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Chapter Text

The three older children heard the bell ring, assuming that their free time was over.

Norman couldn't help but feel uneasy— something was off. Usually, they would have more time left. What was the reason behind this?

The trio returned to their house quietly. When they arrived, they found themselves in one of the worst possible situations. Now they had one more enemy to worry about. 

In front of everyone, Mom introduced them to their new sister, Carol, and to Sister Krone.

Norman understood everything right away. It made sense. Them cleaning the room? That specific room? Mom didn't just want to keep an eye on them, she made them prepare everything for sister's arrival. However, knowing Mom, there had to be something more to it. The timing was almost, if not, perfect. Yet, something didn't add up, Mom still hadn't confirmed that is was Emma and Norman the ones at the gate that night, and, if it were one of the younger children, she shouldn't need help keeping an eye on them.

Was it just a precautionary measure? No, there was more to it than that...

There was an informant among the children. 

That night, Norman couldn't sleep

Someone who was helping a mom spy on them from the inside. Clearly, it couldn't be just anyone, Norman needed to start narrowing down his suspects. First, did the spy knew about the farm? Most likely, meaning it probably wasn't one of the younger ones.  Also, mom wouldn't trust the reports of someone who recently allied with her. So, if he had to take a guess, the spy was someone older than 6.  

That left Thoma, Lannion, Anna, Nat, Don and Gilda. 

Their worst-case scenario would be that Don or Gilda were the spies. They would make reliable allies for the escape, but if it was one of them—

...No

Wait

Their worst scenario would be if Ray was the spy.

Actually, it made sense. It would be the smartest move from Mom.

Dammit

Norman really didn't want to doubt one of his best friends, but, given the situation, the chances of Ray being the spy were high. 

Recapitulating what happened that night, after Conny's "adoption", it was Emma who both found Little Bernie and suggested taking him to Conny. At that time, it was just Gilda, Emma, and him, because Ray had been busy with a minor emergency involving the younger ones.

If Ray were the spy, he would have kept a closer eye on them. He wouldn't have made such a small mistake, would he? Yet, when they returned, he was waiting for them and questioned them about their whereabouts. Besides, Mom quickly suspected they had gone to the door.

When they told him about the farm, he wasn't surprised at all. Sure, Ray isn't such an expressive person, but the truth would shock anyone, at least a bit. Still, he acted as if he had expected it... as if he already knew.

What was the truth?

Ray had also been stubborn about only the three of them escaping, but Norman had also thought about that the night he discovered the truth. Although Ray showed more irritation about the whole "escape with everyone" thing. Well, that was just Ray being Ray... right? Yeah, he was just looking at it logically.

In the end, he agreed to escape with all the children, even though he seemed too easily convinced... 

Maybe he had agreed just so he could continue spying and controlling the escape plan from the inside.

It was all so confusing. But for now, it was just a hypothesis. Yeah, just a theory. He was stressing over something he hadn't even confirmed.

However, if they wanted to escape with everyone, they had to stay one step ahead of Mom.

He would not lose again against her. Never again. 

Conny would be the last sibling they'd lose—

Wait. That's right. Conny. 

Did she really forget Little Bernie? She loved it, she wouldn't have forgotten it just like that. 

Someone had placed Little Bernie there. 

Conny wasn't exactly difficult to fool, and she shared room with Ray. She trusted him. 

Had Ray really used one of their siblings? He sacrificed Conny for what? Showing them the truth? He could have just told them. 

In the first place, why did he want to show them the truth? To escape? For both of them to help him? 

And... about her adoption, if he made the right calculations... Ray would be the next one to be adopted. Just now he decided to reveal the truth?! 

But then...why?

He had to act right. Now. Find a way to uncover the spy.

He stayed up planning his next step.

The next night, they were talking again in the library. Emma's proposal for training seemed to be working perfectly. They also discussed sister Krone's attitude during the day and the game, which lend Norman an opportunity to tell them...

"Think like Mom, what's the easiest situation you could hope for?" Norman asked Emma, "Knowing your targets every move without ever having to do anything yourself". 

"But, you said there are no hidden cameras or listening devices—" Then she realized, "It couldn't be..."

"That's right, I think—"

"There's another person keeping an eye on us," Ray interrupted, "and it's someone among the kids." 

Of course he had to say it...

"So there's a traitor." 

Norman's plan had started.

They continued with the training the following day, but this time in teams. Emma proposed telling the truth to Don and Gilda, they would make great group leaders. 

Ray told them he could find out how to break their tracking device within 10 days. If they wanted to outwit mom, they should escape earlier, but he couldn't say that for now, he was still suspecting. 

At night, when Emma told them, she only gave them part of the truth. Norman decided to follow her lead for their siblings' sake. At the end, they seemed to convince them to join the escape, at least partially. 

Afterward, only he and Ray remained in the hall. Ray was pretty annoyed by their decision not to tell them that their siblings were actually dead. It was cruel, especially if they weren't the spies, but he couldn't bring himself to tell them the truth.

 Norman would worry about that later. For now, he had to keep going with his plan.

"We still have to assume they might be spies, so then, we should lay a trap," He stated

"A trap?" Ray asked

Norman nodded, "I'm going to tell them where the rope's hidden" He turned to Ray, "I'll tell Don that it's behind my bed. Gilda will know that it's in the second-floor bathroom ceiling. And at that point. How's Mom gonna find out? We'll just have to see" 

"Okay. But what if the ropes are gone and it turns out that neither of them is the spy?" He seemed unusually worried about it. Could it be...?

Norman quickly brushed the thought aside. "I've already considered that." No. He is not going to overthink it. Not yet

Ray just closed his eyes and sighed, "Seems like you are prepared for everything." 

That's right... Fortunately or unfortunately for you.

"Yeah, I told you, the key here is to outwit." 

I just hope to be wrong.

The next morning, it was just him and Ray washing their clothes

"According to what Emma told me, we can trust Gilda." Norman tried to start a conversation, but Ray didn't answer. 

He decided to be more direct. "I'm curious, why do you think the traitor is betraying us?" 

"It's obvious that there's gotta be some sort of advantage. Think about it. Maybe they get spared from being shipped or something." Ray said.

It was quite obvious, but they would have noticed from just seeing their scores, right? Then, that hypothesis might not be entirely true...

"Guaranteed survival, huh?" For now, he would just play along.

Later, he would check the ropes hidden in the library and dining hall.

They were still there...

And that only left one option.

At night, he found Emma counting steps. 

"Emma" 

She turned to see him 

"Can we talk? In private" 

He knew he had to talk with her about everything, but it felt wrong. 

They stepped outside the house, where the cool night air made everything feel calmer. This way he wouldn't feel so trapped while discussing this.

Norman took a deep breath. "I need your thoughts on something," he finally said. "If there really is someone here who is willingly siding with the demons, and it's guaranteed to live for bits of information—"

"You mean that they are safe from getting shipped out because they are spying on us?" She asked.

Norman nodded. "Would you take them with us? Or just leave them?"

"I'd take them," Emma answered without giving too much thought. As expected from her.

"Even if they didn't want that?" 

"I'd force them." She stated without hesitation, "because if we end up escaping, that person's life might not be guaranteed anymore. And, plus, I wanna believe in everyone. I realized that after what happened with Gilda. Ray said to suspect everyone. But even if one of us is helping the demons, none of our siblings are truly bad. We all grew up together. Even if someone gets in our way or says I'm naive, I still wanna believe in them." 

Emma's right, they were still family. Surely, the traitor had to have other motivations rather than just staying safe.

"Right. Of course that would be your answer" Norman smiled. This conversation calmed him down more than he had expected.

"...Why do you ask?" Emma quickly questioned.

"Nothing, really, just out of curiosity." He lied, "I wanted to know how you feel about the whole situation around the spy."

Emma lifted her brows slightly. "And you?" 

"Huh?" Her question caught Norman off guard.

"How do you feel about it?" Emma asked bluntly.

"Well, at first I was doubting about everything." He admitted. "But now that we talk, I think you are right. We all are a family, right?" It wasn't completely true, but it wasn't a lie, either.

"Yeah" She said softly, "But there's something more to it... Isn't it?" Her expression turned serious again.

Sometimes he forgot how perceptive Emma could be when it came down to feelings.

"It's not that important, really." Norman tries to shrug it off, but Emma wasn't having it.

She put her hand on Norman's shoulder "Norman" She looked at him directly in his eyes. "We are both on this." She said firmly, "I won't force you to tell me, but so you know, I'm your friend, and I'll always be here for you. We are together in this." She gave him a reassuring smile "I don't want you to see me just as someone to protect, I want you to see me as someone you can rely on, too."

Norman sighed. Emma was right. Maybe her perspective could help him too...

Or maybe not.

Emma had a hard time assimilating it. Not because she didn't understand the whole situation. But because she couldn't believe it. 

There was still a small chance that Ray wasn't the spy. She wanted to believe in it.

But Norman's theory made sense. 

He would find out in a few minutes. 

And the answer he gave her tomorrow would reveal her the truth.

He went to find Ray so they could check on the ropes together.

Well, it's time... 

Norman took a deep breath before stepping into the library.

There he was, reading as always. He barely lifted his head when Norman entered, but the moment their eyes met, he understood. Silently, he stood up and followed.

First, they checked the one in the bathroom, just to 'make sure Emma was right about Gilda'. Of course, it was still there.

It all came down to the rope behind the bed. Norman tried to hide his nervousness. He forced himself to stay calm as he bent down, reaching for the bag and looking into it...

"It's gone."

"Really." There was a pause. "Well, then. Guess it was Don," he said with ease.

Norman only nodded. He was internally debating whether to confront Ray right there and now. He could demand the truth. 

But in the end, he stayed silent. 

Tomorrow they would 'adjust' their plan according to this 'new information'.

Norman's world was falling apart. It was early morning, and he still couldn't sleep.

Ray wouldn't do this to them. To him.

They had been together their whole life. They grew up together. They helped each other.

They trusted each other.

Had any of that been real? Had Ray ever truly cared for them?

If Ray was the spy, then what else had he lied about?

Had he always known?

Had he been standing beside them, watching every single one of their siblings walk to their inevitable death without saying a word?

Had he been using them just for the sake of his life?

He didn't know who the real Ray even was anymore.

Norman's stomach twisted. He felt sick.

"So? What happened with the rope?" Clever as always, Emma. "Did you find out who the informant is?" 

"The spy..." He hesitated.

"It was Don," Ray said bluntly.

Emma's eyes widened, immediately grasping the implications. But she quickly regained her composure. They would both talk later.

"Don..." She muttered with sadness in her voice.

"Do you still think is a good idea to escape with everyone?" Ray questioned her. He still wasn't convinced of their plan.

