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**Chapter 10: Father and Son

Skyview Apartments, Apartment 6**

It was about noon by the time Jason and Brett managed to prise themselves from each other and walk hand in hand back to Jason's car. They drove all the way back to the apartment, just talking. The future was theirs now. They planned, hoping to finish their degrees, get jobs - Brett was hoping to go for his Masters and eventually a PhD - buy a house close to Dan and Chris and then adopt.

Provided the world didn't end...

For the first time, it truly felt like they were honest with each other...

"When I was three I owned a Little Ha-Ha Baby Doll," Brett admitted, with a sheepish grin. "Then I proceeded to sever its head and flush it down the toilet."

Jason sniggered. "Wow... Okay, well when I was about three, I scared the shit out of all the defenders of all existence and unleashed the very darkness that possessed you."

Brett only laughed and nodded. "Alright, alright... How about this, then?" He straightened and looked pretty smug about himself. "When I first saw you, I fell in love with you at first sight. Being a dog, I sort... imprinted on you."

"Stupid dog," Jason said with a grin. He turned to Brett as he parked the car right next to their apartment. "But I love you anyway." They pulled out of the car together and Jason just leaned over the roof of his convertible, regarding Brett not in the light or as a dark entity... but as a vibrant being of colour.

I guess that's the thing I've been doing wrong all this time...

I've been looking at people as if they were 'light' or 'dark', 'good' or 'evil'.

... But really... It's not that simple.

And there's one person I have to thank for that...

He turned his gaze away from Brett, regarding the world around him. As sappy as it sounded, he saw the world in a new light. It was no longer just light, dark and grey. It was a world full of diversity and colour.

His eyes had been opened...

Slowly, he turned those eyes back to Brett... and frowned when he saw the worried look on his mate's face.

"What?"

"Uh... Jase..." his Rottweiler began. "Remember how Dominic was actually Lust?"

A sinking feeling started forming in the pit of Jason's stomach.

"Yeah...?"

Oh... wait...

That sinking feeling became a terrible, consuming monster that was eating at his very being from the inside... A monster that took the shape of a silver-haired woman with purple eyes...

"And remember how I sorta... killed him...?"

That pit in his stomach took the shape of a vengeful, fuming Robin coming at him with a rusty kitchen knife. He envisioned Robin vowing to make the rest of his life a living hell like she had attempted with Connor.

Whenever he would go for a job interview, she's just randomly pop up and remind his potential employer that this was actually the idiot super who had gotten caught with his pants down and his cock up another guy on private property. If he went to save a baby from a burning building with the mother standing just outside screaming 'My baby', Robin would be there to tell her that he was actually that gay horny wolf that slept with his dad. The mother would then choose to let her baby die in the flames than be rescued by him.

"Hey Brett... How much do you love me?" he asked meekly.

Brett gave him a sour look and he just offered a shaky grin in return.

They both expected some nuclear explosion if and when they walked through that door. Jason led the way, figuring that if anything, Robin would listen to him the most since he did sort of save her the last time...

Kinda of...

A bit of irony struck him if Robin ended up the device by which the world was ended...

He headed up the stairs to their apartment, gripping Brett's hand tightly.

Even if the world ends now... I'll be fine.

I have Brett beside me.

He shrugged as they reached their door.

Besides, what's the worst that she can do to me? Kill me?

He imagined the most, horrible, torturous death he could possibly fathom and even that didn't scare him. As long as he knew that he and Brett loved each other... nothing would get between them.

"Except sex with Robin?" Pessimist suggested, poking his head in just for that briefest of moment before ducking back into the recesses of his subconscious.

Jason froze, his hand firmly around the doorknob and his eyes wide open in horror.

Sex... with... Robin...?

His mind exploded into panic.

Forget torment and torture for all eternity. Damnation into absolute darkness would be a cake walk.

But heterosexual sex with Robin...?

Oh god no...

Suddenly, the door flung open and Robin was dressed in her usual combat attire consisting of tight-fitting white leather. She had her custom-built sniper rifle slung over her shoulder.

Dear sweet EX! She's going to force me to have sex with her at gunpoint!

"Get in here!" she snapped, grabbing his hand and yanking him into the apartment.

Jason lashed out, grabbing the doorframe in desperation. "Save yourself!" he cried to Brett as Robin tugged at him. "I love you with all my heart! Whatever she does it won't mean anything! I swear! I could never love a woman!"

"What are you talking about?" Robin demanded, kicking is arm away from the doorframe. "We've been waiting all morning for you two to arrive! Didn't you get our messages?"

He stopped and turned to look into the apartment itself. Sitting at the kitchen table were Dan, Chris, that government agent lady - Tara - and Warren. Replaying the last few seconds in his head, he realised he had just made a very big jackass out of himself... Not to mention he walked in smelling of Brett and sex.

"What's going on?" Brett asked, stepping into the apartment. "What happened?"

Chris spoke up and held up two fingers. "Two things. The files recovered from the warehouse got us two leads. The first was that we found the missing people."

Jason's heart jumped from his chest to his throat. "Yeah... and...?"

"We've returned them to their families," Tara answered. "We've given the credit to the Newroads Police. The public doesn't need to know that we were involved or that each of the candidates has been grievously infected by the Descent-Tech."

Jason tensed and he sensed Brett do the same beside him.

"They're all Militarised Supers now," Tara continued. "Many have returned to their original lives but others have taken up service with us. On that note, because of your service to the Alderonian Government, we have convinced the Newroads Police to drop the charges against you."

The heart in his throat leapt up to his muzzle and he was afraid to say anything lest it leap out.

"That said, we cannot change people's opinions. Just because the police dropped their charges, they won't see you differently."

His heart dropped back down slightly.

"And the other thing?" Brett asked calmly.

"The testimonies of all the kidnapped and the documentation found at the warehouse is more than enough make an arrest of Maximillian Devries and make it stick," Chris said fiercely. "But he's slippery and he might be able to pin this on one of his lackeys again. I knew Devries was up to no good but making a superhero army!? That's just nuts!"

