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Episode: Kanoth

It was 12:45: PM on Sunday.

Despite years of driving down the same streets, Kanoth felt like an a stranger approaching a new continent or a freshly sentenced felon about to enter his cell for the first time. The shock of losing a leg would have been enough to hospitalise any normal person for weeks but since he _had_been a officer for an Overworld-aware corporation and had Cedar backing him up, he was able to recover much faster. It helped that Ryker and his crew were willing to spend some of their own energy to help him recover with Refresh.

No one had ever done that for him.

Ever.

Not Aileen, not Elijah or Emile. Not even Nero. As officers, they automatically assumed they had a high synchronisation rate with one another since they worked together. Now that he took a step backk, he realised that was not the case. Well... Maybe Nero could be considered a friend but he couldn't be sure the friendliness wasn't just his form of 'professionalism'.

"Nervous?" Cedar asked from the driver's seat.

Now that he had left AllAle, the bespectacled gopher had to get a far more reasonable car. No black, expensive sedan with a sunroof and plush upholstery. It was just a simple four-seat compact hatchback that he had paid for with his significant savings. As a CFO, he knew the value of saving money and as such, had quite a nest-egg. Though he anticipated that in the following weeks, he would be losing quite a bit of it.

"I'm going back to the house where there lives the woman I married not out of love but social obligation and my two daughters whom I've constantly uses supernatural powers to keep out of my hair with the man whom I love after losing a leg." Kanoth blew out his cheeks and let out his breath slowly. "I'm honestly surprised that I'm not panicking right now."

He knew exactly why he wasn't panicking.

Because for once in his life, he was being honest with himself. A veil had been lifted from his eyes and he was no longer chained by the expectations of what a corporate CFO should be. It was quite funny. He was sure despite all of Aileen's protests and Nero's encouragement, he would eventually be phased out of _AllAle_because no one wanted to have a one-legged gopher as one their leaders. Especially not in the brutal Overworld.

He could live his own life for the first time ever.

But to do that, he had to free those who were still trapped in the illusion that he was a family man, a caring father and loving husband.

"You know you don't have to do this all at once, right?" Cedar said, breaking the silence.

"The sooner the better," Kanoth said firmly. "If I don't do this now, then Cecilia is just going to be sucked deeper and deeper into the lie. Clarie and Charlotte are going to grow up and that will be more time that they have lived in that fake world where I'm not their gay father. I don't think I can survive maintaining the lie long enough for any of them to understand."

"Well maybe you don't have to tell them all at once," prompted Cedar. "That would be like... like..."

"Ripping off your own leg?" he prompted, offering the green-haired rhino a faint smile.

Cedar turned into his street. Some part of him realised he should be panicking as in less than three minutes, he'd be confronting his wife about his multiple infidelities. Yet his heart was surprisingly beating at a steady rate. An air of calm exuded from him. "I was going to say 'ripping off a bandaid' really fast but sure, let's go with yours."

The rhino and his lover, no... long-time partner... husband? What were they exactly? Cedar just gave him a dazzling smile that made his heart stop for the briefest of moments. "We can't keep lying. I can't keep lying. I've got to tell them the truth because the longer I go on with the lie, the worse it'll hurt when the truth comes out."

"Aren't you worried that you're going to be hurting three people, maybe more, just so you don't feel guilty?"

That was Cedar. Alway knew exactly what to say or do to make sure that he got the best out of every decision he made even if it meant playing devil's advocate. "Going for the self-sacrifice angle? Doing the numbers? Two people will suffer so that three can live on in the delusion?" He met his... They weren't IP and Host anymore. How could their relationship be defined?

"You're the numbers guy," answered the beefy rhino with a shrug. "You've lived your life crunching the damn things."

"And look where it's gotten me." He turned away, glanced down the street. "Don't I owe the truth to Cecilia and my children? I'm willing to support them. I'll be everything a husband and father can be. I just can't give them the love that they would expect."

"That still sounds like a cop-out to me."

"They all deserve to find happiness," Kanoth said with a long sigh. "I cant... I won't be responsible for keeping them from that happiness." From the corner of his eyes, he looked towards Cedar. "You know why 'Hope' was in Pandora's Box, right? The Box supposedly used to hold all the evils of the world?"

"Not really. Though to be honest, those Gods who are supposed to be 'all-powerful' and 'omniscient' were big jackasses by giving the damn thing to a little girl knowing full well she'd open it." Cedar shook a hand absently through the air when describing the deities. "They just wanted to screw with furkind and not be blamed for it. So poor Pandora gets to be guilty of dooming all mortals while the gods just sit back and laugh."

