Because of the incident that took place, about two weeks ago, things around the house were changing. Roman and Adam had set up security cameras in different parts of the house, except the bathrooms and bedrooms of course. Lynn took watch more often in the night, walking through the suburban community, looking for any signs of a breach. They had to be sure that neither Cortez nor his people had tracked them back to here.

Meanwhile, Zadia was putting in more time working out and less time... being her usual self. She was more quiet and attentive, her demeanor slowly conforming to something she couldn't figure out. Her mind didn't feel like it belonged to her but instead someone else, her thoughts were consumed with all things death-related, instead of the random things she used to think about occasionally. To make matters worse, Abel was not speaking to her.

The two of them had a falling out when she came back home from that night.

Abel was mad at her for keeping him in the dark and for risking their lives, while Zadia was mad at him for not being able to understand her perspective. "It just doesn't make any sense! What you did was selfish!" He had yelled at her that night. The veins popped from his neck as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "Did you ever stop for a second and think what would've happened if they got to you, or worse if they killed you?!"

"I wasn't being selfish." Zadia groaned, her eyes closing. "I... I was doing what I thought was right at the time, for us. Why can't you get that?"

Abel huffed. "Because if you were going back there for us, you would've told me about it. You... you did it for yourself and you can't admit that."

"You know what." She clasped her hands together. "You're a child at the end of the day and I don't have to consult with you about the things that I do!" She shouted at him.

"And you're an adult I shouldn't have to tell you when you're making a stupid decision!" He shouted back.

She crossed her arms, staring at him angrily. "You know what, maybe when you grow up, and you're ready to listen we can talk about this again."

He glared at her. "Oh yeah? Well, maybe when you grow up and you and finally understand my side, we can talk about it, because until then... I'm not talking to you!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

He had slept on the sofa that night and continued to do so for the next few days.

Everything around the house felt tense, everyone was mad at her, including Adam. He avoided her a lot and when they were in the same room together he was quiet, making sure not to utter a word to her. She had betrayed the little trust that he had in her when she decided to do what she did and he didn't know how to handle it. Lynn on the other hand was mad at her but wasn't vocal about it. Sure, she'd make smart remarks about the incident but it wasn't anything Zadia couldn't handle.

Roman... well it was hard to determine if he was still mad at her. He spoke to her like he usually did if needed and continued to train her but that was about it.

He didn't bring up that night ever in a conversation and made sure to stray from it whenever someone else brought it up.

The only person who seemed to not be mad at her for sure was Tino. He still adored her, even though he didn't understand what was going on. If anything he was becoming clingy these past few days, always wanting to be by her side. Zadia didn't mind it, not one bit, she liked feeling... needed.

It was around ten in the afternoon when Zadia snapped back into reality, hearing the sound of hissing on her right side. She had been listening to music before her mind had taken her elsewhere. She craned her neck, turning her body to the side, to eye the black cat that followed her around all the time now. She knew it had to be Roman that put the cat up to it, seeing as the cat only listened to him. The nightlight in the room helped her see where the cat was. "Would you please stop that?" Zadia whispered, trying not to be loud. She had successfully put Tino down for bed only thirty minutes ago and it had been a nightmare. He was so fussy all this morning and when it came down to bed, he put up one hell of a fight before falling asleep.

The cat hissed again, this time her eyes on Tino's crib.

Zadia frowned, taking her thick comforter off her body. She flicked on the lamplight, brightening up the room some more. "You trying to tell me something?" She asked, before getting out of bed. Zadia groaned at how cold it was, she only had on gym shorts and a sports bra. "Well, what is it?" She questioned looking around the room.

Zadia's eyes widened, her head snapping towards Tino's crib as he let out a high-pitched cry, startling her in the process. With quick thinking, she ran towards him, picking him up as he cried louder. "Jesus you're hot." She grimaced, feeling his forehead and then underarm. "Shhh, it's okay little guy. Shhh." She said, trying to get him to calm down but that only made him cry harder.

Zadia rubbed his back gently and paced around the room, which usually got him to calm down, but when she saw that wasn't working, she grew worried. She'd never seen him like this and out of all his cries, this one was different... almost like he was in pain. He didn't have a stomachache, because if he did, he'd grab ahold of her lips and twist it with his fist like he'd always do. "I'm gonna figure it out." She mumbled, reaching into the dresser to grab the kiddy thermometer. Clicking on the button, she pressed it against his forehead, trying to get a read.

