Dirk had always thought that the universe didn't like him very much. Sure it gave him strange hunches to make connections that helped other people, but it never really helped him. In fact, sometimes it almost seemed like it delighted in leading him down paths of misery and trouble, and always leaving him oh so very alone. Yet after everything that had happened, Dirk couldn't help but think maybe the universe was starting to like him just a little. Of course, it wasn't all magic and happily ever afters like in the fairytales he can vaguely recall hearing about in his childhood before Blackwing. There were still going to be life threatening cases that would come his way. He could never replace the Mexican Funeral shirt he had gotten shot in, after Todd had explicitly told him not to. And Todd still had pararibulitis. But all things considered, things were looking better than they had in a long time - because he was finally actually free from Blackwing, and he was getting his own detective agency, and most importantly, Todd still wanted to be his assistant-slash-very-very-best-friend.

Hopelessly connected - one week later…

CRASH!

"Todd?" Dirk asked curiously, turning to the door from where he had been helping Todd tidy up one of his shelves. "Oh no… oh Todd!" he exclaimed when he saw what had happened, skidding across the floor to his friend's side. Of course this meant he promptly tripped over his own two feet, and planted his hand on some rather broken and sharp glassware that had spilled during Todd's dramatic entrance.

An "argh" and an "oww" joined Todd's screams of torture (because having your feet shredded by metal spikes growing out of your shoes hurt), before Dirk finally managed to actually scramble his way over to Todd, thankfully avoiding the rest of the dangerous glass spillage.

"Should I call Amanda?" Dirk panicked, helping his friend to sit up with his unhurt hand (though this one was the one still in a sling and twinged when he used it).

"No… just need pills," Todd managed to grit out in amidst his grunts and hollers of pain.

"Okay, pills," Dirk nodded, carefully reaching into each of Todd's pockets, sighing in relief when he felt the plastic pill bottle in his jacket. Fumbling for a moment with the cap (who knew trying to take a child proof cap off with one hand could be so difficult), he finally got it opened, spilling two pills onto the ground before picking them up and offering them to Todd. Eyes glassy, Todd had to will his jaw to unclench for a moment so Dirk could pop them into his mouth.

Slowly, they waited, Dirk's free hand subconsciously gripping Todd's shoulder to try and distract him somewhat from the horrible, albeit hallucinated, state his feet were in. Long minutes later, the spikes finally faded, Todd's feet looking normal again, a slight trembling the only reminder of what had happened.

"You're bleeding," were the first words out of Todd's lips once he felt well enough to speak and form words. He stood gingerly, still remembering the torture of just a few minutes ago, before carefully picking his way through the pile of broken glass to the bathroom, reappearing a few moments later with a clean towel and a small first aid kit. Kneeling down beside a speechless Dirk, Todd carefully took Dirk's hand into his own and pushed the towel down onto the wound, causing the Dirk to wince.

"It doesn't look too deep," he commented, lifting the towel after a moment. He blew on it softly, Dirk feeling the breath as a tingle that somehow ended up all the way into his heart, a warm blush colouring his cheeks. Opening the first aid kit, Todd fumbled around until he found a box of bandages and some alcohol wipes. Ripping open a wipe, he took Dirk's hand again, gently dabbing at the cut.

"Ow," Dirk protested at the sting, instinctively pulling his hand away.

"Don't be a baby," scolded Todd, a half smile on his lips, taking Dirk's hand again. Dirk pouted but bit down further protest, allowing Todd to finish up cleaning his wound.

"Huh, where did these come from?" Todd frowned when he opened the box of bandages to find that they were bright purple. He certainly did not remember buying bright purple bandages. Still, a bandage was a bandage and at least it wasn't pink this time, so he merely shrugged, peeling one and neatly covering it over Dirk's cut.

"There," he concluded once he was done. Dirk glanced gratefully at him.

"Thanks Todd… that was fantastic assisting."