Kanoth rolled his eyes. "Not the point. 'Hope' is considered evil because it makes people believe in something that may or may not come true. You keep people waiting for something to happen, keeping that spark alive. The greatest evil of them all is knowing that something will _never_come true but you're still keeping them on the hook."

"Well..." Cedar began, "you could say the same thing happened with us. I mean, I kept hoping that one day you and I would be together out in the open. That's why I kept hanging on there and I cherished every moment we spent together. Eventually, it came true."

He turned towards the rhino, surprised by this confession. Neither of them had ever confessed their true feelings for one another. Even now, neither of them had actually said 'I love you' to one another. It was just an unspoken bond. What they had felt during their tenure as IP and Host just did not seem relevant anymore.

Until now.

There was still so much that they needed to learn about one another.

"I can honestly say, though, that I would _never_be able to give Cecilia the same love and affection I share for you."

"Right but I bet when you were starting out with me, you would say the same thing about us," Cedar answered. "When you came up with me and when I materialised, if someone told you that you and I would be in a relationship, you'd probably smack them around a bit for being so stupid."

It was true. He would have. Maybe made a shrill denial.

"You can't say anything will last forever," Cedar concluded. "And while I know you and know how you feel, you can't just treat Cecilia and the girls like they're some bandaid you're going to rip off and discard. You can't just tell them 'Hey, I don't love you. I'll send you a cheque in the mail' then move on. You've got to be tactful about this. I mean, you went _ missing_ for four days and now you're coming home with one less leg. You can't just pile that all on her at once."

That... was a very good point. Too bad Cedar had to make it just as he was rolling up to the front of his house. If only he had more time to think it through. Sometimes, he wished he had the sharp, calculating mind of Aileen or maybe the charm of Nero. His fingers were inching nervously towards his phone only for him to remember he couldn't use his Functions anymore. What he wouldn't do to just Pause the world for a second and get some time to think.

"Then what do you suggest?" he sighed at length.

Cedar reached out, gripping his thigh. "Don't unleash everything on her all at once. Maybe just tell here that this 'accident' has made you reevaluate a few things but assure her that you'll always be there for her. Maybe after she's seen us together for a while, she'll slowly realise what's going on and it'll ease the transition."

"So you want me to rub our relationship in her face until she comes to the conclusion herself?" He shook his head and glanced towards the same, white door that sprung open with Cecilia's eagerness. "I guess we'll see how we go."

He waited patiently while Cedar exited the driver's seat, gave Cecilia a brief nod, then moved towards the trunk. His wife's eyes were filled with worry and widened when Cedar pulled out the wheelchair from the back. Her paws went to her lips, hiding a gasp when he opened the car door and hauled himself into the waiting seat, missing one leg. There were tears in those soft brown eyes as Cedar wheeled him up the driveway towards the door.

"Kanoth..." she gasped. "Oh my god..."

He fought to give her the bravest smile he could. After years of fighting in the Overworld, of training Corpsmen, fighting off corporate incursions and whatever else came his way, this was what truly scared him.

"Cecilia, I -" He choked. There was so much he wanted to say; so much he wanted to admit but it all got stuck in his throat.

Seeing his plight, Cedar stepped in. "I'm sure you've already heard of what happened," said the rhino. "It was my fault. I was responsible for the car. I should've gotten it checked more thoroughly. Who knew a gas tank could explode like that?"

"Is this a joke to you?" Cecilia demanded, gazing accusingly at him. "My husband has lost his leg!"

"And I'm going to do whatever I can to make up for it. I've quit my job. I'm going to be Kanoth's carer from now on. I owe him my life and my recklessness got him really badly hurt. I need to make amends."

Cecilia's rage subsided somewhat. "I... I appreciate that, Cedar. I'm so sorry for snapping. I just -" She gagged again, holding her paws towards her muzzle. "I saw the news... When I didn't heard from either of you for days I was beginning to worry..." She staggered forward, falling her knees so that she could kneel in front of him. "Kanoth... I am here for you. I -"

"I don't love you."

Cedar smacked his forehead, loudly. Kanoth could almost hear the sound of Cecilia's heart breaking.

"W - What...?" she stammered.

"I'm sorry, Cecilia," he said at length. "What happened has given me time to seriously reassess my situation and search my heart." If he was going to do this, he was not going to cow and drop his gaze. He was going to lock eyes with her and confess. It was hard. Every fibre of his being was being weighed down by shame but he fought against it. "For years now, I've been having an affair. With Cedar."