"102." She read out loud, growing even more worried. She paled, remembering when she read one of the baby books that said anything above 100.4 was concerning. "Okay um..." She tried to think. "Let's get you something to drink and get your uncle." Opening the door, she marched out of her room and in the direction of Roman's. Her fist pounded on his door as she rocked Tino in her arms, waiting for Roman to open up.

Roman jumped at the sound of the hard-knock and Tino's cries, rising to his feet quickly as his heart thumped in his chest. He opened his room door, his eyes squinting and sleep still lingering. "What's going on?" He yawned, taking in the worried look on Zadia's face and Tino's crying.

Zadia quickly handed him the thermometer and spoke as she walked away. "He's got a high fever and he won't stop crying. There's something wrong with him and I've got no clue what it is." She said, making her way downstairs. She got to the kitchen, Roman and his cat behind her, watching her move frantically.

Roman flicked on the light and cleared his throat. "Let me hold him." He instructed, walking to her to grab Tino. She passed him his nephew and he rocked him gently, whispering things into his ears. "There's some baby medication in that cabinet over there, get something that highlights fevers."

As Zadia moved over to the cabinet near the fridge, Santino's nails scratched at Roman's naked chest as he wailed, trying to get back to Zadia. "Mama." He cried, causing their eyes to widen. "Mama."

Zadia turned around shocked as ever. "Did he just..."

"He did," Roman said, patting Tino's back, trying to soothe him.

"Mama, mama!" Tino cried louder, face turning red.

Zadia looked through the cabinet with trembling hands and grabbed the first bottle of medication that labeled fever. She read through the instructions carefully, and then read the ingredients, making sure that there wasn't any soy in the medicine, since Santino was allergic to it. Taking the baby syringe, she sucked in the liquid, taking in the correct measurements. "I've got it," Zadia said, walking back to them.

They did a switch off, Roman passing her the baby back and she passing him the syringe. She held the crying baby firmly, prying his mouth open with her fingers so Roman could stick the syringe in there. Roman held Tino's arm down and pushed the syringe into his mouth, emptying the purple color liquid.

"You see that?" Roman asked, removing the syringe and setting it on the counter.

"What?" Zadia asked, confused.

Roman moved closer to her side, his naked chest touching her bare arm. They both ignored the chill they felt run through their bodies and stayed focused on the baby. He pried Tino's mouth open again, pointing at the teeth forming at the top of his gums. "He's teething." He said as the baby began chewing on his finger, his crying came to a mid-stop.

"He's teething," Zadia said in disbelief. "How could I miss that?"

"It happens," Roman said, trying to move his finger from Tino's mouth, but Tino held onto his wrist tightly. "It's like he gets stronger every day." He muttered, taking the baby from Zadia again. This time Tino didn't protest, his focus on Roman's finger. Moving to the fridge, Roman pulled out two ice cubes and pointed at Zadia. "Grab me one of his new washcloths."

Zadia walked to the other side of the kitchen and opened the drawer that had most of Tino's new things. She took one of the green washcloths, before handing it over to Roman.

Roman sat the washcloth on the counter and set the ice inside, before folding it over. He then mashed the ice into the counter, making sure to crush it well. When he was finished, he folded the washcloth some more and put it into Tino's mouth, so his finger could get some relief. "You know that method too?" Zadia asked, she thought it was just a Haitian thing.

"My mom used to do the same thing when Eliśa was a baby." He let out, before sighing. "Come on, he's not gonna fall asleep anytime soon out here. He'll fall asleep quicker in my room." Roman paused. "Unless you want him in your room?"

Zadia shook her head. "He likes your room more because it's darker." She stated. "So, your room it is." She cleared her throat. "I'll meet you up there, I'm gonna heat up his bottle real quick."

"Mmmh." He hummed, walking out of the kitchen.

Roman walked up the stairs, his drowsy eyes begging to shut. He was exhausted and stressed out, two of the things he despised the most. Between looking for his sister and taking out... assignments he was busy as hell and having to keep an eye on Zadia all the time now didn't help one bit. Now he had a sick Tino to add to his plate, along with meetings with important people he kept pushing aside.

