the somber bedroom his parents used to share.

It felt so gloomy, so heartbreaking. There on the bed lay his father and brother. They were under the covers and Halo was completely covered. Jimin held his father closely and soothed him, just like how he used to do them when they were scared little kids.

Liz entered the bed behind his father and hugged him from behind. Halo gave him a slight pat on his hand before going back to his original position.

"I'm gonna check on Kook, Pa, okay?"

Halo nodded under the covers and Jimin pecked his forehead. He slid out from under the covers and left the room. He shut the door softly and then made his way downstairs.

"A tracker, huh."

"Leo is... was," Jungkook sighed loudly, "a brilliant man."

"No surprise there. He's the king 'round here, isn't he?" Yo-un hummed.

"Always will be," Jungkook confirmed.

"So, when do we head out?"

"Well, we fucked them up pretty bad so they're definitely not ready for another attack even though it's been about three weeks."

"True. We destroyed their hideout and killed most of their subordinates. They're definitely not in good shape."

Jimin stepped out and stared at the two leaders. Neither noticed him at all.

"I'm thinking someone follows his tracker and gets another tracker on his person. Who knows if he'll throw out his boots before we're ready."

Yo-un nodded, "True."

"Once that tracker is inside of either his skin or his body, we can plan our ambush. I'm thinking about next week," Jungkook nodded as he looked over papers sprawled out on the table in the living room.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jimin stared dead at his husband.

Jungkook turned around and stood up.

"Hey, Honey."

"Don't fucking 'hey Honey' me. Are you seriously trying to go back out there? Your wound has just barely healed!"

"Min," Jungkook began.

"We need you here, Jeon!"

"They need me out there, Min!"

A slap in the face. Jimin knew Jungkook found family important. Extremely important. But with what he said, he tried to not believe Jungkook was putting them second. He took a breath and he cut his eyes at his husband.

"Then let me go with you."

Jungkook's eyes bucked.

"What? No."

"I went with you to deal with that other nuisance."

"Jimin, this is just different."

"How so?" Jimin raised a challenging eyebrow with his hands on his hips.

"Just the overall circumstance and..." Jungkook turned to Yo-un who was trying to look occupied and ignore the arguing couple, but they were pretty loud.

"Yo-un, you're dismissed. We'll talk more later."

Yo-un nodded and began to gather the papers and take his leave right as Jimin grew more annoyed.

"Don't fucking ignore me. Answer me. What'd you mean by 'overall circumstance'?"

"Jimin, just wait a minute. Let him leave and then I can—"

"No! Because if I don't get an answer now you're gonna find some way to weasel out of fucking answering me. Tell me right now."

"We can talk upstairs where there won't be a lot of people."

Jimin's eye twitched right as Yo-un muttered goodbye and shut the door. There were workers around the house. Workers with so much respect for Leo and Halo, that they'd never tell anyone of what Leo did for work. That is if they ever managed to find out. Workers Jungkook didn't feel comfortable with hearing his martial disputes.

"Jeon, I'm not going to let you change the subject."

"Honey, I'm not. Please. Let's just sit down," Jungkook came up and rubbed Jimin's arms with a soft smile. "Maybe we can take some time and figure out the flower choice your dad would have liked."

Something flickered in Jimin's eyes and he slapped Jungkook's hands off of him and pointed at his face.

"There! Right there! You always do that shit!" Jimin screamed.

"Jimin, please! Let's just go upstairs."

Jimin slapped the hand that reached for him and scoffed.

"Fine! Fuck you too!" Jimin spun around and jogged up the stairs and powered his way to their shared room.

He didn't want to give any of his frustration to his father. That's the last thing the omega needed.

Jimin had a feeling in his gut that he was doing a lot but can you blame him? A lot is happening. He heard Jungkook following after him, calling after him. He hoped he could make it to their bedroom without Jungkook getting to him but of course, the alpha just had to be a little bit faster, even if he was only speed walking.

As Jimin got to the door and prepared to throw it open and shut, Jungkook got there. He pushed the door open and pushed Jimin inside with him before shutting and locking the door. Securing the only exit into the rest of the house from the room.

"Honey," Jungkook sighed.

"Either you leave it all to Yo-un or you let me help you."

Jungkook squinted.

"This is my job, Jimin. I can't let you go on this mission because... just circumstances."

"You said that same bullshit downstairs. What circumstances!?"

Jungkook huffed. "You gave birth weeks ago. It hasn't even been months since we all almost lost you. Dad just passed away, as well. Diamond isn't Jesibelle. This whole situation is completely different."

"That's exactly why! My dad just died, motherfucker! I wasn't there for you in your accident and I wasn't there for my father! Dammit, let me be there this time!"

"Jimin!" Jungkook seethed.

"What!?" Jimin screamed as he threw his hands in the air.

They stared at each other for a moment and Jungkook's face softened as he sighed. Jimin sniffled and rubbed his eyes.

"Jungkook, fucking hell. I can't lose you too. I don't know what I'd do. I love you so much. I'd be in as much agony as Pa is in right now. I... I don't wanna experience that ever but at least wait until we're old and grey and wrinkly."

