CB does not belong to me [though I wish it did], which is why I write on here instead of publishing my stories in book form.

So sit back and enjoy reading "A Holiday to Remember". This is the finale of the story, and another book is planned for after this, but I'm unsure at this point about a fourth book, and if there will be, it'll be determined by the ending of the next book. And yes, I'm still working on "Book IV: Tainted Melodies", so don't be worrying about that! I have the material. I just need to sit and write it out. ^^;;

Thank you for taking this journey of the AU series with me, and I hope you stick around for the next one! I'm not sure when it'll be released, as I'm going to take my sweet time with it, making it just perfect. And, unlike the rest of the AU series, I will be working on it with someone who knows about the subject, just so I can make sure I get it right, as it's something that'll touch everyone personally in one way or another.

Thanks again for sticking around and leaving your reviews! They make me so happy, you have no idea!

Part Twelve – Dancing Leaves Fall

How much things can change, and how quickly. Just a few months before, everyone had been mostly happy, pleased with how life was going, and then it all changed within a matter of hours.

It was nearly three months after the accident, and while Beary and Jewel had recovered physically, the damage psychologically was still there. It took a long time to get either of them to get into a car without a panic attack – they spent school days – once they were able to return – walking to the town instead of driving, both terrified of ever being trapped again.

When Beary had been told of his possible permanent damage, he had fallen further into himself and pulled away from Jewel, miserable that if things ever did progress between them, he couldn't give her a future. Give her any cubs that she may have wanted. It was over for him, or so it felt.

"I'm coming in!" Jewel screeched before kicking open the door to his bedroom and striding right in and slamming the door behind her. "Okay, buster, I've had enough of you just lying around moping and pushing me away! I love you, and no matter what is going on with you, that's not going to change, got it?" She glared at the startled figure on the bed, her paws on her hips.

Beary stared at her, jaw dropped. He had been lying in bed half naked, the room too hot around him, and now here she was, yelling at him. With a shriek, he pulled his blanket up to his neck. "Jewel! Get out!"

She glared at him for a few seconds more, but the look on his face and with the blanket... she was doubled over laughing in no time. "Do you realize how stupid you look?!"

"Jewel! Y-You shouldn't be here! No one's home!"

"Oh, calm down, you panzy. It's not like we're going to hook up just like that. Yeesh." She snorted a bit more and jumped up on the bed beside him. "Are you still on about the lack of babies? Come on, Beary, anything like that is a long way's off. Things could change."

"Yeah, and there's no way of really knowing for sure unless..." He looked down.

"You go to a sperm bank?" she teased, her smirk dropping when she realized that he wasn't messing around. "Hey..." Her fingers found his cheek, and she lifted his face to look at hers. "I'm just kidding, Bea-Bea." She scooted closer to him, snuggling up to his side.

He frowned. "'Bea-Bea', really?" He scowled a bit, but ended up laughing a little. "You're as bad as Tris."

"There's my smile," she purred, licking his cheek. "I've missed it." It wavered, and her ears drooped. "Hey, how about you talk to me? Instead of shutting me out, I mean. Please?"

He hesitated a moment, but finally nodded. "I... I just so wanted to... to provide a future for us. A next generation. Yeah, I know, way too early to even be talking about that, but... But I've known for a long time that I was in love with you – I needed Fēnglì to spell it out for me, actually. But now? What is the point of bogging yourself down with me?"

"I believe it's my choice on whether or not I want to bog myself down with you, Bea, is it not?"

"Well, yeah..."

"And do you want me gone?"

"No!"

"Then stop with the dark thoughts and just realize that I'm here to stay." She moved her paw from his cheek and squeezed his paw. "I didn't almost die with you because I was just going to up and leave you. If I was going to, I would have left you in that water instead of trying to save you."

"Well... yeah, I suppose that's true." His ears lowered at the memory of their almost-death. "But I'm still damaged. Again."

"You really think I care about that? Honestly, I don't care. Our future might not be possible with cubs, but I don't care. I'll have you, and that's all that matters to me."

"Until your friends start having babies and you can't," he grumbled.

