FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 20

"Who are you?"

ACT 1

....

"You are very lucky you know."

Charlie Winchester said, looking at the young brown-furred cat judgingly as he was leaning against the wall with his shoulder, arms crossed.

Elliot was sitting on the bedside he had just recently woken up from, looking slowly back at Charlie somewhat angrily, partly too scared to say what he really wanted.

Charlie had just explained to Elliot all of the events that took place within the last day ever since the cat got knocked out, and now... Part of Elliot felt like he should have never asked.

It would have been easier to live not knowing.

The brown-furred husky clearly expected a reaction of any kind from the cat, his whole overall attitude pretty much demanding one.

"... If you say so." Elliot said quietly.

"I do. The only reason you didn't end up more or less like Xavier was because you were still young. Still a whole life ahead of you to change your attitude and priorities on what is right. Small mercy." Charlie said Elliot feeling like only the gaze itself was pressing him down.

"And I'm supposed to take comfort in that, mister Charlie?" Elliot asked slightly scared.

"... Yes. I spared your life." Charlie sighed.

"...."

"Am I going to regret that decision? -" Charlie began threateningly, until Elliot cut him off, trying not to sound too angry, as hard as it was.

"You didn't need to kill them all."

Charlie rubbed his eyes a bit, closing them and trying to make himself relax a bit. Elliot's feelings at this moment were not his priority at all, but he could still give a small part of sympathy, explaining it as honestly and bluntly as he could.

"They gave me no choice. I am not going to let people breathe around me if I know they could harm or use my family against me. Calvin would have if I had let him. So would have Sax and Richard."

"They were my friends-" Elliot began desperately, disturbed by how calm Charlie was about what he had done.

"Mmhh. Too bad for you. There is no bringing them back. As I said, you are lucky. The fact that you were ready to shoot Amir or hurt Niles just to let Calvin win-" Charlie spoke in disgust, made Elliot shift a bit on his bed and raise his voice as he felt like he needed to defend his case.

"I DID NOT KNOW THAT CALVIN HAD TOLD XAVIER TO DO SO! -"

"So you say. You are either dumb as hell, Elliot, for not realizing what was going on the moment Calvin had given Xavier and you a gun. That is not a red light for you?" Charlie asked like the cat had to be one of the stupidest guards in the vault's existence.

"Calvin treated me good! He was a good leader in my eyes, why would I go against his orders?! I vouched for my service to him when I took the guard job, I just wanted to be worthy of that... THE WHOLE THING!" The cat desperately explained.

"He had you cleaning up Niles's blood from the hallways for... With what excuse?" Charlie asked like it was so ridiculous that he needed to hear it again out loud.

"He said that Niles had gotten drunk and stepped on a broken bottle..."

"Mhh. Does that sound like something that Niles would do?" Charlie sighed, completely disappointed.

"I admit, it sounded a bit off at the moment-" Elliot spoke quietly, Charlie now walking closer and speaking to the cat demandingly.

"A bit?"

The cat looked more uncomfortable when Charlie was now this close, wondering furiously any excuse at all that would make this all not look so bad on his side.

"Look, things like that happen among youth-"

Charlie rolled his eyes, snapping his fingers in frustration and giving a small, firm slap at the back of Elliot's head. That got the cats attention as he was forced to look at Charlie now, the brown-furred husky talking with a serious tone.

"I am done with this conversation. I don't need to waste my breath with this bullshit anymore. You fucked up, Elliot. Because you were too stupid to not thinking with common sense. Now that Calvin is out of the picture, things will change around here. Are you going to hold what I did against me on a personal level? Because I need the answer now."

Elliot, now sounding a bit fearful spoke quietly, taking his eyes off Charlie.

"... Mister Charlie... I don't know what made you act this way-"

"Injustices and foul, weak people plotting against me and hurting sleeping children. Give me your god damn answer, Elliot." The dog said impatiently.

"... If... If you won't like the answer... Will you just... Kill me? Like you did the others." Elliot asked, too scared to even look at Charlie after asking that.

"... I might." Charlie said with an honest tone, quietly.

"..." Now the cat felt his heart race as he wondered what to answer. He felt like he had no option, but the fact that Charlie just overtook the whole vault with blood was not an okay thing for him.

"Are you going to be a threat to me, my children or anyone else in this vault? Or are you going to shut up, accept what happened, and serve Tio as your future overseer? You are given a second chance, whether you deserve it or not. Are you going to take it?" Charlie asked with the final tone, growing tired of people speaking back to him still after everything was already over and done with.

"... C-Charlie... Y-You can't just expect me toURG!-"

Charlie had firmly grasped Elliot's neck with his paw, starting to squeeze it a bit and making the cat's eyes widen out a bit.

"HRRnGgCAH-Charl-" The cat tried to beg out, his weak hands trying to grab Charlie's in order to make him stop but the dog kept squeezing harder, whispering to the cat.

"I am done with games. I am done with people going against me. And I am tired of acting nice to people who don't deserve it. I could easily just... Get rid of one more potential problem by adding a little bit more pressure."

"HARhhGHSToP-"

The cat's eyes started to get bloodshot as Charlie kept squeezing, feeling the rush again in his veins as his grip started to get dangerously hard.

"Now... I ask you one last time-"

WOOSH

The metal door opened to the clinic, making Charlie instantly guide his other free paw to the handle of his Sig Sauer, which was tucked in his vault suit pocket.

The two at the door were Santino Tampico and Jacob Evergreen.

Both looked scared and confused for a moment, Charlie quickly lowering his gun and tapping the safety on with his finger, posing no more threat for the two.

"Apologies," Charlie said quietly, mainly looking at Jacob, who just stared at him a bit spooked out.

"Charlie... Let go of Elliot... Now." Santino ordered, despite his confusion being blatantly angry at him already.

"..." Charlie said nothing, but released Elliot from the grip second right after, the cat gasping for breath and falling slowly on the bed to lay on his side, gasping for air.

The brown-furred husky gazed upon the two, feeling a bit awkward. He then sighed and spoke to Jacob calmingly.

"Jacob. You here to see your father?"

"... Y-yes. I-I was told that he was here." Jacob answered after a second of hesitation, Santino still looking at Charlie angrily.

"He is. He is still recovering in the next room. Might wake up any moment now. You can go to him." Charlie said warmly, nodding at the door's way behind him.

"... Thank you, mister Charlie." Jacob said quietly.

The German shepherd started to slowly walk past Charlie, looking at him warily the whole time.

He had never seen Charlie with a gun in hand, and overall, he just... Looked different.

And seeing him strangle Elliot like that for whatever reason, was quite scary, having never seen Charlie even angry.

Yet as Jacob was next to Charlie, the old dog spoke to Jacob quietly.

"Hey... You okay?"

Santino was clearly a bit insulted that the dog was in this kind of situation daring to talk to Jacob before addressing him, but not interfering with the talk between them, just listening.

"... Yeah... Everyone... I just heard things... About..." Jacob mumbled, not wanting to say anything wrong.

"I know... Jacob... Are you afraid of me? You can be honest." Charlie just asked in concern right away with a warm tone.

Santino expected, somewhat ever hoped that Jacob would say that he did indeed fear Charlie, to serve as first of many lessons for Charlie about his harsh actions.

The dog slowly looked up, meeting his eyes with Charlie and giving a small smile.

"... No. Maybe a little?... But... I trust you, mister Winchester. I know that... Even if the things you did sound very bad... I believe you did it to keep us safe. I know you would never hurt us. I feel a hell of a lot safer now that... Randal is not here anymore. I mean... He could have been anyone's father. If he had been mine... I believe I would have been thankful to you." The dog spoke with an honest tone.

"..." Charlie got a relieved smile out of that, having not been sure what to expect. But this answer he was totally fine with, somewhat grateful as well. It was like a support pillar, knowing that the young ones always supported him.

"... Can I uhmm.." Jacob then spoke awkwardly, a bit impatient to go to his father.

"Go. Thank you for saying that, Jacob." Charlie said with a warm tone, giving a light tap on Jacob's shoulder comfortingly as he excused him.

Jacob gave a thankful nod, going to the door quickly and looking at Elliot for a moment, the cat holding his throat and looking at Jacob with a somewhat uneasy gaze.

The door opened, the German shepherd walking in. From the inside, there was a female voice that answered from the other side of the room quietly.

"... Hey, Jacob." Sandy said.

Charlie clicked the button right next to the door, closing it after Jacob.

There was quiet in the room once again, without counting Elliot's small grunts as he was rubbing his throat a bit.

Before Charlie could speak to Santino, the black-furred wolf spoke with doubtful, warily tone.

"Did you just try to kill Elliot?"

"... No. I would have stopped even if you two didn't come. Just a bit of a... Heated trade of words." Charlie said, sounding honest.

"... I guess we will never know, hm?" Santino asked judgingly.

"... I guess... You have something to say to me as well? It's all over you. All over everyone to be honest at this point. Santino... Are you here to talk to me as my friend... Because it doesn't' seem so. You look a bit tense." Charlie spoke, seeing already the obvious. Santino was clearly not going to make this a light conversation.

"... I have known you for ten years." Santino said like it baffled him.

"You have known the man that I have wanted you to know," Charlie said, knowing that was what Santino wanted to say, or at least thought at this point.

"... I don't know if this Charlie standing in front of me is the man that I want to know." Santino spoke carefully, agreeing with that.

"... But you are here." Charlie said quietly.

"... I heard what you did. All of it. Guess who from? Your own son, Ryan." Santino spoke with an angry tone.

"... Alright. I can clearly see that you didn't like at all about what you heard. You and Elliot are in the same feelings, then." The dog said in small frustration.

"... How can I not be skeptical about getting to know you or even talk to you at this point? Who are you? The same Charlie that used to play cards with me? Drink with me? Tell jokes and about your goals in life? About your children?" Santino spoke, sounding betrayed.

"I am still that same person. You just know the other half of me now." Charlie spoke honestly.

"... I know the fact that I am terrified. Terrified out of my mind by the fact that you have brainwashed the youth of this vault love you till the point that when they see you strangling a guard by the throat, the brush it off, thinking that you are doing these things for their sake. It is disgusting as it is scary." Santino explained, the fact disturbing him.