"Yeah, I'm not leaving anyone behind." 

Ray just shook his head in disapproval, but didn't argue back.

"You were right, huh?" Emma muttered in disbelief. 

Both of them were helping mom fold the laundry. 

"I still can't believe it." She continued. "Was that why he always acted so distant? Did we ever matter to him, or did he saw us as a 'product'?" Just like mom...

Norman shrugged, "I... I don't really know anymore."

Emma clenched her fists.  "He saw many of our siblings die and never told us anything? We could have done something. At least to save some of them." 

Silence.

"What are we doing, then? He's another enemy to worry about."

"Don't worry. We can use this to our advantage." Norman assured her. "We just have to play our cards right." 

That night, they told the truth about the farm to Don and Gilda. They had been wrong, it was better if their sibling knew everything...

So they had to know about the informant, too.

Emma thought the same way as him. 

She came up with a reckless —but brilliant— idea. 

Telling everyone, not just Don and Gilda.

This way, they would be even more prepared for what was waiting for them outside the farm. And not only that, they could also take mom off guard.

"It's a bold move," Norman admitted. "I may be risky... but it's worth the shot."

"Then, let's do it." Emma said.

A month passed. 

They had everything ready. The clothes, the food, the distraction and the device for breaking the tracking devices.

At the end, they decided to leave the children under four years. Later, they would come back for them. They would save everyone, not just their siblings.

All the kids who were escaping knew about the farm and their enemies.

By now, Mom had gotten rid of sister Krone— at least that was what Ray told them. Surprisingly, she kept him by her side. 

They also knew about the cliff. Every time they tried to explore the wall, mom found a way to interrupt them. 

Fortunately, they could use Mom's attention on them to their advantage. While she was focused on them, Thoma and Lannion scouted the area and its surroundings in secret.

Three explorations later, they had found a way. A way to use the cliff to their advantage. They just had to be prepared.

Of course, Ray knew nothing about it. The plan they had with him was completely. He didn't seem to notice —or care— at all.

Still...

Norman couldn't shake away the feeling that there was something he wasn't seeing...

There was no time for doubt.

He had to prioritize their sibling's life.

They had to act.

Tonight.

Ray was talking with Mom. It was their perfect time to start their plan.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion sounded through the house.. Mom immediately arrived to see what was going on.

"NORMAN!" Emma screamed in panic.

Isabella rushed to her side. "What happened, dear?"

Emma turned to her, eyes filled with tears and desperation. "MOM! Please, save Norman."

Isabella turned towards the flames. The tracking devices showed a signal coming from the fire. The smell also indicated to her that he was in there. 

She couldn't lose him. He was her best product.

"It is my fault," Emma stuttered, "If we weren't planning on escaping..." She grabbed her hair and  shook her head, "If I hadn't proposed this... he would be fine!"

What were they doing? Isabella quickly stood up and sprinted down the hall for the fire extinguisher... Why weren't the sprinkles working?  

She ran into Ray and Gilda. "Ray, go get the babies from my room. Gilda, evacuate everyone else!" She ordered.

Isabella tried to put out the fire, but it was too strong. It would be impossible. 

"Emma, you need to get out of here, too. Otherwise you'll end up getting—" 

Then, she realized. She had been fooled.

Emma quickly arrived at the meeting point, and everyone headed towards the wall.

The first ones to climb were Emma and Nat. Then, one by one, they were helping their siblings get to the top of the wall.

They started running. If their information was correct, near was a spot where they could cross. Even though they were escaping through a cliff, Norman couldn't help but feel exhilarated. They were almost there. Step by step, they would fight for the freedom they deserved.

Everything was going according to plan. Don crossed successfully. He tied the ropes tightly so that everyone could cross.

Now, only Emma and Norman were left to cross.

Each one took their respective hook and slid to the other side of the cliff, being caught by the others with ease. They cut the ropes so that no one could follow them for now, which would gain them time.

Norman turned around to say goodbye to their house one last time before starting to run.

And then—

He saw him.

Standing atop the wall was Ray with the ropes they had cut. He took them off... 

His expression shifted from shock to... relief.

He had a soft smile and his eyes looked at them with tenderness.

Norman could swear he saw Ray say something, before taking a step forward and—

Gasp

Norman's reaction alerted everyone. All of them saw it. 

There, on top of the wall, was Isabella. That Mom who cared for them, who loved them, who sent several of her siblings to their deaths. She clutched Ray's arm, stopping his fall; her concern seemed genuine. Ray just hung there, motionless.

Slowly, Isabella pulled him up and into her arms. He did not resist.

She looked down at them and, waving a last goodbye, both of them headed back to the farm.

They were all shocked. But now was not the time; they had to run. 

Even in the outside world, none of them could shake the feeling of guilt that was at the bottom of their hearts. Which only worsened once they got back to Gracefield two and a half years later.

Chapter Text

A year.

A whole year has passed since they arrived to the human world.

They had gone through a lot together— met many people and lost a few along the way.

But finally, they were all free. 

And they would live. All the sacrifices of their friends and siblings wouldn't be in vain.

Emma and Norman had managed to make a deal with 'him'. They still were confused about the whole situation. They had expected to pay a high price in exchange for freeing every human from the demon world. Strangely, that wasn't the case. 

"The one" just asked for one single thing—

Memories

There was no further explanation. They thought it would be their memories, so, for the sake of their family, they accepted. 

Surprisingly, once they woke up in the human world, they remembered everything. Therefore, they were confused. 

What had he meant then?

Whatever the case, it didn't matter anymore. The important thing was that everyone was okay.

Since they arrived, they began a normal life. 

Everyone decided to start—or continue—their studies.

That morning wasn't different. 

All their siblings were getting ready for school. Emma and Norman were making breakfast and helping the younger ones pack their stuff.

They lived in a remote area in the mountains. Their house was shared with their siblings. Other friends they met during their adventure lived in nearby homes.

Even though it was quite far from the city, none of them minded. The place suited them perfectly. It was very peaceful and reminded them of home— without all the demon-related stuff, of course.

"Norman!" Emma called from the kitchen. "I'm taking the little ones to the bus station. Are you coming?"

"Yeah, let me grab the keys." He said as he quickly put on a jacket.

When he stepped outside, Sherry was the first one to greet him with a hug. "Norman! Today is our school trip!" Oh, right. He had forgotten about that. "They are taking us to the public library!"

"Yeah. They said it has a huge collection of books, even bigger than the one we had at the orphanage," Phill added as Emma and he were playing.

Emma just giggled, "It seems that their teachers want them to learn more about the story of the city." 

"I wish we could go too," Nayla said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Yeah, our teachers are not as fun as yours! It's not fair! It's just the second week and you already have a school trip!" Marnya exclaimed. "Take us with youuuUUuuUu." 

Emma patted their heads. "Don't worry. I'm sure your groups will go on trips soon, too."

Ray would have loved it, Norman thought.

When they returned to Grace Field, there was no sign of Ray or Isabella. 

Phil told them that the day after the fire, all of their siblings were relocated to the other four farms. As for those two, he didn't have any information, nor did anyone else on the farm. They questioned every worker, mom, sister, but no one knew with certainty what had happened to both of them. The most logical conclusion was that they had been killed. As painful as it was, it seemed the most probable outcome.

Despite everything Mom and Ray had done in the past, neither Norman nor Emma held a grudge against them anymore. 

Even though there was nothing they could do about it, Norman couldn't help but think about them from time to time. 

"Let's go!". A voice brought him back to reality. Sherry was tugging at his hand, dragging him downhill.

They quickly joined the rest of their siblings, who were halfway there. Everyone continued chatting and playing all along the way.

Eventually, they reached the bus stop and waved goodbye as the bus pulled away.

Norman and Emma headed back to the house so they could also get ready. 

They had just started university. Not that either of them needed it, but Emma had convinced him to give it a try. It was their time to live normal lives. 

And he was actually enjoying it. 

Norman chose to study business administration. That way, he could start a company and help his family. As for Emma, she was studying education. She wanted to become a teacher and help children from this world, too.

They both attended the same university. It had just started, and it was quite a pleasant place. It was pretty big and they got to meet all kinds of interesting people.

The rest of the older kids were also preparing to enter university. Don wanted to follow Emma's path and study education. Gilda had always been interested in fashion design. Anna was studying pretty hard to enter a medical school. And, Nat was already looking for music conservatories.

Everyone was doing well. 

"Time to go!" Norman announced from the door as he grabbed the keys of the car.

All the older siblings had to go by car to their respective schools, since their classes started later.  Everyone came down with their things ready. 

Norman took the driver's seat, as Emma was in the passenger's. The road to the high school was so much calmer than the whole chaos of their mornings. 

After dropping off the older ones, they finally drove towards their university. 

"Remember, we have to pick up Phil and Sherry from their friend's house at five," Emma reminded him.

"Olivia's?" He asked

"No, Alex's." She corrected.

Right. He had been quite distracted that morning. "Sorry. I forgot." 

"...What's on your mind?" Emma asked gently.

"Just schoolwork... You know," he replied, dodging the question..

"Norman." Her tone grew more serious.

Norman sighed defeatedly, "It was just because of the library visit. It..."

"—reminded you of Ray?" Norman just nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. "If I'm being honest, I still think a lot about him. And about mom too." She admitted

"It's just... What happened to them? What would've happened if we had taken him with us? I just want an answer."

"Me too, but we were just kids. How were we supposed to act?" 

Silence fell between them.

"Do you regret any of it?" Norman finally asked.

Emma hesitated for a moment. "Sometimes." She said honestly. "But we don't know how things would have ended if something had changed. We don't even know if we would be here along with our family."

"Mhm," Norman hummed dryly, "...How's your relationship with Violet going?" He asked, hoping to change the subject.

Emma elbowed him lightly. "Hey! Don't think you're off the hook that easily, young man." She chuckled. "But we're good. We are taking things slowly. I'm grateful for that. She's been really helpful with the kids and their adjustment to their new life." 

Since their escape, his relationship with Emma became more sibling-like. Even though he still loved her very much, his crush on her was long gone.

"The younger ones seem to have grown fond of her." 

"Right! And she likes them too." Emma paused. "Oh! On Sunday, we're planning to do something in the forest with the whole family—like a mega picnic?"

Now he was curious. "Oh, what's the occasion?" 

"Can't it be just to show how much we care about our family?" Yeah, right. No one was buying that.

"Emma..." 

"Fine, fine." She sighed. "It's our 6-month anniversary. We wanted to do something with everyone and then, at night, hang out just the two of us." She admitted, a bit embarrassed.

Norman just chuckled, "You should have just said that. I'll cover for you at night so that the kids let you go." He suggested.

They both laughed.