For a second, Cecilia's eyes switched to the hulking rhino behind him then back to him.

"I'm gay, Cecilia. I've only come to terms with that now. I don't love you. I never have. I married you out of a social obligation to have a wife and children. Maybe it was because as part of my job I had to appear like I had a balanced life capable of running the financial division of a multi-million dollar corporation while having a family or maybe it was because I was just too much of a coward to admit who I was and how I felt.

"But after what happened, I've realised that I can't keep up this charade any longer. You deserve someone better than me. Someone who can give you the love and support you need." This would have been the time to reach out and grip her paw but it didn't seem right. Not yet. "I won't fight you for custody. I'll support you in whatever way I can. Take the house. Take everything if you have to. Just so long as you're happy and free to pursue your dreams."

Her eyes never left his.

"Happy?" she repeated, anger and hatred creeping into her voice. "You want me to be happy?" She was suddenly on her feet. "I gave up my career to give you children and you suddenly want me to be happy!? Do you know how many sleepless nights I've spent caring for our_children so you can go off _fucking_this piece of meat!?"Her paw gestured angrily at Cedar. "Is that all I am to you? Just some _social obligation!?" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "No. You're not getting off the hook that easily. Get out! Just get out! Leave!"

Kanoth nodded grimly and Cedar began wheeling him away.

The door slammed loudly behind him.

They were halfway down the street before Cedar said anything.

"Why?" whispered the rhino. "Just... Why?"

"There's one thing you can't get back in this world," he began, "and that's time. I don't want to waste another second of Cecilia's life with this lie. She can hate me all she wants. She can devote her life to destroying my career but I can't let let her waste that pure, innocent love she held for me."

Cedar's big hand gripped his shoulder, squeezing tightly. "If it's any consolation, you still have my love. It isn't exactly 'pure and innocent' but you have it."

He gave his lover a smile. "Will you marry me?"

The rhino gave him an exasperated look. "Let's wait until Cecilia divorces you first, okay? This is not for discussion."

"It wasn't a question of when we will get married. More like a question of if you would ever put on a ring for me."

Cedar's smile turned warm. "Of course. I love you, Kanoth. Now more than ever."

Speaking from the heart, for once unchained by others, he answered with, "And I love you too."

******

The coffee shop was called 'Crossbar' so named because it was situated in the middle of a dark, obscure alleyway and no one really knew how to get to it. The perfect place to have a nondescript meeting between old coworkers. Maybe even an catch-up between friends away from the prying eyes of other people in the Overworld. It was a facility situated int the basement of an old apartment building. One had to take a small flight of steps down from ground level into the dark, brick-walled establishment that didn't even have a sign. There was a bar, several booths and a few tables. Surprisingly big, it was dark with the only natural light coming from the tiny windows near the ceiling that was occasionally interrupted by foot traffic.

For what he would liken to a dive bar, it was surprisingly clean. There wasn't anyone else in the shop and the only reason Kanoth had heard about the place was because when he asked the concierge at the hotel he was staying about any local non-mainstream coffee shops, he was directed to this place. The only other person in the place apart from himself was the lone server at manning the counter; a seven-foot tall wolf that was built like a bodybuilder with every muscle seemingly ready to burst out from beneath his grey fur. His fur patterns almost made him look more like a husky but despite what Cedar argued, the guy was definitely a wolf. Kanoth could just tell based on the muzzle shape and placement of the ears.

"Can I get you two anything else?" asked the wolf in a surprisingly light, youthful voice despite his thick neck. The lupine set down the cappuccino in front of Kanoth. Odd as it may seem - and perhaps a little insulting toward his wife - the weight of maintaining a 'straight' persona had been lifted from him and he found himself appraising the barista before him. That build was certainly very delectable and the fact that the wolf was wearing only a very tight black shirt beneath his dark green apron with a shockingly deep neckline revealed the light dusting of brown chest hair. The well-trimmed full goatee he wore - the kind that seamlessly merged moustache with chin beard - would have made a normal fur look much older but for some reason, for this wolf it made him look only in his mid-to-early twenties. Those blue eyes were bright and far too welcoming for such a dour place. Then again, given that they were probably his only customers for the entire day, this guy - 'Forge' by his name tag - likely had plenty of pleasantries to spare.

"I'm good for now," Kanoth replied with a pleasant smile. "Thank you."