It was starting to be too much.

As he made it to his room, he used his leg to open the door fully. Stepping inside, he took one of the few blankets he had on his bed and set it on the ground. When he was finished, he sat Tino on the blanket and went to his dresser to get a night light. This nightlight was different from the other ones in the house, when it was plugged in, it showed reflections of little golden stars throughout the room.

Tino loved it. He giggled looking up at the ceiling, trying to touch some of the stars. He was still trembling from his crying, face still wet with tears.

"You babies find the littlest things amusing," Roman muttered, looking through his closet for a baby book.

"I'm pretty sure that's why they're called babies," Zadia said, walking into the room. She stood by the door awkwardly, a warm bottle in her hands. "You want the door shut or open?" She asked.

Roman frowned while in his closet. "What kind of question was that?" He had asked himself, before replying, "Closed, of course. When have you ever seen my room door open besides now?"

Zadia rolled her eyes, shutting the door. "It was just a question." She said lowly, before joining Tino on the floor. She propped herself on her side and playfully began to pinch his belly just how he liked.

"Mama." He said again, this time more clearly. He then proceeded to babble.

Heat rushed to Zadia's face as she looked at him nervously. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't experienced with this type of stuff. "I'm not the one that told him to call me that... by the way." She blurted out, so Roman could hear. "I know you probably think that seeing as I'm with him all the time... but I seriously wouldn't do that."

Roman walked out of the closet, two small books in his hand. He found himself frowning again, his eyebrows knitting together. "I wasn't thinking that... besides I was kinda expecting it. He's been watching those stupid baby nursery stuff and he's around you a lot so it wasn't rocket science." He laid on the other side of Tino, his arms propping him up as he laid on his stomach.

"How do I go about it?"

Roman shrugged. "I don't know, I've never been in a situation like this." He sighed, tiredly. "If you tell him to call you something else, he'll be confused and when his actual mom comes back, he'll also be confused. Everything's just a shit ton of confusion." He paused, letting a second of silence go by. He thought Zadia was going to correct him about his use of language, but when he saw that she didn't, his frown deepened.

Zadia caught the curse word the second it came out of his mouth, but she didn't bother saying anything because a part of her didn't want to. She was tired. "You suck at advice." She had said instead, handing Tino his bottle so he could feed himself. Zadia looked at the cat who was across the room, its yellow eyes watching her as though she was some type of food. "Does your cat need to watch me all the time?"

"She doesn't trust you."

"Damn, even the cat? Now that's just downright bogus."

"She just needs time, much like everyone else." He said, grabbing the ice-filled washcloth and placing it on his bed. He'd put it back in the kitchen later.

She sighed. "I screwed up, I know that... I just don't get why everyone's still mad about me screwing up. They screw up all the time, but they don't see me reacting the way they do."

"People take things in differently, Zadia. You of all people should know that. Besides, picture yourself in their shoes. I'm sure you'd be acting just like them."

She rolled her eyes and huffed. "I wouldn't."

"You would." He resorted, opening one of the books with an Elephant on the cover.

"You still mad at me?" She asked him, staring at the veins in his arms. "Because if you are, you do a good job at masking it."

The hair on his body stood as he watched her eyes drift from his face to arms. He shook his head. "Your decision to leave here was stupid, but you did it... life goes on and as you said, you learned your lesson. If I were still mad about your decision, that would mean I trust you, which I don't. The others do or did trust you, hence why they're still mad."

Santino crawled over to Zadia and started to pull at her fingers for the fun of it. "You don't trust me?" She questioned.

Roman was quick to reply. "I don't trust anyone."

Her eyebrows knitted together. "Not even your mentor? Or Adam? Or Lynn? Or even, Eliśa?"

"No one." He responded. "Family and friends are always the first to betray you. There's no point in trusting them."

Zadia shook her head. "That's... that's true but, it's still not a reason to not trust people. Cats and dogs bite people all the time, especially their owners sometimes, but you don't see their owners not trusting them." She said, "Toussaint L'Ouverture owned slaves, yet he still gave Haiti their independence, that didn't stop people from trusting him."