Jungkook laughed a little bit as he walked up to his husband and slowly wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Jimin exhaled slowly as his hands crept up to grab onto Jungkook's back.

"It's my birthday," Jimin said sadly with a slight quiver in his voice.

Jungkook chewed on his bottom lip as he held Jimin tightly.

"My dad died two days ago and it's my birthday," Jimin let out a quick sob before swallowing it back down.

Jungkook rocked him from side to side as he rubbed his hands up and down his back.

"I won't have him for any more birthdays," Jimin sniffled.

"I know baby, I know."

"God, I regret being bitter all those years. I could've had more years with him. I should've stayed."

Jungkook kissed the top of Jimin's head before bending down to pick the latter up and carry him to their bed. He laid him down and kissed his forehead.

"Is this what you felt like? Losing your parents at such a young age?" Jimin sniffled, eyes a bright red.

Jungkook gave him a faint sad smile and nodded.

"You're very strong, Love."

Jungkook chuckled before laying down beside Jimin and then pulled him to lie on his chest. Jimin pressed himself as far into Jungkook as he could, he felt like he would disappear if he didn't.

Jungkook ran his hands up and down Jimin's back while Jimin drew shapes on the alpha's chest. He propped his head on Jungkook's chest and found the latter looking down at him already.

"I know," Jimin began before taking a breath, "that you want to get this done. But could you just... wait? Not so soon, please."

Jungkook frowned a little at his husband's pained face.

"Diamond and Genocide have been free of punishment for weeks now. We have to go get them. For our parents, for ourselves. I won't be at peace with myself if I don't finish what Dad and I started."

Jimin nodded slowly as he averted his eyes from Jungkook's. He buried his face in Jungkook's chest before groaning.

"Fine," he mumbled. He looked back up at the alpha. "I can't stop you. I know that. So could you just wait until after the funeral? Please? We need you. I need you. I need you so bad, Jungkook. Be here for me and our kids, please?"

Jungkook's heart shattered and he raised his hands to hold Jimin's face. He placed a soft and long kiss on Jimin's plush lips.

"I must be a terrible husband if I'm making you beg me to be a husband."

Jimin smiled against Jungkook's lips.

"You're not too bad."

Jungkook scoffed as he continued to peck his husband's lips lovingly.

"Okay, Honey. Until the funeral, okay?"

Jimin nodded with a pout.

"Okay," Jungkook smiled as he held his husband.

They stayed like that for a while. In much-needed comfortable silence.

~

It's been a few days since Jimin's birthday. Since no one was truly in the mood to celebrate anything, Jimin and Jungkook just spent the rest of the day together. They ate together, bathed together, did skin care together and cuddled while watching a movie.

Their kids joined them for their movie. Prince clung to his omega father because he knew how hard everything was hitting him. He wanted to ease as much of his discomfort as possible.

Everyone was starting to get into a normal swing of life while organizing Leo's funeral and all the preparations for it.

Well, everyone except the alpha's mate.

Halo barely left his room. The only people that really saw him were his sons. They were the only ones who could come and go from his bedroom as they pleased (except for his grandchildren now and again). If an alpha even stood a little too close to his bedroom door he'd get territorial.

He almost slapped Taehyung when he entered his room to give him water. He growled at Jungkook when he so much as peeked his head into the room and almost threw a lamp at him.

So, when Jimin asked his husband to call his father down for dinner, the alpha's heart dropped to his asshole.

"Absolutely not."

"Jungkook," Jimin poked his hip out with his hand on it.

"No way," Jungkook shook his head.

"Help me out here," Jimin frowned. "I fed Serein, did the laundry, cooked breakfast with Tae, Liz helped me make lunch, helped Prince with his homework, and now I'm cooking dinner. The least you could do is get outta your office and bring Pa downstairs."

"Honey, he almost threw a lamp at me."

"But he didn't, did he?" Jimin shrugged.

"Honey!?" Jungkook gasped.

Jimin groaned before taking his apron off. He shoved the apron and wooden spoon he was using toward Jungkook who took with widened eyes.

"Fine. I'll do it," Jimin snarled.

"I love you!" Jungkook called after Jimin who grumbled.

Jimin knocked on the door once he came face to face with it.

No response.

He opened the door and began his constant spiel he always says to his father.

"Pa, you didn't come down for breakfast or lunch. You have to eat something. Dad would be furious if he knew that you were up here, not eating a thing!" Jimin huffed with his hands on his hips before noticing his father crying.

Halo was sitting in the middle of the bed, wearing one of Leo's button-up shirts, and a huge photo album in his lap.

"Pa," Jimin exhaled with a frown as his father looked up.

"I miss my husband. I miss him so much. I miss my Dimples," Halo sniffled as he looked up at his son.

Jimin frowned and then walked toward the bed and plopped down next to his father.