"You don't know that for sure. Neither do the doctors, so knock it off before I do it for you."

He blinked. "Do what now?"

"That... didn't come out right," she laughed. "Ignore what I said."

"Did you just..." He buried his face in his paws, laughing. "Jewel, I swear..."

She snorted and patted his face. "Aw, man. I'm hopeless."

"You definitely are something, that's for sure."

After a few minutes of trying to avoid looking at each other – les they fall into a fit of laughter – Jewel finally had to ask. "So, why don't you have a shirt on?"

"Well... It was a bit stuffy in here, and I just didn't feel like getting all the way dressed, mainly."

"Stuffy, huh? Guess me being so close must be making it worse, huh?"

"What? No. I've missed you," he whined, pulling her back when she tried to leave. "I... I know that you're right and that I've been stupid. You're usually right about these things. But... Everyone, when they do talk to me, always tiptoes on things like cubs around me. Even Tris is a bit nervous about her new litter and my reaction to it, not to mention your aunt and uncle. I just..."

"It makes you feel worse, huh? And so you pushed us all away. Ignored us. Even me." Ears drooping, she sighed and leaned against him. "You know better than to push me away. I'm your rock."

"And I almost sunk you. Literally. Don't think I don't know that's why your parents aren't very friendly with me anymore. Even Trixie..."

"I know, I know. And yet, they let me stay here with you. Unguarded. Free to do as we pleased. So either our families are the stupidest ever, or they really do love and trust us."

"Only because they had to get back on the road."

She growled a bit. "You're just going to be mopey, aren't you?"

"Kinda my thing, yeah."

"You'd better stop."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

She tackled him, pinning him down on the bed. "Because I can crush you."

Something about the shorter, lighter bear holding him down made him laugh loudly. It was just ridiculous, that she was threatening to crush him.

"What? Why are you laughing?" She tilted her head, still holding him down.

"Because you're silly."

"Oh, I'm silly?" She looked down her nose at him.

"Yup! Most definitely. I'm afraid there's no cure for it. Well, other than..."

She frowned, flicking an ear. "Other than what?"

"Oh, you know. A couple kisses."

"Oh, really? Hm... Do I want the cure or not? Such a tough decision." She looked him over. "Well, you are hot, funny, playful..."

"Paranoid, anxious, and a pain in the ass, too, right?"

She snorted. "I see past all that. If you haven't scared me off with your issues yet..." A grin crept across her face. "And now, you're allllllllllll mine. Don't have annoying adults to walk in on us... we could get away with anything."

"Yeah, like giving you the cure for your silliness."

"Hm... that sounds like a plan," she teased, leaning down and laying her lips on his.

.~*A Holiday to Remember*~.

"Papa! Papa!" Lyra yelled, trying to get her father's attention while he slept on one of the benches. Behind her, Akela sat in the aisle a bit of a ways away, watching. Lyra, meanwhile, climbed up, feeling around, and then jumped on her father. "PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Henry let out a yell and fell into the middle of the aisle. He opened his eyes and blinked several times, startled to find the little ashen brown cub on top of him. "Um... hi. What are you doing?"

"Making a nest!" she giggled, patting down his fur and clothes, and then curling up on top of him.

He scowled a bit. "Really? On top of me?"

"Yup!"

He sighed and laid his head back. "Fine. But your mother is going to complain about it."

"Oh, no. I think funny," Helen laughed, watching from the opposite bench. Normally, the duo would have been sleeping in the back bedroom of the new bus, but they had let Méngméng and Trixie take it over after the two had their cubs right around the same time. So now the back bedroom was a nursery of sorts. Thankfully, they would be home within a matter of hours and could properly get set up in their cabins. For now, fortunately, the babes were all asleep, much to the relief of the adults in the bus.

The older cubs that had gone with the band – Lyra, Riley, Zak, and the Seillean twins Sawyer and Nolan – were on the other bus so that they didn't wake up the infants. Well, all but Lyra, who couldn't be separated from her parents, and instead spent her time bugging Henry.