"Thanks, Norman."

Norman turned around the wheel and entered the university parking lot. Thanks to their distinguished performance in the entrance exams, both were able to get full scholarships to one of the most prestigious universities in the area. 

The campus was large, full of different people and different types of knowledge. Although they had only been there for two weeks, they already loved it.

Norman parked the car near the library. They both got off and grabbed their things. 

"Then, see you here at 4?" Emma said, shutting the trunk.

"Yup." He started to walk towards his building. "See you later!" He waved at her.

"You too," she waved back before starting her way.

Norman headed to his classroom. Their day was always full of classes, they loved learning. Besides their core courses, they had extra classes. They wanted to learn everything they could. They were going to take full advantage of all the opportunities that the human world offered them. 

Norman went from class to class. Finances, Administration, Marketing, Mechanics, and Science. All in one day.

Now he was heading to his last class, history of art. It was an optional course, clearly, so the topics were pretty general. Still, it was interesting to learn about the artistic movements and iconic pieces made throughout the years. 

He took a seat while the teacher was preparing an online meeting. There was a student who couldn't attend in person due to some health issues. Someone named Lacey G... or something like that. 

It was strange. Norman felt curious about him. He hasn't had the opportunity to get to know him. He hasn't even seen or heard him; the student never showed his face or talked through the microphone. If he had a question, he just wrote it down on the meeting chat. His situation must be pretty bad. It was a shame not being able to meet him. It reminded Norman about himself when he was younger.

Apparently, this student's intelligence was on par with Emma's or Norman's, so the university made an exception to adapt to his situation.

There were some amazing people out there in this world. It never stopped surprising him.

Norman met Emma at four o'clock, as planned. 

"God, I really need a coffee," She groaned.

"Rough day?" He asked while loading his things into the car.

Emma slumped into the passenger seat. "Kind of." She closed her eyes, trying to rest.

Norman got into the driver's seat. "Then, let's stop by a café after picking up Phil and Sherry. I bet they'll like to order something too." He fastened his seat belt and started the car. "Try to rest a bit meanwhile."

They drove in silence toward Alex's house, both of them somewhat tired from their day. 

When they arrived, Phil and Sherry were outside playing with their friends in the front yard. Just like in the old days... 

Maybe they could all play in the forest this weekend.

Norman parked the car in front of the house. Both of them stepped out.

"EMMA! NORMAN!" The kids shouted as they ran towards them.

"WE WERE AT THE LIBRARY AND—" "—PHIL ACCIDENTALLY TRIPPED—" "—WE HAD FREE TIME TO EXPLORE—" "—WE WERE LOOKING AROUND TOGETHER—" "—THIS BOY CAME—" "—THE BOOKS WERE SO HIGH—" "—THERE WAS ONE ABOUT—" "—I WANTED IT, BUT—"

"Wait, wait, wait." Norman interrupted, trying to calm them down. They weren't understanding a thing of what they wanted to say. "Slow down, guys." 

"Hey," Emma crouched down, getting down to Phil's level. "You must be exhausted. Let's go get a drink. Then you can tell us everything about your day more calmly." She smiled warmly.

Both kids looked at each other and then nodded. They seemed quite worried, which concerned the older ones. What could have happened that had them so distressed?

At least they were okay.

Alex's mom came out to say goodbye. It was a brief exchange, but it reminded them of Mom. 

The fourth of them thanked her and headed to the car.

"What do you want to hear, kids?" Emma said as she linked her phone to the car.

"Play 'Riptide'!" Sherry quickly suggested.

"Pleaaase!" Phil joined her petition.

Emma quickly obliged their request. Hopefully, this would help lift their mood.

Norman parked near a café in the center of the city, which wasn't far from their road home. So many people had praised the place, as the drinks and desserts were considered to be some of the best in town. It hadn't opened long ago, but it had already earned a good reputation among the locals.

None of them had had the chance to go, so now seemed like the perfect time to try it.

A bell chimed as they entered.

Norman looked around, admiring its traditional style— it felt kind of cozy. 

Fortunately, the place wasn't that crowded. The only sound that could be heard was the attendant's soft humming to a melody. It sounded familiar.

"American coffee!" The boy behind the counter said out loud.

That voice... 

"Have a nice day!" He happily exclaimed.

It couldn't be...

Norman turned his gaze towards him.

"What can I get you?" The attendant asked Norman with a soft smile.

It was...

It was Ray.

Chapter Text

Ray.

The sibling they'd left behind.

The one they thought had died years ago.

He was alive, and right now, standing in front of Norman.

"Are you okay, sir?" the boy asked. He didn't seem to recognize any of them. Norman felt his blood pressure drop. His face turned pale. 

Maybe he was just a boy who looked unusually similar to Ray.

The boy's expression quickly shifted to one of concern. He went towards Norman and guided him to a chair. "Sit. I'll get you some water." Then he turned to Emma. "Don't worry, it's on the house."

"Y-yeah. Thanks." That was all she could manage to stutter. The four of them were utterly in shock. They all sat in silence at the table as they waited. 

A moment later, the boy returned. "Here, drink it. You seem like you saw a ghost." He handed Norman his glass of water. "Do you need anything else? Is everything alright?" He asked Emma.

She just stared into his eyes, still trying to believe it.  What? How? Why?  

"Hey," The voice of that boy snapped her out of it. "I don't know what's going on, but you can stay as long as you need." He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "I have to go back to the counter. If you need anything, just call me." He offered one last reassuring smile before going back to work.

"Leslie!"

Wait—what? 

A female voice sounded from the back. "Could you help me with the cookies?"

"Sorry, Mom!" 

Mom? It couldn't be... 

"Coming!"

The four of them shifted their sight from the table to the counter.

Isabella emerged from the kitchen, walking with a cane and holding a tray of chocolate chip cookies in her other hand. Ray— no, wait, Leslie— took it and began arranging them.

It couldn't be just a strange coincidence. Two people who looked exactly like Ray and Mom? No. It had to be them.

The real ones.

The bell of the front door chimed, interrupting his thoughts and capturing their attention. "Leslie, dear, we haven't seen you around lately!" Two women, about in their 50's, entered the café. Who were they? How long had they known each other? 

"Where's Sadie?" Sadie? Who the heck was Sadie?

"I was on rest again. Doctor's orders. Sadie is sleeping inside." Leslie replied as he quickly began preparing the drinks. 

Rest? Doctor? Was he sick? 

But he'd always been healthy... What had happened to them in all those years?

One of the women turned to Isabella, "I just hope it isn't because Sarah's making you work too hard." All of them laughed. 

Sarah? Why the change of names? Were they trying to start from zero?

 No, Ray didn't recognize them. If he had been faking it, there would have been something, at least a gesture, that would have betrayed him. But no. For that boy, Norman, Emma, ​​Phil, and Sherry were just new customers.

"No, no." Leslie chucked. "Mom's actually against this. But I get bored! I'm gonna end up fusing with my bed." He handed them their drinks. "Your vanilla latte with almond milk and vanilla syrup. And your affogato with one scoop of vanilla ice cream and a double espresso shot." 

"You are such a sweet boy. You always remember these kinds of details." One of the women said fondly as they both sat at a nearby table. "How did you raise such a gentleman, Sarah?"

"I think I just got lucky with the best son in the world," she said as she ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead. 

Was she genuine this time?

"Mom!" Leslie laughed, embarrassed. "It's nothing special." 

"Well, last week she told us you got a 100% scholarship to university.  I'd say that's pretty special." One of the women said as she took a sip from her drink.

Leslie just chuckled awkwardly, looking down at the floor..

"Talking about that, dear." The other woman started. "How is university going?" 

Leslie just sighed, "Well, last week I was on bed rest. This one, even though I'm better, I haven't gone out much. Mom barely let me go to the library today. I've been taking my classes online." He leaned on the counter. "It's kinda boring. I want to meet my classmates." Ray wanting to meet new people? The universe might explode as well. 

Leslie turned his head, his eyes met Norman's. He gave him a soft smile, then turned away. "Right now it's mostly theory, which I'm grateful for."

Norman felt a tug on his sleeve. It was Sherry, with Phil beside her, both looking concerned.

"This was what we wanted to talk about." She whispered.

"Yeah," Phil continued. "Earlier, during our trip, we found him in the library. It was a brief interaction, but we were almost sure it was Ray."

"He seems to have amnesia," Emma added. "I don't think we'll get much information from him or Mom."

"I think their missing memories are not our only concern," Norman muttered.

Mom's personality was similar to the one they knew. But, Ray's? Ray seemed like a completely different person. Why?

What made the difference? Were all their memories erased? Or was it selective?

Wait

Memories

Emma seemed to realize the same thing.

Was this what 'Him' was referring to? 

They'd discuss that later.

"For now, we'll have to see how much information we can get from them." They both gave each other a knowing look and nodded. Without another word, Norman stood up and walked towards the counter. 

"I found one about—" Leslie stopped when he noticed Norman. "Are you feeling better, young man?"

"Norman," he said. "My name is Norman."

"That's a cute name." He kindly replied. Norman couldn't help but blush slightly. "Are you okay, Norman?" 

 "Yeah, sorry for the inconvenience—"

"There's no need to apologize." He smiled. "Can I get you or your..." He looked at the table where Emma, Phil, and Sherry were, "friends anything?"

"Family, actually." Leslie blinked, quite surprised. "Could we get a cappuccino, a caramel frappuccino, and two hot chocolates, please?"

Leslie noted down everything. "Right away." He exclaimed, already getting to work.

Norman hesitated. "So... Leslie, right?" He tried to start a conversation.

"Yup. The one and only Leslie Grace." He said proudly.

That name... "By any chance, aren't you in a course of the history of art?" Norman leaned on the counter.

Leslie stopped in his tracks and turned his head to Norman. "How do you know?" He asked, clearly confused.

"Sorry! That probably sounded weird." Norman laughed softly. "Your name sounded familiar. We must be classmates, I'm taking the same class." 

"Oh! What a coincidence!" His face lit up. "You are the first person I've met from any of my classes. It's so nice to meet you." He seemed truly happy to see another student from the school. Had he felt lonely all his time here?

Leslie left the drinks at the counter. "Want to join us?" Norman offered as he was taking the cappuccino and the frappuccino. "Emma also attends the same university, I think you would get along pretty well." 

"I don't know if I can leave my place... Mom?" Leslie turned to Sarah, who was chatting with the same women who had previously entered the cafe. 

Sarah glanced over, catching Norman's eye. He could have sworn that her expression towards him was different, as if she was analyzing him. Could it be that she DID recognise Norman or was she cautious with every new client that came to the café? Even if she did, she kept her composure. "If you want, go ahead. I'll call you in case I need your help, darling." She smiled softly at him. 