"That didn't make any sense."

She shrugged. "It probably didn't, but I'm sure you know what I'm trying to say. Just because someone does something, doesn't mean you stop trusting everyone. That's stupid. That's like me not trusting anyone because my parents are assholes."

Roman chuckled, lightly. "I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be bullied for my trust issues."

Zadia smiled, slightly. It was barely noticeable. "That's not what I was doing." Her head tilted to the side, and she used her hands to cover her mouth as she yawned. "How come you don't laugh or smile? You're always so..."

"Serious?" He finished for her.

She nodded. "Yeah, you're always so serious. Kinda like a robot."

"We live in a serious world and I've got a serious job, which makes me a serious person." He explained... well at least he tried to. When he said it out loud, he sort of realized how it didn't make any sense. "You're one to talk." He said, changing the subject quickly. "You haven't been one to show emotions these past few weeks."

Zadia switched sides and laid Tino down so she could pat his tummy. He giggled sleepily, eyes looking everywhere. "Well, you know... it's a serious world we live in and I've got a serious job, which makes me a serious person." She mimicked him and the both of them burst out laughing. Tino included himself even though he didn't know what was going on, giggling as though someone let him in on the joke.

Zadia took in Roman's laugh, noticing how shy it sounded. It was like he was holding back on it, but still, his dimples showed when his lips stretched to form a smile. This made her laugh more and for a second, she wanted to say another joke to see if he'd laugh harder this time.

But she didn't.

Their laughter eventually came to cease, a small smile settling on their faces as they sobered up. The both of them sat silently, realizing how much they needed that laugh, even though it was over something so stupid. Tino rolled over on his stomach and crawled over to his uncle so he could yawn in his face. "I think he's finally ready to go back to bed," Roman said, tapping on his nephew's nose gently. Each day he realized how much Tino resembled someone in the family.

Even though his memories of his mother and father were faint, Roman could see some of their features in Tino whenever he was happy or sad. And when Tino was mad he resembled Eliśa a lot.

"I'm surprised, his crying didn't wake up Abel and Adam."

"Adam can sleep through everything."

"Abel can too sometimes."

Roman cleared his throat, lifting the two books so Tino could see. "Which one do you like best, dinosaurs or elephants?"

"He's going for the dinosaurs," Zadia said and Tino did go for the dinosaurs. Zadia laid him back on his back, in the middle of Roman and her, and began patting his belly again. Her eyes were growing tired, ready to shut.

Roman opened the book and cleared his throat and began reading. "Dinosaurs are special, they are one of a kind." He flipped the page and read some more, before flipping again. "They come in all shapes and sizes, and they are so divine." He flipped another page, his eyes looking to Zadia and Tino who were already snoring lightly. "If you ever find a dinosaur, keep it inside, so everyone doesn't know and you can keep it confined in your heart at all times." He shut the book, pushing it away.

A yawn came from his mouth while looking at the two bodies that laid next to him. Tino fell asleep on his back and in his right hand, there was a fistful of Zadia's locs. His small chest rose and fell with each breath he took. Zadia's lips were slightly parted and her left hand stayed on Tino's belly.

She looked different when she slept, her muscles relaxed.

Roman looked back and forth at the two, debating if he should wake Zadia up. He sighed, shaking his head, she was just as sleepy as he was and she did watch Tino the entire day. The least he could do was let her sleep. He then debated on whether to carry them back in the room and then shook his head, not liking how much work it was.

Plus, he wasn't about to touch her without her permission... That would be weird. At least that's what he told himself, even though he had done it before.

Another yawn came from his mouth and he placed his hand on the bed, grabbing one of the longer and thicker blankets. He laid down on his back and draped the sheet over the three of them, his drowsy eyes finally closing.

From the other side of the room, the cat meowed and he sighed sleepily. "Come." He commanded and she did, walking over and settling herself where they laid. She slept right under his feet, protectively.

————

When morning came, Roman felt his watch vibrate, the vibration prying him out of his sleep. He pressed the stop button on the watch and groaned, before rolling over to his side. From there he was met with a small butt shielded by a diaper in his face and confusion echoed through his body. The memories of last night came flooding back in and he raised his head, looking at the outcome.