"Sure thing, gentlemen. If you need anything else, just give me a holler."

Then the wolf was turning, heading back toward the counter.

"Does he look like an IP to you?" he asked.

Cedar snorted. "Seven-foot tall. Perfectly sculpted body. Charming and handsome to boot? Yeah. Totally an IP." He glanced around the bar. "Though this definitely wouldn't have been a place we would have hit during our tenure."

He had to agree. It was too remote. Though clean, there was really nothing special about it. Again, he had to wonder exactly how Crossbar_managed to survive this long if people barely knew about it. Though the concierge at the hotel _did recommend it, it was his twentieth recommendation.

Kanoth took a sip from the cappuccino and his eyes immediately lit up. "Huh."

Cedar turned to him, one green eyebrow cocked. "What's wrong?"

"This is... actually not bad. It's not great but... it's not bad. It's just what I need."

"It is what you ordered."

It was hard to explain. The taste was fairly average, in his opinion, but there was something else to it. The light ticking of the froth against his lips, the gentle warmth trickling down his throat, the faint nuttiness that didn't overpower the bitterness of the coffee with just the right amount of sweetness from the powdered chocolate... More than the taste, however. It was like someone had injected liquid courage into his veins and helped steel him for what was to come.

Was this place secretly a Transistor and this IP used his powers to produce this cup of coffee?

Before he could ask further, the door to the shop opened and Nero stepped in. The tall rhino with the filed down horns immediately saw him and approached, wearing an easy smile. Behind him was the stoic Tomahawk. The bartender greeted them and Nero gave him a nod, pointing at Kanoth to indicate that he was here to see the other lone patron. The lupine said to let him know if they wanted anything and Nero gave him smile and a nod. That smile was worn all the way to the booth that Kanoth occupied.

"Funny place to meet up," said the rhino, parking himself opposite to the one-legged gopher. "What? You think this place is worth investing in?"

Of course that was code for getting AllAle to move in and bully the owner into selling out.

"I don't think you'd want to invest in a coffee place," Kanoth said. "That's the opposite of what AllAle stands for. Besides, Emile would never go for it."

"That's true," Nero chuckled, striking a casual pose by draping an arm over the back of the booth. Tomahawk remained standing even though Cedar was seated. "So what've you been up to?"

"Getting my life together." Kanoth offered the strongest smile he could but the strain of silence from Cecilia was starting to wear on him. He was still waiting for the eventual letter demanding that he sign divorce papers or to one day switch on the television to the headlines that he was a lying son-of-a-bitch who cheated on his wife. "It's not easy confessing everything to Cecilia."

"Everything?"

He immediately held up a paw. "Not everything. Just the... intimate parts." He gestured between himself and Cedar. "You know. The things between us."

"Of course." Nero nodded towards his paw. "I notice you're not wearing your ring anymore. Divorce proceedings already finalised?"

"No but I'm pretty sure I don't deserve the to wear it anymore."

"Dude, you're being too hard on yourself." There was Nero's charm again. So easy, so casual. Even though the topic of discussion was grim and heavy, Nero's words just made it seem so much easier than it really is. "You can't help how you feel. Got to follow your heart, right? Besides, you're doing her a favour. Don't want the Libertatis going after her and your kids as well."

That had not crossed his mind. In the interaction he had with the Custodes Libertatis, they were not going to go about threatening people's families for the purposes of getting what they want. That was an AllAle tactic. One that he had employed on more than one occasion much to his shame. Was Nero just assuming the worst of the Libertatis because that was what he came to expect given how he worked?

"Maybe," he replied, forcing a laugh. "Either way, I haven't spoken to Cecilia since the day I told her I'm gay and been in bed with Cedar for years. I'm sure she's speaking to her lawyers and I expect things to go south fairly soon."

"Hey." Nero reached out with his free hand and grasped his paw. "I'm here for you, bud. If you need some place to crash or need some more firepower lawyer-wise, just let me know. I'll make sure to bury that bitch before she can even lift a finger."

Kanoth pulled his paw away. "No, no! Nothing like that! Whatever she wants, I'm going to give to her. She's the injured party here. I don't want to fight her over this."

The smile on his friend's face began to fade. "Seriously? You've got to protect your assets, my man. I know you think what you did was wrong but she's probably just as guilty. She clearly wasn't giving you want you needed. If she wasn't receptive or willing to reach out, then she's can't just play the victim for you seeking satisfaction elsewhere."