Leslie beamed and joined Norman. "Let me help you." He said while taking the two hot chocolates and starting to walk alongside him. 

Now that Norman got a closer look at Ray, he could notice several changes. Ray used to be the tallest of the three of them. Now, Norman had the height advantage— not by much, tho. Ray was about the same size as Isabella. 

His hair was quite different as well. The left side of his face was still covered by it, but the rest now was a bit longer than before, being tied up in a messy ponytail. 

He was also a little thinner than before. Was it a consequence of his health issues? 

And his personality had radically changed. Back on the farm, Ray was sarcastic, introverted, and analytical. Now, he was more outgoing, cheerful, and friendly. Norman found it strange to see him smile so often.

Both of them arrived at the table and placed down the drinks. "Hey Norman, hey...." Emma doubted.

"Leslie." Norman answered, "Leslie, this is Emma, the girl who also attends our same university." Then, he gestured towards their other siblings. "And these two are Phil and Sherry."

"Oh, you are the kids from earlier, right? The ones in the library." He smiled at them gently. "Nice to see you again."

The two younger siblings exchanged a doubtful look before Phil decided to speak. "You too, sir! Thanks for the help earlier." 

"Wait, do you know each other?" Emma subtly asked, wanting to know more about their encounter.

"Ah— Yeah!" Sherry stuttered. "He is the guy who helped us earlier today".

"There was a book that interested me on a very high shelf." Phil continued. "I tried to reach it, but I tripped and the shelf almost fell..." 

"Then, R—" Sherry stopped herself and rethought her words. "—this guy appeared and stopped it."

Leslie waved off the praise. "It was nothing, really." He looked down. "A lot of books managed to fall". 

"But you started coughing really hard afterwards," Phil said, looking guilty.

"And, we didn't get the chance to thank you, sir," Sherry added.

He seemed speechless. "Well, thank you for helping them, Leslie,"  Emma said warmly. "Let us buy you a drink as a thanks," she offered.

"Oh, there's no need to." He waved his hand, dismissing it. "Besides, I'm on meds and a restricted diet anyway."

Norman wanted to ask right there about it, but all in good time. "Well, maybe you could join us on Sunday." He cast a knowing look at Emma.

She took the grip instantly. "Right! We were planning on hosting a big picnic with our family in the forest near our home."

"I would love to!... But..." He glanced at Isabella, or, well, 'Sarah'. "I don't know if my Mom will let me. She's kind of... overprotective." 

The group exchanged confused looks. Leslie noticed it, so he continued.

"Due to my condition, I rely on her a lot. She worries a lot about my health. Still, I don't lose anything for asking, right?" Leslie stood up and walked towards her. "Mom, can we talk? In private," he said, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. 

"Of course, darling." She took her cane, excused herself with her friends, and followed Leslie into the kitchen.

Emma leaned closer and whispered, "Shouldn't we have discussed this with the others before?" 

"Probably," Norman admitted. "That was really reckless."

"But it may be a good opportunity." None of them could deny it. They had the chance to get some information about the truth.

As quickly as they left, Sarah and Leslie returned. He gave the siblings an apologetic look.

"But Mom—" 

"No, Leslie. My answer is final, " she said as she returned to her seat.

"Come on, Sarah." One of the women intervened, easily reading the situation. "Don't be too harsh with him. He needs to socialize with people of his age."

"He just got out of the hospital. Going to a meal with people he just met to a place he doesn't even know? Risky." She argued back. 

"I get lonely in here!" Leslie finally snapped. "You can't protect me forever! What's the point of living if I'm trapped here?" He stormed away inside the house.

Sarah just sighed and sat back down. "Teenagers are so complicated."

"Sometimes." The other woman tried to comfort her. "But he's right. You need to let him live."

"I know, I know." Her voice sounded frustrated. "It's just that... We've always been through a lot of difficulties. I have not been able to give him the life he deserves. We're finally stable right now, but his... I don't want to lose him." Sarah rested her head on her hands, thinking about what to do.

After a few minutes, Sarah stood and approached them.

"Leslie told me you invited him on Sunday, is that right?" She asked directly. 

"Hello ma'am. Yes, we were planning to have a meal in the woods near our home." Norman answered calmly.

"Who are you? Who else will be there? Where? When? How long?" Overprotective, indeed.

"We're Leslie's classmates. The meal is with our family and friends. It's on the outskirts of the city, not far from here. As for the exact hour, we are still not sure, but we'll likely be there all day." 

"And how do I know you are not going to hurt him?" She questioned while crossing her arms. "A remote place in the woods with a bunch of unknown persons doesn't sound reassuring."

"It's totally understandable, ma'am," Emma stepped in. "If you are still unsure, you are welcome to come too. There's no problem." Hopefully, this would make her budge.

Sarah considered it for a moment, then she sighed. "Alright, I'll reconsider it." It was better than a no. "Let me talk it over with Leslie, and I'll give you an answer." 

"Of course. No problem, ma'am."

"Could I have your number? It may take a while. I don't think he wants to talk at all right now." She took out her phone and offered it to Norman.

"Sure." Norman entered his number and handed it back.

 "Thanks. We'll be in touch." She said while going back to her seat.

The siblings finished their drinks while chatting about the rest of the kids' day. Eventually, they'd learn more about what happened with Ray and Isabella. For now, there was no reason to rush things.

"Thanks for the drinks!" Emma exclaimed as they were leaving the café

"Visit us again soon." Sarah smiled and waved from her seat.

None of them wanted to arrive home, so Norman just drove around the city, trying to help everyone clear their minds.

They finally arrived home late at night. Everyone should be asleep already, so hopefully, they could avoid the topic until the next day. 

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. As soon as they opened the door, they found the older ones waiting for them in the living room, visibly worried.

Emma and Norman sent the younger ones to bed and joined the others. They were offered some tea by Anna. 

"What took you so long? You had us worried." Don started. They had been waiting since the afternoon. 

"We took the kids to a nearby café," Emma explained. No one looked convinced.

"Yeah, but not a single call or message..." Gilda added. "We thought something had happened to you. A visit to a café doesn't take almost—" She looked up at the clock. "Six hours."

"We are really sorry about that, we forgot. We got a little distracted and time slipped away." Norman admitted, half-telling the truth.

"Something happened, right?" Anna asked. "You look... off." Of course, they'd notice.

Norman and Emma exchanged glances. Both sighed and looked down.

"Guys," Nat said. "It's just like back in Gracefield. You need to trust us. I thought we'd already been through this."

Emma just chuckled softly, "You are right, sorry." She looked at Norman and gave him a reassuring look. 

Their sibling had a point. They had to trust each other. Together, they could think better about what to do.

So Norman and Emma told them about everything that happened throughout the day—from Sherry's and Phil's trip to the library to their visit to the café. They explained how neither Mom nor Ray recognized them, how they were living under new identities, their fragile condition, and how they'd invited Ray over on Sunday to learn more. Maybe there was still a chance to get their brother and Mom back.

Everyone was stunned, to say the least. It had been almost six years since they last saw Ray and Mom. Everyone had already accepted they were gone.

And now they were back, living normal lives, as if nothing had happened.

"So, you invited him without even consulting us?" Gilda said, clearly irritated.

"We are so sorry, we panicked," Emma admitted. They had acted without thinking. 

"And what is your plan?" Anna asked. 

Norman leaned his head on his hand. "Well, first let's see how much information we can get from them and then we'll see what—"

"And then what?" Don cut in. "Are we going to get their memories back and live together like a normal family?" His voice was sharp, visibly angry. "Have you forgotten all they did in the past?"

"Of course not, but we don't know the whole truth either," Emma quickly answered. "There may be more to it than we think."

"What else could be there? They both lied to us. They sent many of our siblings to their deaths so they could survive themselves. Now you are telling us that, after all of that, they are living a normal life? With what right?!" Don argued back.

"Don, please, just try to unders—" 

"But he's right." Gilda joined in. "They have done horrible things, and now they are living as if nothing had happened."

Norman sighed. Maybe this was going to be harder than he initially thought. "Nat? Anna? I want to hear your opinion."

Nat looked down. "The whole situation is pretty messed up," he admitted. "I don't think I can forgive them for all they did in the past. However..." he gestured toward Norman and Emma, "they've got a good point. We saw them as enemies during the escape, but beyond that, we never engaged in conversation or investigated what their motivations or thoughts were on the matter. " 

Anna gently placed her teacup on the table. "I don't think they actually were bad. What they did was wrong, yes—but maybe they didn't have a choice. We're missing a lot of information. So I think it's a good idea  to investigate before we decide anything."

"You say that because you were closer to Ray." Don muttered. 

"That's not true," Anna said, sounding hurt. "It's just that you're not seeing the whole picture." 

"They let many of us die. We would be dead if Norman and Emma hadn't saved us. Connie, Hao, Ceddie... We could have saved some of them if we had known from the start!" 

"We don't know what they went through. There might be more behind their actions than we think."

"Is there really a reason that could justify—"

"Enough!" Emma finally interfered. "We'll talk about this tomorrow. Once we've all had time to think, and we've calmed down." She glanced at each of them. "Otherwise, we'll end up waking everyone." She stood up and took all the dishes to the kitchen.

Norman followed her. "We all deserve a good rest. Today was a rough day," he said, leaning on the doorway. "Goodnight, everyone. Tomorrow we'll continue."

As the rest of their siblings went to bed, Norman stayed with Emma in the kitchen. She washed the remaining dishes while he dried them and put them away.

None of them spoke a single word. 

It had been two hours since everyone had gone to their rooms, and Norman still couldn't sleep.

Currently, he was standing on the balcony that connected to the living room, staring out at the forest that surrounded the house, feeling the cool breeze around him. It was calm, which helped ease the weight of the overwhelming day.

Everything felt unreal. He needed answers, but the situation was far more complicated than he had ever imagined.

"Can't sleep either?"  a voice asked softly behind him, making him flinch and turn around.

Emma was leaning against the doorframe. She looked as exhausted as Norman. 

"Yeah..." he replied. There was a silence between them. "It's just overwhelming."

"I know exactly what you mean." She walked over and leaned on the railing, next to him. "I still can't believe it. We actually found them..." 

They both looked out at the forest again. 

"It's still messed up when you think about it. This is probably our fault." Norman acknowledged.

"You noticed too, huh?" She gave him a sad smile. "This was what 'him' was referring to."

"Memories..." Norman muttered, covering his face with one hand. "He really knew how to mess with us."

"Yeah. But now we have to focus on how to deal with it," she said.

"Okay, so what do we know?" Norman asked. They needed to recap everything they'd discovered today.

"When we came back to Gracefield, no one knew about their whereabouts. If they are not dead, then they must've been sent somewhere else." Emma quickly said. 