Todd shrugged, bowing his head, his eyes darting back and forth between the purple bandage and the broken glassware around them. Suddenly, a strangled giggle erupted from his lips. Dirk stared somewhat in shock at his assist-friend. Todd continued to laugh, chuckles turning into full blown guffaws, holding his stomach as he tried to draw breaths in between. A moment later, he stopped, just as sudden as how he started, though a small smile still adorned his lips.

"It's all connected, huh," he sighed, shaking his head at Dirk. Dirk shrugged in reply, smiling back.

"Well Todd, we're obviously hopelessly connected."

Moving in - one week and three days later...

"I'm moving in with you," announced Dirk as soon as he entered the hospital room. Todd opened his eyes blearily from the bed he was lying on, squinting to make sure he really was awake and not imagining things. No… bright blue jacket. Floppy hair. Definitely Dirk. Though… the red-rimmed eyes were a concern.

"No, don't try to argue with me. We can't let it happen again. I… I can't have this," Dirk continued, gesturing towards Todd and the machines surrounding him, "happening again."

"Farah, tell him," he concluded, turning to the lady that Todd now noticed was standing behind Dirk.

"It would be safer," Farah supplied. Todd felt her hand take one of his, squeezing. "You gave us a good scare, Todd. Dirk's been inconsolable."

"Well you try finding your best friend and assistant suffocating on an imaginary pond of water in the middle of the night," huffed Dirk, frowning. "And the only reason I went to Todd's was because he had pizza in his fridge and I was hungry."

He glanced down at Todd.

"And maybeI had a hunch..."

Todd nodded numbly, still half suspecting his friends were talking to him in a dream.

"What…" He coughed, frowning at the pain and dryness in his throat, and only now noticing the oxygen mask around his face. "What happened," he tried again, only barely managing to croak out the words.

"Don't you remember? You had an attack," was Farah's reply. "Dirk said you were drowning, and he couldn't get you to breathe."

Todd frowned… drowning… yes, he could recall the drowning now, the way his lungs had burned, the panic of facing death.

"And then there was the blood," added Dirk, going slightly pale at the memory.

"The doctor said you hemorrhaged your lungs from the strain," Farah continued. "Luckily it wasn't too bad, should heal by itself. They're keeping you here for at least another day though."

"And then I'm moving in with you when you get back home," said Dirk. "I can take the couch… though no, I still can't see you through the door if I'm in a different room… and I can be rather asleep when I'm sleeping. No… I'm moving into your room. Your bed should be big enough. I'm a verygood sleeper, I can assure you. We shared in the cabin, didn't we? There. It's settled. That way, I'll be right there if anything happens in middle of the night."

Todd blinked wearily at his friend. The friend who really had just saved his life on a 'hunch', and apparently to get pizza. And later, he would totally blame the drugs for messing with his mind, and also the possibility that maybe he wasn't getting enough oxygen. But for some odd reason that he would probably regret later, he nodded.

Dirk grinned.

"Well… that's that then. I'll move in tomorrow."

Getting better - two and a half weeks later...

"No… don't… stop..."

Todd gasped, bolting upright, his racing heart a stark contrast to the quiet and cool surrounds he found himself in. He had been strapped down all over again in the chair, in the lab, the doctor's cold and fakingly sweet voice ordering test after test, for them to cut him, and burn him, and hurthim. Shaking, still reeling from what he now knew had been a dream, Todd pulled his knees to his chest, willing his breath to slow down, willing his heart to stop racing.

It's not meant to be like this. He was free. Blackwing was gone. He no longer had the implant… So why wasn't everything okay now? Why did he still feel scared? Why did it still hurt so much?

Todd drew another shaky breath, gulping hard to swallow the lump that had grown in his throat.

He was supposed to be getting better. Things were supposed to be okay now.

Another shaky breath and he couldn't help the tears that had welled from spilling over. Couldn't help his breath from hitching. Couldn't help the soft sobs that escaped as he buried his head into his knees, allowing the blanket beneath him to dampen.

Who was he kidding? Things were not okay. He was still not fine. Maybe it'll never be okay.