"... I think you are overreacting a bit." Charlie sighed.

"I heard what Jacob just said to you and how pleased you were about hearing it. These kids love you and keep defending you even after they heard that you have KILLED people. Tio, Sam, Jill, Niles... They all heard what you did when Ryan told me about it. And yet, even if they were scared overhearing it all... I think that they think you are a hero now more than they already did before." Santino spoke like it was just wrong on so many levels.

"... What I did, I did to protect them. Calvin was a desperate, power-hungry cunt. Which is something you and Elliot have a problem realizing? And Randal was a piece of shit who deserved to die." Charlie said like it was nothing but a truth.

"You only see Calvin that way... Because you hate him. you always have." Elliot spoke from the bed, finally cutting into the conversation carefully.

Charlie just rolled his eyes, shaking his head and answering to them both. He then addressed the black-furred wolf.

"I didn't hate him, even you keep telling yourself that even with all the truth already on the table. Calvin is too pathetic for me to hate him. But... It is kind of ironic when you think about it. You, a Mexican, defending Calvin after how he treated your son." Charlie said, nodding at Santino's way.

"What are you even talking about?" The wolf asked annoyedly.

"... I don't know if you and both Elliot are now on the list of most blind and dumb today. You think that Calvin was proud and happy to take your son as his student. To his speciest nature, your son was nothing but a "beaner" and "Taco wolf" who was trying to steal his seat. The irony of you defending his actions, when he hates your whole family line only because of your roots, spitting on them. And you are too stupid to see it, just like Elliot is too stupid to see that he was serving a hateful cunt all these years."

Santino's mouth lowered a bit after hearing that, wondering if this was true, or just another lie by Charlie. There was no telling at this point.

"... Charlie... No matter how asshole he was... He was our overseer. He earned his place. You can't just... Do the things you did and keep going like it was all invadable." Santino spoke like Charlie just had to see it.

The brown-furred husky sighed, speaking to Santino now with an intense tone.

"... It was all inevitable. One way or the other. Tell me something... If it was so right now that my children, and most likely Niles as well, all dead... With Calvin standing where I stand, telling it is all over and done with and it was time to move on... Would you feel better that way? Safer around here?"

"..." Santino now didn't even know the answer really himself.

"... Would you?" Charlie asked once more with pressure.

"... No... I don't think I would feel better." Santino spoke quietly.

"... Then just consider me the better of two evils, if you want to see it that way. Whatever makes you go through this and move on. And I can promise you something that Calvin never could. I am going to train your son into an overseer with respect and patience. You should feel more comfortable in that, no matter how you feel about me now. I keep my promises."

Charlie then started walking towards Santino, stopping right in front of him and the wolf tensing up despite what Charlie had said, wondering what was he about to do.

The husky then gave out his paw to the wolf in order to see if they were still good with eachother.

That they could find a way to move on.

Elliot gave a negative gaze to the wolf, not clearly wanting him to take Charlie's paw.

But slowly, as Santino swallowed a bit and looked at Charlie's intense and calm gaze, he handed out his paw.

He gave a quick, firm shake for Charlie, the husky giving small comforting smile at him and letting go.

"Things are going to change for the better in here."

The husky felt like he didn't need to say more, just walking to the door behind Santino and opening it.

With a click of a button, the metal separated from his way, Santino slowly and hesitantly turning to look at Charlie.

"Where are you going?"

"... I got a speech to make. I expect that the sooner I explain what happened to the whole vault, the less they have to sit in their rooms in fear. The water and electricity generators need workers, which are now basically in lockdown. This place needs to get back to work and fast. You know that. I'm going to gather everyone to the senior hall so I can have a little talk with everyone all at once. I imagine it will take them a while to get over the fear and actually gather to hear what I have to say but... It needs to be done before the day is over... And then... I am going to excuse myself to sleep as long as I am... All of this has been... Exhausting." Charlie sighed with a truly tired tone.

"... Shouldn't you talk to you... Sons first?" Santino asked carefully.

"... My boys are strong. They can hold off a little while longer before me answering myself to them." Charlie assured, wanting to believe that was the case.

"... What do I tell Amir and... Robert... When they wake up?"

"... I will talk to them tomorrow. For now, they both need rest. They almost died because of my actions." Charlie explained quietly, walking through the open doorway and Santino speaking to Charlie quickly.

"Charlie."

The brown-furred husky turned to look at the black-furred wolf, wondering what he had to still say, speaking in such an emotional tone.

"... The people here... No matter what you tell them... they won't forget. They will move on and do as you say... But they can't ... Forget. Or maybe even forgive."

"... I know. I don't expect them to. But I did it all to save the life of a child that is like my own... And I would do it again." The husky spoke back with a heavy tone.

"... You still say that you did this all for Niles?" Santino asked, his voice almost trying to make Charlie himself doubt that.

"... I know I did." Charlie spoke back with a serious tone.

"... For our sake... I hope that is the truth." Santino said with an uneasy tone, making Charlie's expression shift a bit into confusion.

Charlie said nothing anymore at that, closing the door between them and taking his leave.

And as he kept walking towards the main hall, feeling determined and strong enough to get this out of the way.

The way Santino had spoken...

It still made himself doubt...

Was I seeking justice for Niles this whole time... Or did I...

Did I do it all for some other reason?

ACT 2

Dion Winchester was now sitting on the living room couch of his family quarters, staring at the floor and zoning out on the whole world. The noises of familiarity around him were sounding like a mixed blur, the husky not even trying to concentrate fully on what was being said.

Sam, Tio, and Jill were all sitting around him, cautiously asking questioning him one after the other without getting any kind of response.

It had been like that for a good while now. They might have managed to talk Dion to come out of the bathroom, but didn't mean that full-on conversation was getting the fire they hoped.

As Dion sat there in his underwear, still partly wet and wearing a towel around him, his friends started to get more and more concerned.

The talking stopped, not that Dion could notice it.

And it was finally a physical touch that woke Dion up back to reality, pulling him out from the deep, miserable thoughts and anger.

"Dion."

The brown-furred husky slowly gazed up, his tired and broken gaze making the person in front of him feel even more anxious as they had no idea what Dion was truly going through.

The Siamese female cat was looking at him straight in the eyes, expecting any kind of answer at all.

As did Tio and Sam.

And as all Dion could do was stare back, Tio spoke.

"Maybe... Dion... Do you want us to leave?" The black-furred wolf asked politely, as concerned as he was as well for the well-being of his dear friend.

"... No." Dion managed to squeeze out quietly as a whisper.

In truth, he didn't know if he meant that. Even at this moment and the state he was in, he didn't want to be rude to his friends, let alone his girlfriend.

"... Dion... I-if you want us here... C-can you please talk to us?" Jill asked carefully with a calming tone, wishing that Dion would snap out of this scary state.

"He killed them. He killed Richard and... Sax. He beat Calvin half to death. He lied about everything. To me. To Ryan. To everyone." Dion finally spoke, having gathered enough strength to tell what had traumatized him so blatantly.

Everyone was quiet now, Dion expecting them to be shocked for a good while after hearing that... But instead, three seconds of quiet passed, and someone spoke.

"... We know." Tio said back quietly.

"... What?" Dion whispered, wondering if he had heard right.

"... Ryan told us everything... J-just a moment ago. He is with Niles in your fathers' room." Sam added quietly.

"... He told you all... Of course, he did." Dion said quietly, wondering why he would have expected anything else anyway. It was clear that Ryan was not broken to pieces emotionally like his brother, always being the stronger one. Even now. Especially now.

And it made him scared of his brother as it did angry.

"... Dion... We can't picture what you are feeling right now... Or what you are going through..." Jill began in comfort, feeling a bit uneasy on the whole subject. They had gone on one date, the relationship barely starting. And now she had to... Talk about a thing crazy as this with her boyfriend.

It was hard. And it was difficult.

Dion then suddenly spoke, clearing his throat and emotional tone releasing itself.

"You can. You know the truth. And you know that my father is a monster."

All three now looked at eachother nervously, wondering what to say. After Dion didn't get an answer, he suddenly started to look at the faces of his friends, whispering with confused eyes.

"... Am I alone in thinking that?"

"... Ryan, he... He didn't only tell about what your dad did. He told... Dion, he told everything. And when you think about all the factors on this whole... Crazy mess... Niles is alive, because what your dad did. Randal... What he almost did to our friend..." Jill explained, Dion looking at her and feeling like this was getting even worse by a minute.

Even his friends were siding with Ryan and Charlie.

Then, Tio began talking calmly, sounding serious about how he felt.

"... Dion, what Sam is trying to say is that there are many angels to this thing. Your father is the wisest man I know. He-"

"You are all justifying him killing people?" Dion asked, now feeling shaky and slowly back to angry, not realizing how this was possible.

It was like no one had the judgment against Charlie but he himself. Like everyone had gone mad except him.

"... We never said that-" Sam began in defense, but Dion cut the hyena off.

"You are. You are all saying that. Aren't you? You think my father did all this to protect Niles and all of us?"

"... You can't expect us to hate your dad, Dion. Even if we don't know how scary it must have been to have seen him do all that. None of us know. But I am not going to lie to you, Dion. You know that... But I feel like this vault is going to be a better place after all this. Randal was the monster. And by the things Ryan told... So was Calvin, all this time. I truly believe that we will get over this, and your dad knows what to do." Tio explained like it was the truth, the two slowly giving nods in agreeance, wishing that Dion didn't take offense to that. But it was too late.

Dion now rose up from his seat, holding his towel and speaking annoyedly while looking at Tio.

".... I'm sure he does. And what if he kills someone again?... Are we going to support him once more and make up more bullshit excuses of why it was for the greater good?"

Sam then began in Tio's defense as the wolf clearly felt speechless under Dion's pressuring gaze, which was a rare thing to get from the husky.

"... Yo, Dion, we never said that-"

"D-Dion, we just try to make you see that-" Jill began, and at that moment, Dion had enough. He walked a good distance away from them to stand in the middle of the room, yelling at the three accusingly.