"Yeah, there's no way they managed to escape after all of what happened," Norman agreed, straightening himself up.

"Now then, where were they sent?" Emma questioned.

"It could have been to another farm, but that wouldn't make much sense. Then wher—" he paused, his eyes widened at the realization. "Maybe a lab?"

"A lab?" She gave him a confused look.

"Yeah. I mean, you saw the other farms operated, how demons kept people under horrible conditions." Norman turned to Emma. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were laboratories dedicated to experimenting with humans." Then, he remembered "I... I read something in the Ratri's files. They mentioned a place named Lambda, but at the time I checked, it said the place had burned down four months prior. No survivors were registered."

"If they were experimented on, that would explain their health condition."

"Damn. If Ray's condition is still weak, even after all this time here in the human world, then... they must've been through hell." He turned his gaze towards the forest again.

"Could there be a chance they were sent to another place to train them to become more capable as caretakers?" She asked.

"After they lost fifteen products of a farm of high quality?" Norman scoffed. "I highly doubt it. It would be logical to use them, two 'products' of the best quality, to investigate how to improve the farms' product quality"

"You are right..." She sighed defeatedly. 

No matter the reason they had to leave them behind, it hurt. It hurt to think about what Ray and Mom might've gone through after the escape.

They fell into a heavy silence.

"About their amnesia..." Norman began. 

"You think both of them actually forgot us?" Emma interrupted.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing." He chuckled lightly. "I believe it from Ray. He is, like, a completely different person. If I didn't remember well what he looked like, I might've thought he was someone else." Then his tone grew more serious. "I have a hunch about Mom's case, although I can't confirm anything yet."

"Do you think Ray would have turned out like this if it weren't for the whole situation with the farm and the demons?"

"...I'm not sure." He admitted.

"Well. We'll just have to see how much information we can get this weekend." Norman really appreciated Emma's optimism at moments like this.

"If Mom lets him come..." He rolled his eyes.

"Right, right." She straightened up and looked at him. "Do you... Do you want to get them back?" She asked, hesitantly.

"If I'm being honest, yeah," he confessed. "I want to be with them, ask them questions, understand what really happened."

"It seems we are on the same page, then." Emma smiled at him. "Don't worry, we are gonna get our family back," she said, pulling him into a side hug.

"Yeah... Thanks, Emma." Norman leaned and reciprocated the hug.

They were going to find the truth.

Chapter Text

Norman woke up the next morning more tired than usual.

To say he had truly rested would have been a lie. He barely managed to get a few hours of sleep.

He glanced at the clock, it read 5:44. It was still early, but he knew he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep.

Lambda...

Norman sighed quietly and dragged himself out of bed, taking a book he just started a few days ago and going into the hallway. He rubbed his eyes as he walked down the stairs, trying to shake off his exhaustion.

Once in the kitchen, he opted to get some coffee, hopefully, that would get him through the day. With the mug in hand, he sat down in the living room to continue his reading. He opened it where he'd left off, hoping to lose himself for a while in someone else's problems.

He hadn't been reading long when the soft rhythm of footsteps pulled him out of his thoughts. Turning his head towards the noise, he saw Anna walking down the stairs.

"Anna? What are you doing up?" he asked softly from his seat.

She was startled by the sound of his voice, then let out a breath of relief when she recognized it was just him. "Ah, Norman. You almost scared me to death," she murmured, laughing under her breath. "I just came down for a glass of water." She glanced at him, lifting an eyebrow with confusion. "I could ask you the same thing. Why are you up at this hour? Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, don't worry," he replied, carefully closing his book and setting his cup on the table. "And you? How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Better." Anna said as she poured water into a glass, lowering her gaze. "Sorry for all the chaos yesterday. We really let things get out of hand." She paused, staring at her cup. "After everything calmed down, Don and I talked. We apologized to each other, we both said a lot of things without thinking."

"No need to apologize," Norman assured her, offering a faint, tired smile. "I'm just relieved things are better."

Anna quietly set her glass on the table. "I think I'll go back to sleep. I'm still a bit tired."

"Good idea," Norman agreed, grabbing his book again. "There's nothing major planned today, so rest as much as you need. Just remember we have the family lunch tomorrow," he added, his voice low as he found his place on the page. "Sleep well," he murmured as he resumed reading.

"You should try to get some sleep too, Norman," Anna replied softly as she headed towards the stairs.

Norman remained on the couch. The house fell into silence once more.

Was it that obvious how much everything was affecting him?

Even so, however tangled things felt, he would find a way to set them right.

Hours passed by, and Norman remained on the couch, so absorbed in his book that he barely noticed the first rays of sunlight entering the living room. Once he finished the first few chapters of the book, he decided it was a good time to start preparing breakfast.

He got up, stretching the stiffness from his limbs, and made his way towards the kitchen. 

One by one, his siblings and friends joined him, greeting Norman with sleepy smiles. Some stayed to help him cook while others chatted, making the mood feel warm and lively.

They sat to eat breakfast just like any other morning. The tension from yesterday seemed to have dissipated. 

Afterward, the older kids decided to inform everyone about Ray. They had made a promise long ago that they were not going to hide any more secrets when it came to matters that involved all of them.

Norman and Emma took the lead, with Phil and Sherry supporting them as they recounted everything that had happened the day before.

Their siblings' reactions weren't so different from those of the older ones the previous night. Most were shocked, even the youngest ones who at the time were too small to remember Ray, since they all knew the story behind their escape. Doubt and fear filled the air, not just about finding Ray, but also at the mention of Isabella. Knowing they were both alive unsettled them all in many ways.

The older ones did their best to calm everyone, answering their questions and assuring them everything would be okay. Slowly, most began to accept the idea of Ray and maybe Isabella attending their reunion tomorrow, some more willingly than others. They then began discussing details for Sunday's meal.

In the middle of it all, Norman felt his phone vibrate.

A message from an unknown number caught his attention:

L~ 

Hi.

Norman, right? 

I'm Leslie :>

My mom gave me your number.

If the invitation still stands, I'd love to come.

Norman wasn't sure which was more surprising: that Ray was actually accepting their invitation or how casually upbeat his messages were. It was going to take some time to get used to this new version of him. He excused himself and slipped into the kitchen to reply.

Hi, Leslie

Of course it still stands. We'd love it if you could join us.

He hesitated, phone in hand. What name should he save the contact under? Ray? Leslie? After thinking it over for a few minutes, he settled on Ray. It was unlikely he would notice anyway.

L~ 

Great ^^

I spoke with my mom, and we came to an agreement, so I'll definitely be there.

Could you send me the time and address?

Sure!

Give me a sec.

Norman sent over the address of their home and an approximate time to arrive, based on the time they usually started setting up things. He decided to put away his phone and went back to let the others know that Ray would indeed be attending tomorrow.

That would give everyone some time to prepare themselves.

Despite the chaos of the morning, the rest of the day passed relatively peacefully. Everyone had calmed down considerably, agreeing to act as naturally as possible around Ray and to enjoy the event as they usually would.

That afternoon, Norman accompanied Violet and Emma to buy everything they needed for the meal, even helping them to come up with ideas for their anniversary plan.

Though he was looking forward to what would happen tomorrow, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about the whole situation.

That feeling persisted all day.

The next morning welcomed them with perfect weather for their plans. All the kids were helping with the preparations. The older kids were taking stock of all the food they had bought to eat, while the younger ones cleaned the tables and chairs they had in the forest.

Norman was carrying a few trays to one of the tables when he spotted an unfamiliar car approaching. Guessing who it was, he quickly set the trays down and headed toward it.

As he got closer, he saw Ray and Isabella stepping out of the car. Ray was being accompanied by... a service dog? Judging by the harness and the way he held her lead, that's exactly what it was.

"Leslie!" Isabella, well, Sarah, called out as her son jogged ahead, waving cheerfully in Norman's direction.

Norman was never going to get used to the change of names.

"Hi, Leslie. Hi, Sarah," Norman greeted calmly, returning Leslie's wave. Sarah slowly caught up with them. "Thank you so much for coming."

Sarah smiled warmly at him. "Actually, only Leslie's staying. I've got a few errands to take care of." Then she turned to Leslie and took him by the shoulders. "Don't do anything stupid or reckless."

Leslie just rolled his eyes before laughing. "Relax, Mom. I won't. Besides, Sadie's with me," he added, glancing down at the dog.

So that was who the ladies at the café were talking about.

"I know you," she teased, giving his cheek a gentle pinch. Leslie groaned Mom! as she turned toward Norman, ignoring his protest. "Norman, please look after my boy," Sarah added, still concerned.

"Don't worry," Norman assured her. "He'll be fine."

Sarah kissed Leslie on the cheek, hugged him one last time, then returned to the car. They stayed there, waving back, until the car disappeared from their sight.

"Nice to see you again," Norman said, motioning Leslie to follow him towards the others.

"You too," Leslie replied brightly. "I don't know what kind of magic you guys worked on my mom, but I really appreciate it. Being stuck at home most of the time is boring and kind of depressing."

Norman understood that feeling all too well. It reminded him of those winters when his health was still fragile that just stepping outside would get him sick. He used to spend weeks locked in the infirmary, recovering so slowly it felt endless. He didn't miss those days. The only thing that made them bearable was his family, especially Emma and Ray.

"I get it," he said without thinking.

Leslie looked at him, puzzled. "Huh?"

"Ah!" Norman quickly caught himself. "Sorry, never mind."

There was a brief—but awkward— silence between them until a bark broke the tension.

"Oh! This is Sadie. I hope it's okay that I brought her," Leslie said, gesturing to the white-haired dog at his side.

Norman knelt down to greet her. "Don't worry, it's fine." His attention shifted to her. "Is she like.. a Husky?"

"Close enough. She's a Samoyedo." Seeing Norman hesitate on petting her, Leslie chuckled. "It's okay, she won't bite. Honestly, she loves attention."

He gently took Norman's hand and guided it toward Sadie. The dog happily accepted the affection.

"She's really sweet," Norman said, petting her. Sadie was a very outgoing dog, she wagged her tail excitedly, basking in the attention, and began to play with him. After a few seconds, he stood up and continued walking.

When they arrived, the atmosphere was... tense.

Well, tense would be an understatement.

Everyone —and that wasn't an exaggeration— had completely frozen in place, like time itself had stopped. All their gazes were on Leslie. Norman couldn't tell if it was the shock of seeing Ray in person or just how different he was now.

Leslie's nervousness became evident the moment he noticed the stares. He stopped in his tracks, his shoulders quickly tensed. Judging by his reaction, he wasn't used to being around people his age, and this certainly wasn't helping. Sadie, sensing his discomfort, quickly tried to redirect his attention and calm him down.