Henry looked up at his wife with a huff. "Well, I think I finally won her over at least..."

Helen nodded and purred, reaching out and stroking his face lovingly. "Beary, too."

He frowned. "No... I've probably made things worse. Took you and Lyra, but... but left him. I mean, they'll be coming with us next time, I know, but... I should have brought him."

"Hendri..." she murmured, still holding his cheek. "It okay. He okay. You fix when home."

"Yeah, yeah, after the concert tonight, I know. Huh, I wonder if they've even gotten things ready... It was their only task while being grounded..." Noticing her annoyed look, he sighed. "I couldn't let them get away scot free after what they did, Helena. They could have died. They should have died. I don't know how they survived. I really don't."

On his chest, Lyra lightly snored, happy to be against her father safe and warm. Henry studied her for a moment before resting his head back on the floor and looking at his wife. "I will fix this, Helena. I promise. No more tours for me until Beary can join us without missing school. I'll let Ted handle it, if he can, or Fred. Fred would be good, I think."

She nodded again. "Beary go office?"

"Come with me to work? Sure. He can do that this summer. See what it is I actually do. It'd be great for him, and he could finally understand... right? What keeps me so busy?"

"Help!"

He nodded again. "Yup. And now I have another chance to fix things. Be there for you this time." He reached up, paw resting on her belly.

She laughed. "Ridiculous."

He snorted. "Yeah, I thought for sure Jade was going to kill me when she found out. 'No more being unsupervised!'"

Helen giggled until she was crying.

"You think we should tell them we were just joking?"

"No! Funny!"

"Especially with all the cubs around us now. Another one would just... jeez. How many do all of us have now?"

She looked thoughtful. "Twenty-five?"

"Wait, no. Twenty-six next generationers, plus some grandkids." Henry looked surprised. "And all but two are under the age of eighteen."

"Yup!"

"So many cubs."

"Uh-huh."

"Yeah, let's not add another. Leave that to the youngens," he laughed.

"Beary Jewel next!"

His ears lowered. "No... Most likely not. Not after what happened."

Own ears drooping, she realized what she had said. Sometimes, she forgot about the accident and his sickness, and what it had done to her little boy.

"Hey..." Henry sat up carefully, moving the sleeping Lyra to the bench beside him, and sat behind his wife, holding her close. "I'm sorry, honey. Like the doctor said, only time will tell. Maybe it shouldn't have been mentioned to him, and I still can't believe the doctor told him, but perhaps it's a good thing that he was told now rather than down the road when he keeps trying for a cub and can't father one."

She nodded, whimpering. "Unfair."

"It is... and it's my fault. If I had kept my cool that night... It's..."

"Stop blame. No blame. No one. Please."

"Okay, Helena... Okay." He sighed. "But I do hope that they've gotten things ready. We're barely going to have time to do the sound check because we're running late."

.~*A Holiday to Remember*~.

Beary sat up with a gasp. "Oh, crap! Jewel!" He grabbed his shirt off the edge of his bed – sending his kitten flying as he hadn't realized it was there – and pulled it on.

Jewel sat up, the panic in his voice sending her reeling as she grabbed her own shirt. "What? What's wrong?"

"The concert! We have to finish getting things ready!" He raced out the door, and she followed, happy that she only had to fix her shirt, flying down the stairs behind him.

Reaching the Hall, they found Fēnglì and Big Al working on the stage, setting things up. Big Al said nothing to them, but Fēnglì blurted out the first thing that came to his head. "Did you make babies?"

Faces heating up, they shook their heads. "We're not like your parents, Fēnglì! Yeesh!" they yelled back together.

Big Al doubled over with laughter at that one. "Just makeouts, huh? Those are fun, too."

"Indeed," Jewel grinned, while Beary gawked at his uncle. "Where's Faye, Big Al?"

"She's watching Isabel backstage. Little tot kept getting into things," Big Al explained, talking about the daughter that he and Faye had adopted over Christmas, which was why they hadn't been home in Pendleton.

"How is Isabel today?" Beary asked as he went over to help his uncle with the stage lights.