Nuts but... sort of what any supervillain would do...

... Kinda wonder why no one else has thought of it before...

"That is why we need you to you help testify against him."

"Us?" Brett asked, utterly surprised. "How will we help?"

Chris gave them a bitter smile. "Because Devries owns Club Sea4."

Alarm bells started ringing in Jason's head... and the pieces of the puzzle began falling in together.

Devries owns Sea4...

The Malefactors infect others when Pride, one of their own, comes in contact with someone. Regardless of that host's allegiances, they could infect anyone.

There were three hosts that he knew of.

Kyle Rose who was Sloth.

Dominic was Lust...

And Brett became infected with Envy.

What was their link?

Brett and Dominic both worked at Sea4.

Kyle worked for Devries.

Devries owned Sea4.

Only logical conclusion...

Devries is Pride!

But did Tara, Chris or Warren know that...?

He gazed at their eyes... then to Dan and mouthed very softly 'Malefactor'. His father shook his head ever so slightly.

"We just need you, Brett, to say what you experienced while at the club," Tara said.

"But I don't think I ever saw him," Brett said, shaking his head.

"Maybe not but were the drugs being dealt there?"

Brett snorted and rolled his eyes. "It's a club of course there were drugs there. Never touched the stuff. But you knew it was there."

Tara nodded firmly. "That is all we need." She stood up, her metallic hand making a loud clank against the table. "We will have our lawyers speak to you. Hopefully we can get a conviction and the death sentence."

Jason was not thinking about putting Devries in jail. He was thinking about the sort of damage a Malefactor could do... The multitude of people that Devries could have touched during his reign... Anyone could be a Malefactor or a pawn...

"We need to gather the evidence together and formulate a proper plan of attack," Chris said. "Devries is staying at the Distant Roads Hotel. We'll see if we can make the arrest tomorrow."

Jason broke his silence. "Why not now?"

"Every time we try to apprehend Devries, he always finds some loophole or pasty to take the fall for him," Chris replied, shaking his head. "We need to be patient about this. Give us time to make sure we get him this time."

Tara headed for the door, flanked by Warren. "We'll take our leave of you now. However, Brett" - she stared at the Rottweiler with her steely gaze - "gather your wits about you. Devries' lawyers are harsh and unforgiving. Be prepared to be torn to pieces."

Brett gulped loudly and nodded as the two left.

Chris sighed and shook his head as soon as the door shut. "I need to be going too..."

"Right..." Dan murmured softly. "I'll see you at home."

"Maybe not." The Blue Wolf gave Dan a hesitant smile. "This is big, Dan. The closest we've ever come to catching Devries once and for all. I can't screw up."

"Sure... I understand."

The two shared a long, sad stare for a moment. Watching them, Jason had the sneaking suspicion that even if his stunt at the warehouse hadn't ruined their date... that evening wasn't as special as it should have been. Without a word, Chris turned and left the apartment.

The instant the door shut, Robin and Dan instantly turned to Brett and Jason, their accusing stares burning holes into their fur.

"Um... Hi...?" Jason offered meekly.

"What happened?" Dan growled.

"Erm..."

Brett rested a hand on his shoulder and sighed heavily. He looked to Dan with those beautiful, brown eyes and said, "I was a host to the Envy Malefactor."

Jason instantly flinched when Robin suddenly had her sniper rifle levelled at Brett's head.

"No!" he shouted. Thankfully, Robin didn't fire.

"And?" Dan pressed.

"Dominic was one too... Lust."

There, Robin faltered and her eyes were filled with shock.

"Lust tried to use Jason's overactive libido to turn him into a pawn," Brett continued. "I... uh... Envy killed him for it. Then... Well..." For a second, Brett turned away, unable to say anything. "Then Envy used me to blackmail Jason... Either, Jason offers up his light for me... or he is forced to kill me... Jason took up Envy on his offer."

Jason watched Robin first. He didn't want to see what his dad would think or say. Robin immediately lowered her rifle, looking aghast as she turned her gaze first from Jason then to Brett. It looked like she was about ready to kill them both...

"I know."

He jumped and spun towards Dan.

His father was staring grimly at the two of them. "R3 intercepted Envy before he could escape. Killed the Malefactor and took the child. Everyone has been trying to get him to kill the kid but R3 is insistent on keeping him alive. Keeps saying that the child will 'save us all'. Right now, the child is being kept in a crib in R3's Library. No one is allowed in anymore."

"My kid is being kept by R3!?" Jason exclaimed incredulously.

Whether it was paternal instincts kicking on or some fear of R3's future plots, he just knew the kid couldn't be with the No One. In the back of his mind, he imagined the child being some sort of soldier that could dictate the fate of mortals but was truly just a pawn to R3's whim.

He didn't want that.

Not for his child!

"R3 has no right -"

"He does," Dan interrupted. "Especially if that child ends up being EX the Existent."

...

...

There were ten words in that sentence. He spent six seconds processing each word. An entire minute to process the whole sentence. The last three words he didn't quite process properly so he took another minute just getting it through his head.

Once it was perfectly through and processes, he turned around and walked towards the door.

"Jason -" Brett began.

He flung open the door, stuck his head between the doorframe...

WHAM!

"Jason!" Brett cried.

WHAM!

"He's just trying to give himself amnesia," Dan said dismissively. "He'll get tired of it in a few seconds."

WHAM!

Brett grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the door before he could slam the door against his head again. "That can't be healthy."

"Who knows?" Robin replied bitterly. "Perhaps we should let him continue and run a full diagnostic afterwards."

Jason was guided to one of the kitchen chairs and just sat numbly. It was a pity he was a super because hitting himself with a door really didn't do much but give him a mild headache. His mind was still reeling that he could actually be the father of EX the Existent!

The most powerful No One in existence!