Norman glanced at his siblings with a clear 'Seriously?' look. He had expected better from them. Quickly, he turned to Leslie and gently took his free hand. This seemed to bring Leslie out of his anxious haze and he relaxed a little.

Emma and Violet were the ones who broke the tension.

"Leslie!" Emma called, hurrying over with her girlfriend by her side.

Leslie lit up as he recognized her. "Emma! It's good to see you again." He seemed genuinely relieved to find a familiar face.

"Are you going to introduce us, love?" Violet said teasingly from behind.

"Ah, right!" Emma stepped aside. "Leslie, this is my girlfriend, Violet. Vi, this is Leslie, the guy I told you about, the one Norman and I met on Friday."

Violet extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, Leslie."

He returned the handshake with a cheerful smile. "You too!" It was clear he was genuinely happy to meet more people his age.

In moments like this, Norman truly appreciated Violet's personality. He was afraid she might be a bit harsh, but right now she seemed to have a clear read on the situation and showed a sober personality.

As they chatted, Alicia and Jemima approached them with curiosity.

Leslie knelt slightly to greet them, introducing both himself and Sadie.

Despite their initial surprise at Ray's behavior, the girls quickly warmed up to both of them, chatting freely and making him feel much more at ease.

Little by little, the rest of Norman's siblings and friends began to approach and introduce themselves. The mood slowly began to shift into something more friendly. The younger ones, in particular, took a quick liking to Leslie. In no time, they had stolen his attention and led him to the table, chattering about all sorts of things they knew. Leslie listened attentively, clearly growing fond of them too.

Norman felt a wave of relief. It seemed like, for now, everything was going better than expected.

Unfortunately, he'd spoken too soon.

Norman continued helping with the meal preparations when he noticed Leslie excusing himself from the younger ones and walking over to him.

"How can I help you?" Leslie asked, a hint of eagerness in his voice. "Your little siblings stole my attention since I got here." 

As he spoke, Leslie noticed the others working alongside Norman. Cheerfully, he decided to greet them, probably not the best idea...

"Oh! Hi, guys! I hadn't seen you. Nice to meet you." He bowed slightly.

But unlike the younger kids, they didn't return his enthusiasm. Their faces were marked with doubtfulness, not knowing how to answer. They were either still trying to wrap their heads around Ray's drastic change in demeanor or unsure how to even behave around him.

Leslie quickly picked up on the tension. When no one replied, his eyes turned nervously towards Norman.

The one who finally broke the silence this time was Anna.

"Hi, Leslie. Nice to meet you too. Sorry, we're just a little caught up with all the food preparations," she said, trying to smooth over the tension.

Leslie let out a soft chuckle. "No worries, I get it. The café I work at is just as chaotic sometimes." He stepped closer to the ingredients. "You've got quite a variety here...but there's hardly any meat."

Anna nodded. "Yeah, we're not big fans of fancy cuts or meat in general. We usually keep it simple and prefer a variety of other foods."

Leslie continued examining curiously what they had. "I could help with the cooking if you want. I've read a few things here and there, haven't tried it out often, but I think I could—"

"No, thanks. We've got it covered," Don cut in sharply. "And please, keep the dog out of the kitchen. It could get in the way."

"Sadie's very well-trained," Leslie replied gently, crouching to pet her. "Actually, for health reasons, I'm not supposed to be far from her."

"Well," Gilda added, "the ones who usually hang around here are human. If you can't be away from her, then maybe you should step aside."

Leslie looked up, hurt flashing across his face. Then turned to Norman, clearly confused and uneasy.

"Don't take it personally," Anna stepped in. "You're our guest. Let us treat you." She took Gilda by the shoulders and led her away before things could escalate further.

Norman rested his hand on Leslie's back as he stood up. Without a word, he gently guided him away toward the rest of their friends, silently hoping they'd handle things better.

He understood his siblings. It had been so long since they’d last seen Ray, and they had no idea what he’d been through during that time. And the last image they had of him and Isabella wasn't the best one. Their reaction wasn’t intended to be mean, they were just being cautious. They were simply trying to protect the family.

God, this was difficult...

Today was going to be a long day.

Chapter Text

Norman was stressed.

Honestly, he hadn't expected this situation to push him to such a point, but the tension felt unbearable. Especially now that he understood both points of view, well, partially. 

Things hadn't exactly improved since that first interaction. 

They hadn't worsened either, tho. 

In the end, the older ones, reluctantly, agreed to let Leslie cook a few things, something that seemed to excite him. 

To everyone's surprise, he turned out to be an expert in the kitchen.

Leslie moved with ease between the ingredients, the grill, and the table. He chopped with precision while explaining some cooking techniques to the younger ones, who followed him fascinated.

There was a genuine joy on his face as he prepared everything. He really enjoyed every step of the process.

"Jemima, could you fetch me the onions?" Leslie asked while dicing vegetables.

"Coming!" the little girl called out, running to grab the plate. 

"Vivian, Dalia, this is ready. Can you take it to the table?" he said, handing them the plate.

"Sure!" The children grabbed the food and hurried away while Leslie focused on the grill.

Curious, Norman approached Leslie from behind. "Need any more help?"

Leslie was slightly startled by his voice, but relaxed the moment he saw who it was. He laughed softly. "Actually, we're almost done."

Since when...?  "Wow, you're fast. Looks like none of us managed to help you after all."

Leslie pulled the last pieces of meat off the grill. "Sorry, I got carried away... Do you think that'll be a problem?" His voice carried a slight trace of anxiety, still shaken from the earlier tension.

"Don't worry." Norman took the dish in his hands and walked along with him toward the tables. "And... sorry about before. Sometimes they're like that. It's nothing personal."

A small lie wouldn't kill anyone.

"It's fine..." Leslie muttered, though not entirely convinced.

They approached the table to set the food down and announce to everyone it was ready. The older tried to warn the little ones to be cautious, but of course, the younger didn't listen. They rushed first in line, filling their plates eagerly. Leslie laughed at that. A loud, warm sound that caught Norman off guard. His laughter didn't go unnoticed by the others, as everyone stopped in their tracks when they heard it.

Ray was genuinely laughing. And not the short, sarcastic chuckle they all remembered from the orphanage. It was a real laugh. He seemed genuinely happy, as if he was truly enjoying himself. What had changed in him?

The moment Leslie realized all eyes were on him, his cheeks flushed a bright crimson. He lowered his gaze and fell silent. Norman, caught so off guard by the sight, couldn't help but burst out into laughter himself. The little ones followed, encouraging Leslie to finally lift his head again, still somewhat embarrassed.

"Leslie, look at my plate!" Chris said proudly.

Yvette tugged on his shirt. "What else should I get?" she asked, showing him her plate.

"Leslieee! Help me choose!" Alicia yelled from across the room.

The younger kids had already grown fond of him. It didn't seem to matter to them what his past was or what he had done. They were ready to hear and understand his side of the story.

"Norman." Leslie's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Let's go," he said, offering him a plate.

"Right. Thanks." It was all that came out of his lips.

They walked together along the table of food, serving themselves at their own pace. Leslie cheerfully shared some interesting facts about the dishes. Norman listened, completely fascinated. Ray had always been someone with vast knowledge.  In fact, it wasn't unusual for him to share it with everyone else. Whenever he did, there was always a certain sparkle in his eyes. 

Despite having lost his memories, that glow in his eyes when he explained something remained, Norman could see it.

"You seem to get along really well with children," Norman remarked once they sat down.

"Well, I've had some practice. Sometimes Mom and I visit and help at an orphanage near the café. The kids there are lovely." An orphanage. Norman felt a déjà vu. "Even though my condition limits how much I can play, we always find ways to have fun."

"Leslie!" A voice interrupted before Norman could reply. "This is amazing! Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

"We should invite you more often!"

"Next time, tell us the ingredients you need and we'll buy everything for you!"

Norman started eating peacefully beside him, until something odd caught his attention.

"How come you cooked almost everything on the grill but barely served yourself any meat?" he asked without much thought.

"Oh, I'd be lying if I told you it was just a dietary restriction due to my condition. Truth is, I don't really like it that much." Leslie gave a soft smile. "I mean, I do eat it, of course, but I'm not really keen on it."

"Well, for someone who doesn't like it, you cook it really well." Norman took another bite of his steak.

Leslie laughed, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Thanks, Norman."

After eating, everyone began cleaning up and putting things away. They took a short break before playing, as their games often got a bit hectic.

"All right, guys," Emma called, cracking her knuckles. "Let's get this started!"

Everyone, both siblings and friends, gathered in a circle. Leslie and Sadie stayed close to Norman, clearly uncertain. Everyone else seemed overly excited.

"Leslie tags!" Alicia shouted, pointing straight at him.

"I don't think he—" Norman began, but was cut off.

"What?" Leslie muttered, still confused.

"Haven't you told him?" Emma asked Norman, walking over.

"I was just about to," he replied with a small smile.

"Seeing as he hasn't told you anything yet, I'll explain it." Emma shoving away Norman playfully, earning a chuckle from him. "On days like this, aside from preparing the family meal, we like to play outside. We mostly play tag, but sometimes other games come up."

"Well, that sounds fun," Leslie said, smiling. "But..." His eyes shifted to Sadie. "I promised Mom I wouldn't push myself too much."

"Oh," several of the siblings replied in unison.

Leslie noticed her disappointment and quietly added, "Oh! But don't worry!" He nervously waved his hands. "I'll watch from here."

Many of the siblings looked somewhat sad.

"Are you sure? We could play something calmer so you can join us," Violet suggested.

"No, no, really. I don't want you to change things because of me. I'd like to see you play as you usually do." He tried to reassure them.

"He can be in charge of the chronometer," Norman offered, stepping in to support him.

"Chronometer? How do you even play tag?" Leslie asked, bewildered.

"Let me explain." Norman placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him to the nearest tree. Then he shouted: "I tag!" and, in an instant, all the others scattered, even the older kids.

Norman, Leslie, and Sadie sat down under the tree. "Well, basically, we all play tag together, as you can see," he said, pointing with his hand to show how there was no one else in sight.

"All of you?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yeah, but that makes it fun," Norman added, turning back to him. "We pick a seeker and give everyone time to hide," he said while checking the time on his phone. There were still a few minutes left. "When it's up, they hunt the rest down. Always with a time limit."

Leslie just let out a small "Oh" at the explanation.

"... Think you can really find everyone?" Leslie said, taking a book out of his bag.

"Sure," Norman smirked with some pride. "Not to brag, but I'm one of the best taggers among us."

"Aren't you?" Leslie teased with a smug grin. He was growing comfortable with Norman.