"She's settled in and tried to flush Faye's phone down the toilet." He snorted a bit and shook his head. "Of course, after that, she stuffed a whole roll of toilet paper down the toilet, so I spent the morning trying to get it out."

Jewel cackled. "Sounds like a fun way to spend the morning!"

"Whereas you two were sharing scents?" Big Al asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's just addicting. You always crave more," Beary responded. He had always been more open with Big Al about things; more than his father. At least Big Al was always there.

"It is addicting. But just be careful with your intentions. Don't go too much further than you have until you're older, okay?"

The teen nodded. "I know, uncle. If that ever happens, it won't be until we're more prepared for any, probably impossible, consequences."

"Good lad." He smiled. "You're as smart as your daddy. Just like him, too."

"No, I'm not."

"Actually, you are. Henry was a hothead when he was younger, too, and still is at times. You take after him in personality. Probably why you two don't get along very much. Too much alike, if you ask me. It's rather amusing, but sad."

"Yeah, well..." He sighed, tying a rope off. "I just wish he was as easy to talk to as you are. He just don't know me, and..."

"And you don't know him," Big Al finished, releasing the rope after making sure it was secure. "And you're still mad that he took your mother and Lyra, huh?"

The teen scowled. "Of course I'm still mad. He just... left me here."

"Yeah, that was wrong of him, but keep in mind – you had school, and he had to keep the boys in line. I'm sure that before next tour things will change, Beary." He wasn't lying, either. He knew that Henry and Helen were going on their last tour; that the time for them to pass the torches to the next alphas of their little clan. He was sure he knew who'd they pick, but he'd not say. He could be wrong, after all.

He looked over at Jewel, who was helping Fēnglì with the mopping and cleaning the main floor, making it sparkle and shine. The Barringtons would be here soon to help with the concessions as per usual, and Dex and Roxi would be coming out for a break from studying for one night to help take tickets.

"Yeah, yeah," Beary muttered before going over to the microphone and giving a mighty yell into it that caused Jewel and Fēnglì to jump out of their skins and give him dark glares. Beary simply grinned. "Well, the microphone works! Let's try the others!"

"NO!"

"DON'T YOU DARE, BEARY!"

Beary did dare, however, but did these tests much quieter, this time actually listening to the microphone releasing through the speakers of the massive building. Satisfied, he went back to help his uncle, who shooed him off to see if his other family was here.

Excited, he leapt off the stage and jogged across the building to the kitchen and went out the side door, looking around for his adoptive parents' van. To his delight, he had arrived just in time to see them pull up. He held open his arms for Kristina to jump into, and she accepted the invitation as soon as she was able to get out of her seat, laughing and hugging her furry brother. "Hiya, Kristi!"

"Have you gotten less furry?"

"Well, it is shedding season, so yes," he laughed, picking her up and spinning her around. He always liked visits from his younger non-furry sister. They got along well, and usually got up to some sort of mischief together with Dex as their target. "What are we going to do to Dex this time?"

She took on a thoughtful look. "We could, um... I know! Park his car on the other side of the building so he can't find it!"

"Yeah, that'd be great!" He grinned a bit, not even thinking about it, and set her down. "But first, let's help Mom and Dad get things set up, shall we? It'll be a while before Dex shows up, anyway."

"Should we do anything to Roxi? I like her. She's fun!"

"Hm... I can't think of anything at the moment. She'll be just as confused as Dex about the missing car," he teased.

"Yeah!" Kristina grinned and then lead her bear brother over to their parents, grinning while they were hugged. Allison was dwarfed by her tall son, while Norbert was at eye level.

"I hear the bakery's been busy, along with your boat shop?" Beary asked.

They both nodded and went on to explain that with the spring came Easter and bake sales, and people wanting boats for fishing and water activities. They had come to the busy season, so the time to see Beary was few and far in between. As it was, they hadn't seen him in almost two weeks because of how busy they were.

"And you? How have you held up?" Allison asked, looking at her almost-birthday-boy. Just a few more days!

"Well, Jewel and I shared the scents," he responded, blushing a little.