Was that really how he felt? Was Nero seriously trying to justify the disintegration of his marriage by placing some of the blame on innocent Cecilia? A pit began to form in his stomach and it was filled with something he never thought he'd hold for his friend; disgust.

"Let's change the subject," he said, waving a paw through the air. "Why did you want to meet up?"

Nero's features hardened. "Look, I know what you said back at the meeting was your final say on the matter but I want you to reconsider coming back to AllAle. We can protect you. The Libertatis can't be everywhere and we can fight them together. The company just isn't the same without you."

Kanoth came to a terrifying realisation. Right in front of him was a mirror. Nero was exactly who he did not want to be and the kind of guy that Ryker helped him realise he was turning into. A thug. A brute. All the muscle and strength that _AllAle_would ever need to muscle his way through to success, fighting all opposition without a second thought. Whether it was literally with his muscles or by throwing the immense funds that he had to buy out or defeat his foes with sheer wealth, his modus operandi was to just to force his way to getting what he wanted.

In Nero, he saw much of the same though there was something else in there.

A deep seated loyalty. No. It wasn't loyalty. It was... something else.

"I didn't leave because the Libertatis has dirt on my or because I'm afraid of them hurting the people I love."

"What?" asked his friend. "Then why? If you're not afraid of them, why did you quit? If it's your leg...?"

"You're not listening. Yes, I'm not afraid of them but that's because I think they're right." Those words shocked Nero and the rhino reeled back, removing his arm from over the booth's headrests. "Listen to me, Nero. You have got to get out of AllAle as soon as possible. I know you've seen it to. That place is toxic. Not as in a toxic work environment. It _eats_at your soul. I didn't realise it until I almost died. But think about who you are. What you're doing. If you were to die today, would you be proud of what you've done? Could you honestly tell me that you could stand in front of God and proudly announce that you were deserving of going to heaven?"

Nero canted his head. "Is this what this is? You had some sort of religious experience after nearly dying? Kanoth, I can't imagine what you're going through but, dude, come on. You've got to take it down a notch. Take a holiday. Find yourself. Don't go donating all your earnings to charity or something."

"That'd be the last thing I want to do. It'll be as if I never changed. I'd just be buying my way into Heaven." He shook his head. "Just trust me on this, Nero. Get out of there as fast as you can. You're going to be compelled to think of AllAle_like a family. You're going to justify the horrible things you've done by saying it's 'just business' or something. But it's not. You've _always got a choice, Nero. Please. Please, quit. It can't end well."

His friend's features hardened and Nero slowly lowered his head, angling his blunted horns towards Kanoth like he was about to charge. His voice turned cold, professional. "I respect your choice to quit, Kanoth. If you ever reconsider, you have my contact number and I'm sure we can work something out." Then Nero began to rise, aiming to leave.

"It's never too late, Nero," Kanoth said quickly. "You can always turn a new leaf."

"Not everyone can just discard everything they've built and invested in for a 'new start'."

And there it was. He realised exactly why Nero would never leave AllAle willingly. In his eyes, he had put too much of his blood, sweat and tears into the corporation. He had already sold his soul to the company and there was no turning back. A choice had been made and it was one he had made willingly.

"Nero, you can still save yourself!" he pleaded, trying to rise from his seat only to remember he was one leg down. Cedar helped him stabilise himself again. "It'll hurt. It'll be just like ripping off a bandaid. I know you're scared and I know you think you can't get all that time and effort back but won't it be better to have what little of your soul intact and free than to let it slowly die in the clutches of a heartless corporation?"

Nero was already halfway to the door when he stopped. Without turning towards Kanoth, he said, "I'm glad you can find peace in your decisions, Kanoth. I hope it doesn't ruin our friendship."

Then he left, taking Tomahawk with him and leaving them in silence.

"That could've gone better," Cedar sighed. "He's pretty stubborn."

"He's got his roots buried in the company fairly deep," sighed Kanoth, shutting his eyes. "It'll be hard to pull him out... if ever."

There was a soft clatter of plates and he opened his eyes to find a small plate with some store-bought-looking cookies sitting in front of him. There were even two slices of banana bread and some butter and, strangely enough, a slice of prosciutto on each.

"You two look like you needed this," the lupine bartender, Forge, said.

"Cured meat on banana bread?" Cedar asked, picking up one of the slices. "That's... different."

"Trust me," said the wolf with a smile. "It shouldn't work but it does."

With a shrug, Cedar took a bite from it. His eyes immediately lit up and he covered his muzzle with one hand as he happily munched on the meal. "Man... It is good. Starts salty but then goes to sweet. Weird but it works."