At first Dirk had thought he was dreaming, or hallucinating, or something, because why else would he be hearing the strange noise that had supposedly woken him. But then his mind somehow told him that the noise, as unfamiliar as it was, sounded strangely familiar. And of course, there was that sense of overwhelming emotion that he felt and knew wasn't his own emotions, but that of the very person who was probably making the noise.

"Todd?" he finally whispered, blearily opening his eyes and turning to face his assist-friend. "Todd… are you…" Dirk tried again, though trailed off when he finally was able to take in Todd's form by the light seeping in through the blinds. Todd was sitting up, his head buried in his knees, his shoulder hunched over, hitching with every gasp that escaped him. Definitely the source of the strange noise that had woken Dirk.

"Todd… Todd, do you need your pills?"

He sat up in a panic, suddenly fully awake, reaching out to his friend and studying him as best he could in the dim light. Todd shook his head, trying to turn away.

"M'fine," he managed to mutter out, though his breath continued to hitch uncontrollably with every sob. Dirk breathed a small sigh of relief that it wasn't an attack. Still, he realised with a sinking heart, Todd needed to calm down before his emotions actually triggered an attack.

"Todd," he slowly uttered, somehow hating that he had to do this, because Dirk thought if anyone deserved to have a good cry in the dark, it was probably Todd. "You need to calm down."

Dirk waited minutes, panic growing when despite his best attempts, Todd's sobs and gasps only seemed to grow more desperate.

"Sorry… I'm trying," he gasped out between the sobs, but more tears kept falling.

Hesitantly, Dirk reached towards his friend again, running his hands down his back to try and help.

"Would… would it help if I… held you?" he finally asked when he felt Todd calming a fraction, but not entirely enough. Todd stopped for a moment to glance at him in surprise, his blue eyes reflecting an ethereal glow in the moonlight.

Carefully, without waiting for an answer, Dirk pulled Todd into his arms, careful not to startle him. He closed his eyes, a part of him bracing for Todd to push him away. Instead, he felt Todd lean into him, his hands gripping desperately at Dirk's shirt. Slowly, in his arms, he finally felt Todd's breathing even out, hitching sobs turning into soft sniffles.

After a long moment, Todd lifted his head to look at Dirk, though he didn't pull away.

"Thanks," he whispered, his cheeks blushing red in the pale glow of the moonlight. "I just…" He trailed off, leaning his head down onto Dirk's shoulder again. "I don't know… I thought things would be better by now. That things would be okay. But… When you left them… before… when you were young… did… did it ever get better?"

Dirk held Todd tighter again, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

"Yes… it will get better," he answered. "Eventually it gets… better."

All his fault - one month later...

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Dirk asked for the umpteenth time since they had started driving. Todd sighed, glancing at the house before them. The run-down one bedroom townhouse that was the only thing his parents could afford to rent after selling their own house to fund his lies.

"I have to do this… you know that, Dirk."

Dirk nodded, his hand tightening slightly over the wheel.

"I'll wait here for you?"

Todd shook his head.

"You should go… I… I don't know how long this is going to take." He gulped, studying the pattern on the dashboard of their newly rented corvette. Dirk nodded again, pursing his lips.

"You'll call, right? For me to pick you up?"

Todd only gave a slight nod in affirmation. Dirk stayed for the next few moments, watching his assist-friend stiffly make his way to the door.

Dirk had only been driving around for about half an hour when he returned, not really having anything particular that he was being drawn to do anyway, and feeling a hunch that he should be with Todd. As his hunches go, Todd appeared just as he pulled up at the kerb, standing forlornly at the door that had been slammed in his face. Seeing Dirk, he expressionlessly made his way over to the car, getting into the passenger seat. It was a silent drive all the way back to their apartment in the city, Todd's eyes staring glazed at the dashboard, and Dirk at a loss of words for once.

"Todd, we're at the hospital. It's your sister…"

That was all he had heard over the phone from his father before he had raced out the door. Now at the hospital, he paced quickly towards the waiting area the nurse had directed him to, only to stop abruptly at the entrance, his breath catching as he took in the defeated look on his father's face, the huddled form of his sobbing mother.

"Dad… Mom… what happened?" he finally asked when he found his voice, his heart beating fast and steady in his chest.