"So... Are you saying that we could actually be the parents of EX?" Brett asked, sitting down right next to him and gently patting his hand.

Dan folded his arms securely around his chest. "That's a distinct possibility. Yes."

Hmmm... This is a very nice kitchen table...

WHAM!

"Stop trying to give yourself amnesia!" Brett snapped, pulling his head back up from the table.

Dan sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. "Look... I know it sounds crazy but... I've seen this sort of stuff before. Things that happen in the present affect how things happened in the past. R3, T13 and S-Zero are pretty smart that way. I've been involved in their schemes were entire realities could only be created when, in the future, a person went into the past to create the reality.

"It is entirely possible, much to my annoyance, that you two actually 'birthed' the entity that embodies and holds together all existence."

Jason flung his head towards the table -

But felt Brett's hands seize the sides of his head, stopping him from causing more injury... or breaking the table.

"So let me get this straight..." Brett began, struggling to keep Jason from slamming his head against the table. "You, F6 the Patriarch, sired Jason Wolfe, part-No One. In turn, Jason Wolfe sired EX the Existent with me. Thus, because EX exists, you can exist."

Dan nodded firmly. "In a warped, twisted circle... yes." He winced. "Trust me... I'm reeling about this as well. I could be the grandfather of EX..." The big wolf grimaced and shook his head. "God... I feel so old..."

"What are R3's plans for the child?"

Dan shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. He won't let anyone near EX."

Hmmm... I wonder how hard I can hit myself with a frying pan...

"You are making the dangerous assumption that the child is, in fact, EX," Robin said. "For all you know, the child is nothing more than a pawn to R3. Perhaps this was how R3 came to become the Writer of Reality. He controls EX."

"R3 isn't like that," Dan answered defensively. "He's good... I know it. Just... It's not always so obvious."

Remembering Dan's former relationship with R3, Jason snapped out of his self-injuring state and regarded his father. "So... You're not mad that I kind of offered up the world to save my mate?"

"I sort of am," his dad answered a little grumpily. "However... considering the circumstances... I guess I really can't be. This was how things were meant to be, Jason. I'm just glad that you chose the right path... even if it did end up screwing our lives even more."

Robin huffed loudly and turned towards her room. "Yes... Everything worked out just fine for you."

Oh... right... She lost Dominic...

"Robin -"

"Save it, Jason. I have no interest in your sympathy. If Dominic was indeed Lust, then I was the fool for not seeing it earlier. I put you in danger. Conversely, had I not done so, you would not have sired EX or saved Brett. Therefore, I have no strong feelings about this situation. I will retire to my room now."

It seemed genuinely unfair. Every person that Robin ever cared about ended up being totally rotten. The universe was conspiring against her to make sure she was just not happy with someone. Here was Jason with the love of his life and the possibility that their union had created the most powerful being in all existence... and Robin was just left on the curb as a sidekick.

Didn't she deserve happiness as well...?

Jason jumped out of his seat and bolted after her but she slammed the door on his nose before he could enter her room. He saw stars for a moment and twitched his nose to get rid of the pain from impact.

"Robin!" he pleaded, pounding on the door. "I know it's not fair but you got to believe me, I never meant to hurt you!"

Her voice came out from the other side of the door, firm, strong and resolute as it always was. "I do not blame you, Jason. There is no blame here aside from the Malefactors and even they played a part in R3's plot so they are, arguably, not truly at fault. Please, Jason, just leave me be for now."

More than anything, he wanted to break down the door and tell her that she couldn't give up. Somewhere out there was the perfect person for her. If he could impart the knowledge he had gathered and the lessons he had learned to her, he knew she would feel better.

But really... what good would that do...?

Coming from me... It's sound just stupid...

An idea hit him.

But...

He turned around and marched towards his room.

"Jason! What are you doing?" Dan demanded.

"I'm going to go make Robin feel better."

Brett went rigid and his jaw dropped. "You're not going to have sex with her are you!?"

He froze and spun towards his mate, completely horrified. "What!? No!" Then a mischievous grin crossed his face. "But if you hear any weird noises, don't come in, okay?"

His Rottweiler's jaw dropped open as Jason entered their room and climbed onto the ledge of the broken window. Their landlord was going to give them hell for that but he didn't care. Not right now anyway. He scrambled across the ledge, gripping the edge of the roof just barely.

"Are you nuts!?" Dan cried, charging into the room. "Get down from there! You'll hurt yourself!"

"I've had worse," Jason answered with a grim grin. "Oh, by the way, I think Devries is Pride."

That caught both his dad and his mate's attention.

"What? Why?"

"Think about it." Jason swung himself off the window ledge, his body hanging from the gutter. "Kyle, Dominic and even you Brett have one person in common. That's Devries. He owns Sea4 so that's how you two got infected. Then Kyle is working for Devries and he was Sloth!"

The two men he loved most in the world exchanged glances. He took that moment where their attention lapsed to shuffle across the gutters. He heard the metal creak against his heavy, muscular weight and he hastened his pace, coming to hang just in front of Robin's window.

She was sitting on her bed which sat at the base of the window, her back turned to him. Judging by how her shoulders were constantly shaking, she was crying.

He knocked on the window.

Robin instantly straightened and flung around, her purple eyes wet and wide. Even with the glass between them, he could hear her shout, "Oh my god!"

Quickly, she scrambled over her bed and flung open the windows.

"What are you doing!?" she demanded.

"Trying to cheer you up," he answered with a grin.

"By killing yourself!?" For a moment, she gave him a sadistic grin. "You should have just asked me to shoot you."

"Yeah... No." The gutters groaned and Jason was jerked downwards for a moment. "Look, I know coming from me, any support I give will sound hollow. But I know someone who will cheer you right up."

Robin looked sceptical and he could see she was seriously considering just letting him drop. He wouldn't die but he'd just get severely hurt.

However, she sighed and nodded once. "Very well. Take me to this 'guru of happiness'. Though I warn you, this had better not be a waste of my time."

