(chapter seven.) farewell brother dearest
❝ I WAITED... HE NEVER CAME HOME.❞

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POET WAS KEEPING DIEGO COMPANY IN THE POLICE STATION, picking her nails. But while she did so, she was noticed a couple rings missing. She chuckled breathlessly.

"Klaus, you stupid bastard," she mumbled, shaking her head before staring back at Diego, who was still cuffed. "So, your ex-girlfriend's a badass."

Diego ignored her, remembered that he wanted to ask a question that had been bothering him based on the information that Poet told him three hours ago.

"You had a twin brother?" He questioned, staring up at the girl. Poet looked at him, looking away and nodding. "What happened to him?"

Poet sighed. "He decided to enlist. Decided to fight for our country because he believed that if he went to the field, he would feel more of a hero than a monster like he usually felt."

"Where?"

"Afghanistan," Poet replied. "He was a marine."

"Why didn't you go with him?" Diego asked. Poet looked up the ceiling, biting her bottom lip.

"It wasn't my choice," she answered. "He left during the night and left me a letter, only telling me he won't see me for a while. His girlfriend told me that he had told her in person and she couldn't stop him. So, I decided to take care of her because she was 5 months pregnant and we waited for his call." Diego saw her blinking away the tears. "He finally called and he confirmed that he will see us in a while and that he hoped he will be there for his baby's birth. He came back and stayed for a week. He then left for another year. And then another. And then we waited and we waited... He never came home. But I knew he was on the field, fighting so I didn't give too much thought on it. After all, I didn't know how it worked. But then, my doorbell rang. My brother's girlfriend, my nephew, and her parents were there with me to talk like we usually did. We didn't know what to expect."

Diego looked at his shoes, listening to every word she was saying.

"There were notifying you about his death," Diego nodded. Poet nodded as well, sniffling.

"It was nerve-wracking," Poet started to explain. "Two guys, one of them was my brother's friend. They took asked to come, I let them. My brother's friend looked like he was crying and he didn't dare look at me. They sat down, they looked at us and stated their names and said, "The commandant of the Marine Corps has entrusted me to express his deep regret that your brother, Julian, was killed in action in Afghanistan on April 1, 2007. He was killed when he was protecting one of our men and he was shot..." The man took a deep breath and continued on." The Commandant extends his deepest sympathy to you and your family in your loss." My brother's girlfriend ended up committing suicide a week later."

"What about the kid?" Diego asked.

"He's on a trip and is going to be spending time with his mother's family. I'll see him in two days. He's 14."

"Your brother had a kid at age 16?"

"Yep," Poet nodded. "That stupid speedster couldn't keep in his pants. They had the baby on February 1st, 2005."

"Wait, wait, wait," Diego closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Speedster?"

"Yep," Poet sighed, rubbing her hands on her knees. "Anyway, we're gonna be here for a long time thanks to your lying ass so get comfortable."

"You can leave you know?"

"Shhh."

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Poet watched amusedly as Diego got taken away by a police officer. She trailed behind them, hands clasped behind her back while she looked down at the floor.

"Uncuff him," Detective Patch ordered, before staring at the girl behind looking around. "Hey, Poet."

"Hi, Detective Patch," the brunette waved curtly, turning her head to one side so she can soothe the aching pain.

"Thanks, Rodriguez," Diego thanked the police officer.

"Bye," the police officer turned to look at Poet, fist bumping her. "See you later, Poet. Don't get in too much trouble with that dumbass."

"I won't," Poet grinned. Diego stared at her. "What?"

"How?"

"I don't know," Poet shrugged, sitting down in front of Detective Patch, who gave her a cookie.

"So..." Diego started, sitting next to the girl as he snatched a piece of paper from Patch's desk. "Did you talk to the tow truck?"

"Shut up and listen carefully," Patch talked over him. "The next time you interfere in one of my investigations, you so much as breathe on one of my witnesses, or touch a piece of evidence, I'll charge you with obstruction of justice. You will do jail time. That clear?"

Poet nodded her head and Diego glared at her. He looked up and Poet, through all of the voices, heard his voice standing out.

"You were the one who talked to that woman!" She heard him think. Poet shrugged innocently.

"Damn," Diego looked away from the girl. "You need to relax, Eudora. All this bureaucracy is get—"

"Don't call me that."

Poet looked away from the two, an awkward tension building up within all three of them despite Poet not speaking at all.

"Look, I know you," Diego said. "You like playing by the rules, but you live for putting the scumbags away."

"That's why she put you away," Poet cut him off but with a roll of his eyes, he continued.

"So why don't you put that badge down for one night and you come out on the streets with me?" Poet cleared her throat and covered her mouth to stop the laughter from slipping. "Without all this bullshit."

"You're right, that sounds super fun," Poet watched at the past lovers with an amused face, her chin placed on her palm. "But I think you missed some things when you got yourself thrown out of the police academy, so let me explain. This bullshit is what gets convictions in a court of law. What you do out there is a fantasy. I would love to play cops and robber, wear a mask, and feel important, but guess what? Recess is over. It's grown-up time. You're still trying to prove that, when you were kids, running around in those stupid uniforms, that it wasn't for nothing. Yeah... I know you, too, Diego. And I know her as well. Poet Capulet, parents were scientists and had a long generation of ancestors from the military. Including her great-uncle Da—"

"Please don't mention him," Poet sighed. "Really don't like remembering my ancestors and their terrible deaths."

"I just wanted to say in behalf of everyone here thank you to your families service," Patch smiled at the girl, who nodded. Patch turned serious again, turning to look at Diego. "Now leave, before I change my mind."

Diego stood up and Poet shook Patch's hand, turning around to leave. She snorted when she saw Diego lean down and Patch sticking her hand out.

"Take care of that girl, Diego," Patch said. "She seems good for you and I know you're starting to have a soft spot for her. I can see it due to the fact that you invited her to your shit. But you hurt her, not only will I come after you, but so will the veterans and her nephew, who is really smart with an 130 IQ... He's also trying out to follow his father's footsteps."

"Look, Eudora," Diego started again. "I don't like nor would I ever fall for her. And I won't hurt her, it's not like I'm afraid of her family or anything. But, I won't fall for her. You're just messing with my head."

"Am I Diego?" She squinted her eyes at him. "Or are you just making yourself think that?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving now."