"IT'S LIKE TALKING TO MY DAMN BROTHER! YOU... YOU ARE ALL INSANE. WHEN DID LIVES STOP MATTERING?! ARE YOU ALL LISTENING TO YOURSELVES ANYMORE! HE DIDN'T NEED TO START ALL THIS! HE DIDN'T NEED TO SHOOT PEOPLE! HE-... ALL LIFE IS PRECIOUS, AND PEOPLE CAN CHANGE! HE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM A CHANCE! AND I THOUGHT THAT MY FATHER WAS THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WOULD ALWAYS LET THE GOOD WIN OVER THE BAD AND DO THE RIGHT CHOICE!

The husky was now on the verge of crying. He didn't want to aim his anger to his friends, and it was clear that as he was panting there, his friends looking at him with slight panic on their faces, that he needed to just get out of here. Away from everyone's words.

WOOSH

The door behind Dion opened, and before he barely managed to turn around and look at who had entered into the room, before the voice made itself known.

"DION! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT?!"

The voice was emotional and just as angry as Dion's had been.

And it truly got all their attention. Dion turned around in quick scare, only to see two familiar faces.

Ryan was at the doorway of their father, holding Niles back a bit cautiously by the paw.

The lynx was panting, having yelled at Dion himself, crying visibly and making everyone hold their breath, wondering if Niles had just literally yelled at Dion like that. He had never done that before.

"..." Dion didn't answer, his confused eyes looking back at the shaking lynx, Niles clearly not being over with his words yet.

The lynx began yelling with a shaky tone.

"Y-you can hate your father all you want! You... Y-you can hate Ryan too! YOU can hate me, Jill, Sam, Tio, Jacob, anyone you want for taking your father's side! If that is h-how you want to feel, you can! But don't think that j-just because what you feel right now, makes it right! I WOULD BE DEAD WITHOUT HIM! He carried me to Amir, t-they saved my life! I thought I was going to die! I had to fight my own father when he tried to strangle me! HE HIT ME! HE KICKED ME! HE STABBED ME! And he... He did it all, just for the reason I already knew he would someday try to do it! Because my mom died because of me! He t-told that just before he tried to do it! I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING! ANYTHING I HAD TO HAVE FATHER LIKE YOURS! HE isn't... AND YET HE WAS READY TO KILL SOMEONE TO KEEP ME SAFE! YOU think that Richard, Sax or the others who tried to help Calvin, deserved a second chance!!! My father beat me to bruises for years! And I always hid it! I handled it! My life was already hell! And every day, I would be jealous of you, of Ryan, till the point I wanted to die because of it! Your father was everything my father wasn't! He loved me more than mine ever could! And you... After all that he did, saving everyone...??!! You call him a monster??!! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?!" Niles yelled, releasing it all on Dion now, out of all the people.

But having heard what was going on in this room, just by listening... And by judging his words, having heard what Ryan had told about Dion's feelings as well...

He was not taking it well.

And neither was Dion. He was frozen completely, trying not to cry like the lynx did, but felt like the words were arrows, breaking him down and making him feel like he was the only one truly wrong about this.

"Niles..." Ryan whispered calmingly, having no effect on Niles as he kept walking closer to Dion until he was only a few feet away from him, Dion staring back at the shaking lynx scaredly and unable to answer now.

Tio, Sam, and Jill were just as out of words, feeling like this was not their place to talk anymore.

Niles then continued, swallowing and trying to compose himself to let out the rest of his mind on Dion, this time a bit quieter.

"I learned a long time ago... That... This life is not pleasant... OR as safe as we want to see it... Like you have seen it. It's because you are good. You are better than us, wherever we admit it or not. You... You have always been the kindest out of us all... And we all love you for that. But if we would have been... If your father would have done things the way you wanted... Then you might be dead... Ryan might be. I would have been dead right now. And maybe... Even your father. Calvin would have done anything... Anything to protect my dad. And he did. And still, he lost. Because your father did what he needed to do. He needed to be the monster that you accuse him of being. So that... S-so that I would never have to live in the fear of being killed in my sleep, beaten and being hated by someone. Do you think that you fear your father? I grew up fearing mine since the day I was born... And I know... That your father has never made you feel scared of him the same way. He has never hurt you. He has never thought about hurting any of us. Your father thought me everything I know. Without him around here... Without Ryan... I would have killed myself years ago."

As Niles finished, one tear fell down to the floor from his cheek, Dion not able to hold one himself, feeling now even more shit than he ever had. Hearing all that...

It made him truly feel like there had been no other way.

That he would just have to accept people needing to die for the sake of others.

And yet, it disgusted him all the same.

"You already made him spare Calvin... He is giving him a fair trial... When he should have just killed him too. It was your kindness that made Charlie spare already one person who didn't deserve that mercy!"

"..."

"And now that... Now that it has all happened... Now that we can finally live without fear of these scary, evil people, that would have killed us... You want to... See your father as THE MONSTER IN ALL THIS?"

Niles asked emotionally with a broken tone like it was the most ridiculous way of thinking about all of it.

Dion didn't know what to say. He wanted to. He wanted to fight back, to hold his ground and say what he believed. But after hearing these things from Niles... So purely without any regrets...

What could anyone say in his place?

Just as he was about to release any kind of answer at all, Ryan looking at his brother with a sympathetic gaze over being truth bombed like this, they all heard it.

"RESIDENTS OF THE VAULT!... THIS IS... CHARLIE WINCHESTER SPEAKING. I AM CURRENTLY ANNOUNCING MYSELF FROM THE OVERSEERS OFFICER, SO THAT YOU ALL CAN HEAR. THE DANGER... IT'S OVER. I WILL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING I CAN TO ALL OF YOU. IT HAS COME THE TIME FOR ALL OF YOU TO HEAR THE TRUTH ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT HAVE GONE DOWN IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S PREVIOUS LEADER. THERE HAS BEEN CASUALTIES... AND THE LIST OF NAMES IS NOT SHORT... I WOULD ADVISE THE ONES WHO SEEK TO HEAR ALL OF IT, TO GATHER INTO THE SENIOR HALL, WHERE I WILL BE HOLDING THE MORE FORMAL SPEECH... THANK YOU ALL... AND I HOPE YOU ALL WILL COME TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO HUMBLY SAY... THAT IS ALL."

It was the first time that the announcer voice was having some kind of emotion at all, instead of Calvin's usual monotonic voice.

It was odd to hear Charlie talking on the line. And now the gazes were equally traded in silence between all of them.

Niles was waiting for Dion to say anything at all... But the husky was now staring the floor, crying quietly a bit and feeling more broken now than earlier. If that was even possible.

"...I am going. I suggest you all do the same." The lynx suddenly said quietly, sniffing a bit and leaving Dion alone, as the husky clearly was not going to be able to say anything. In the end, Niles didn't expect him to.

He felt bad over having yelled at his good friend like this... But yet... he knew it was most likely something Dion needed to hear at this moment.

The lynx started to walk towards the exit from the quarters, only Ryan following hesitantly and looking at everyone else in question.

Dion was not budging anywhere. He had no intention to.

"... D-Dion?" Jill asked with a quiet tone carefully, wondering if the husky was going to zone out again.

They all looked at Dion in equal concern, wondering if they should even try talking to him anymore.

Niles was already walking out of the quarters, feeling slightly ashamed.

But soon after, as Ryan was still looking at his brother with sad gaze, he knew Dion was not going to look back at his way to notice. So, the fox slowly started to follow after the lynx, both disappearing to the hallway.

In fact, the sounds of the metallic doors opening all around the same hallway kept on echoing, as other residents were talking with each other nonstop, making their way to the senior hall as well.

Sam slowly walked next to Dion, awkwardly clearing his throat and giving a small, friendly tap on the husky's shoulder carefully.

"... We will come to talk with you later... You... Just hang on there, Dion. We love you, man." Sam said quietly, not getting any reaction at all and slowly starting to walk after Ryan and Niles.

Only Tio and Jill remained, the two giving hesitating looks at eachother and Tio speaking quietly at Dion.

"... It will get better. Sam already... Said pretty much what I was about to... Yeah. Just... Talk when you are ready." Tio encouraged awkwardly, starting to follow after Sam, looking at Dion the whole way.

And as the black-furred wolf was out of the door, only Jill remained, standing next to Dion awkwardly and looking at the husky cry and stare at the floor.

She wanted to say something. Anything at all. But what could she say? What could make things any different?

In the end... She barely knew him.

"... I'm sorry." She whispered quietly.

Dion just kept on sniveling, turning his face away from even accidentally looking at Jill.

"... D-do you want me to... D-Dion... I... I can stay." She whispered, meaning that.

"... Go." Dion managed to squeeze out as whimper, feeling like he was going to break down truly.

".... O-okay..." Jill apologized with an emotional tone, wanting to hug Dion.

And yet... She felt like she had no right to.

Slowly, she started to back out from Dion, taking her leave and staring at her crying boyfriend the whole time on the way out. She lingered on the doorway, hesitating. Wanting to stay with him.

But it was clear that Dion didn't want anyone around anymore after that... And all she could do...

Was to respect that feeling... And leave the husky cry alone in the middle of the room, sniveling, and falling down on his knees the moment door closed after the female cat.

ACT 3

"... I can't expect all of you to forgive me. I can't ask that. You have the right to your opinions. I would never take that from you people. But this is how it is now... Calvin is going to be trialed... And he will be punished accordingly. If anyone has something to say after all you have heard... I am here to answer."

Charlie Winchester finished; the hall full of people all looking at him like they had just heard the craziest story of their lives.

The uproar was invadable. Many whispers circled around, people yelling accusements and doubts at the man in front of them.

The old brown-furred husky stood his ground, looking unshaken and determined.

Everyone knew now. About Calvin, Randal, and the events surrounding the whole mess. It was a lot for them to take in on one standing.

And Charlie expected to get resistance vocally very soon, mentally preparing himself for it.

Yet, everyone seemed a bit too scared to be the first ones to talk and press Charlie about his actions.

Especially when he looked so calm and justified, his stance proud even.

Ryan was standing against the wall, a small distance away from his father, looking at him determined with his arms crossed.