Grinning, Jason said. "Don't worry. This guy is a genius. R3-level genius." The gutters jerked downwards again. "Now... Uh... can you get me up from here?"

She rolled her eyes and seized his arms, pulling him up through the window and onto her bed. Grinning, he took her hand and led her out of her room and back into the main area of the apartment. Brett and Dan were already there, looking very much relieved that he hadn't fallen and broken his neck.

"Jason!" Dan exclaimed, the relief evident on his face. "I thought you-" The big wolf stopped as Jason headed past them. "Where are you going?"

"We're going to grab a coffee," he answered. "Wanna come with?"

Brett looked partially horrified and partially amused. "Wow... That was quick. And sure. A coffee sounds great about now."

Dan sighed heavily, massaging his temples. "Alright... I suppose we need it..."

Robin, still quite sceptical, allowed him to lead her - and the rest of the family - to his car. He quickly drove them all the way down a now familiar route. The skyscrapers and business of Newroads faded away the pristine beachside scene.

"Century Street?" Robin asked dubiously. "Jason, I do hope you are not planning on handing me over to an exceptionally expensive therapist."

"Nope," he replied, grinning as he parked the car right next to his favourite cafe. "All we gotta do is buy a coffee and leave him a nifty tip and he'll give you life-changing advice."

Brett's ears twitched towards him as they left the car and embraced the unusually sunny day of Newroads. "You're talking about Sam, aren't you?"

"Sam? Who is this 'Sam'?" Robin asked suspiciously.

"He's a waiter here," Jason answered, hiking his thumb toward the nearby cafe. "He's pretty smart. He was the one that led me back to Brett after what happened last night."

Brett's eyebrows shot up. "You uh... You didn't...?"

"What!?" Jason cried. "No! He just offered me some hot chocolate. Which reminds me... I owe him two-fifty..."

At the mention of chocolate, Brett lost whatever jealousy he was building and his eyes went wide in that familiar chocoholic craze. "Chocolate?"

Laughing, Jason wrapped his arm around his mate's waist and led them across the street towards the cafe. "That's right, hun. They serve that triple chocolate mousse cake here too, remember?"

"Cake?"

It was so adorable when Brett was in this state.

Mental Note: Brett his highly suggestible when in his chocoholic trance.

He could think of countless uses for that...

Someone cleared their throat behind them. Robin didn't seem too pleased and had stopped right in the middle of the road, her arms crossed. She didn't even seem to care that she could get run over...

"I am not going to accompany you to your gay marriage councillor," she said firmly.

A waiter walked by with a tray full of those chocolate cakes and Brett lunged for it. It took everything Jason had to restrain him.

"Cake...?" Brett whimper, scrambling for the tray and dragging Jason towards the cafe.

Gah! When did he get so strong!?

Dan wrapped an arm around Robin's shoulders and pulled her towards the cafe. "Robin, just give it a shot. If someone can patch up the hole between a Malefactor Host and a No One's son, he must be good."

There was a moment of hesitancy in her eyes before she conceded.

Jason - still restraining a salivating Brett - stood right next to the 'Please Wait to be Seated Sign'. A vixen sauntered up to them, grinning broadly. "Hello and good afternoon! Table for four?"

He had been expecting Sam and as he glanced around, he noted that his favourite waiter wasn't around.

Wait a second...

... I was here six hours ago and Sam was working...

It was stupid to assume that the oddly coloured wolf would still be working...

"Um... Yes please."

Their waitress bowed slightly and gestured towards the restaurant. "This way please."

Dan had to abandon supporting Robin to keep Brett from lunging at a table that had half a chocolate cake on it. Which was just as well because Robin slapped Brett's hand away before the Rottweiler could snatch a brownie from an elderly woman's hands.

They sat down on a table and the waitress offered them their menus.

"Would you like anything to drink first off?" she asked.

"I'll get a Lemon Lime Bitters please."

"Hot chocolate!" Brett exclaimed, eagerly bouncing in his set like an impatient child... an impatient 300 pound pure-muscle child...

"Just water please," Robin answered.

"I'll get a lemonade," Dan replied.

Jason gently grasped the vixen's arm for a second. "Excuse me, is Sam here?"

"Sam?" she answered, inclining her head to the side. "You just missed him. His shift ended about five minutes ago. He'll be working again tomorrow."

Tomorrow is when they're going to raid Devries' place...

... but we can't let that happen...

He glanced at Robin. There was a plan formulating in his plan - a not well-thought-out plan - but still a plan. Robin was part of that plan but he had to know he could trust her with his back. They needed Sam's advice now.

"Do you happen to know where he lives?"

The vixen suddenly looked worried. "Um... I'm not sure I should tell you that..."

He instant berated himself for sounding like a stalker. "No, it's just that -"

Something instantly dropped from above and bounced off his muzzle, landing squarely on his lap. It was a set of keys. He picked it up, regarding it arm's length with surprise before looking upwards to see where it had come from. There was a seemingly inconspicuous raven sitting just above the canvas of their outdoor dining area. The raven cawed and inclined its head to the side, showing sapphire-blue eyes with pupils shaped like eight-pointed stars.

What the -?

"Hey! Anna!"

All eyes flicked to that same 'Please Wait to be Seated' sign as Sam came running up, panting and looking terribly exhausted. He had removed his shirt since he looked like he had just run a marathon and was dripping with seat. Curiously, Jason had never noticed just how thick Sam's fur was. There was hard muscle beneath, probably close to himself in build, but the thick, jet-black and gold fur made it almost invisible. Those abs were still quite pronounced as were his perfectly square, tight pecs but most of the definition was lost in that golden crest of thicker fur on his chest that was conveniently shaped like a heart.

Sam!

"Have you..." Sam gasped, completely out of breath. "Have you seen a black bird...?"

Anna - the vixen - pointed upwards. "You mean like that one?"