Norbert blinked. "Shared the scents?"

"They made out, Norbert," Allison laughed. "And I'm assuming you went no further than shirts?"

"Definitely not. Not like anything would come of that, but no. Only shirts."

Allison nodded. She knew how important the sharing of scents were to bear couples, and she knew for Beary and Jewel, for whom it was obvious they were in love, it was the next step in their evolving relationship. It wasn't for sexual reasons, but for love and physical contact. "Good boy."

He laughed. "I'm coping, for now. Getting things ready for tonight." His ears drooped a bit. Tonight his father would be home again, and he wasn't sure he was ready for that. What if Henry was still angry with him? Beary barely remembered the days and weeks following the accident, but he knew his father had been there, at least a little. Then he was gone, along with the rest of his family and the band, leaving Beary behind once more.

Beary sighed and went to bring in a bucket of supplies to the kitchen, deep in thought. Should he apologize to his father for his actions? He was lost and confused. He wanted to have a good relationship with Henry, but how? Would his father even take him back? Allow him to beg for forgiveness? Did he even want forgiveness? What if Henry didn't want anything to do with him after all? What if he banished him from the Hall?!

"Beary?"

He was pulled from his thoughts by his mother's voice, and he looked at the redhead. "Huh?"

"He loves you, Beary. It's just hard for him to show it, but it's true. He constantly calls us to find out what's going on with you and what you've been up."

He frowned. "Why doesn't he call me?"

"Because," she responded, "he's afraid he might make things worse between the two of you. He'd rather wait until you're face to face."

"Then why didn't he stay here instead of leaving?"

"Because he has to control the band and keep them in line, kiddo. That's all. When he gets back, he'll back in his office, welcoming new talent, such as JCB." She smiled at her bear cub. "And you'll be joining him at work, too, last I heard."

Beary blinked. "He wants me to go to work with him?"

"After school and on days when you have no school. You and Jewel will be getting a summer internship at the company. Did you not know?"

"No... I didn't."

"Oh. Well, he told me to let you know not to really make any summer plans."

"Well, that won't be a problem, considering we don't have our jobs at the grocery anymore," he muttered. They had been let go because of constantly being late due to their fear of being in a car. "At least we got a job again and don't have to worry."

"And now that Fēnglì is fifteen, too, he will be joining you two. All three of you will start from the bottom and work your way up."

"But why?"

"To gain a perspective on how the music industry works, basically. He called earlier about it and explained everything. And since you three are interested in being a band, you need to find out how these things work so you'll have proper respect for those that work there."

"Huh. Makes sense. I'll mention it to Jewel." He smiled a bit. If his human mother said that Henry loved him, it must be true. She wouldn't lie to him, right? Then again, she did lie about him being adopted... oh, wait, no she didn't. He'd just been held hostage. A snort left his lips at the thought and all the trouble it had cause, but also all the relief and new sense of life he had. Yet, he was still confused.

"Don't forget, you're still my son and you can talk to me about anything, darling," she comforted, reaching up and petting his ear. "I know we met under odd circumstances, but you are still my little cub and I love you. Don't forget that Henry and Helen aren't your only parents."

Beary smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'll try. I got lucky. Two sets, two different values, but still all the love."

"Now you're starting to believe it." She pulled him in for a hug. "You've gotten so tall over the years..."

"Well, yeah. I'm growing up, Mom. Almost seventeen now."

"Hard to believe so much has changed in only seven years..."

He nodded. "Yeah. I've actually got a girlfriend now. Dex said it'd never happen."

She laughed. "Jewel's a good choice for you. Best friends since the day you met!"

"We know everything there is to know about each other. I know her faults and she knows mine. Heaven and Caelo forbid we ever become enemies." He laughed a bit before sighing. "Mom? Do you think we'll ever be comfortable in cars again? I just... I can't stop thinking about that night. Being so cold and... It was so dark, Mom, but I swear at one point I saw a light or something. Is that weird?"

"No, honey, it's not weird. You and Jewel did practically die. It was a miracle they were able to get you back at all, and an even bigger miracle that you two came back with no permanent damage."