Curious, Kanoth took a bite himself. It had to be the strangest combination he had ever tasted. In the back of is mind, it brought to mind bacon-wrapped-bananas but it was surprisingly good. Again, he was filled with a strange sense of... 'just-what-he-needed'. Maybe the correct term was 'inspiration' or 'confirmation'. Odd as it may seem, the meal was like an analogy for his encounter with Nero. He was suddenly filled with the sensation that everything would turn out okay.

"Hey, are you an IP?" Cedar asked suddenly.

"A what now?" asked the wolf, one eyebrow lifted.

"An IP. You know, Intellectual Property from the Overworld?"

The wolf blinked at him a few times in confusion. "Uh... is that from a videogame or something? I think I'm pretty much caught up with all the games out there but I'm not really into MMOs..."

"You can drop the act, dude," said Cedar with a knowing smile. "You think this is dyed?" He ran a hand through his green hair. "I'm an IP too. This guy created me." He patted Kanoth's shoulder.

The wolf glanced between the two, a look of realisation crossing his features.

Kanoth was glad to have met another IP outside of Ryker and his gang. He needed to find his own social circle again outside of work and, at least for the moment, he still felt that the Libertatis was tied to AllAle.

"Oh! I was sort of wondering why you two were so chummy!" laughed the wolf, pointing between them. "At first I thought you two were lovers but I guess you're father and son. Still... I've got _several_follow up questions."

"What?" Cedar blurted, blinking in surprise. "No, I -"

"Let's just say we're really close," Kanoth said. "Just out of curiosity, how'd you get so tall and big, Forge?"

"Good genes, I guess," laughed the brown-haired lupine with a grin. "Though I can barely more around in this city. Everything is so small!" He flicked an ear backwards. "Anyway, I should get back to work. Drinks and the food are on the house."

"Really? We can pay..."

The wolf shrugged. "Nah, it's okay. You guys looked like you needed a little pick-me-up after all that."

Whistling a nameless tune, the wolf padded back towards the counter. After a few bars of the music, he began singing, "...wherever you go, whatever you do... Hmmm...hmmm... right here waitin' for you..."

"He's not an IP, is he?" Cedar asked, brow furrowed.

Kanoth frowned. "I... I don't know."

Then his phone beeped. One glance down caused his heart to plummet.

Cecilia wanted to meet.

He grabbed one of the cookies. Raisins. He hated raisins but there was something about this cookie that dulled the flavour of the wrinkly pellets that reminded him of rat shit and instead left him with the soft wine-like taste that lingered on his tongue. Much like the little biscuit, he knew he had go to his wife. It was something he'd hate and something that would linger on his soul for a while but in the end, it would be for the better.

"We need to go."

******

Not a good sign that Cecilia wanted to meet in the office of a divorce lawyer. Not one he recognised either. Still, this was about what he expected. He had asked Cedar to wait outside in the lobby while he dealt with his wife - or rather soon-to-be ex-wife. This was something between them and he didn't want Cecilia's judgement to be clouded by rage in the heat of the moment. She had been a lawyer before she devoted her life to being a housewife. Likely something she aimed to bring up.

Kanoth was able to wheel himself into the lawyer's office, the shiny nameplate on the desk indicating that the woman's name was 'Oaker'. Rene M. Oaker Esquire. He rolled himself up in front of the large desk placed in front of a wide bookcase filled with thick volumes on law and several diplomas from various law schools, one of which was Harvard. Clearly, Cecilia had spared no expense. Knowing full well their funds, she knew where she stood.

Dressed in a suit that she hadn't worn in years, Cecilia sat on a seat far away from him, keeping her eyes forward, back straight and stiff as a board.

Oaker, a cow with both horns broken unevenly, straightened the papers in front of her and then cleared her throat. "Alright. After reviewing the case, it has become clear to me that, Mr. Lameer was in clear violation of the terms of the marriage. However, as a decent fur, I have to ask," he looked down his half-moon glasses at them, genuine concern in her brown eyes, "have you two tried marriage counselling? I may be a divorce lawyer but I would be remiss not to suggest trying to work things out first before you dive right into divorce."

She was just covering his bases. Kanoth knew the dance. One of the tactics he knew Aileen used often was to drive a wedge between prospective acquisitions and their loved ones. Filming infidelities and sending them to partners was a surefire way to cut a business owner's assets in half or more depending on if the divorce was a bitter one. If Oaker didn't at least suggest marriage counselling, both parties could blame her for negligence or something.