Next to Ryan, there were most of the youth in a side by the sideline, observing and listening to the speech, when all the adults were in front of Charlie instead, scattered around widely.

Only ones missing the scene, were Jacob, along with his mother, both at the med bay now most likely, watching over Robert.

Besides the two, Charlie knew and had noticed very early that someone else was missing as well.

Dion.

He had expected as much. As much as it hurt him, just by looking at Ryan and seeing his gaze told him enough about what most likely was going on with the absent husky.

But right now, Charlie needed to control the situation and place it as the first priority, so the place wouldn't fall into chaos. But still, somewhat that option was still very much possible.

Santino and Elliot were standing behind Charlie instead, leaning against the wall and following the whole show in silence.

"I know some of you want to say your piece about all this. I am waiting patiently." Charlie said loudly, scanning around the crowd.

The crowd started to slowly get less loud among themselves, pushing the first person forward to speak.

And this time it was someone they had not expected. It was an old otter, coming close feebly and more than scared of Charlie.

"... Tamir... Where have you been? I was surprised that you were not accompanying Calvin. Fortunate for you to be healthy and alive, and I am happy about that."

"... M-mister Winchester... I... I denounced Calvin's... Proposition to do what he... I wanted to do to you. After he shot Eli... It got too much for me. I said I would not interfere, and I... I was so scared that I hid. I've been on the kitchen closet this whole time... I-I know it's a coward's thing to admit... But I could not do it."

The crowd was gasping at that, some having not expected such from Tamir. But the otter looked just as guilty as he said.

"... I am not blaming you, Tamir. You did the right thing by refusing... Calvin just let you go after you didn't agree to help him?" Charlie asked like it sounded a bit fickle still.

"... Yes... H-he let me go. D-didn't see me as a threat, I imagine. I am... I don't think that I am fit for this job anymore. He knew I would be just in the way... So, he let me leave alive. I promised him not to tell me about what he did... But... That doesn't matter now that the truth is out." Tamir said quietly.

"... No. It doesn't. Thank you for your honesty, Tamir. All is forgiven." Charlie said warmly, giving a light-hearted tap on Tamir's shoulder with a small smile.

The otter gave a bit spooked out reaction, having not expected such kindness for his cowardice... But nevertheless, he thanked him by giving a small bow with effort, moving away from the scene and talking about retirement by himself quietly.

"Anyone else-?" Charlie began patiently under the judging and following eyes, expecting someone to come forward.

And someone did. That being Liam. Liam was an old rat, speaking respectfully and carefully to the husky as he approached.

"Will you truly be giving Calvin Marston a fair trial like you announced?"

"... Yes. The only reason he is still alive was because my son was there... And he begged for me to spare Calvin's life. As I saw that Calvin was not going to be a threat to anymore, unlike Richard and Sax had been... I spared him."

"... But if he is guilty truly of everything you said, the punishment of his crimes is death."

"... Or kicking him out."

"... Both equally harsh... But I am not going to defend him on this. If Niles Hovan... Himself vouches for your truths and says this is how it all happened... Then I believe you do by Calvin the way you see the best fit for us all." Liam spoke humbly, looking at the lynx's way carefully with a questioning gaze.

And so, did many others. Charlie had spoken about things Niles had gone through and all of his horrors... But Niles had himself never spoken a word.

Charlie looked at the lynx now, his gaze telling Niles that it was all right. That it was best for them to hear it from him.

The lynx cleared his throat, feeling like all this attention was way too much. He stared at the floor, mustering himself only to say what needed to be said when Ryan's comforting paw laid on his shoulder briefly.

"... It is all true. I swear it." Niles said, not being as loud as everyone else was, but the closest ones heard him. And the whispers began, people, telling that Niles had just confirmed the events that took place.

"... Then his word is enough for me and my family." Liam said with a satisfied tone, Charlie nodding at that in mutual agreement.

The rat took his leave back to the crowd, someone stepping forward now as well.

This time, it was a female kangaroo, looking somewhat uneasy.

"Silvia," Charlie said politely, expecting the female to say her piece as the crowd of residents started to quiet down, wanting to hear her as well.

"... Where is Calvin?" She asked carefully.

"... He is held on the fourth floor. It's an old abandoned water maintenance unit with a broken door. He is handcuffed into the same seat he tried to kill me in. It seemed only fitting to have him where I was held before." Charlie said calmly.

"... Are we allowed to hear from him about all this?" Silvia asked like it was something many were already agreeing with, judging by the whispers.

"... Why would you want to?" Charlie asked quietly.

"... He was our overseer for ten years. It doesn't just fade away like this, even... Even after what he did to... to protect Randal." The kangaroo explained.

"It should. Are you saying that he should not be punished?" Charlie asked, slightly hostile.

"No! I am saying that... I would like to hear him defend himself right here and now. He has that right!" She argued back.

"No... he doesn't." Charlie said bluntly.

The crowd quieted down slightly, Silvia speaking to Charlie angrily now.

"... You can't just say that!"

"I already did, Silvia. He will be allowed to talk during the day of the trial. Not before. He has done enough talking and spewing his lies for one lifetime." Charlie said without hesitation.

"You don't get to decide that! He has always been respectful and good to me!" Silvia convinced, people once again nodding heads.

Charlie then spoke in frustration, making his stance clear.

"Even if that maybe, he lost his rights to be allowed near people after protecting a man who almost killed his son with a broken bottle and tried to make me look mentally ill, and then intended to kill me. He most likely would have killed Niles shortly after me just to make sure the kid wouldn't talk."

"... All I am asking you... Is the chance for us to hear the man we knew for ten years." Silvia asked humbly, sounding desperate at this point.

"... Like you all thought you knew me?" Charlie asked loudly as his counter-argument.

Ryan shifted a bit after hearing that, biting briefly his teeth together more than normally. But composed himself. In fact, he even gave a small smile at his father's attitude.

"...." Silvia had nothing to say anymore.

"The answer is no. I will not have him here. The trial takes place in two days. And then, you can all hear what that weasel has to say for himself. Not before. He deserves to be alone and think about his mistakes through two long nights. I will not hear any more about this." Charlie finished.

The stunned female kangaroo stood there, wondering if there was anything, she could say to sway Charlie anymore at this. But the gaze the man was given was enough for her to just give up, shaking her head in disappointment as she blended back into the crowd.

"... Anyone else? Now is the time. I have made clear that I am not going to hurt anyone or hold hate towards your opinions. But I am going to be honest and straight with all of you. The only way to clear things up so everyone understands." Charlie spoke out.

"... Are you going to lead us now then?" Someone spoke.

And that someone was in fact, Jill's father.

The Siamese male cat, forty-two of age, walked forward with his hands behind his back. Jill's father was named Jonas. He was an elegant, formal man. Single father and caretaker of Jill. And he now spoke to Charlie with rather skeptical voice, making his whole opinion already heard just by that itself.

"... What?" Charlie asked right away.

"The way you carry yourself and the way you address these mammals right now... It makes this all sound very... What I am asking is, are you going to take Calvin's place? It seems like you are more than ready to do it."

Charlie shook his head and spoke out to everyone with a humble tone.

"... No. I am not going to take Calvin's place. I have never wanted such. This was not some... Powermove in my part. I was protecting a child and going to extreme measures to make sure that things would remain safe for them all. But don't expect to look for me when it comes to guidance. In a sense... I am just an unfortunate individual in all this. Just like all of you."

"No, you are not." The cat said strictly like it was a bunch of bullshit.

"Whatever you might think of me saying that, it doesn't matter, Jonas. But there is only one person in this room that I owe my loyalty to, now."

"... Who?" Jonas asked right away.

"You already know who. Tio Tampico." The husky said like it was not even a question.

The black-furred wolf looked at Charlie now awkwardly, feeling proud for hearing Charlie support him despite all the mess like the honor was still his to have.

Until the cat spoke his mind bluntly.

"... No." Jonas said after two seconds.

"... No?" Charlie asked, giving a hesitant look at Santino, checking how he would feel about that.

The black-furred wolf was standing there with his arms crossed, looking at his child and avoiding Charlie's gaze as he looked at Jill's father too in thought.

"Tio Tampico is not even an adult. You expect him to run this place like clockwork should when it is in the hands of a junior citizen?" Jonas asked like it was a stupid idea to have. Jill was looking at her father from the side as well, wondering if it was a bit too much to be against Charlie's word at this moment.

"... Tio has more ambition and promise for the job than you think one of his age would. I believe in him." Charlie spoke with an honest tone.

"Well, pardon me for saying on behalf of every level headed adult in this hall, that I will not be voting for this idea. Since you are not going to be taking power in here, it is our voices that count now. And I will not feel safe in here or think that the safety of this vault's future is going to be well in the long run, if it is run by a boy who just turned twenty." The cat said, finding it insulting.

"... He has a point!" Someone yelled from the crowd.

"I agree with him!" Few yelled in agreeance as well.

"We need to pick someone else!" Silvia yelled from the midst.

Charlie was now quiet, Tio looking down on the ground and feeling shameful for expecting people for a moment to support him.

"... I made him a promise that he would be the next overseer." Charlie said dedicatedly, Tio looking back up.

"... You were not in the position to make that promise to him. We want to choose a new person to lead this place, and it is not going to be Tio Tampico. Are you an idiot?" Jonas asked.

Jill now winced at that, all the younglings getting restless as the crowd was not pressuring on Charlie, the husky clearly looking a bit angry over the attitude. Ryan started to move a little bit, wondering what was going to happen now, as the energy got... Uneasy.

"Excuse me? What is it with you people thinking that the youth around here is not capable of anything?! When everything else proves you wrong! You should see how smart your own children have become! I should know, since I am there to teach them and watch them grow in front of me as I held my classes, teaching them!" Charlie yelled, accusing all the parents now, and that didn't help the situation at all.

"Where is Amir standing in all this! We need to hear from him! Or Robert!?"

"... I already you all, they are in a critical state and recovering... They will support this decision. They know Tio is the best choice." Charlie assured.

"Very convenient for them to not be here!" Someone yelled from the crowd.