"You mean Jewel didn't come back with permanent damage," he muttered.

"You may or may not have lost your ability to bear cubs, but you are still alive. Here with us. With Jewel. Your family and friends. Having children is not everything, my love. What matters most is being with the one you love. You can always adopt, you know."

"Yeah, maybe."

"Besides, you have many years before you have to worry about such things. You're graduating next year, and then you have college."

"Yeah, but I don't know what I want to study. I guess Papa wants me to do the music business program, but I also want to do art."

"You can try to do both, you know. I know you've talked about going to the School of Music in Nashville. They offer an art program."

"I'll try, Mom. I will." He smiled at her.

"Good boy. Now then, let's get going on the food and make this homecoming concert a success!"

.~*A Holiday to Remember*~.

As the concert finished up, the crowds left and cleanup began, Beary picked up a broom and worked on sweeping up any garbage. He turned to ask Jewel something, but found her gone. In fact, he had found almost everyone gone except... Ears lowering, he turned away from the older bear that was walking towards him. He had been dreading this moment all night, and now it was here. Would his father belittle him? Talk on friendly terms? His mom had said that Henry loved him, but there was still the fear in the teen's heart and mind that his father was finally coming to reject him and turn him away.

Henry, too, had many feelings and thoughts going through his head. Would Beary listen to him? Would he understand where he was coming from? He never meant to belittle the teen on any occasion; it just always ended up that way. Maybe he wasn't cut out to be the great father Helen always told him he was. However, he had to try and fix things with his youngest son; try to get things back on track and try to repair any damage that hopefully wasn't irreversible in the young cub's mind.

Leaning on the mop, Beary half wondered if he shouldn't walk away and turn off his hearing aid, but the other part of him wanted to hear what he might say. But what if he started up again? He didn't know what to do exactly. Hearing the tap, tap, tap of his father's cane brought him back once more to the fire, and what Reed Thimple had done to Henry to try and kill them both. That his father had rushed back into the burning building to try and save him. That he had put him in the fireproof suit with oxygen instead of himself. Maybe they wouldn't have the problems they had now if Henry hadn't done any of that? Then again, that meant that Beary would have died. It was a very complex and troubling thought.

Once Henry finally reached Beary, he stopped and looked at his son with a sigh. "Beary, we need to have a serious talk..." His eyes roamed over his son and he waited calmly to see some sort of reaction come from the cub's face.

Beary's ears simply lowered. "I know," he murmured softly. He didn't want to turn around, afraid of seeing disappointment in his eyes. Henry had always been his hero, well, at least ever since he knew him, but lately, that faith in him was shaken. Beary knew he was a big disappointment to his father and the rest of his family.

The older bear wasn't sure where to begin, but he put his paw on Beary's shoulder. "I know things have been... very strained between us lately."

The very slightly shorter bear flinched. Last time he'd felt his father paw, it was because Henry was throwing him into a table after Beary had charged him. "Yeah... I'm just... stupid."

"I think that statement should be more directed towards me." Henry shook his head. "Or perhaps both of us, to be truthful."

"I'm sorry I'm a disappointment, Papa. I'll never be as good as Jacob or Trista. I'm not the perfect son for you and Mama."

"Jacob and Trista aren't perfect, either, you know. We had our battles with them, too."

He frowned. "You did?" His ear flicked, curiosity picking up. His parents always seemed to like them more, though?

"They're just older and have learned to pick their battles more carefully."

"Oh." He sighed. "Papa? Can I ask a question?"

"Sure." Henry frowned. Why hadn't Beary turned around yet?

"Why did you and Mama have me? Jacob said you had never wanted another kid, not to mention I was a very sick cub – not that I'm not sure what I was sick with, so why? You didn't have the money to take care of me and with my sicknesses, and you were sinking under. He said that you never really took care of me, either... So why didn't you just abandon me?" He had been wondering this for a long time, really. "You didn't want another child..."