Sam glanced up and growled. "Yeah..." He staggered forward. "That flying feather duster stole my keys right out of my hands as I was heading home! Tell me it didn't drop it somewhere..."

Jason grinned and thanked R3 as the raven fluttered off. He held up the keys so that Sam could see them. "He sure did." He tossed them back towards the oddly-coloured wolf-hybrid. "Here you go!"

Sam tried to catch them but was obviously too weary and the keys dropped to the ground. The young wolf sighed and bent down. Almost everyone on the table turned their heads to regard that tight, scrumptious ass. Even Robin did and she seemed particularly interested. Brett was leaning in the opposite direction to where a woman was digging into some chocolate-covered strawberries.

The instant Sam picked up his keys, everyone snapped back into position. Except for Brett. Jason had to push him back into position.

"Thanks man," Sam said, grinning but still panting heavily. "I owe ya."

"We're even," Jason replied. "In fact, why don't you join us? We were just thinking about you." He regarded Robin with a slight smirk. "Weren't we?"

Robin coughed loudly. "Yes... Ahem, we were."

Sam smiled but shook his head. "Thanks but no thanks. I mean, I got rent to pay, food to buy -"

"Wait..." Dan interrupted. "Rent? Food? How old are you?"

"Sixteen." Sam shrugged and bobbed his head from side to side. "Well, technically fifteen but I'm turning sixteen in a month. Then again, you have to consider that people don't really know when I was born... My dads just took a guess when they adopted me."

Jason watched the reactions of Robin and Dan while making sure Brett kept his muzzle in the menu and salivating over the chocolate sections instead of anywhere else. He knew Sam's story and there was an alternative reason he was here apart from just comforting Robin.

I hope this works...

"You are only sixteen," Robin stated, just a little bit of shock in her voice, "paying for your own home and supplies as well as your education."

"Nope," Sam answered, still as cheerily as he always was. "Don't go to school. Can't afford it."

"What about your parents?"

"Both pairs are gone far out of my reach... Well... right now anyway."

The horrified looks on Dan and Robin's faces told Jason Sam would be staying whether the mismatched wolf-hybrid wanted it or not. He turned to Anne and ordered something for all of them, including Sam. She smiled at him and grasped his shoulder, whispering 'thank you' before hurrying off. Apparently, everyone in this cafe was aware of Sam's plight.

"Hold up!" Dan cried, loud enough for many of the other tables to turn their heads in surprise. "Are you telling me you're sixteen, you live alone, you work here and you have to pay for everything? Food, shelter, clothing? And you don't even go to school?"

"That's about it," Sam replied with a shrug and a smile. He nodded towards Jason. "He knows that story. You should get him to fill you in. I'm gonna head off and take a shower before I hit the gym."

"You work out?" Robin asked, her intentions painfully transparent. Her eyes were hungrily taking in Sam's built, athletic body.

"Er... No. I work there. I work the refreshments stand. The owner lets me use the equipment just before closing time but that's really not 'working out'." He turned away. "Anyway, see-yas!"

Jason hid a smirk behind a napkin as both Robin and Dan lashed out and took hold of one of Sam's hands each. He felt a little R3-ish manipulating them like this but he needed Sam to talk Robin into a brighter mood. If the fact that Sam had such a hard life wasn't enough to tell her there were so many people so much worse off than her, then surely his advice would help.

"No, stay," Robin insisted, pulling him back towards the table. Dan was instantly out of his seat and pulling an empty chair from an adjacent table. "Take a seat, Sam."

"No, really," Sam replied, shaking his head and trying to pull his hand away from Robin. However, she was a super and he wasn't so there was no escape. "I'll be late..."

"Surely you can spend at least an hour in good company after having to work yourself to the bone just to survive?"

"Wish I could," the wolf hybrid replied. "But seriously..."

Okay... Not working...

Jason thought quickly... If anything, Sam was nosy... He was too innocent to manipulate people but way too nosy... A dangerous combination especially since any manipulating he did would be inadvertent and thus he would remain somewhat blameless.

So... I have to do the manipulating...

"Hey Sam," he said, "did you know that Robin's boyfriend just died?"

All resistances shattered from Sam's features and he glanced at Robin in shock. "Oh god..." The wolf-hybrid instantly sat down on the offered seat.

Gotcha.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked, holding Robin's hand in both of his. His hands dwarfed hers but Jason could see the rising blush in Robin's cheeks.

I hope she remembers he's still way too young for her...

That and I'd never let him see her...

"I am fine, truly," Robin answered, turning away but not pulling her hand away from his grasp. No doubt having a big, sweaty, handsome and unique wolf holding her hand with glimmering sapphire-blue eyes was a massive turn on for her. "It was unavoidable. Circumstances as they are..."

"I understand," Sam said softly, patting her hand. "I guess it's too painful to talk about..." He suddenly grinned. "But you wanna know what I think?"

"You do not even know the situation..."

"Still wanna hear it though?"

...

There was a small tug at the edges of Robin's lips. "Sure."

"You never truly die until you're forgotten," Sam said, keeping his bright, sunny grin. For some reason, Jason had this eerie feeling that this day's sunny weather was because of Sam. "When we forge relationships with someone, we latch onto them. There are chains that bind us to one another. When someone we care about dies abruptly, they are torn away and they take part of us with them because of those chains being torn out of us..."

Jason imagined himself in that same situation... When Connor died, it felt like a part of him died with Connor... Like someone had taken a massive bite out of him and left him bleeding. But then he had Brett...

"Ever heard of the saying that 'death is just the beginning of a new chapter'?" Sam asked.

"Many times," Robin answered softly. "I am unsure if that applies to me however..."

"Of course it does! That's because it's not only the person passing away who starts a new chapter. It's you too! When someone ties, we spend time on the same page and sometimes even going back a few chapters just to remember what it was like to be with them. But we have to keep moving on, keep on reading towards the future or we'll never get to that happy ending!"