Tino slept in the fetal position, his head laying on Zadia's chest and his butt in the air. The baby sucked on his tiny fist, probably using it as a way to get through the night. Instead of sleeping on her side, Zadia was now on her back, her legs spread out awkwardly because of the cat that now slept underneath her. Her arms were stretched out wide, the left one just inches away from Roman's face.

Roman frowned a bit, noticing how close Tino and Zadia had moved to his side during the night. With his eyes still on them, he stood up, careful to not wake them up. The cat noticed his movements and opened her eyes, ready to follow him into the bathroom. "Stay." He grumbled lowly, shutting the door behind him. From there he had showered. When he stepped out of the tub, his body wet with water, he wrapped a towel over his waist and did his hygiene routine. This included brushing his teeth and then flossing right after. When it came down to his teeth, Roman was obsessed with it being perfect.

He made sure to visit the dentist regularly and flossed nearly five times each day. Fuck everyone else's teeth, his teeth were a part of his temple and as part of his temple, it had to be perfect. When he finished, he brushed his hair forward and made a mental note to visit his barber soon. He checked his nails to see if they needed a trim, but as usual, they were naturally perfect.

Opening the bathroom door, hot steam was let out as he walked quietly to his closet and picked out a suit to wear, along with some socks. He shut the door so he could change in there privately, but not before applying lotion against his skin.

He stepped out of the closet, fully dressed now. A pair of Perry Ellis leather shoes graced his feet, matching the color of his suit. Black and brown, his favorite colors. While he put some Cologne on, he nipped his lips looking at his bed. He made his bed every morning after his routine, but couldn't today because Zadia and Tino were on the floor with his sheets.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fought the urge to wake them both up. With one final glance, he left the room with a big sigh.

"Dressed to impress, I see." Adam whistled when he saw Roman come down from the stairs. "You've even got on the Submariner instead of the Apple Watch. This must be a big meeting."

"It is." He said, his voice low. "I'm catching a ride with Lynn. I'm finally meeting with the heavy hitters after delaying for so long." The heavy hitters were the group of people Roman did business with. The type of business ranged from contract killing, collecting money, distributing drugs, and some other stuff. They were the reason why he dropped off the face of the earth for two years.

Adam shook his head. "Something tells me they aren't going to be happy about you, pushing them away for so long."

"I'll deal with them, you on the other hand just worry about finding a way to track down you know who." Roman scratched the back of his head, and then cleared his throat. "Where's the kid?" He asked, looking around the living room. He noticed Abel wasn't sleeping on the sofa.

"Outback, I think. Doing whatever teenagers do at this time in the morning."

Roman's face scrunched up. "Teenagers are up at this hour?"

Adam shrugged. "It seems so." He put his hand in his pocket, fishing for something. "Ahh, here it is. I was finally able to unlock it." Adam said, passing him an iPhone with a cracked screen. It had belonged to the man he recently killed, a few days ago. Cortez's cousin. He hadn't exactly meant to kill him, the whole thing was an accident... sort of.

Roman and Lynn thought the best way to get intel on Cortez was by abducting someone close to him. So, they took his cousin, and they of course planned on letting him go, but then things went sideways. They took him down to an empty truck stop and tied him to a truck and a pole. Lynn was interrogating him, while Roman sat at the driver seat, pressing the gas pedal little by little to get him to cave. Out of nowhere, the unexpected happened... Roman sneezed, his foot accidentally slamming down on the pedal fully.

It was a huge mess. Truly.

Roman shivered as the scene played in his mind again. "Find anything useful?" He asked.

"A bunch of rubbish, but when you get to messages with him and his cousins, it's rather hard to understand. I think they're speaking in code, figured you'd be the one to solve it."

Roman took the phone from him and put it in his pocket. "I'll check it out when I get back. You sure you're good with watching everyone while I'm gone?"

He nods. "I am. Everyone and everything will be right here just as you left it when you return."

"Thanks, Adam. Good work by the way." Roman said, before turning on his foot. He walked through the kitchen with his eyes, glancing at the windows. He stopped at the door that led to the backyard and used his hands to twist the doorknob. The sound of a ball smacking against the hard concrete, caused him to look to his right as he stepped out.

Abel was there, playing ball by himself.

