Aftermath

[Cade]

Cade sighed. That had been rude. "I'm sorry. I'm just..."

Hayden laughed. "It's hard I got it. This life takes a bit getting used to."

Cade took a deep breath. "My son died of a genetic defect that none of my known biological family has. I wanted to know more so I dug into my mother's disappearance and found she'd lived a whole other life and then I found her dead and survived by her children. Only to find out only one survived."

"So why pick up all your things and move to Moscow?" Hayden asked.

"I don't know. Needed a change I guess. I'm looking for a job but the city is full of doctors."

Sky interrupted the conversation "I've been asked not to interrupt conversations with impertinent information, but I am privy to a potential job for the good doctor. Mr. Parker has asked me to refine and revise a working proposal that would establish a Free click for the refugees and others who need medical advice and care. It is not a probono job though you'd not be taking money from the clientele."

Hayden nodded. "Nox mentioned something about it but I didn't think he'd started anything on it."

Sky trilled as if laughing. She was programmed by Sage who enjoyed a good laugh and then some. "As with most things. Mr. Parker took the idea and ran with it. He has already onboarded Ms. Vega and is reaching out to others."

Cade looked around and shook his head. "Monsters and a smart house? Is monster hunting that lucrative?"

Hayden shook his head. "Hardly. This is the work of Mr. Parker investing and repurposing Nox's ideas."

Sky added "Even myself is a repurposing of Nox's ideas. His 'Wicked, can you ... " for him prompted Mr. Parker to provide Nox with someone who could always be listening and do most of the things required. It was always available in generic AIs but I am a little more sophisticated and integrated into many facades of the house and the computer system designed by Ms. Aurora."

"You mean his/our sister did this?" Cade waved to the house and things.

"She was the initial architect of the holographic system as the core of our business. A means for her and her brother to communicate visually when they worked differently."

"I wish I could have met her."

[Sterling]

Arabella handed Marta her threes. "Can I come too?" The littler ones really liked the puppy pile. It made Sterling uncomfortable, but she was a bit older.

"I'm glad you are doing well. And that seems like a thing Nox is good at doing. Fixing problems that he doesn't even know he's fixed."

Sterling scooted closer. "So which ones you like most?" Sterling giggled. ""I kinda like Liam, not the one who lives here."

[Enrique]

There was a lot there and Ricky had missed some of the conversation, but he was starting to fill in the cracks. Cade was a relation to Nox and was deciding whether to stay here or go. The change of scenery he got. Marta had needed that - it was why they had come here instead of staying in Mexico. Cade was searching for answers - answers be May never find, but Ricky hoped the best for him. He hoped he got what he was looking for.

Ricky was also surprised to hear about Nox’s other endeavors - especially those to help the refugees. He had no idea who “Mr. Parker” was - probably some business partner. If Cade was looking for family - he found it, and he knew from experience that everyone in this house would claim him too. They had Marta.

”Sounds like a good deal, Cade,” Ricky said. ”Need a change of scenery and a job offer pops up right for you. Things like that seem to happen with Nox. I don’t know the man well myself. He showed up at my bar once in Mexico City, but that girl I took in - ever since she came into contact with him and his, she’s found what she’s needed to begin her healing. It’s really neat to see her true personality start to pop out,” Ricky smiled - it had been good to see. Marta wasn’t scared anymore. ”Another friend who lives here - she’s going through a really dark time. She’s found a family here - something shes definitely needed. Hell - she’s even Nox’s ex. My point is - you’re family - and Nox is there for you. Sorry - rambling - hope that all makes sense.”

[Marta]

Marta gave Ara a smile. ”im gonna check with Hayden before to see if he thinks it’s okay for us to go in. Don’t want to overwhelm Nox when he wakes up. We will ask him.”

Sterling moved closer to whisper conspiratorially. She giggled as Sterling told of her crush on Liam. It was such a small thing to talk about, but it was another thing that just made her feel normal. She had never been able to talk about these things with anyone before.

”Jackson. I actually told him that I thought he was handsome,” she giggled too. ”He says he thinks I’m cute, but doesn’t want to fall into old habits. So we’re just friends though.” there wasn’t any disappointment in her words. Marta was okay with that.

She looked down and Lily had once again fallen asleep. Marta smiled. ”Shes so precious,” she turned to Sterling. ”Gonna upstairs, take out these infernal contacts, and say goodnight to Ricky - maybe talk to the other guy. Wanna come with? Either way, could you hold Lily for a bit. Gonna need both of my hands,” she laughed.

[Sterling]

Sterling took Lily so that Marta could take out her contacts. She didn't particularly like babies. They were a lot of work. She was glad that it had done Marta some good though. And Jackson was cute, but he was also family. At least to Sterling. Though it was as bad as having a crush on her cousin too. It's not like anything would happen. He was just a good looking guy.