"Yeah, they are in the med bay because of your actions! Amir is the only doctor we have, and if we lose him because of you, do you know how fucked we are! He hasn't even started training anyone to become a doctor yet!" Silvia reminded loudly.

"Yeah, it is your fault, Charlie!" Someone accused at Charlie's way.

Charlie shook his head, getting riled up.

"He is going to be fine! The Stimpak worked, he will be waking up any moment now, just like Robert! You are all paranoid as hell, spewing this all on me! Don't you get that this is what Calvin would exactly want to happen?! What do I have to do to make you all understand that Tio is the best we got?! Can you all just give him a chance?! You should all be grateful for what I did!!!" Charlie yelled back in anger.

Jonas now raised his voice equally, the crowd getting restless and coming closer to Charlie now, as Jonas's resistance towards Charlie gave them the courage to speak everything they felt all out at once.

"Don't you fucking dare trying to make us look like the idiots here! As long as Amir and Robert are unconscious, there is no knowing how much you are lying to us!"

"... WHAT?! Why would I lie?!"

"Because you can! And just so you know... We love our children, more than you do! In fact, it's good that we finally arrived at this discussion, because it's a bloody time we had it!" Jonas yelled, sounding fed up to the root of Charlie.

"What are you even talking about, Jonas?" Charlie asked annoyedly, getting defensive as he did confused.

"Don't you think most of us have grown tired of your influence on our kids?! That we are not tired of hearing about you?! All they talk about every day of the week is about your teachings, and I am starting to wonder if we were idiots to give you the power to teach them anything! You ever wonder how it makes us feel as their ACTUAL PARENTS?!" Jonas yelled, pretty much everyone agreeing now in unison and the youth starting to yell at their parents to stop.

The situation was getting out of hand.

"It's always Charlie this, Charlie that! -" The cat was yelling loudly, the crowd supporting him and parents coming forward now, pointing and yelling at Charlie.

"If you ever would have found that bothering you, you would have done as any good parent would and teach them yourselves! Why are you all yelling at me for?! I just stepped up and thought them! And How does any of this have something to do with Randal or any of this?!" Charlie asked, wondering how on earth did the conversation lead here. But all he knew was that he was feeling threatened now, and that was not good for anyone.

"Oh, you have made it clear that you won and Calvin deserved to lost. That you defeated the bad man and once again became the hero of our children! Aren't you the noblest soul there is?!" Jonas yelled loudly in a sarcastic tone, Charlie snarling at the cat now.

"Jonas, you better watch how you speak to me."

Jonas then started to play shocked sarcastically due to the blatant threat, turning around and yelling at the parents behind him.

"Or what?! Oh, let me guess! You are going to take your gun and shoot some of us?! Since it is normal for you to do things your way and kill people these days, the people we have known our whole lives! Someone speaks against Charlie Winchester?! Why listen, when you can kill them, huh?! The WINCHESTER way to solve problems!" Jones yelled, turning back to face Charlie.

"...." Charlie didn't answer now, balling his fist a bit in anger and stepping forward instead of back.

Ryan started to walk away from the wall now, giving concerned look at his panicked friends, who didn't know what to do.

"DAD, JUST STOP!" Jill yelled scaredly at her father, the hall becoming so loud that you could barely hear your own thoughts.

"You know what?! We are TIRED of you! For all we know, Niles could just be manipulated by you to vouch for you, and maybe Randal did nothing bad in the end after all! Maybe, you are just trying to play us all, and just use this whole Tio Tampico situation as your shield!" Jonas yelled.

On the far wall, no one could see Elliot smiling satisfied, like how people were treating Charlie at this moment. If only Calvin was here to see, he thought.

"WHAT?!" Charlie yelled angrily like the accusement made no sense.

"Santino! Do you not see it?! Do you have anything to say here?!" The cat yelled with his hand pointed at Santino.

"I..." The wolf looked paranoid, gazing at his son and wondering if there was truth to that.

"Charlie is trying to position your kid as the leader here, so he can have someone he can manipulate in control! It is totally what is happening here, isn't it, Winchester?!" Jonas kept yelling.

"Jonas, you better shut up now!" Ryan yelled, having walked right next to his father.

Charlie cautiously used his paw to keep Ryan away a bit from between him and Jonas, not wanting him to interfere.

Now, Jonas was even laughing and yelling at Ryan.

"Oh, why did I for a moment expect his kids out of all the people to be sane about his father's plans and actions?! Of course, you are defending him, blind as you are, child! -"

Charlie now stepped closer, growling a bit and Ryan looking at his father slightly scared for seeing him like this once again, knowing that something bad was about to happen.

"Don't talk to my fucking son like that, Jonas! I am warning you, tone yourself down or-"

"WHAT?! What can you do?! Snap my neck like Richards!? Shoot me like you did Sax!?" The cat yelled out so everyone could hear, giving a firm shove at Charlie's chest and making the husky take a small step back on his footing, the husky briefly closing eyes, trying his best to compose himself.

"Don't touch him!" Ryan yelled, Tio, Sam, Jill, and Niles all running now close to the situation and trying to desperately prevent it. But more the younger ones came closer to him, the more nervous Charlie got.

He felt like time was slowing down, seeing all these...

Angry, yelling faces looking at him. Judging him. Spitting at him. These people that now knew the truth... had taken a chance to release all their secret jealousy, hatred and ill will towards Charlie at this very moment.

Like...

Randal didn't matter. Niles almost dying, didn't matter. Charlie and almost his kids dying... Didn't matter.

They wanted to just see Charlie as responsible for the whole mess... Even after the truth was given right in front of them like this.

Charlie felt his heart beat faster, his breathing getting more out of control.

The black-furred cat's face yelling right in front of him, his judging eyes staring at him, throwing insults out of his mouth, one after the other.

And the anger... It just... it was like suffocating. Hearing this many people hate him over all these things, besides his deeds of own justice...

It was like it was all for nothing. But as Charlie met gazes with Niles... It was worth to him. This lynx, looking back at him, was never going to be hated anymore... He didn't have to go to sleep with bruises, scared of the upcoming day each time.

He wanted to believe that it was the right choice to make... Even if people died on behalf of him... helping him...

And yet... All he saw was the hate from each parent.

Seeing all the young ones desperately yelling at their parents to stop, ripping them by the sleeves of their vault uniforms, telling them to stop yelling at Charlie... It only fuelled the hate of the parents.

Because it proved them right.

That Charlie had become more important to some of these souls than their own kin.

And as it hurt Charlie, knowing this... he didn't find the blame in himself over it. He just...

He had just guided... Wanting to help. Like he always did... he wanted to be the guide for anyone who wished it...

Because of having lost his own guide in life so young.

And then... It came. The yell from the cat right in front of Charlie...

The noise coming back and pulling Charlie from his slowed downtime and muffled sounds.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?! HUH?!"

"... All of you... Stop... yelling at me." Charlie said quietly, losing it.

Someone else yelled at Charlie from the crowd.

"It was a mistake to have you among us! Murderer!"

"... I-I TRIED TO PROTECT ALL OF YOU!!!" Charlie yelled out desperately, feeling the sparks of hate all over him, people practically spitting on him at this point.

"WE WANT CALVIN BACK!"

"TIO IS NOT FIT TO LEAD!"

"WINCHESTER, YOU ARE DONE TEACHING MY KID!"

"CHILD MANIPULATING BASTARD!"

"HE SAYS WE SHOULD FEEL SAFER AROUND HIM WHEN ELI AND MEL AND DEAD BECAUSE THEY FOLLOWED HIM BLINDLY?!"

"You know what, Charlie Winchester?! Maybe we would be safer and sounder kicking you out of the vault after all, back where you belong!" The cat yelled, people yelling together with him, now few giving the shoves at Charlie and the dog just looking at them all in trembling anger, not knowing what to say back.

"Please, dad, stop yelling at him! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU?! It's not his fault!" Jill yelled, now crying and trying to grab her father's arm to make him stop.

But Jonas was not going to stop by near, and neither was any of the adults.

"After all these years, it is finally making sense to me why your wife didn't come with you in here! Because she knew that you are an egoistic piece of shit who just wants to be a hero of the kids! She would have most likely grown miserable here, being with you! Or would have you killed her too if she spoke against you?!" Jonas yelled, pointing at Charlie's face.

And at that moment, Ryan froze, looking at Jonas like he had not just heard that.

Jill gasped, looking at the situation in panic.

And when the male cat realized what he had said... He felt bad... But it was nothing compared to the fear he felt now... As Charlie slowly turned his face up, looking straight at him.

The crowd got quieter. They had very much heard what Jonas said.

".... What... What did you just say?" Charlie whispered, his eyes truly opening up now and everything else fading.

He was seeing red.

"... I... I-I said that your..."

"Repeat what you said," Charlie whispered, his claws sinking into the flesh of his palm.

".... I DO NOT NEED TO! YOU HEARD ME! KNOW THAT THERE IS ALMOST HUNDRED OF US AND ONLY ONE OF YOU! I will not have you around my daughter, and I know that these people feel the-"

SLAM!!!!

The husky mustered all his strength to hit the cat straight into the side of his face as hard as he could, sending the cat practically flying against the crowd.

Charlie lost control. All he could hear was the last words that had come from Jonas's mouth.

"NO!" Jill yelled in horror, Ryan and Sam holding her back as she tried to rush to take care of her father, but it was too late.

Charlie coldly walked over Jones, the cat managing to raise his paw desperately up as his vision was spinning, only before the fist broke bones on his face once again.

The husky started to beat the male cat in the face with all his frustration and rage, the people from the crowd now screaming together in panic.

Charlie managed to land three hits, the crackling sound on Jonas's face horrifying the young female cat who was screaming for Charlie to stop on the side.

And now, Ryan let go of Jill, jumping to grab his father's paw and holding it back, the husky trying to struggle free.

"FATHER, STOP IT!!!"

"Someone restrain him!"

"He is mad, just like we told!"

"Get him!"

The crowd got out of control, ganging up on Charlie quickly. In the middle of all this chaos and stumbling, Charlie's gun fell onto the floor. The husky had still kept it on him just in case but had not prepared to use it, as this outcome was something he had not seen coming.