"This isn't a matter of trying to work out a broken marriage," he said calmly. "This is about putting an end to a sham of a marriage so that both parties can move on with their lives."

"Move on?" spat Cecilia. "I gave you more than a _decade_of my life! You think it'd just be easy to 'move on' from that?"

"No. It wasn't an easy decision for me as well and that is time neither of us will ever get back. I just hope that we can make use of what time we have left and not spend it hating one another."

"Don't you dare play the martyr here, Kanoth!" she snapped. "I'm the victim!"

Oaker raised her hands, catching their attention. "Please, please. Calm down, both of you."

Kanoth decided not to point out that Cecilia was the one in hysterics.

"If you're both set in divorce," said the cow, "have you decided what to do with your finances and assets?"

He glanced over to Cecilia who returned the gaze with a fiery, hateful look.

"Half," she spat. "I want half of everything he has."

"Three-quarters," he replied. "You'll get three-quarters of everything I have. The house is yours as well."

That surprised her. He had honestly expected her to demand everything he had but she had been a lawyer. Overstepping her limits would make her seem greedy and if the courts became involved, she would appear the vindictive party. If he was more than willing to give her everything, the courts were likely to rule in his favour.

"Fine," she spat. "I expect child-support as well."

"Done."

The lack of resistance on his part stunned both her and Oaker. It was clear the cow was questioning why she was even involved.

"Do you have anything in terms of visitation rights?" Cecilia asked, going on the defensive.

"Alternate weekends," he answered.

Now it was her turn to start countering.

"One weekend per month."

Harsh and it would likely turn the visits to him into a chore for little Charlotte and Clarice. He would not fight her on this. "Done but on the caveat that if you decide to alter the terms of the visitation rights, you are free to do so at any time."

She pursed her lips. It gave her a lot of power. On the one hand, it opened the door for the girls to visit their father far more if she ever forgave him but at the same time, she could cut him off if there was good reason. That would be a court battle on its own. "Fine," she huffed. "I also want to make sure he keeps outside of 100 feet from me and -"

Oaker held up a hand. "That's pushing it. From what I've reviewed from the case, he has never abused you, never hit you and his only crime is the fact that he has fallen in love with another man and had sexual relations with him repeatedly." Before Cecilia could speak up, Oaker said, "If you try and bring this up in court, you will find that the restraining order will be heavily frowned upon. There are no grounds for it."

Cecilia straightened. "Fine. Send him the papers. He can sign it then we can get this over with so we can, as he put it, 'move on'."

Oaker turned towards Kanoth, pity in her eyes. "Mr. Lameer, I do have the concern that you have recently resigned from your position. Though, as I understand, you have substantial savings and investments, will you be able to sustain the payments required of you even after we divide your assets?"

It was a question he had asked himself many times. What was he going to do now that he had been freed from AllAle. Since he had quit, there was no severance package on its way. Though he had lots of investments in the company and he could sell those off, that would hardly keep up the income especially since he _knew_the corporation would soon fall.

"I'll figure something out," he answered, offering a wry smile. "I just want to make sure I do what's best for the Cecilia and the girls."

"What's best for us if you had kept it in your pants and not fucked your driver!" snapped Cecilia.

Oaker frowned at her. "Mrs. Lameer!"

"Don't call me that." She turned angrily towards Kanoth. "Just so you know, I'm going back to my maiden name."

Not that he expected anything less. "I understand."

It was clear that his amicability was infuriating her. She came here expecting a fight. As much as she wanted to give her that so that she could at least leave with some sense of victory, it would only put more strain on her. That pain, that anger, had to be let out. It couldn't be allowed to fester. If that meant that he was the brunt of her fury for a while, so be it.

"Just so you know," she snarled. "I'm not even going to _keep_the half that you're giving me. Anything that remind me of you, I'm burning. Nothing of you will remain in the house. You're dead to me."

Kanoth closed his eyes and couldn't stop the smile from crawling on his face. "I just hope that one day, you'll perform a miracle."

Her lips twisted into a snarl while her eyes searched his, trying to discern his meaning without asking. After a moment, she gave up and simply asked, "What?"

He opened his eyes, eyes filled with tears of apology and hope that one day, she would forgive him. "The miracle of bringing me back from the dead."

She immediately turned her head away from him and she got to her feet. With a huff, she stormed out, swinging her bag in such a way that it almost hit his head.