Lily was definitely sleepy, it wouldn't be long before she was asleep. That's all she did. Nox was in for a handful as soon as she did more.

Upstairs the three men sat talking and drinking. Hayden standing behind the island like a bar. He was good at that. He always seemed to put people at ease. Though the new guy didn't seem to be absorbing all that was going on. But this was just another day in the life of Nox.

She stood near the new table and waited for Marta. She didn't want to interrupt anything.

[Cade]

Cade nodded. It seemed to be the logical explanation or at least the next best thing. People trusted his brother and he came here to talk to him. He might as well finish that before he decided.

The children were trickling upstairs and Cade wondered if his brother was still asleep. "How long do you think he'll be sleeping? Should I come back another day?"

Hayden shrugged. "Never seen anyone healed before. But I'm gonna say stick around. Nox will be up sooner rather than later, he can't sit still too long."

[Marta]

Marta went to the bathroom and took out her contacts. She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. There was one more test she had to do to figure out whether she was in control, but she wouldn't do it with Lily in her hands. Marta took a deep breath to ease her own fear and thought about the cartels and all the bad things they did to her. She always avoiding thinking about them as much as she could.

The wolf remained still.

There was anger there, but it wasn't the burning fury of the wolf that wanted her to find them and tear their throats out. This was a simmering anger that wanted justice for those who were still their victims. Marta had a feeling that she would eventually go back to Mexico - years down the road - as a adult and be a part of that. She was a kid - she didn't think she could do anything now. There were people to fight for though, and Marta felt a need to bring herself to do that - either through physical means or through her stories. She could be an advocate. That is what she would do.

Marta left the bathroom and found Sterling with Lily. Marta took Lily back and approached the adults, resting her head against Ricky. Ricky gave her a side hug. "Ricky - this is Sterling. Sterling - this is Ricky - my big brother guardian dude. That guy is Cade - if I heard is name correctly. I'm Marta," she said introducing herself to Cade. "I wasn't trying to overhear, but it's hard. I have very good hearing, and I've thought about it. I just wanted to say that getting to know Nox is worth the chaos. He's a good man with a heart so big, he doesn't know what to do with it half the time. He saved my life - in a way that you probably don't understand, and sorry I'm too emotionally exhausted to explain more...but suffice it to say, there are only two people in my life I consider to be heroes. This idiot right here," she nodded her head towards Ricky. "And that idiot sleeping downstairs." She grinned as she said it, showing she was being humorous.

Marta turned to face Hayden. "I'm gonna take Lily down to Nox soon - might stay there for a bit too. I'm feeling pretty exhausted - it's been a day. You sure that's okay. Ara also wanted to go in. I just don't want to overwhelm Nox when he wakes up."

[Enrique]

Marta came and had taken her contacts out. She hated the things, but here she didn't have to wear them. Ricky knew she just wanted to be herself most of the time, and she felt with the contacts she had to hide that. Marta spoke longer than he had really ever heard her before. She could be quite talkative at times, but this was a big monologue for her especially given it had been an emotional day for her.

Ricky waved and gave Sterling a smile as Marta introduced them, and tried to avoid interjecting when Marta called him a hero. He wasn't a hero. He had just done what he felt was right. Marta he knew, didn't see it that way though. He had saved her life. Ricky really hoped Cade decided to stay. It would probably be good for him given his past.

[Hayden]

Hayden smiled. "He won't mind I promise. I'd love to have Lily in bed and you too if you want to stay with her to make sure she's alright." Hayden leaned down and whispered. "I think he'd probably sleep better if Lily were laying on his chest, he's likes knowing she's safe." He stood up. "Not that he doesn't think you'd keep her safe, he's just I must save everyone." Hayden mocked Nox in a playful manner which probably would have earned him a punch in the shoulder if he'd been there to hear it.

Hayden turned to Cade and shook his head. "I'd say stay, unless you have other places to be, then make a date to see him again. I don't mean like a date, I mean a date and time and just put it on his schedule he'll won't know the difference."

Cade chuckled. "I think I'll do the latter either way. He's got some recovering to do and I don't want to get in the way." Hayden flipped a few things in the air that brought up Nox's calendar. [color=#4abbb17]"Pick a day and time and place, and he'll be there."[/color]

Cade stared in awe for a few moments before he pulled out his wallet and picked a time that worked for him in a few days. "You sure that's alright?"

"I'm sure. He'll be there."

[Sterling]

Sterling waved back at Marta's guardian and acknowledged everyone else, but she didn't venture in. The man wasn't any relation to her, he was on Nox's mother's side. Now he had more family. It was a little disappointing, he'd probably be spending more time with him than he did with her. Not that he spent much time with her at all anyway. He was always so busy.

When Marta took Lily back Sterling whispered. "I'm going back down stairs, see you down there." It wasn't that she didn't want to stay, but it was all adults and one of them she knew at all. She'd rather be where it was comfortable.