"I know, Pa. We all do. I know you're crushed. That was your soulmate of 31 years, you had two kids with him, that was your mate." Jimin exhaled softly as he held Halo's hand tightly in his. "I know if I lost Jungkook, I'd be a horrible mess. I don't know how you did it for all these years, Pa," Jimin smiled at his father.

Halo sniffled with a small smile.

"It's not like he made it easy."

Jimin giggled.

"But he made it worth it," Halo nodded as he rubbed Jimin's hand on top of his with the other.

Jimin hummed before looking down at one of the photos in the album. It was a picture of a two-year-old Liz pulling at Leo's hair and a six-year-old Jimin pulling at his pants. He giggled as he pointed at the picture.

"What was happening here?"

Halo looked down and smiled warmly.

"He had work and couldn't play with you two. You two were very upset so you did your best to keep him from leaving.

Jimin nodded with a huge grin.

He flipped toward the beginning of the photo album where photos of Halo's ultrasounds of Jimin and Liz were placed.

"How did Dad react when you told him you were pregnant?"

"With you, he cried. He asked me if this was the life I truly wanted. He offered to let me run away with you and he'd just give me money from afar."

Jimin pouted.

"So, he wanted to abandon me?"

Halo laughed and patted Jimin's cheek.

"No~ He was near tears even offering the idea. He loved us so much he was willing to let us get away from this world."

Halo's smile faltered.

"You know... sometimes I wish I'd agreed."

"Pa," Jimin frowned.

Halo shook his head, "Oh, but I always beat myself for thinking that. I loved your father and couldn't bear taking you away from him."

Jimin nodded with a small smile. "What about Liz?"

"He lost his mind at the thought of another one. He finally realized how serious I was about him and about us. He finally proposed to me, that dope."

Jimin giggled before it was abruptly cut off.

"I was born out of wedlock," Jimin gaped with a finger pointed at himself.

Halo raised an eyebrow at him. "Prince was born out of wedlock."

"Hey! No. That's not the point. I thought you guys have been married for 31 years!?"

"We had been! Together for 40. Besides, you're 34 now, you didn't notice that didn't add up?"

Jimin gaped at his father before slapping a hand over his mouth.

"You've been together all of your life practically."

Halo nodded as he looked down at the picture of Leo crying his eyes out silently as he held a newborn Jimin.

"I mean, I was out there. So, he wasn't the only one I'd ever been with. I wasn't the only one he was ever with either. But we definitely lasted the longest."

Jimin eyed his father.

"You were a clubber weren't you, Pa?"

Halo shrugged.

"And you and Dad had the audacity to talk about me!" Jimin scowled to which Halo laughed at.

It went quiet for a moment before Jimin rested his head on Halo's shoulder.

"You can miss Dad, Pa. That makes perfect sense. But... we have to continue on. We have to plan his funeral and remember his amazing life. Dad will always be in your heart and in your memories and in this book," Jimin tapped the photo album. "All of the ones you have hidden around."

Halo laughed with a nod.

"He'd be absolutely upset to see you cooped up in here and crying your eyes out, instead of downstairs embracing family. Or even your friends! They've come by the house and brought you things. They want to be there for you too."

Halo sighed as he slowly shut the photo album and ran his fingers over it.

"You're right. He'd drag me out of bed while lecturing me. He did that during postpartum with both of you."

Jimin nodded and held his father's hand while smiling at him. They were sitting in a comfortable silence before there was a knock at the door. They turned to look at it and Jungkook was standing in the doorway with his hand over his eyes.

"I'm not interrupting some super intimate omega time, am I? Pa, please don't throw anything at me, I just wanted to ask Jimin how he wants the tomatoes cut." Jungkook held out his other hand in a surrendering manner.

The two omegas laughed and Jungkook's ears would have twitched at the sound of Halo's laughter if they could.

"Thin slices."

Jungkook nodded and then made his way back downstairs.

"You coming?" Jimin turned back to his father.

"Only if you let me feed Button."

Jimin scrunched up his nose with his lips twisted.

"Why do you call him that?"

"Because he has a cute little button nose just like you," Halo smiled as he booped Jimin's nose.

Jimin laughed but agreed and they made their way downstairs. Once everyone saw Halo they gasped and stood up, except for Jungkook who looked like he'd cry.

He smiled at everyone and they smiled back. He looked at Jungkook and his hands and arms were twitching.

He wanted to hug him.

Halo opened his arms and Jungkook shot over to hug him tightly, relaxing only when Halo wrapped his arms around him. Soon everyone comes around and hugs the two, except baby Serein.

Once they separated and threw I Love Yous around at each other, they all sat down and began to eat.

This moment was the first time in weeks that, even with the head of the household gone, Halo didn't feel as alone as he did before.

He didn't feel sad.

His husband was gone. But he wasn't erased forever. 

A/N: the story is coming close to its end. not any time super soon but honestly, i can estimate in about 10 chapters we should be done. it's kinda crazy to think about because i've been workin on this series (Black Heart and this book) for so long, like years now i wanna say

soon it'll be all over (until the eventual prequel, which i do not have a time frame for)

i hope everyone has been enjoying it so far, laughs and tears alike