"You need something?" Abel asked him, feeling the weight of his eyes on him. He threw the ball into the hoop from a far distance and ran to catch it, his grey hoodie clinging onto his body as sweat dripped from his face.

"You play ball?" Roman asked, but it sounded more like a statement.

"Doesn't everyone?" Abel replied, catching his breath. He had been playing for a while, so he decided to drink some of the water in his water bottle.

Roman nodded briefly. "I guess that's somewhat true." He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. "I need a favor from you kid."

Abel raised his eyebrows. "It's nothing inappropriate right... cuz I don't get down like that. Not that there's anything wrong with that lifestyle or anything, it's just not for me. I like girls and I'm also underage..."

Roman's face scrunched up in confusion until he caught on to what he was hinting at. "God, no! Not that type of favor. That's, that's not how I meant it." He quickly added. "I don't even like guys in that type of way." He paused, tilting his head. "Hold up. You think that I'm gay?"

"I mean... I kinda figured since you said Lynn and you weren't a thing..."

"That... that doesn't make me..." he stopped. "You know what, never mind. I'm gonna pretend that I ain't hear the first part of this conversation." He looked at the sky before looking over at Abel. "I... I need you to led up on Zadia." He said, leaving both himself and Abel bewildered.  "You're mad at her... I get it, but she's your friend and you've got love for her... so forgive her so y'all can move on."

Abel placed the ball on his hips and took off his hoodie. "That's...I wasn't expecting you to say that. She said something to you?"

Roman shook his head, deciding not to disclose what Zadia said earlier. A little lie wouldn't hurt anyone and he rarely did it. "She didn't... The only reason why I'm saying anything is because I'm tired of the both of you mopping around. It's awkward, depressing, and annoying. You guys are friends so stop being petty and just make up already."

Abel scratched the back of his head. "I don't need you to tell me when to make up with her. I had already made up my mind to do it tomorrow." He explained. "I was just... waiting." He frowned, looking at Roman's suit. "Why are you dressed up so... clean?"

"It's for a meeting," Roman answered, taking a step back. "What, you've never seen a good suit before?"

"Never one with those tacky ass shoes."

Roman scoffed, looking down at his leather shoes. "These are Perry Ellis. Shit cost over three grand."

Abel shook his head. "So a waste of money." He concluded. "You got the drip, but you ain't got the drip."

Roman eyed him, before taking off his suit jacket. "You're a smart ass, you know that right?"

Abel chuckled, noticing him putting the suit jacket on one of the chairs. "What are you doing man?"

Roman grabbed the ball out of his hand swiftly. "I'm trying to see if your shit-talking is as bad as your layout." Roman dribbled the ball in his hands, before throwing it into the hoop effortlessly. "Why were you waiting to apologize to Zadia?" He asked, catching the ball and throwing it at Abel.

He caught it with one hand and began bouncing it. "Petty reasons, I guess. I thought she'd apologize first... but then it never happened and I figured it was time I just did it. I was wrong anyway."

"You both were in a way," Roman said, trying to take the ball away from him, but Abel moved to the right and threw the ball. He made the shot. "Nice, nice." He commented, putting his hand on his knees.

Abel laughed. "Don't tell me you're tired already, gramps, we're just getting started."

Roman caught his breath, sitting up straight. "Don't play yourself, I was just stretching." He walked over, trying to block Abel from making another shot, failing in the process.

From a distance, Lynn stood against the door, watching the two interact. Her lips pulled into a smile, remembering the old days. They were so happy back then. "Roman, we're gonna be late." She said, softly catching their attention.

Roman looked from Lynn to Abel. "That's my que," he said, dusting off his hands and getting his jacket. "To be continued."

Abel smirked. "Cool, maybe then you can play for real and not just let me beat you." He said and Roman frowned. "I'm a teenager, not a kid. I can tell when people are faking."

Roman smirked. "We'll play for real then."

_______

"What's wrong?" Roman asked, looking out of the window. Lynn and he had been on the road for an hour and Lynn had been quiet the majority of the ride, which rubbed him the wrong way. She had an energetic personality when it was just the two of them. Fresh air blew in and out of the car, because of the back windows being let down. "Say what's on your mind."