They shoved Ryan and the youth aside faster than they could react, the adults now overpowering Charlie.

And before long... Charlie was the one who was getting beaten.

Hard. The people started to kick and hit him all over, ripping him off from top of Jonas. The black-furred cat was spitting blood, someone starting to carry him away safely and people attending to him as quickly as they could, as the cat was passing out.

"GET OFF ME!" Charlie yelled in rage, getting multiple kicks against his ribs and feeling the physical pain kick in. There were males and females now on top of him, beating him, knowing that if Charlie would get up and get a breather, he would hurt more people than just Jonas.

"GET HIS HANDS! GET HIS HANDS!"

"SOMEONE BRING THE CUFFS!"

"FUCK YOU ALL!!!" Charlie yelled from the ground, trying to desperately fight back but managed to only make mere bruises on people's legs in return, as someone kicked him in the muzzle and made his gums bleed.

Things started to get dark. He was getting his share of hate with each kick and punch, the loud crying and screams of a terror of the young ones ringing his ears.

It was complete chaos... And he was getting overwhelmed.

BLAM!!!!

The echo of the gun stopped the chaos completely.

Everyone turned to look at who had shot the bullet at the ceiling unexpectedly like this.

It was Elliot.

He had picked up Charlie's handgun from the ground.

The cat was now pointing the gun at Charlie threateningly, the crowd dispersing from around the husky slowly and cautiously.

Charlie was panting, rising from the ground with a cut on his eyebrow and wound on his lip, staring at the cat with intense, questioning gaze.

"... This is how it is, huh, Elliot? Are you going to shoot me? In front of all these people?"

"... Shut up, for once." The cat spoke annoyedly, Charlie keeping on panting and people clearly wondering, what was Elliot about to do at this moment.

It was clear that he had not put what happened past him and Charlie. He had just waited for the right moment.

"No, I am not going to shoot you. Even if that would be our safest course."

"What then?" Charlie asked, Ryan then stepping in front of the line of fire, looking at Elliot defyingly.

Charlie quickly realized it, pulling Ryan away from blocking the path between them, cautiously whispering to Ryan.

"No."

The young ones were terrified. They were already begging and yelling for Elliot to put the gun down, and the voices of them were not unheard.

Parents were hissing and commanding their kids to be quiet, and it clearly had an effect on Elliot's decision making, as he was now quiet and wondering what to do.

Elliot then lowered the gun quickly down, Charlie giving questioning gaze and wondering what was going on through the cat's head.

"The people have spoken. You have heard them all. Even if you would deserve death or banishment for what you have done here, it is not my decision alone to make." Elliot announced loudly.

"..." Charlie remained quiet.

"... No. It is not. It is ours."

That was Santino. The black-furred wolf walked right next to Elliot, looking at Charlie all the same with a serious gaze and the husky speaking out in confusion.

"What is this?"

"... The people are scared of Charlie. You claim that you saved us and that you saved Niles. Maybe you did. Maybe you are right about all of this. But people here still follow up to Calvin. You can't behave the way you have and expect all of us to just accept. You clearly just got to see a part of that just now. But so far, we have not heard the people we trust the most to vouch for you. Niles is traumatized, and his word cannot be trusted... and we are done with you trying to force a decision, claiming they are the only options we have. As much as I want my son to be the overseer... I know that it is not the best option to have right now. Not anymore. The people are right. We need someone older and experienced. I'm sorry, Charlie. But me and Elliot spoke about all this the moment you left the med bay." The black-furred wolf explained.

In the corner of the hall, Tio looked a bit wounded overhearing that, but could not argue back at this moment, no matter how proud Charlie's vouching for him made him.

"... So, what? You going to release Calvin and force me to take his place?... It's not going to happen." Charlie warned already, settling carefully into a fighting stance, knowing that this time he would not be jumped on. He would beat down at least ten people who would be the first ones to try.

"... Why?" Elliot warned, reminding with his tone that he still had Charlie's gun.

"Because I do not need my gun to beat up as many as I can of you if you try to fucking touch me again," Charlie warned with a snarl, too agitated at this moment.

"... See. That is the Winchester we are afraid of." Santino spoke quietly with a concerned tone, wishing Charlie would just stop this.

"You are all fucking insane, blaming this on me, I swear." Charlie cursed at the people, feeling truly betrayed.

"Maybe we are. But maybe we are not. But we are going to make things fair for you. And you will accept what we vote for, right now. No matter what the result will be." Elliot spoke threateningly.

"... And what is that? Be very careful with what you say. Your life may depend on that." Charlie gave as a final warning, already calculating what to do to get his gun back.

Santino then cleared his throat, walking a bit forward and addressing everyone loudly.

"... People of the vault! It is clear that Charlie Winchester should be held accountable for his crimes, and the disarray that he has caused to our loved, safe home! He has caused disturbance of the highest degree, and it is clear that in the light of... Us seeing this man for what he really is... I suggest that we act civilized... And fair, about this!"

"... And what is fair to you all?" Charlie asked mockingly.

"... We will put up a vote, right here and now! You, along with Calvin will share the same fate. You will both be trialed in this very hall within two days, and we shall settle this whole matter, once and for all!" Santino decided.

The people started chattering in the crowd loudly, almost yelling out that it was the best solution.

"... What?!" Charlie yelled like he had not just heard right.

"I vote for this," Santino said quietly, nodding at Charlie with an apologizing gaze.

"... It is the best you are going to get. Otherwise, we are going to have to go the worse route. As your friend, do not force that option on us." Santino begged from Charlie, wishing he would not start violence.

"..." Charlie was looking at everyone, seeing the people actually agree. The nods were given and the youth remained clueless of what do at this moment. It was all very confusing to them.

Niles was looking rather panicked, not wishing at all for this to end badly for Charlie. He wanted to scream at these people, just like he had for Dion. But right now, all they saw was a traumatized, and now allegedly brainwashed kid whose word was bound to just protect Charlie's image.

As insane as it sounded.

"Is this what you all want?!" Charlie asked, his tone making it clear how ridiculous it sounded.

"IT is the right thing to do!"

"Trial him!"

"He deserves worse!"

"Trial!"

"WE NEED THE TRUTH FROM AMIR AND ROBERT!"

The people kept chanting behind Charlie furiously, Elliot giving a small smile, being more than happy of this outcome.

Ryan turned to look at his father in concern, not saying anything. His gaze had enough words. Charlie looked slowly back at his fox son, wondering what to really do.

There was not a lot of options. And by starting to beat people up, he would also risk the health of his son.

It seemed that the only thing left to do was to comply.

"... Is this your decision because you all don't believe me?!... Or is this because of your personal hatred over me being the parent that none of you can be to your children?!" Charlie threw against the crowd in a hateful, despising tone.

"FUCK YOU!"

"TRIAL HIM!"

"YOU WILL NEVER TEACH OUR KIDS AGAIN, PSYCHO!"

The people had very much given the answer already to Charlie, the husky shaking his head and starting to walk towards Elliot and Santino.

Ryan followed hesitantly after his father, the crowd now going more restless and ready to jump on Charlie's back, would he try something.

Elliot tensed up, pointing at Charlie with his own handgun and Santino also giving Charlie the palm signal, telling it was close enough.

Charlie did stop about feet away from Elliot, the people now expecting the words to be traded and seeing what Charlie was going to decide.

The husky stared at the barrel of his own gun, looking at the people briefly behind him.

Charlie then spoke bluntly.

"Fine."

"... Fine... What?" Elliot wanted to make sure what Charlie was saying.

"I'll do the damn trial!" Charlie said so everyone could hear.

".... You will comply?" Elliot asked with an interest, having expected Charlie to fight.

"Whatever. At least when Amir and Robert wake up, you will all see how stupid you are right now." Charlie spoke annoyedly.

Elliot fidgeted around restlessly, still having his finger on the trigger.

He then spoke carefully.

"... You will be asked to remain in your own family quarters without leaving it for two days. Your sons will be also asked to follow that decision and stay close to you." Santino spoke from next to Elliot, relieved as one could that Charlie chose to be civilized.

"... Done." Charlie said, not even looking at Santino.

"Good... Now... shake hands on it... So, we know that you can keep your word." Elliot spoke, handing out his other paw towards Charlie, the other still pointing the gun at him.

"I am not shaking your fucking hand, boy. You only act thought because you have my gun, but if you expect me to treat you like a grown man at this moment, you are wrong." Charlie spoke mockingly.

"I have your gun, you sure you don't want to shake my-"

"OOhh, scary- Give me my god damn-!" Charlie grunted out mockingly, sweeping with his hand fast.

Woosh!

Once again, no one was prepared for Charlie to do such a fast move, the husky effortlessly snatching the handgun from Elliot's grip.

The cat's eyes widened, wondering what just had happened, as Charlie started checking out his gun without worry.

"Next time you threaten someone with a gun, at least take the damn safety off, dumbass."

Before Santino or Elliot could even say anything, looking startled as hell for Charlie taking his gun back this quickly without effort, the husky was already tucking it behind his pants and groaning.

"Now, move the fuck away. I am going back to my quarters, as promised. Ryan."

Charlie then gave the nod at the fox's way, Ryan looking at his father in amazement once again and slowly mumbling something as he started to follow after the husky.

"... CH- ... You-" Elliot began, giving out a gaze to everyone to do something, possibly even ganging up on Charlie again.

But no one was doing that this time, as they knew damn well that Charlie was not to be agitated when he had a gun, as well as ready to use it this time.

Charlie stopped right next to Elliot, stopping to address the cat and the concerned wolf as well.

"I am not going to shoot anyone, if I wanted, I would have already done it. I've had enough people touching my gun, for now, it's rather embarrassing already as it is. I will do your damn trial but I am keeping my damn gun, in case you all think about trying something stupid."

Charlie finished Elliot, turning out from his way and letting him pass, looking still baffled that he had been disarmed just like that.

"How do we know that you won't?!" Elliot asked aggressively, knowing that more than a few thought about that possibility.

"You don't!" Charlie yelled out in frustration, making his way to the exit door.

There, Ryan stood next to him, Charlie pressing the green button.