Henry frowned and thought on this for a long few minutes. "Well, just because at the time I didn't want another cub, doesn't mean I didn't love you. See, you'll do anything for your children. Even if you didn't originally think it was a good idea. Lots of cubs are born without their parents being properly prepared. Look at Aiden, for example. Ted and Jade were not ready to have a cub, and yet they still did. Same with myself. I wasn't ready for you, but when the time came, I knew I wasn't going to love you any less than I did your brother and sister. And in such, as being my son and my loved on, of course we couldn't just abandon you. We were going to do whatever it took to help you get better and stronger."

"Then... then why lose me?"

He flinched, ears lowering. "That was a mistake I wish I had never made, but in the end, it turned out for the better. You were raised with a good family, and they were able to take better care of you than I could at the time."

Beary finally turned to look at him, eyes lowered a bit. "But now? Do you still want me, despite that we... don't... I don't know. I don't hate you. I'm just... scared. I... I don't like being alone."

"Of course I still want you! If I didn't, I wouldn't be standing here trying to figure out how to fix this."

"Even after all I said and did?" he asked, this time actually looking into his eyes, his own filling with tears that he tried to keep back.

"You're my son. I should have expected nothing less than stubbornness from you," Henry mused aloud. "It really shouldn't have surprised me any. You've always been a stubborn cub."

"Uncle Al said that I was just like you? I don't believe him. You're smart, brave, and all that stuff. I'm nothing like you."

"It took a long time for me to become brave, and that was only thanks to Sgt. Falco."

"Jade's dad?"

"Mhm."

"But how did he make you brave? I know you served together..."

Henry just gave him a look. "If you can't answer that question on your own..."

"No one ever tells me the details. I always have to look things up."

"War changes people. It turns cowardly little spoiled rich brats into real bears."

"Oh. Maybe I should join the military... I mean, not that it matters, what with my ear and all, and besides... You already showed you were brave when you came to save my dumb ass in that fire because I got stuck..." He didn't say tied down because if he hadn't been stuck, he never would have been tied down to begin with.

Henry shook his head. "Believe me, the military was a terrible place to be. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. Ray, on the other hand..." He shook his head. "I almost feel bad for Aiden when he's older."

"I doubt Ted would force him into the military, Papa."

"Ted might not, but Ray and Jesse both being military men? They will try."

"Jess seems more like a go-lucky sort of guy, though." He managed a small laugh.

Henry nodded. "He is the complete opposite of his father. Just like Jade's the opposite of her mother."

He did laugh this time. "Yup. Jade's not a hippie."

"Not in the least."

"But Jade's fun. Is that why she's my godmother, like Ted's my godfather?" He smirked. "Maybe that's what drew them together."

"Something like that." He shook his head. "So, anyways, back on topic..." He finally had to sit down on one of the benches.

"Oh. Right. Sorry. Um... Are you doing okay?"

"I'll be fine, but, Beary... I want to start training you to take over the recording business," he said at last.

The teen blinked. "I think you mentioned that before, but after that night, I didn't think you wanted anymore to do with me. You just kinda... left, and took Mama and Lyra with you."

"Some fights just aren't worth fighting when it potentially do some serious damage to your family. It's better to just get up and walk away."

"Yeah, but... I thought you just hated me. You never called me to see how I was doing after the accident."

"I know," he sighed. "I was being an asshole."

He flinched again. "I'm glad you took Lyra. She needs you, Papa. You have a chance with her. To do things right. To not lose her."

Henry nodded. "I'm aware of this, and we have bonded. However, there's still time for me and you, too."

"How can there be? I'm going to be a senior next year, Papa. Plus all the field trips, extracurricular, and all that stuff... And the internship? How am I supposed to even get there? I... I can't drive."

"You'll be riding with me if you take the internship at the business."

"But isn't it neopism or something?" He frowned, forgetting the word.

"Nepotism? No. It'll be your company when you're old enough. So, no, I think not. Family-run business."

"Why'd you pick me?"

"Because of your passion for the business and music in general. Your siblings are not like you."

"But if it's a family business, shouldn't you give it to someone who can actually have cubs?" he asked softly, unsure. He was proud that his father had picked him, but at the same time he was worried.