Jason frowned slowly.

Hey... Why didn't I ever get that sort of advice...?

Now he was starting to feel a little envious that Sam hadn't been there when Connor died.

Their drinks arrived and Anne was regarding Robin and Sam curiously. The vixen leaned over to Jason.

"Um... You better tell your friend that Sam is gay..."

Jason jumped and spun to her. "What!?" he whispered softly, glancing towards Robin. Thankfully, she was too captivated by Sam to really be paying Jason any attention.

"Sam is hot," Anne whispered. "How many people do you think have hit on him since he started working here? All the waitresses have and random people slip their numbers into his pockets just to feel his ass. He always just gives them life-changing advice. He's still a virgin as far as we know and he's never been in a serious relationship. But we know he likes guys. He once felt up the cook."

Uh-oh...

Eep...

Panic alarms started ringing in his head. Sure Sam was too young for Robin but what if she decided to wait for him? Sam was like Brett! He was calm, understanding, inspiring and drop-dead gorgeous! With that angelic face, sunny disposition and gentle, caring heart...

Oh crap...

Robin might fall for him!

"Are you sure we will all receive our happy endings?" Robin asked. She was no longer speaking with a hint of bitterness and her eyes were holding Sam's gaze. Shakily but still holding it. She was also gripping his hand in return.

AH!

"Quick! Spill your drink on him!" Pessimist shouted. "Force him to leave her!"

What!? Are you nuts? If I spill my drink on him, he'll be soaked to the bone, showing more of his figure!

"Maybe it won't be so bad?" Optimist offered. "Robin is mature enough to know that she and Sam cannot be together... I think..."

What does Horndog have to say?

Horndog had his back pressed up against the massive, iron walls that kept the rest of his subconscious at bay. "Hey! I'm the only one keeping you sane! All those hits to the head didn't help! Don't talk to me right now!"

Jason thought fast.

Alright... Sorry Sam... Sorry Brett... but really, there's no choice...

"We'll all get our happy endings sooner or later," Sam answered, beaming brightly. "Maybe not in this lifetime or maybe not in the next. But eventually, we all will. We just have to be patient and not think about the ending. The journey is as better than the end result. The ending is just the icing on the cake. Getting there is the cake itself."

Oh boy...

Robin smiled softly and she was slowly starting to inch towards Sam. Sam, on the other hand blinked in surprise and was on the verge of pulling away and telling her he was gay.

Jason could see it.

Now or never!

Jason turned around and took a brownie from the table adjacent to them. "Sorry," he told the guy there, "family emergency. I'll pay you back, I promise." Then he turned back towards his table and threw the brownie towards Sam.

Time seemed to slow down to a terrible crawl.

The brownie spun and twisted in the air, flying right past Brett's muzzle. The Rottweiler's eyes went wide as saucers as they traced the path of the snack...

... right onto Sam's lap.

The wolf-hybrid picked up the brownie and regarded it curiously. "Huh?"

Jason shut his eyes and winced.

All he heard was Brett shouting, 'CHOCOLATE' and an ear-splitting boom. There was some uncontrollable laughter as he suspected Brett was chomping on the brownie that was probably on Sam's bare chest. He dared a peek and noticed Robin was just sitting and staring at the sight, completely stunned.

However, there was a slightly smile on her face and he knew she would be feeling better soon enough.

"You know, that was pretty manipulative of you," Dan whispered to him. "I don't suppose you knew Sam was gay before, did you?"

Jason regarded his father curiously. "What? How did you know he was gay?"

"Your gaydar needs work," Dan answered, tapping the side of his nose. "Personally, I was on the verge of grabbing that cake behind you and smearing it all over Robin..."

"I think we should apologise to Brett..." Jason murmured softly.

"And Sam."

"I think he's enjoying it, though."

Sam couldn't stop laughing and the wolf-hybrid was apparently tickling as Brett licked the chocolate crumbs from his body. It was kind of cute in a way.

Heh... I think I handled that well, Jason thought proudly as their meals arrived.

Brett was temporarily sated and his mate sat up, blinking in surprise like he had just woken from a dream. Sam was still giggling, the remnants of his ticklish sensation fading too slowly. Robin helped him up and he picked up his knife and fork without even questioning how or why he suddenly had a chicken schnitzel in front of him.

I bet, one day, I could out-manipulate R3!

As he jabbed his porterhouse steak, a horrifying thought entered his head.

... What if...

... What if I am R3...?

His consciousness suddenly shattered and started falling back into place but in a different form.

He was the father of EX the Existent... and R3 was the protector of all existence... of EX. What father wouldn't want to protect his child?

Why was R3 always so interested in him? Why would R3 do so much for him? Why, despite what D8 and many of the other No Ones wanted, would R3 continue to preserve this reality of Enria?

It couldn't be because it was out of the goodness of his heart...

... it could be because Enria was, in fact, where he came from.

He remembered what Dan said about R3 making a circular loop of events where the present affected the past and thus wrote the same present. If, in some distant future, he actually grew up to be R3... he would have to ensure that his past - the events taking place now - would have to proceed in a certain order or he wouldn't exist!

And lastly, R3 started calling Dan 'the Patriarch'... which could translate to 'father' or 'dad'.

Could it be...?

No...

NO!

Jason leapt to his feet, almost knocking over the table in the process. Everyone jumped and Brett was knocked out of another chocolate-coma as Jason bolted past him and ran straight for the toilets. He vaguely heard Dan - or maybe it was Sam - call out to him but he ignored them both and surged into the toilets.

Thankfully, there was no one else in there and he pressed his back against the door, keeping anyone else from entering. His heart was beating hard in his chest and his brain was flying into a panic.

"It can't be..." he gasped, breathing heavily. "There's no way... I can't possibly be..."

But the more he thought about it... the more likely it seemed.

If anything, they both had sapphire-blue eyes... Him, Dan and R3 did... If genetics had anything to play with it, that would be a trait they shared!