Lynn let her tongue skim her teeth before talking. "I'm at odds with you Roman." She decided to say, instead of sugar-coating it. They were in Roman's car and she was the one driving since she insisted on it. She was the only one Roman trusted enough to drive his cars.

Roman looked at her and sighed. "What I do now?" Roman questioned.

"We've known each other the majority of our lives, yet you continue to withhold things from me like I can't handle it. You know it's not right and you know if the roles were reversed, you wouldn't like it." Roman opened his mouth but she cut him off. "You better not start with that shit where you tell me to calm down, Roman. I'm not in the mood for it."

He sighed, already knowing what she was talking about. "How'd you find out?" He asked her.

"I'm the one that watches the house when everyone's asleep, how do you think I found out?" She said, "Adam fell asleep with his laptop on, last night. It was hard not to notice that he was running a picture of both my cousin and your sister through facial recognition. You should've told me that Eliśa was with her the second you found out."

"I didn't want to stress you out. I know how you get when anyone from your family is brought up." He told her, sincerely. "But, I was going to tell you as soon as I had more information about the matter."

She pressed on the brakes, coming to a halt at the stop sign. "Don't do that anymore. Just tell me... Please." She sighed. "I've got a way to contact my cousin and it's probably a long shot, but I think it'll work."

"How?"

"Draya doesn't make a move without my uncle's word. Therefore, I'll meet up with him and see if he'll give up where she's at.

"Absolutely, not. We're desperate, but we aren't that desperate. Your uncle is... he's fucking crazy and every single fucking time we cross paths with him, we're left for dead." Lynn's family was the definition of corrupt.

Her father, who was close friends with Roman's mentor, was a con artist and her mother who was doing life at the state pen was a drug smuggler. Lynn's father had abandoned her when she was ten, just a year after her mother was arrested. He left her in the care of Mackie, who was her uncle from her mother's side and also a drug smuggler. Growing up in that household wasn't as easy as it may have sounded. Lynn went through a lot there and she had the memories and scars to prove it.

"That may be true, but we need a new lead Roman and he can give us that." She said as she drove.

Roman shook his head. "After all the shit he's put us through, after all the shit he's done to you." He took her right hand that was resting on her lap. "We'll find another way, just give me time."

She glanced at him, nodding her head. "Alright." She whispered. "But we need to keep it under consideration." The feeling of Roman's hand in hers made her feel things. Things she didn't know how to describe. "Roman... what the fuck are we?" She asked him, hoping for an answer this time.

"I don't know." He mumbled, looking at their intertwined hands. He cringed at his answer, heat rising to his face. He always got like this when she had brought it up and that was his usual answer because he didn't know. The two of them were close, closer to each other than anyone in their lives and they knew each other so well that they could write a book about it. They were intimate but not to the point where it involved sex or anything like it. The kisses they shared were passionate and sweet, but when Roman envisioned himself being with her, there was nothing but a void.

A void that was frequently present whenever he thought about the future of his life.

Roman didn't see himself with anyone, and he didn't see a fairytale ending when it came down to his life.

He was at peace with it.

"Don't get mad." He started.

"I'm not." Lynn quickly said. "I know who you are... I know things like this aren't easy for you, therefore I get why you can't give me an answer. I'm not gonna fault you for that, but I can't keep waiting for you... I can't keep letting you break my heart." She explained.

Roman found himself nervously pulling on his tie. His breathing hitched. Hearing her say these things somewhat... hurt. His relationship with Lynn was complicated, and beyond understanding. "I get it." He said.

Lynn parked the car in the parking lot and shut off the car. They looked down at their intertwined hand a final time, before letting go. Lynn cleared her throat, nodding towards the office building in front of them. "Go ahead, I'll be here when you get back. Don't let them get in your head."

Roman nodded. "I won't." He said, stepping out. He looked himself over in the side mirror, before shutting the door. The sound of his footsteps could be heard as he walked towards the office building, his face expressionless. When he made it to the entrance, two white guards that he was used to, looked him over and opened the glass doors for him.

He walked in with his head held high, shoulder tensed.