"Amanda… she… she had a pararibulitis attack," his father answered.

He gulped, feeling the nerves tingle at the back of his neck.

"But… how… are you sure? I mean… she doesn't have…"

His mother let out another sob.

"The doctors are still running some tests, but…" His father sighed. "We thought since you already got it… we'd get lucky with her but… both our kids… what are the chances?"

His dad trailed off, burying his head into his hands.

'Not both your kids… just one, and definitely not the one who deserves it,' Todd thought to himself. Why Amanda? Of all people, of everyone in their family and extended family… why Amanda (and why not him… he had lied about it for so many years after all).

"So… what's next?" he asked, his voice wavering. The only thing he could really think of to say. To break the sound of his mother's sobs, and the feeling of his own heart thumping tightly and loudly against his chest. His father shook his head slowly, shifting to beckon Todd to sit beside him.

"We don't know son… the treatment is expensive, as you know. We-"

"But she needs it… I mean-"

"We know, son. We know. And we will do our best to support the both of you. But… to tell you the truth, we don't think we can afford it."

Todd gulped. He had seen Aunt Esther when she didn't have treatment. Even though the treatment really hardly worked… without it was something else. He couldn't let his baby sister go through that. He just couldn't.

"You know… I… I haven't really had an attack for a very long time… I… I think I'm better now. You… you don't have to send me money anymore."

"Oh Todd," his mom spoke up, face scrunching as more tears fell down her cheeks, taking his hand into her own. "That's wonderful you're doing better." She smiled, despite the grief in her eyes.

"Yeah." He forced a smile back at her. "So… Amanda can get the treatment instead of me, right?"

A shake of the head from his father, and Todd felt the lump in his throat growing.

"We didn't know how to break it to you son… but I got laid off my job six months ago… and well… all these years we had no savings left after buying your medicine. We found out we're losing the house this morning. That's when your sister…" He trailed off, swallowing back his tears. "There is no more money, son. We have no more money."

Todd retched into the porcelain toilet bowl in his bathroom, the sudden bolt of nausea threatening to overwhelm him. He still remembered the day clearly, as though it had been yesterday. The day his sister got pararibulitis. The day he felt the ground actually slipping from under his feet, and he was falling and falling. Todd wasn't even sure he had ever stopped falling. He had ran out soon after seeing Amanda that day. He had scrambled home and found everything that was of any value in his apartment to sell. Days following he had walked for miles begging for work, willing to do almost anything. For weeks and months and even years, he had lived off bread and water and instant noodle packs, saving and scrimping every cent for Amanda's treatment. But the guilt never went away, because it was all his fault. He had squandered his family's life savings and his sister was the one to suffer the consequences. So even though Todd did everything he could for Amanda, nothing ever was fixed. It was still all his fault.

He retched again, bringing up the remainder of his lunch into the bowl.

"Get out. I don't have a son. Leave."

His Dad's words from today echoed in his mind. His mother hadn't even been able to look at him after he had told them the truth. He could still remember the way her hand that had been resting affectionately on his back had suddenly dropped. The empty numbness he had felt in the very spot where it had been.

You don't deserve them anyway.

Retching once more, he could see stars behind his eyes. Another time, and he noticed the white porcelain was somehow dotted with red drops… blood. The blood kept coming. He couldn't stop.

"Todd! Todd… are you okay? Open up… Todd!" Dirk banged desperately at the locked door outside Todd's bathroom. He had somehow silently made it up the stairs with the brooding man, when Todd had suddenly whispered something about needing to be alone and locked himself away in the only room in the whole decrepit apartment that had a lock. Half an hour of nothing, and he had sent a text to Amanda to come. Five minutes later, and the sound of retching and heaving had drawn him to desperation.

"Todd!" he shouted again, running up to barge at the door only to hold his shoulder in pain from the impact. Luckily it was at this moment that a holler of euphoria sounded in the hallway outside and the next thing Dirk knew, he was on the ground, staring up at four rowdy men making short work of breaking the bathroom door open.

