After Quentin was tasked with setting up the restoration of Halo's physical strength and stamina and Halo was instructed to follow her guidelines implicitly, Alain walked into the office of the man who owned Scott's apartment complex. He was a delicately built man, yet he exuded a decided air of authority. Polished, and wearing only the finest clothing, he seemed to embrace color with open arms. He wore a suit of dark green, a buttery yellow shirt, and a black and red tie. He looked at his visitor in amusement.

"As I live and breathe, it is Alain Blanc!" Alain noted the molasses-laden southern accent and suppressed a smile. This man was turning on the charm, and he sounded like he had stepped out of a novel by Harper Lee. "I am overcome! What brings a great man like yourself into my offices? I have seen your film and I must say, it was amazing. "

I am glad you liked it."

"Oh, I did, I did. I truly admire people in the Arts. I dabble a little myself. Ever been out to Barboursville? There is an adorable Theater there, The Four County Players. Wonderful shows, they pull talent from here to D.C. I have been in a few of their productions...oh, nothing to speak of...character roles, walk-ons. And I donate rather liberally, too."

Alain took advantage of Mr. Nighe's pause as he took a deep breath. "I am here on a bit of business. I have heard rumors that you may be selling the Apartment complex off of Rugby Road. You have asked renters to move out."

The smaller man smiled. "Not renters. Only one."

"Why was he asked to leave?"

Mr. Nighe frowned a bit." Oh, I don't know if that is something I should impart. I just don't know..."

"You see, a close friend of mine. Scott Williams also lives there, and I am concerned about his tenancy. I would hate to find him on the streets. "

"Oh, no...no...I can reassure you his lease is in no danger. I only evicted the other tenant for a very good reason. I had heard he had been rude to Scott on numerous occasions. I am fond of Scott, so this vexed me deeply. I requested that he find another residence."

"I would love to make certain of his security. I would like to make an offer to purchase the building."

Mr. Nighe shook his head sadly.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Blanc, it is absolutely impossible for me to accommodate you."

" I would give you well over market value. And if anyone else showed interest..."

The dapper man hid a smile and shook his head.

"I repeat. That building will never be for sale by my firm. Impossible..."

"That seems a bit arbitrary. I would like to understand why."

Mr. Nighe began to laugh. "Because we do not own it. I am what you might call a front..."

"A Front, I don't know..."

Oh my, you are finally beginning to sound a little like me, my dear..." He was laughing so hard that he reached into a lacquer box on his desk, removed an ornate fan, and began to cool himself.

"My dear Lan Zhan, you and Wei Ying already own that building, you have for two lifetimes. You just took your own sweet time, showing up after Germany to find the poor guy!"

Alain sank in the visitor's chair in shock. Memories flooded him and all he could do was stare as Nie Huaisang continued to laugh.

Nie Huaisang. Nie Fucking Huaisang! He stood up swiftly, strode over to the smaller man, and reached for him. Nie ducked, but not quickly enough. Lan Zhan grabbed his shoulders and without warning, enveloped him in a bear hug. Nie froze, never once, in knowing Lan Zhan in various forms, had he ever expected an embrace.

"Thank you. I had forgotten... There is a lot that I blocked since 1934. You and Nie Mingjue did so much for us back then. Selling our assets and Wei's modern art pieces. Transporting the private collection to America and keeping that safe for him. But we failed you by not getting out in time. The foundation I had you set up for him, this is still the same one?"

"Yes. We have made sure that it would be waiting for the both of you, but you never showed up. Wei Ying was so distraught and worried that I simply stayed in the background as an administrator of an inheritance legacy and never exposed who I was. I owed him that much, just easing the way for him in any way I could. I made sure he was safe in his apartment and even helped redo the one next door for the private collection. You know him. He gets sometimes lost, and you did not return."

Alain's crystal and gold eyes filled. " I could not. I simply could not. I wasn't capable, and I failed to save him. I should never have allowed him to buy the sailing passes for that last family, but, a mother with three children, how could I tell him no? It was our last bit of money; we had bought passages for so many others, and I still could not say no to him. I thought I would manage to find the money somehow, but I was not able to. And after that death, I did not have the will to return or even shoulder the memories of that time. I had them erase it all, twice."

Nie Huaisang knelt in front of him. "Lan Zhan. You must not think of that time any longer, or dwell on your decision to not return. You have been Wei Ying's protector for a thousand lifetimes. There are so many things I did, that I endured the punishment for, infinitely more than you two. And I endured because I was determined to find a way to show my sorrow for what I did. You deserved the rest that was granted you. I am grateful that you trusted me to make sure he was safe as you healed." 

"We must enlighten him. I hold nothing back from him now that I have returned."

"Of course. You select the time, and we will meet."

"Qinyang and Yenay are back. "

"That is wonderful! How are they?

"Qin is well. Yenay needs help. We were going to move them to the apartment complex if we bought it. Xi Chen is moving in as well"

"It's yours. Invite the whole of Cloud Recesses if you want."

"We will renovate the first floor into a gym until we build up Yenay's strength. Then it will become my US studio."

"Excellent. Let me know if I can help in any way."

They shook hands warmly and Alain departed.

Nie Huaisang walked to his window and stood silently, watching the sunset over the mountains. He finally heaved a sigh and nodded to himself.

"Well. Huaisang, that was a good thing you have done. A good thing. Wait until your brother appears one day, and you let him know how this sad period has ended for us all. He will be proud of you. Very proud of you, indeed."