He ignored the looks of the other personnel who always eyed him when he came and furthered his movements to the first office on the left. Knocking gently on the wooden door, it was opened up by another guard that was armed. "Roman, nice of you to finally join us." He heard the sound of Parker's voice greet him as the guard moved, making room for him to pass. "Didn't think you'd make it, considering you've been canceling a lot."

Roman eyed the room, taking in all the eyes that stared at him. As usual, the room was filled with powerful people. The same powerful people that he had been around since he was a teenager. "Senator Parker." He acknowledged her, taking in her new choice of style. A blonde bob cut that made her look older. "It's nice to see you." He scanned the room again. "It's nice to see all of you."

He clutched his hands together, hating how cold it was in here. "Likewise." He heard the people around him say. "Have a seat." Parker insisted. Three people in total sat at the wooden rectangle table. One senator, which was Nicole Parker, was the leader of this little organization. She was a middle-aged white woman that moved like a snake but had the power of the United States president to back her every move.

Roman's legs moved, his feet guiding him to the furthest chair at the end of the table. He sat down with his hands in his lap. "Roman, we each here have a trusted relationship with one another and when your father brought you to us and you took the oath, you promised to put the work you do here first." Grégoire, the prime minister of France, spoke. He laid his hand on the table, his burning blue eyes looking at Roman. "When we gave you the okay to come back here, you assured us that you'd work twice as hard. Yet, your performance is showing otherwise."

Enrique, who was a bishop from Mexico, slammed down a folder on the table and slid it to Roman. "For the past few months, it's like your head isn't where it's supposed to be!" Roman opened the folder, looking at the pictures of his dead assignments over the past months. "It took you two weeks to assassinate Luigi and his wife, which is the longest time you've ever taken to assassinate someone. Hell, Diego Alvarez is still breathing as we speak and we gave you that assignment a week ago."

"And the week before that, you turned down an assignment." Grégoire piped up.

Parker shook her head. "You're not focusing on the task at hand Roman and your father would be ashamed to hear it. This business that you have with your sister, has to end."

Roman glared at her. "With all due respect, Senator Parker don't mention my father." He told her. "What I do with my free time is none of your concern, so if I decide to look for my sister it's none of your concern."

"See and that's where you're wrong, Roman. It's none of our concern until it starts meddling with your work, which it has. Which now makes it our concern." Parker slid another folder at him and when he opened it, he sighed. It was a picture of Cortez's dead cousin. "This was brought to our attention by Cory Figueroa... your brother-in-law. He's claiming to go public about it, he says he has proof." 

Roman sucked his teeth. "Yeah, I killed his cousin and he's bullshitting you guys about the proof. I was careful, just like I always am and if it just so happens that I'm not, it's up to you guys to take care of it. Full immunity, that's what you all promised." Roman leaned closer to the table. "I've done everything for you people, for your countries, for your families. I've given you all half my life and never once did I question anyone about it. Have I been a little distracted lately, yes and you guys would be too if you were looking for someone from your family? I'm getting the work done, that's what counts and that's what matters."

"You're right and we thank you for your services Roman, as well as your father's but if you keep letting your personal life get in between your work, there will be severe consequences and you'll be on the next flight to Mexico. We'll take care of your brother in law, you just better hope he isn't pushy." Parker said. "Another thing. That fugitive you're harboring in that safe house we gave you, when exactly did you plan on telling us about her and the kids?"

Roman licked his lips, his nails digging into his palm but he kept his face emotionless. "I wasn't." He told the truth. "She's innocent in all of this and she doesn't know a thing about you all, neither does the kid. I swear on my life."

"They're a liability," Enrique said. "You know we don't like liabilities."

"I know, which is—"

Grégoire cut him off. "We're giving you six months, Roman. Six months for you to get rid of them, six months for you to find your sister."

"And if I don't reach the six months mark?" He asked.

Parker cleared her throat, straightening her posture. "You'll have to kill the fugitive and the boy and you'll move onto your next assessments." She said, dead serious. "We'll allow you to keep your nephew of course, but any business regarding your sister will be shut down." She stated. "Are we clear?"

Roman looked at them, his eyes bouncing from one person to the other. It was clear they had already made up their mind about this and he couldn't go against them, so he did the only thing he could at the moment. He nodded, agreeing. "We're clear."

Not edited. Excuse any errors and point them out. Thank you!