"You'll see. Emma and I tend to be the best among the older ones here when it comes to tagging. However, we usually play with more people, and there are two others who are even better than us, but they're away right now."

"You usually play with more people?!" Leslie's eyes widened. Norman just chuckled.

The timer beeped. "That's my cue."

"How much time do I set on the timer?" Leslie asked, taking out his phone.

"Hmm... I'm pretty sure I can finish under forty minutes," Norman said as he stood up.

"Really?" Leslie stared, thinking it might be a joke. But the confidence in Norman's eyes made him nod to understand he was serious. "...Well then. Time's running." Then he turned to Norman. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Norman grinned before sprinting into the woods.

The afternoon passed that way. One by one, the kids came back to where Leslie was sitting, clearly defeated.

"It's not fair!" one of the younger ones cried as they saw Norman approach them, along with a clearly embarrassed Emma, ​​who was the last to be caught.

"Sorry, guys. He got me... again," Emma admitted with a laugh, despite having lost.

Norman laid down beside Leslie under the tree, exhausted.

"Thirty-six minutes to find everyone? You're pretty good," Leslie said.

"Told you," Norman muttered with his arms folded over his face.

Leslie chuckled. "Okay, okay. Sorry. Honestly, you don't look that athletic. I thought it'd be impossible for you to catch Emma or some other of the older ones. Your strategy must be really sharp."

Norman laughed softly. "I've never been the most athletic, truth be told. Although I've improved..." He admitted. "Most of them would beat me if we only relied on physical condition, of course."

"I believe it. It looks really fun." Leslie tapped Norman's forehead with one finger, smiling. "Makes me wonder what goes on inside that head of yours."

"Norman! Rematch!" Alicia's voice rang out. "This time we'll beat you!"

Norman sighed heavily, pushing himself up. "All right, all right. Go hide!"

And just like that, everyone started leaving Leslie, watching them tenderly. Their joy was contagious... he was already growing fond of them.

Two more rounds went by, both won by Norman, before he finally collapsed again beside Leslie.

"It's someone else's turn," he exclaimed, lying on his back and closing his eyes.

"Already tired?" Leslie gave him a teasing look.

"Hmh," Norman hummed, listening to Emma counting in the distance as everyone else ran again towards the forest. Emma counted the seconds. "What've you been reading all this time?" He said curiously as he took out his phone to start timing the game.

"Oh, it's nothing..." Leslie tried to hide the book, a bit embarrassed.

"Aww, come on," Norman nudged him.

"It's Lord of the Rings." He handed it over sheepishly. "Reading has always been a comforting activity to me, and well, being in a hospital... it's not like there's much else to do. I'll read anything, really, but the truth is I really like fantasy books."

Norman smiled. "I've heard they are interesting, but I've never had the chance—"

"I can lend them to you once I'm done," Leslie interrupted quickly, not letting Norman say anything else.

"You sure?" Norman asked.

Leslie gave him a shy smile. "Yes..." he replied as he looked away, slightly blushing.

A brief silence fell between them, thick but not uncomfortable.

He didn't know how much he missed his usual conversations with Ray until now.

Norman couldn't deny that he felt a little nervous. Where should he start? Sure, he'd grown up with Ray for almost 12 years of his life, but this wasn't the boy he'd once known. This wasn't HIS Ray anymore.

He wanted to know how he'd found out about the farm. Why he betrayed them. Why he threw himself off the wall that day. If he'd been in Lambda. What happened to him during those years. How he got there. What had become of his life...

Since he discovered his betrayal that day, he felt like he knew nothing about Ray. What were his true thoughts and feelings? He'd always been a bit distant, unlike the other kids.

"You know," Leslie broke the silence, "I don't know exactly why, but this place makes me feel at home..."

Norman saw an opportunity. "Home? Aren't you from here?"

Leslie slightly stiffened, something Norman noticed. "We... my mom and I come from a town a few hours away from here."

"Oh, where?" Norman asked casually.

"A small town not too far. It wasn't very big. I lived there for a while." He laughed nervously. "This place... it makes me nostalgic. This forest reminds me a lot of it." 

He was avoiding giving any specific information.

Okay.

Norman wasn't going to push further into that matter. He'd have a chance later.

"And why move? City life called to you?"

"Something like that..." He replied, hugging his knees. "Honestly, we needed a change." His gaze fell on the floor. "Being here feels like a new beginning. It makes me happy."

"Then when you start attending university, you'll enjoy it even more."

"I should be able to go on Monday. I'm excited," Leslie admitted shyly. "Strange, right?"

"Not at all. I think it's admirable," Norman said honestly. "You seem very interested in knowledge."

It was true. That remained the same about Ray was that he still liked to read about everything. It was truly impressive how that boy dedicated hours of his day to learn about any area he could. Norman could somehow relate to him, as he was also passionate about learning— it came naturally for him. 

Norman enjoyed it, but Ray...

Ray seemed obsessed.

At first, everyone attributed it to him wanting to increase his chances of surviving, but he had always doubted that.

Leslie leaned his head against Norman's shoulder. "Thanks again, Norman. For all this. I hadn't felt this comfortable in a long time," he admitted.

Norman didn't know what to answer. 

His siblings, who had been caught by Emma, ​​began to arrive.

The two of them remained silent and let the children's voices fill the air. Occasionally, they joined in the conversation when one of the younger children approached to chat.

It all ended when Emma finally appeared with Phil, the last one missing.

"Phew, guys, that was a tough one. This little guy here gave me a lot of trouble," she laughed, ruffling Phil's hair.

"Everyone's gotten better," Norman added.

Leslie smiled slightly, closed his book, and tucked it into his bag before standing up, "I want to try," he said, with a confidence that startled both Norman and Emma.

The two exchanged a worried look.

 Would it be a good idea?

"Is Leslie playing?" Alicia, having overheard everything, asked loudly.

The younger children immediately erupted with excitement.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Norman asked, clearly concerned. "There are a lot of us... and it can get really rough."

Leslie only chuckled. "Are you underestimating me?" he teased. "Don't worry, I'll manage. Though the older ones might give me some trouble."

"Don't worry, I'm out," Gilda said firmly, turning toward the house.

"I also think I'd better go get things ready for tonight," Nat said, following Gilda in an attempt to talk to her.

Most of the older ones stepped back from that last game; some just didn't want to plan, while others did it to make it more bearable for Leslie. That left only Emma, Anna, and Norman. 

Leslie didn't seem the least bit bothered. The enthusiasm shown by the younger kids was more than enough.

"Alright, everyone into the woods! Time starts now!" Violet announced she set the timer and took Leslie's old spot under the tree.

"Wait!" Chris shouted before everyone started running. "Isn't Sadie considered... like an advantage?" He asked without malice, but genuine curiosity.

Emma was about to intervene, but was quickly interrupted by Leslie. "Hmmm, good point." He said before he unclipped Sadie's harness and gestured for her to go rest by Violet's side. "Nothing will happen if we're separate for a little while."

"Leslie, I really don't think this is a good idea," Emma said, concern clear in her voice.

"Don't worry, Emma. Everything's under control." His confidence left little room for argument. "Time's running!"

The children scattered into the woods. Norman disappeared into the trees, his mind already full with a million thoughts.

How would Ray play now? Would he fall back on the old strategies he used in Grace Field? What would he do to compensate for his condition?

For now, Norman would play cautiously. 

Was it too much for just a game?

Probably.

But Norman didn't want to treat Ray as if he needed an advantage. Well, of course, his health was fragile, but he had always been a strategist; he would find another way to catch them. He didn't want to underestimate him or give him the impression that he was someone he had to restrain himself with. He knew Ray wanted to experience it as any other of the kids would.

The minutes passed, and Norman, despite being focused, couldn't help but worry.

What if something had already happened? What if Ray had collapsed and no one had noticed?

Oh god, they were going to cause Ray's death over a game.

His anxiety grew with every second. He could barely hear some of his siblings nearby.

Then, in the distance, he spotted Jemima tucked behind a tree, looking to see if anyone was following her. As soon as she noticed Norman, she raised a hand in silent greeting. When he was about to return the greeting, he saw someone step up quietly behind her.

Leslie laid a hand on her shoulder, smiling gently. "Got you."

Norman froze. How had he moved so silently? He hadn't even been able to hear him approaching.

As always, Ray didn't disappoint.

Norman retreated quickly, slipping away before Ray noticed. He calmly walked through the woods. Another advantage they had was that they knew the forest, unlike Ray.

He was still admiring the scenery when someone jumped from a branch and landed just in front of him, startling him.

"Norman!" Emma grinned.

"God, Emma, you nearly gave me a heart attack." He laughed, pressing a hand to his chest.

"How's it going? Already had to escape yet?" she asked brightly.

"Not yet. I saw Ray catch Jemima a while ago, but I don't think he spotted me." Norman leaned against a tree.

Emma's smile wavered. "That's good to know... I was worried about him."

"Don't even start," Norman muttered, pinching his temple. "I've kept thinking he's going to collapse at any second. I think I'm starting to feel like Isabella."

"You're stressing too much about him," Emma sighed, glancing at the sky. "Can't blame you tho. I've been thinking the exact same. I wonder how's he doing."

"Pretty well, actually" a third voice cut in. Both of them jumped. Ray stepped out from behind the tree, smiling. "It's been fun-"

Before he could finish, Emma took Norman by the wrist and shouted a loud 'RUN!', laughing brightly at the situation.

Norman was still stunned until Leslie's laughter brought him back to reality.

Right, they weren't going to get caught that easily.

He started running right behind Emma, ​​keeping up with her. He looked back and saw Leslie happily chasing close behind, having almost caught up with them.

Norman turned to look forward again. It felt just like childhood, when the three of them still lived in Gracefield. Together as a family...

Under a lie.

Even if all of it had been fake, he couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic.

Until he heard a loud thud against the ground.

Both stopped in their tracks and quickly turned back, only to see Leslie coughing violently, collapsed on the forest floor.

Norman internally panicked.

God, this can't be happening.

They rushed to his side. 

His breathing was ragged.

"We have to take him to the house," Emma said as she was preparing to lift him, only for Leslie to stop her with a shaking hand.

"My—" he managed to form a few words between breaths. "Medicines, in—" He broke off, gasping for air, "My bag."

Without hesitation, Emma sprinted back toward the house. Norman stayed by Leslie's side, helping him sit upright and letting him lean against his chest. He genuinely didn't know what else he could do in the middle of nowhere.

He held him gently. 

Then the blood came. Norman's heart dropped.

What had happened to him all those years? Who had hurt him?

But that wasn't what alarmed Norman the most. In the chaos of his coughing fit, Leslie's bangs fell away, exposing his left eye. It wasn't olive green like his right eye; it had a grayish color, ringed with some minor scars.