Please no...

He jumped in front of the mirrors hanging above the toilets and peered into his own eyes, pulling at his eyelids just to make sure there was no sign of those eight-pointed pupils in there. As much as he wanted to say that he was perfectly fine, he knew his neurosis was getting in the way of common sense and he was seeing the edges of his pupils pulling towards his irises in eight different places.

Whimpers started escaping him and he backed away from his reflection, pressing against the stalls.

I just can't be...

He glanced at the cracked and broken ceiling.

"If I really am you, give me a sign..."

At that moment one of the cracks widened and a large slab of plaster dropped down and struck him right between the eyes. He saw stars for a moment and slumped to the ground. Part of his brain had shut down from the impact while the other was figuring out if that was a 'Yes, you are me' or a 'No, you're a bloody idiot'.

The toilet doors swung open and Brett stepped in.

"Jason!"

His mate's warms hands wrapped around him and there was nothing more he wanted to do than to hug his Rottweiler tightly. Brett pulled him to his feet, slinging one of his arms over those broad shoulders.

"What happened?" Brett asked. "I... uh... Didn't freak you out with my chocolate addiction, did I? I mean, I can fix that. All I need is a lot of vanilla and I'm -"

Jason shut him up with a long, passionate kiss. It seemed like Brett kept making excuses as their muzzles interlocked and their tongues slid over one another. He pulled away, holding his mate's chin in one hand.

"Tell me I'm not R3."

The look of confusion on Brett's face was a little insulting and funny at the same time. "What?"

With a heavy sigh, Jason reported his fears. From the fact that he was indeed the father of EX, that R3 protected EX like a parent to the fact that all three Wolfes - Dan, himself and R3 supposedly - had the same eye-colour and, of course, Jason's sudden skill at manipulation. There was also R3's tendency to manipulate time and space so that the future wrote the past... in a sense.

There was even a little ironic twist in there as well...

R3 had given him Legacy, his book and reality, but instead of filling it with his own desires and wants, Jason had filled it with the stories of others. Then, when Connor died, he had given Legacy back to R3.

Was that meant to be some symbolic twist?

That the 'past him' gave the 'future him' his own reality and thus promoting him to R3 the Writer of Reality?

The possibilities were making his brain hurt.

Brett just stared at him blankly for an eternity.

Okay... This is it.

If he tells me I'm R3, I think I'll just kill myself now.

See how I like that...

Brett just started laughing... and he felt insulted.

"This is serious!" Jason snapped, pulling his arms away from his mate. "If I am R3 -"

"Would that be such a bad thing?" Brett asked, grinning from ear to ear. "You get to control all existence. You get to make sure everyone gets their happy endings just like Sam suggested."

"But I hurt people! I hurt Jen, Robin... You..."

"No you wouldn't have." Brett leaned in and stroked his hair lovingly. "All R3 did was open the door. The Malefactors were on the other side and we welcomed them in. I welcome one of them in. R3 isn't a bad guy. I know it seems like he's manipulating us but look at it this way: if he didn't do what he did, none of us would exist.

"So in a way, you just saved all existence, Jason."

That only made things worse.

Jason knew he was just being irrational. He knew he should be glad that he had actually done something right despite what he did do felt so wrong. Still, he felt used...

"Maybe I just need to clarify things with him..." Jason said with a sigh. I just need to talk to him. Get him to tell me honestly that everything will be okay."

Kinda weird...

I told him I didn't trust him... but here I am wanting him to tell me everything will be fine.

I guess because if he is me from the future, he would know how things turned out...

For the third time, the toilet doors swung open. Jason expected Dan to come barging in. Instead, it was Sam.

"Hey, are you two okay?" the young wolf asked.

Hmmm...

You know... If I do end up being R3...

... I can start writing people's happy endings now...

Jason straightened, a smile appearing on his face. "Yeah... Um... Hey, you don't know my name yet, do you?"

Sam shook his head, smiling brightly. "Nope."

"My name is Jason Wolfe and this is my mate, Brett Sykes."

For a second Sam just stared at them for a second. Then he leaned forward and narrowed his eyes, his smile fading. "Wait... didn't you" - he pointed at Jason - "rip his" - he pointed at Brett - "ass wide open in a private warehouse?"

Crack!

And there goes his future as R3.

What a way to start the career of the Writer of Reality... Sure he'd save universes, bring people eternal happiness and preserve all existence for all eternity... but he'd forever be known as the 'Warehouse Fuck-Monster'.

I guess there's a reason why R3 always keeps his true features hidden...

"Um... Yeah..." Jason murmured. "That's me..."

Sam folded his arms across his chest and frowned. "You know, it wasn't fair how people just pounced on you like that."

Wait... What?

"It wasn't?"

"No," Sam answered, shaking his head. "Everyone was using you as a scapegoat. The law is after you because of the trespassing and public indecency charges. The religions are after you because instead of screwing each other and popping out babies like a factory, you decide to screw the one you love. Supers are after you because they're trying to prove to everyone not all supers are like you. Even the homosexual community is using you as an example of what they aren't.

"They're just trying to prove to themselves and each other that they aren't like you. But what they don't get, is that they are."

"Are what?" Brett asked, regarding Jason with a slight smirk. "Demented, horny and with a penchant of banging his head against things?"

"Gee, thanks," Jason muttered.

Brett pressed his nose against his and naturally, Jason pressed back. "If it's any consolation, you have a jealous, overbearing, Rottweiler as a mate."

Jason noted how Sam smiled at that.

"We're all the same," the oddly coloured wolf said. "We're all mortals. We all share the same sky, live on the same land and breathe the same air." Sam turned his gaze away from them, his eyes locking at his reflection. "We have the right to love whom we want. We have the right to change as we see fit. We have the right to write our stories as we want them to. That said, if someone else interferes with our tale, we have the right to defend ourselves.