Oaker shook her head apologetically towards him. "You know, I don't know if you're purposefully playing the apologetic gay husband just to seem like the good guy or not but you really broke her heart." Holding up a hand, she continued. "I won't question why you came to this decision now and not before you first made your vows but take the advice of a woman." She pressed that hand against her chest. "Stop looking so damn happy."

He tilted his head in surprise. "I beg your pardon?"

"She's miserable, Mr. Lameer. You keep talking about finding happiness and having hope and it's clear you're basking in your newfound freedom. Not everyone has the financial security to give away three-quarters of their assets and still be able to land on their feet while wearing a smile. How you're doing it, I'm not sure, but you need to realise that your ex-wife is heartbroken and miserable. The least you can do is at least be sympathetic towards her plight."

"I've apologised. I'm trying to support her..."

"With what? Money? All you're doing is buying her off. That's not an ex-wife, Mr. Lameer. That's a _really_expensive whore you're cutting off."

His jaw dropped. A protest was rising from his throat.

But she was right.

After all he had gone through, he still hadn't learned anything. Here he was, getting a divorce and all he was doing was throwing money at it and hoping it would all go away.

"I see you realise I'm right," Oaker said. "Please, Mr. Lameer, do make an effort. Not only to make sure that she's happy as you claim is your goal but also so that you two won't be knocking on my door again in need of future arbitration."

Kanoth offered her a thin smile. "Funny. I thought you'd be eager for the business."

"I live in New York City, Mr. Lameer. Forty to fifty percent of marriages end in divorce in the United States. I'm never short of business. What I'd rather not deal with is bitter suing and counter-suing in an attempt to get more out of one or the other." She stood from her seat. "My greatest pain is a client coming to me claiming that what their ex-partner initially agreed to isn't enough or someone broke the terms of the divorce. I don't want that kind of business. It's more trouble than it's worth."

"That's very prudent of you."

Kanoth wheeled himself out of the office and was lucky enough to find Cecilia still standing outside of the building, a phone to her ear and tears streaming down her face. Cedar wheeled him up to her and she shot him a foul look. It was clear she had ended the call a whole minute before he had arrived but she still kept talking just to make it look like she was busy. After five minutes, she grew tired of the charade.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"I don't want things to be like this between us, Cecilia."

"What? With you flaunting your boyfriend in front of me? You leaving me with the care of our two children while you get to fuck around? You're the one with the high-paying career, Kanoth! You're the one with the connections! I've been out of the workforce for years! How is anyone supposed to hire me!?" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "And don't think I'm just going to live off your money either!"

He lifted his paws. "I understand." Before she could interrupt him, he quickly said, "How about we go grab dinner tomorrow night? Nothing fancy. Maybe just pizza? That place you like that serves it with pineapples and olives?"

He hated pineapples on pizza.

"You hate pineapples on pizza," she accused.

"And you love them. We can go over your career prospects. I've got some contacts in a few universities. Maybe you can take up that business course you always wanted? Or that teaching one?"

Her muzzle twisted in fury. "Don't you dare pity me."

"This isn't pity." He pressed a hand against his chest. "I'm not talking as Kanoth Lameer your ex-husband. I'm talking to you as Kanoth Lameer, a concerned fri -"

Cedar quickly cleared his throat. 'Friends' might be pushing it.

"... private citizen who just happen to see a woman leaving a divorce lawyer's building in tears."

Cecilia's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Fine. But you're paying."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

She shoved her phone back into her purse. "Eight o'clock. I need to be home for the girl's bedtime."

"Of course."

Then she turned and for the briefest of moments, he could swear that ever-present snarl on her features had eased slightly.

When she was well out of earshot range, Cedar sighed. "Wow... That was actually really well done."

"Thanks," he answered with a smile. "Still got a lot to learn apparently."

Then his phone beeped. Who could be texting him at this time of day?

It was Nero.

And his heart plummeted.

"Oh no."

"What?" Cedar asked, looking over his shoulder. He could _feel_his partner's heart hit the ground. "Well shit... They're moving faster than we thought."

Kanoth was already reaching for his contacts and pulling up Ryker's phone.

The young wolf and his saviour answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"I've got some bad news," he said gravely. "Aileen Raskeil is throwing a party in two days for investors and the board of directors at her place," the gopher said. "She's going to get the Corpsmen to act as waiters and waitresses."

Ryker, sharp as ever, immediately drew the same conclusion he had. "She's going to get them to implant the idea that everything is fine into their minds. Our window of opportunity to stop AllAle is closing."

"Exactly. Can we meet?"