Was that why he still covered it?...

Norman's clothes were stained with a few tints of red, but he couldn't care less. Leslie clung to him like his life depended on it.

"S—sorry..." Leslie rasped.

"Don't," Norman whispered, rubbing his arm in reassurance. "Try not to talk. Emma will be back soon."

He could feel Leslie's body tremble. He was getting paler.

The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard from afar. Emma returned with his bag and some water.

"I told Violet, she's handling everything," Emma said breathlessly. She knelt beside them and offered the bottle of water. "I'm so sorry, I couldn't find Sadie. Apparently, the younger ones took her to-"

"No problem," Leslie interrupted weakly. "I told Violet to let them take her to play. It's my fault." 

Emma remained silent as she handed him his medication and watched him take it.

"We need to get you inside," Norman broke the silence. "Can you walk?" 

Leslie dropped his gaze, embarrassed. "...Probably not," he awkwardly admitted.

"Then come here." Norman shifted, carefully lifting him into his arms.

Leslie's face burned with shame. He seemed to want to protest, but the words were caught in his throat. He ducked his head, hiding it instead.

If he told eleven-year-old Norman about the current situation, he wouldn't believe him. Blessed be all the strength he'd gained during their journey in the demon world.

"Emma, could you tell the others to prepare my room so Leslie can rest there?" he asked, calmer now.

"Sure," Emma nodded quickly and ran ahead. She surely felt as guilty as he did.

Norman set off at a steady pace, careful not to distress him. 

Slowly, Leslie began to relax.

Another 'sorry' came out as a faint mumble.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Norman reassured. "We all got a little too excited back there. But hey, you managed to catch Emma and me at the end..." Well, sort of

"Not about that." Leslie's voice was soft but steady now. "About earlier. When we were talking... some things weren't exactly true"

That drew Norman's full attention. "I figured," he admitted.

Leslie tilted his head, surprised, making eye contact with Norman. "You knew?"

"Well, I suspected it," Norman said. He paused mid-step, looking him in the eye. "But really, you shouldn't worry. You must have a good reason to do it. Just know, whenever you're ready to talk, I'll be here." He assured him with a gentle smile before resuming his walk.

They fell into a quiet but comfortable silence until they began to see the house in the distance. Concerned voices of the younger children soon filled the air, swarming them with questions but still clearing a path so Norman could pass.

"Is Leslie alright?" Nina asked.

"Here's Sadie," Alicia said, raising her hand while holding the dog's harness with the other.

"Your room's ready," Eugene informed, approaching them both.

"Does he need anything else?" Dalia asked, and the rest of their siblings looked equally eager to help however they could.

"Guys," Norman interrupted calmly. "Relax, it's alright, you did a great job. Now we have to let Leslie rest," his tone seemed to soothe everyone.

He carried Leslie inside, followed by a few of the older siblings.

"Let's get Anna to see him," Phil suggested.

"Good idea. Can you fetch her?" Norman asked as he began going up the stairs.

"On it," Phil said before sprinting out of the house.

Finally, Norman reached his room. He laid Leslie carefully on his bed and helped him remove the heavier layers of clothing so he would be more comfortable.

Anna arrived shortly after to check on him. Thankfully, Leslie was stable, he was simply exhausted from the strain he'd put himself in throughout the day.

What he needed now was sleep.

Leslie curled up beneath the blankets, followed by Sadie, who immediately hopped onto the bed, nestling close against him. Leslie wrapped his arms around the dog, holding her tightly for comfort. Norman lingered in the corner of the bed, watching the scene in silence.

He stood up, intending to grab his computer and leave, but a faint voice stopped him.

"You saw it, right?" Leslie whispered.

He thought he knew what Leslie meant, but he didn't want to assume. "Uh?" Norman turned to him.

"My left eye. You noticed..." Leslie's voice cracked.

"Yeah," Norman admitted softly.

An awkward, thick silence fell between them until Leslie spoke again, barely audible. "...It's hideous."

"I don't think so," Norman replied, stepping closer. He crouched down until they were eye level. "I think you're gorgeous," he said as he brushed his hand gently against Leslie's cheek.

Leslie's eyes widened, making the difference between his eyes more noticeable. A faint blush crept across his face.

"Get some rest," Norman murmured, standing up again to leave the room.

"Thanks... Please, thank everyone else too," Leslie said, his eyes fluttering shut.

"Of course," Norman whispered, switching off the light before quietly stepping out.

There wasn't much he could do. For now, they would just let him rest.

Downstairs, he noticed the atmosphere was calmer. Through the window, he could still see the younger children playing outside. Emma was sitting in the living room beside Violet. She looked visibly shaken by the whole situation.

"Hey," Norman said softly so as not to startle them.

Emma lifted her gaze to meet his. "How's he?" she asked, still worried.

"He's... fine," Norman assured her as he set his laptop on the table and sank into a nearby couch. "He's sleeping, accompanied by Sadie."

Emma's gaze fell again. "I knew he wasn't well, but... I wasn't prepared to see him so fragile." Violet side-hugged her, holding her gently.

Norman knew that feeling. They knew of Ray's condition, but not of its severity. It was the first time since Chris woke up from his coma shortly after they arrived in the human world that they had seen someone so delicate.

"He'll be okay, you'll see." He gave her a steady look. "Are you still going out tonight?"

Emma doubted, "I... I don't know if we sho—"

"You deserve a break," Norman cut in firmly. "Really, take some time for yourselves.I'll stay and watch things over here."

"But—" Emma began, but now it was  Violet who interjected. 

"Norman's right, dear, you need to clear your mind. You've been very stressed," she said as she stood up and extended her hand.

"Yeah, you should enjoy what's left of your anniversary," Norman added.

Emma glanced between Violet and Norman, still hesitant. At last, she relented, deciding to trust their judgment. "Okay. You're both right. Norman... please take care of Ray."

"I will."

Norman walked both girls to the front door, wishing them a pleasant evening before watching them disappear into the night.

Seeing them go, he decided to return to the lonely living room. There, he pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hello, Norman," said the voice on the other end.

"Good evening, Mr. Ratri," he greeted calmly.

"What can I do for you?" Polite, as always.

"Well, I was wondering, do you have any files regarding Peter Ratri's experiments at Lambda?"

"Hmmm, probably yes. They should be stored in the headquarters archives." A brief pause, "Why? Do you need them?"

"I see." There was a brief silence. "Generally, I wouldn't share it since it's confidential information, but let me see what I can do for you."

"My siblings and I believe it might explain what happened to our mother from Grace Field... and one of our brothers."

"I see..." Another pause. "Generally, I wouldn't be able to share it since it's confidential information. But... let me see what I can do for you."

"Thank you, Mr. Ratri. I'll be waiting."

"Of course, Norman. I'll keep you posted as soon as I have news. Give my regards to everyone—have a good evening."

"You too." And he hung up.

If Mike Ratri didn't come through, he would have to consider less... honest methods of finding the truth.

For now, he would wait.

Hopefully not too long.

Night fell quickly. Norman spent the evening working in the living room, occasionally checking on Leslie, who slept peacefully. 

Most of the children were already in bed, worn out from the day, and having to attend school the next day. A few of the older ones still lingered, chatting in the neighboring houses.

He was typing on his laptop when the sound of a car engine could be heard approaching.

Norman stood, already guessing who it was, and stepped outside.

Isabella got out of the car,  quickly noticing Leslie's absence. She masked it, however, with a polite smile.

"Hello, Norman. Nice to see you again." She extended her hand.

"Hi, Sarah." He shook her hand. "Want to come in?"

"I suppose I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Huh?  "Let me guess, he overdid it again and fell ill."

She still knew Ray like the back of her hand.

Norman lowered his gaze, a little tired. "Exactly. I'm sorry."

"He's my son. I already knew something like this would happen," she sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know what to do with that boy."

Norman led her inside and offered her tea, which she accepted with gratitude.

"So? How is he?" she asked after a sip.

"He's been resting since evening," Norman assured her. "And he took his medicine."

"That child will be the death of me," she muttered.

"Has he always been like this?" 

Sarah paused, considering her answer. "Kind of. Right now, he hates that his condition limits him; that's why he pushes himself. But he's always been that way, trying to do everything alone, keeping his problems to himself. He hates feeling inadequate."

"It's hard to picture him being reserved," Norman lied. "He seems so outgoing."

Sarah smiled faintly. "I imagine you've dealt with the same, raising your siblings."

"Well, none of them are too reserved." Norman chuckled lightly. "Though I've had to deal with some reckless behaviors."

"Raising children is never easy," she agreed. "Leslie and I sometimes volunteer at an orphanage nearby. The kids adore him, he's always had the vibe of an older brother. It makes me nostalgic."

"Doesn't he have siblings?"

"No, I only had him," she admitted calmly. "But back where we used to live, I often looked after other kids. It was different then."

Gracefield... "He must've grown up in a very warm environment then."

"I'll admit, I wasn't always the best mother," Sarah confessed, glancing toward the stairs. "But I want to give him the life he always deserved." She paused briefly. "I'm sure you feel the same about your siblings and friends, don't you?"

?

"What are you—" A loud bark interrupted them.

Sadie had eagerly trotted downstairs straight to greet Sarah.

"Hello, beautiful. How have you been?" Sarah petted her. "Let's go get your hasty owner," she stood carefully, cane in hand, waiting for Norman.

"Ah-right." Norman quickly stood up and guided them upstairs.

As they approached the room, the faint sound of humming drifted through the hall.

Norman knocked gently. Leslie immediately turned his gaze towards Norman and his mom. He seemed to already know what was coming.

"Sorry, Mom." He looked down, genuinely regretful.

"It doesn't matter now," Sarah said as she approached him. "Did you have fun?"

His face lit up. "Yeah. It was really fun."

"Tell me about it on the way home," she said, gently ruffling his hair. "Can you stand?"

"Let me help," Norman offered before Leslie could reply, extending his hand.

Leslie blushed slightly but accepted it.

Norman didn't carry him this time, he simply supported him as they walked together toward the car while Sarah took Sadie.

"Thanks for the invitation, Norman," Leslie said as Norman helped him get into the passenger seat.

"You're welcome, it was fun," Norman replied with a smile, handing him his bag. "We have to do it again sometime."

"Well... maybe without the last part," Leslie joked.

"Yeah," Norman chuckled softly.

"We should get going," Sarah interjected. "You both have school tomorrow."

Leslie agreed. He turned back to Norman with a small smile. "See you tomorrow on campus."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow." Norman stepped back to the entrance and waved as the car disappeared down the road.

He exhaled deeply. The day had been long, and he really needed a break. Tomorrow, he would tell his siblings everything he had discovered.

Now he just wanted to rest.