"No. You will eventually pass it on to whomever you deem fit for the job. And remember what the doctor said -"

"-it may happen or it may not. I know, I know... What about you? Are... Are you going to pass on the managing stuff or something? I think Mama would like having you home a lot more." What he meant, though, was that HE wanted his father home more. He actually wanted a father, not someone he rarely saw.

Henry nodded. "It's already been discussed. I just haven't made an announcement about it yet."

"So you're going to be home more?! Really?!"

"Yes. That's the plan, anyways."

"But what about at the company?"

"How many times are you going to ask me the same question?"

"A lot! I want to make sure I'm not hearing things!"

"I'm still going to be running things there until you've reached the level to take over," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Will I still be able to tour the country with Jewel and Fēnglì? Or is that not going to happen now?"

"That will still happen."

"But who will be our manager? We haven't even been signed onto a record yet." He frowned. Maybe this distracting his father from the true objective of their conversation. He was just happy to be able to talk to him for so long without interruptions. It wasn't going to last forever, he knew that.

"Not every band that tours has a record contract with a big company. Some do, most don't until they get very popular."

He blinked. "Really? But isn't that procedure or something? I mean... no... never mind. I don't know this stuff." He frowned. Would he, Jewel, and Fēnglì - and possibly the new girl, Rādhikā Miśrā, their drummer - be able to make it big? Or were they just being fools?

"Gotta start small before you grow big."

"And yet we did the benefit concert, in which the whole state and then some saw that I still pee my pants when I have a nightmare," he muttered unhappily.

Henry rolled his eyes. "And that was soon forgotten by a wonderful performance."

Beary blushed and scratched the back of his head. "That one for Jewel? I was... just trying to do something to prove myself."

"And? It worked, Beary. You really need to stop being so down on yourself, or I'll have to have Ted and Jade do something with you."

He looked away, walls building up again in his mind. "Pass me off like you always do," he mumbled. A bit louder, he spoke, "I have work to do."

"Beary, it was a joke. Calm down." Henry frowned. Had he made things worse? Why had the teen suddenly gone so... serious?

"Maybe to you, because you don't realize just how often you do that," he growled, ears flat against his head as he turned away and began sweeping again.

Had he really? Henry was surprised. Then he thought about it. Ever since Beary was born, he had always passed him off to Helen, and would only help when she was desperate. He hadn't wanted a third cub – let alone a fourth – and yet it had happened because he had been foolish enough to not use protection. Yet, at the same time, he was happy for the new cub in their lives. He just wished Beary had come at a more stable time, as he had arrived just shortly after the band called it quits.

However, a year after he was born, he had become very, very sick. So sick that they didn't think he'd make it. Henry had began pulling away from the cub, afraid of loving a dying child. Then he was well again, and they were going to start up a new life, albeit two years later...

And then he had lost him. He thought his world had come to an end that day when he found out what had happened. Yet, his little boy somehow survived on his own somehow, though Henry had no idea how it'd happened. Now here they were, so many years later, and while at first after their reunion things had been fine, now it looked like their relationship would never be healed.

No. He wasn't going to allow that to happen! He had to fix this and fast.

Standing up, Henry limped over to his son. "I've hurt you, I know. Please, let me try to fix this, Beary. I beg of you. Give me another chance to make things right between us. I love you, so much, and I want this to work. I've always had a hard time expressing my feelings about you. I don't know what it is, but perhaps I'm just scared. Scared of loving you..."

Beary paused and looked at him. "Why?"

"I... I think it all stems back to something that happened when you were a baby. When you were so sick. Your mother and I thought you were going to die. I saw how miserable loving you made her – I don't mean that in a bad way – and how it tormented her that you were so sick... So I subconsciously pushed you out of my mind, and I suppose I've been doing it ever since without realizing it."

He stared. "Just how sick was I to make you do that?!"

Henry's eyes closed, his mind drifting back in time a bit. Returning to reality, he looked right into his son's eyes. "Beary... you had cancer."

Please review, as I want to know what you all think! Thanks for reading! See ya next time!