"I'm not saying that what you did back at the warehouse was right but all these groups aren't any better for trying to direct their hatred at you." Sam turned back to lock gazes with Jason, smiling faintly. "Well... It may not mean like much but I don't hate you, Jason. There's a whole lot of people out there that are worse than you. Everyone just likes blaming someone in the public eye and those above them because it makes them feel better knowing that their 'idols' are just the same as them."

Sam turned towards the door and waved over his shoulder. "Anyway, all I'm saying is that you shouldn't think you're different from anyone else, Jason. You're gay and you're a super. But so are a lot of other people. You're unique but you share one common factor with everyone and that's that you're mortal. Don't let people bring you down."

"But wouldn't that contradict what you just said?" Brett asked curiously. "If he doesn't let everyone know he's mortal, just like them, wouldn't that mean he's above them and they'll just try to bring him down again?"

Sam grinned at them. "Just because you don't let people bring you down doesn't mean you can't lift them up to your level."

For some reason, Jason had the sneaking suspicion Sam planned this out... or that some divine entity was working their magic through Sam, giving Jason the sign he needed.

"Sam, wait."

The oddly-coloured wolf winced. "Come on guys, I'm not stupid. Uneducated maybe, but not stupid. I know you came here to get my advice for your friend Robin and I appreciate that, really. But honestly, I need to get to work. I won't be able to shower now but it's a gym... Everyone stinks."

"Don't go to your second job," Jason insisted, pulling away from Brett and seizing the wolf's shoulder.

"I have to, man," Sam laughed. "I won't survive otherwise."

"Yes you will. You'll come to live with us."

It was weird. So many times in the past, when it came to big decisions just like this, Jason had always faltered and hesitated, usually letting someone else make the decision for him. Maybe it was Sam's influence or the fact that he had turned a new chapter in his life... but he had stopped being so indecisive.

He knew he had to do this.

It was the right thing to do.

Sam chuckled and pulled away. "I appreciate that, man. But seriously, you sound like you have a full house already."

"No we don't. We're still missing one member."

Sam gave him a curious look and those sapphire-blue eyes slowly widened in shock. The oddly-coloured wolf took a horrified step back. "Whoa! Hold up! You - You want to adopt me!?"

Jason nodded firmly. "Look, Sam, you're a good kid. I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for all the advice you've given me. It's really changed my life. You're pretty down, I can tell. You're not fooling anyone with that 'cheery mask' you keep putting on."

The black and gold wolf let out a short laugh, "Heh... I think there's one person I fooled..." His eyes darted briefly to his reflection. "I appreciate the gesture, Jason, but seriously... You're not even out of college, you don't have a job and you're in the middle of a scandal. The last thing you need is to adopt a sixteen-year-old gay wolf."

"Actually..." Brett began, stepping forward and wrapping one arm around Jason's shoulder and another over Sam's. "I think that's exactly what we need right now."

"No, what you need is to get your heads straight," Sam replied.

Jason grinned and poked Sam's nose, causing the smaller wolf to pull back and twitch his nose. "You let your 'dads' worry about that."

That caused the black and gold wolf to wince. "Okay... That's just weird. You guys could look like my older brothers..."

"Then let's stick with that," Brett replied, pulling Sam tighter, forcing the wolf to press himself between them. Sam was a little shorter than them so his head rested nicely on Jason and Brett's shoulders. The contact felt more than complete. It felt like Jason had reached the end of a video game with Brett and Sam was the bonus level.

"Look, from what Jason has told me, we owe our marriage to you. On top of that, you helped Robin and are probably the only person out there not judging us. Plus, you're in hell. Why don't you your 'angels' take you up to heaven?" Brett winked slyly.

"Don't you mean fairies?" Sam replied with a slight snicker.

Jason realised Sam was crying.

"God... I must seem like a really needy stray mutt right now..." Sam laughed, wiping away his tears. "I'm sorry... I mean... I know I kept telling how bad my life was but, really, you don't have to do this because of me. I can make do."

Smiling, Jason held onto Sam a little tighter. "Yeah? Well, I don't see you letting go."

It was true. Despite Sam's words, the black and gold wolf was holding onto them even more tightly than ever. The three of them held each other in a tight embrace, one arm around each the two other men. Jason wasn't sure how or why... but this just felt right. It felt like they were family. He even didn't feel that bad that he might end up becoming R3 one day especially since this had been his plan all along.

He wanted to make Sam part of their family... especially since Sam was the one that made their family.

A laugh of relief escaped the smaller wolf. "You know what's funny? All these, I've always wanted a real family... but now, there's only one thing I wanna do."

Brett rolled his eyes. "I think we've had enough 'public exposure' without adding this to our repertoire."

Sam regarded the Rottweiler in surprise. "What? No! I wasn't talking about sex!"

Funny thing is, I was, Jason thought absently. I might need to see R3 about that again...

Wow, that's trippy... I'm getting therapy from my future-self...

"What I really wanna to is go to that orphanage and shove it in their face that I have a family again!" Sam laughed.

Brett mirrored their 'son's' laugh. "Well then! What are we waiting for!" He leaned forward and kissed Sam's cheek. "Let's go make you a 'Wolfe'."

Yeah... Then we'll 'initiate' you.

This time, Jason wasn't ashamed that he was thinking about having sex with someone else. They were a family now... sort of. Still, in name and in heart, they were one. It was sort of symbolic. Sam had been the bridge that had mended the rift between Brett and Jason and now he would be there with them. He was part of their life and it was fitting he share in their love especially since he helped fix it.

THUD!

The bathroom door swung open.

It was Robin.

She saw them.

And Jason's mind went into overload.

Oh crap! She doesn't know Sam is gay!

And here they were, standing hugging the guy that not only comforted her but could possibly be her future-boyfriend - at least in her mind - and Jason with a slight hard-on

"Robin -" Jason began but before he could get to the 'I can explain', she said five words that banished all the happiness that he was feeling from the creation of their family.

"Chris is in a coma."