The metal opened up, people still furiously chattering and staring after him in fear mixed with anger, the husky turning around for a moment.

Everyone kept looking at him, and Charlie mustered himself to say one last piece of his mind for all to hear.

"The hell with all you ungrateful fucks."

And having said that out with a snarl, the dog took his leave through the door, Ryan giving one last look at Tio, Sam, Niles, and Jill.

The lynx boy looked at him in question, wondering if he should be coming with them too. But his friends held him back, as the rules had been made clear at this moment. Winchester was to remain in their family quarters.

And so, the fox pressed the button, giving one last sad look at Niles's way, before the metal collided and closed the way to the hall, only muffled sounds of the crowd still loudly making themselves heard.

The fox quickly turned around, seeing Charlie about a few feet away, staring at him to make sure that he would follow.

Both just stared at eachother... And neither said a word.

ACT 4

Dion was sitting on his bedside, listening to his usual tune from Danny Hathaway, trying to desperately calm down.

The music was doing its job to some extent, but... Still, he just couldn't stop feeling uneasy as he was.

He was switching his side once again restlessly, closing his eyes and trying to close the world from around him, trying to reach that peaceful place.

But his bloodshot eyes opened slowly, the young husky staring at the wall, taking a long sigh.

Sooner or later his father was going to arrive back to his quarters, and Dion knew that he was not ready to see him, let alone talk to him.

He was too afraid of him.

And with his brother supporting him apparently... He felt more alone now than ever.

Suddenly, the voices pushed through the earpads of his, the music becoming slightly disturbed by someone's talking.

Dion's ears gave a twitch, the dog quickly shifting on his other side, facing his doorway now. The door was still closed.

The husky slowly folded his legs straight, starting to sit down and slowly taking his earpads out of his ears, the music fading away and the dog now listening carefully if he had indeed heard something.

And he sure did. From behind the door, his own father was speaking.

Cursing, in a matter of fact. He sounded... Very angry.

Dion did not know what to think of such an attitude, as it was not something, he had expected being his father's mental state once he would arrive. Or maybe it was. He didn't know anything about his nature anymore, but yet it raised alarming questions. What was he angry about?

Dion slowly rose up from his bed, starting to carefully walk with quiet steps towards the door.

He then clicked the green button on the wall, swallowing loudly before and prancing himself for whatever was waiting on the other side.

The living room opened up before his eyes, and it didn't take him long to see the two people his gaze was looking for.

The husky stood there on the doorway in his boxers, looking straight at his father.

Charlie had sat down on the couch, cursing a lot quieter.

"You need a towel on that lip. You are bleeding a lot from it. It will take down the swelling." Ryan said quickly, starting to make his way towards Charlie's room until the old dog grunted.

"No... Thank you, son... But no need." Charlie spoke in a fatherly tone, not wanting Ryan to worry as much as he was.

The old dog slowly looked around the room after brushing his lip with his knuckle, before meeting gazes with Dion.

Their gazes met, and Dion, who had already been scared and anxious out of his mind, was now looking even more alerted than he was.

"... W-what happened?" Dion asked quietly with a scared tone from Ryan, as the fox lingered on Charlie's rooms doorway, giving frustrated look at his father after him denying the help.

"..." Ryan was considering clearly if he should even say at this point. He knew that however, either of them would explain the events that just took place, they would have only worse effect on Dion.

Charlie just looked at his own son, the heavy feeling of shame hitting him hard as the way Dion was looking at him, hadn't changed a bit since the look he had given him the moment after he had killed Sax and Richard.

Terrified out of his mind.

"... Dion... I... I think this is the time we finally should... Talk." Charlie spoke carefully, not wanting to scare Dion more than he already was.

Dion kept looking at his dad, suddenly looking away from Charlie and looking at Ryan once again.

"Ryan... What... Happened?"

The fox gave a questioning look at his father, wondering if he should say the truth. Dion would hear it all from somewhere else anyway.

"... It's... It's not... It's complicated."

"... Complicated how? He is bleeding. Just... For once... Can you tell me the truth?" Dion asked, turning to look at his father now.

Charlie looked at his son in guilt, wondering clearly how did he manage to drive his situation into this shape. Everything was just pressing down on him all at once.

The husky took a deep breath, closing his eyes and gathering his strength into being calm, instead of letting the anger take over.

He slowly took out his handgun from behind his back, Dion jumping slightly from seeing a gun so suddenly. And Charlie realized at this point that he had no idea how much on his toes his son was at this moment, just thinking that he could even hurt his own son for some reason.

Charlie laid the gun on the table, sitting back and clearing his throat.

He thought about what to say. Ryan and Dion were both patiently waiting for him to gather himself into the shape of talking... and eventually, Charlie spoke with an emotional tone.

"... We... We might have to pack our things." Charlie stated.

"... What?" Ryan asked, being the one more confused than Dion from that answer.

"... Wh-what... What do you... Mean by that?" Dion asked carefully with a quiet voice, rubbing his arm nervously.

"... I'm... Boys, I don't... I don't know how else I could say all this but... We have to prepare for the worst. It is only realistic." Charlie said.

"... What... What are you even talking about?!" Ryan asked loudly like it sounded stupid.

"..." Charlie didn't answer, Dion following this conversation now even more confused.

"The moment Amir and Rob wake up; they are going to vouch for you! They will tell everyone the truth on your behalf, that is what you said! -" Ryan explained like he didn't understand the attitude.

"It doesn't matter, son," Charlie said quietly with a defeated tone.

"... Why would it not matter?" Ryan asked, baffled.

"WHAT... DID... YOU DO?" Dion now asked loudly, looking both at them with a panicking gaze.

"... I told everyone what happened. About Niles. About Calvin. About Randal. About everything." Charlie stated with an emotional tone.

".... A-and?" Dion asked quietly.

"... They beat me up. Apparently, I underestimated Calvin's influence. These people... They have no love for me. I ex-... I expected as naïve as I was... that they would be grateful. But instead... I only got a taste today of how they really feel about me. That... This is why we need to pack. Just... Just in case." the old dog muttered, rubbing his face and closing his eyes.

"... They... they did that?" Dion asked scaredly, hinting at Charlie's small wounds around his face.

"They did. And they were even angrier when Sam, Tio, and everyone else tried to interfere. They were not so happy that our dad is a better parent than them, and they made that very loudly known." Ryan explained quietly to Dion, approaching his then father slowly.

But as Charlie was about to say something to clear it all out to Dion, Ryan continued agitatedly.

"Although, that is not true, is it?"

".... What?"

"... You. Being a good parent." Ryan spoke without remorse.

Charlie's jaw now dropped a little bit after hearing that from Ryan, who he had expected nothing but support from so far, as he had seen it very visibly.

But Ryan was now speaking out his true emotions on Charlie, having had enough of him. And now, Dion was looking at the whole situation cautiously, as his father was not able to say anything back.

"A good parent doesn't do things as you do. You saved my best friend and I am forever in your debt for that. For killing Randal. And to be honest, I do not care about the others that you killed. You did what you had to do. But how... How can you even think for a moment that you are a good parent? Dad... you have lied to us our whole lives. About everything. How can we ever trust anything you say to us anymore? That whole bullshit story of you being a merchant? Falling in love with mom?! Having a farm? How stupid do you think I am?! You thought me how to fight since I was twelve, and even then, I already knew that there was no reason for the person you claim you were, to know how to fight... And now, seeing what you can do? Killing people? Beating them up? They didn't have a chance against you! And all this time, you have been playing the role of some pussy, just because you were too coward to tell even your own blood about who you really were?!"

"R-Ryan, IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE-" Charlie began with the hurt tone, raising up from the couch as the fox was practically screaming at him.

Dion was scared shitless, not able to stop what was going on.

Because... he didn't want to. At this moment... He was thankful for how much braver his brother was at this moment, able to say what Dion himself couldn't. As harsh as the words were.

"Shut up! For once, shut up! Do you even know how much I want to hit you right now?! Do you think that you deserve hugs?! Compliments?! Understanding?! LOOK AT MY FUCKING BROTHER! He is scared that you might kill HIM any second now!!! LOOK AT HIM!" Ryan yelled in rage, pointing at his husky brother at the doorway.

"RYAN, I-" Charlie began desperately, looking at Dion in a panic and feeling truly cornered.

"YOU GO TO SPEAK TO OTHER PEOPLE, BEFORE EVEN TALKING TO ME AND MY BROTHER FIRST, LIKE A COWARD! WE DESERVED TO BE THE FIRST ONES YOU ANSWER TO! ABOUT EVERYTHING! AND INSTEAD, YOU JUST EXPECTED US TO GET OVER IT!!!"

"SON, DO NOT YELL AT ME-"

SMACK!!!

The hit made Dion gasp, his eyes widening in true fear as Ryan had done the unspeakable.

He had hit Charlie right in the face in his anger, right at his left eye.

The hit made Charlie budge, taking few small steps backwards as he held his eye in shock, not able to realize what had just happened.

And Ryan, panting there in rage, yelled still after giving the firm sucker punch right at his father's face.

"FUCK YOU! ASSHOLE! YOU FUCKING LIAR!"

"RYAN! STOP!" Dion yelled out, starting to cry in panic.

Charlie just stood there, looking at the ground with his other eye and knowing that was going to leave a black eye for a while.

The dog didn't say a word or move. Ryan kept on panting angrily, still not easing up on his rage, even when Dion rushed to his side now fast, making sure he would not try to do that again.

And now, Charlie slowly turned to finally look at his son, seeing them both side by side. Ryan full of rage... and Dion full of fear.

"... Are you going to fight back? Huh?" Ryan asked in a challenge.

The old husky didn't answer, just looking at them as he held his hurt eye, the other one getting glossy. It was not due to anger.

"... I... I never... I never wanted it to be like this..." He whispered, starting to cry.

"... It doesn't matter what you wanted! It is done! And now, you are about to give up and tell us to pack!? When were you going to tell us about yourself?! In a year? Two? TWENTY?! Fuck you! Just fuck you, dad! You keep saying that you care about us! You keep saying that everything you do, is for mine and Dion's safety! Job well done! But it's okay for you to leave us mentally scarred huh, as long as we just breathe?! Just hours ago, my brother was locked up in the bathroom, calling you a monster and wishing that you were not his father! You had him drag fucking bodies to med bay! Dion has not even seen blood before! And then, you beat up Jill's father to make it all even worse?!-"

"W-what?!" Dion asked between in panic, Ryan continuing.

"Yeah, Jill's dad got angry and talked about our mom! But so what?! You had already won, dad! You didn't need to explain yourself to them in the first place! YOU NEEDED TO COME HERE AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF TO US! WE ARE YOUR FAMILY! AND WHAT FAMILY IS THAT NOW?! WHAT IS LEFT!? A FUCKING LIAR, FOREVER TRAUMATIZED BROTHER OF MINE, AND ME, WHO CAN ONLY THINK ABOUT BEATING YOU UP WITH THE REST OF THEM RIGHT NOW!!"

"... Son..."

"... WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY RIGHT NOW?! WHAT OTHER LIE ARE YOU GOING TO TELL US?!"

"... I...-"

"Hey, you know what?! If this really goes as bad as you say, and we are going to get kicked out of here-!... I am going to hate you for the rest of my life! We have friends here! Our whole life is here! We got that in return for mom leaving us here alone, and now it was all for nothing?! Because you just couldn't patiently let Amir and Rob recover and come here, to make sure your family is alright?! No. You just had to fucking march into explaining yourself to everyone, lose your temper and get beaten up and now you are ending up into a fucking trial?! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

"P-please, my son-"

"YOU DON'T DESERVE TO CALL ME THAT!" Ryan snapped at his father, that making Charlie stop his whimpering in the middle of his crying.

Dion had never seen his father like this. And yet, he had no intention of stopping Ryan from yelling at him. AS much as he still knew that he loved his father, no matter how afraid he was of him, how angry... It felt like Ryan spoke on behalf of them both.

The old husky kept crying, letting go of his hurt eye and trying to control his breathing, as he could just not speak back.

He was a mess. It was so much more hurtful to hear all of this from the mouth of your own child. It was genuine, it was raw and angry. But it was justified. It was something that was long stirred and unleashed on him all at once, and all he could do, no matter his strong mind and nature... Was to cry.

Ryan kept on panting, but he was slowly feeling himself calm down, just briefly. It was not every day he could see his father his vulnerable. He had really hurt his soul at this moment. There was no coming back from the words that he had just given to his parent. But he wasn't about to take them back.

"... Say something." Ryan said, not intending to sound as begging as he was, now feeling the slow regret kicking in, seeing his father cry so much, shaking and taking support from the back of the couch.

"... I tried to do the right thing... - I-... I tried! I always have!" Charlie let out with a broken voice, gasping a bit and crying still.

And just hearing him say it with such a genuine sorrow was not easy to handle. The person in front of them was a killer. But he was still their father, and his emotions at this moment were nothing but real.

"... It... I just wasn't the right... The right time... It... I couldn't... It was not the time for either of you to hear the truth... It wasn't..." Charlie drifted off, sniffing loudly and still crying.

Ryan then spoke in frustration, shaking his head.

"What does that even me-"

"Dad... You were never going to tell us, were you?" Dion suddenly asked with a shocked tone, having come to a realization. He was walking forward and looking at his dad intensively. Ryan had not expected Dion to speak, but he finally was.

"..." Charlie now looked at Dion with an apologizing tone, the expression, and tears already speaking for themselves.

Dion had guessed right.

"... Unbelievable." Ryan spoke out, after seeing his father not even denying it.

"... I... Boys, I just-" Charlie began as whimper until Ryan got agitated again.

He stepped past his brother, looking at his dad angrily.

"I should just hit you again for that." The fox snarled.

"No," Dion said quickly with a scared tone, grabbing his brothers arm beggingly.

Charlie sniffed loudly, looking at Ryan, his healthy eye keeping on shedding tears as his broken voice spoke.

"You have... You have that right. I deserve it. I... I do... But know... Even if you want it... And no matter how much Dion fears it... I will never... Ever... Hurt either of you. No matter what. And what I put you both through... I... I have to live with that for the rest of my life... I am... I am so, so sorry... About-"

"Oh, so now you are sorry?"

Charlie finally broke out, yelling back at them with tears flowing down his eyes, as much as it hurt due to Ryan's punch.

"I AM! RYAN, DION, YOU BOTH KNOW THAT I AM! I HAVE NEVER BEEN SORRIER, AND I KNOW THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME! BUT ALL I DID, WAS TO KEEP YOU TWO SAFE! YOU TWO MIGHT BE SCARED OF ME AND HATE ME, AND I CAN'T... I CAN'T SAY THAT IT'S NOT JUSTIFIED! BUT I LOVE YOU BOTH MORE THAN ANYTHING, AND I AM TRYING MY BEST TO JUST... TO JUST TAKE CARE OF-"

"Stop," Ryan said quietly, his eyes getting glossy too, as he did not want to believe his father right now due to his anger, even when the words were true and felt.

"Dad... "Dion began quietly, wanting to hug his crying father but too scared to do so, still.

"I... I could never hurt... I can't... It's all just... Just a mess, I-..." Charlie began whispering, just wanting the two to understand. Hell, what he needed was forgiveness at this moment.

But all Ryan did, was shake his head and hold back his tears hard as he could as he spoke.

"I'm going to sleep. I am done listening to you. And I am tired of all this bullshit." Ryan gruffed out, turning away from them both and starting to walk towards his room.

"R-Ryan-" Charlie whispered emotionally, Dion hesitatingly looking at his brother and clearly his gaze begging him to not leave him alone with his dad.

The fox stopped at the door of his room and turned around, gritting his teeth a bit and trying to calm down. He was clearly wanting to just get out of the room, so they could not see him cry.

Ryan then spoke quietly.

"You know... I want to believe you... And I want to forgive you. But you just... When you say that you did it all because of us... That is just another lie."

"..."

"You did it all because it made you feel good. You might have saved Niles because I know that you care about him... But you beat up and killed all these people... Because you liked it. You hate that you can't admit that to yourself. See? Just lies on top of lies." Ryan said, sounding truly disappointed.

Charlie could not say anything to that anymore, his mouth lowering a bit from the words.

And there he had it.

The answer to the question he had been asking himself during this whole chaos.

And as Ryan saw that Charlie could not come up with anything to say this accusement... He just held back his tears, giving one last angry look at his father and spoke out as he pressed the button of his room door.

"I'm going to sleep. I suggest you do the same, brother. I am done talking listening to him."

And as Charlie tried to desperately say anything at all back to Ryan, the door closed in front of the fox, leaving the still quiet in the living room.

Charlie still kept looking at the door, sniffing loudly and finally calming down with his crying, slowly.

Dion kept looking at his father, awkward and totally clueless of what to do.

But he then whispered.

"... Was he right?" He asked, wishing he didn't even ask within a second. He knew that he was most likely not going to like the answer.

"... Son... N-no-" Charlie tried to squeeze out. But it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself of that, not Dion.

The old husky finally turned to look at his son with a desperate gaze, holding support from the couch and feeling lightheaded due to all these messy emotions.

"You beat up... Jill's father." Dion suddenly squeezed out, sounding hurt over the fact that something like that had happened. Because that also affected his relationship with Jill, most likely. And not in a good way.

"... Dion... P-please, listen to me... I didn't mean to hit him-"

"You lie. Again." Dion whispered, crying as well. And it hurt even more than his father just kept on lying again.

"Dion-"

"No... Don't... Dad... All the things that you said to Calvin... When you were in the chair... Was it all true... Or was it just to scare him? Please... Just... Do not lie to me. Don't do that to me." Dion begged with tears.

"..."

Charlie closed his eyes, whispering with an honest tone.

"It was all true."

"... I believe you... And it makes me sick in my stomach that I believe you." Dion said after a few seconds, settling in the fact that his father had been killing people since he was fourteen years old.

"..."

"... If that is all true... And you did all those things... I wish you would have stayed out... And that Mom would have come with us." Dion whispered with tears flowing down and dropping onto the floor. It ached his heart to say how he really felt. But it had been said now.

"... DION, I'm so sorry-" Charlie began, breaking down again as he felt like the worst person alive right now in front of his children's eyes.

"But I will never truly know if you are. You scare me. You scare Ryan. You scare everyone. Can't you see that?" Dion asked quietly.

"..."

"... Dad... If they decide to kick us out... You are going to fight back, aren't you?" The husky asked knowingly.

"... We can't go back out there." Charlie sniffed, his voice making it clear that he was not allowing it to happen.

"... But if they decide that we have to... Then we have no choice." Dion whispered with a hurt tone.

They both were quiet now... And as much as Dion wanted to rush in and hug his father...

He couldn't. For the same reason that Ryan couldn't.

The husky kept looking at his crying father, slowly backing out and walking towards his own door.

"Dion... Please... Don't go." Charlie whispered.

"... I can't stay. I need to... I need to pack my things, j-just like you said." Dion said with a shaky tone, sounding even a bit angry.

He opened his own room door, still looking at his father and seeing his father take few steps around the couch and towards him, intending to come to him.

"... D-Dion, you don't need to-"

"But I do. It's like you said... W-we have to prepare for the worst... And you just... You need to give us time. You need to give Ryan time... We... I need to be alone, dad." Dion said, swallowing hard and forcing him to turn his crying gaze away from his father, about to walk back into his room.

"Son. Charlie said with an emotional tone, just wishing that his son would look at him.

Dion slowly turned to look at his father again, as painful as it was... And Charlie then whispered.

"I love you both... And I will... I will fix this. I can... I have to." Charlie spoke with heartbroken tone, just desperately wanting Dion to understand.

And yet... Dion only looked sadder after hearing his dad sound so desperate and pathetic.

"... Good night, dad." Dion whispered back, the words almost stuck in his throat from wanting to go to his father, embrace him. To tell him it was alright... That he could forgive him. But his anger and frustration stopped him... Just as it did Ryan.

And now... As the door closed after the young husky...

Charlie was left alone in the room, with nothing but sounds of his own crying and panting keeping him company...

As he felt that now he had truly lost it all.

END