"Todd!" Dirk's heart quickened at the sight of his assist-friend and the copious amount of blood dripping from his mouth and all around. Quickly crawling over to him, Dirk found himself suddenly surrounded by black leather and blue mist, before that unwelcomed feeling of being numbed from head to toe as the Rowdies fed off them both. Shaking his head slightly to clear the fog once they were done, Dirk sighed in relief to find that the blood had all disappeared, leaving only a silent Todd, bent over on his knees, eyes tightly shut.

"Todd?" greeted Amanda, kneeling down by his side so she could study her brother. Todd glanced up at her, his face crumpling once his eyes met hers.

"Sorry," he whispered, breaking into sobs. He huddled his arms tightly around his legs, burying his face into his own knees. "It's all my fault."

Half an hour later, and Dirk was sitting with Amanda on the couch, Todd, fast asleep from tears and exhaustion sandwiched between the two of them. Amanda had already sent the Rowdies away, promising to call them later.

"We went to visit your parents today… well… Todd did. He didn't want me to go in with him," Dirk explained. "He… he went to tell them… about everything."

She glanced up at him in surprise, her eyes then shifting to her brother's still form.

"I… I don't think it went very well," he continued, gulping when he recalled the way the door had slammed in Todd's face.

"I guess it's about time… that he told them the truth," she replied, her face expressionless, her eyes never leaving her brother. Dirk nodded slowly, resisting the urge to tell her all about how Todd still woke up in the middle of the night yelling that he deserved all the bad things that had happened, how Todd still skimped and saved every cent he could in a bid to one day pay his parents back, how Todd's eyes would light up whenever Amanda called because he was still so scared she was going to one day decide to never see him ever again.

"He doesn't let me call you," he said instead, unconsciously reaching out to lay his hand on Todd's arm. "Whenever he has an attack… he doesn't let me call you for help. Says he just needs his pills."

Amanda nodded, sighing as she brushed a stray lock of Todd's hair from his forehead.

"My brother's an idiot, Dirk. If you need to, call me anyway, okay?"

Dirk nodded, a small smile on his lips.

"And Dirk, I'm glad he has you. I don't think he deserves you, but I am glad he has you."

Thanks Dirk - two months later...

"Give him back… I won't until you… argh!"

Todd woke up with a start, taking a few moments to process that his heart wasn't really racing and that he wasn't in any blinding pain from hallucinated injuries.

"No no, give him back, give him… I won't do it until you give him… no!"

"Dirk?" he asked hesitantly, squinting in the dark towards the man lying beside him, who he now realised had been responsible for his waking.

"Dirk, wake up." He gently shook the man's shoulder, quickly pulling back his hand when Dirk yelped at his touch, struggling away under his covers.

"Where's Todd? Give him back, or I won't… no… I don't care… Give him back!"

"Dirk, I'm right here, you're dreaming... Dirk!" Todd shook him again, this time with more force. The other man finally woke with a loud gasp, tear filled wide eyes scanning the room until they landed on Todd's silhouette.

"Todd?" he uttered hesitantly, sitting up wearily.

"Yeah, it's me… you… I think you had a bad dream," supplied Todd.

"Oh… I… are you alright?" Dirk asked instead, waking more fully.

"What? I… I'm fine… I should be the one asking you that, Dirk? You seemed kind of… the dream… it sounded bad."

Piercing blue eyes scanned him, causing Dirk to glance away.

"Dirk… what did you mean when you said to give me back or you wouldn't…" Todd trailed off, eyes still searching. Dirk shook his head in reply.

"It was nothing, Todd… don't worry about it."

"But it wasn't nothing… it didn't sound like nothing. You were screaming and-" Todd's eyes suddenly widened. "It was something that happened at Blackwing, wasn't it?"

"Todd-"

"What did they do?"

Dirk sighed shakily, hands fidgeting as he glanced out the window.

"You didn't come back," he started after a moment's pause. "They didn't bring you back, day after day, and I couldn't really sense you. All I knew was that you were still alive. So I… I told them to bring you back or I would refuse to do their tests."

"And so they… they hurt you instead," concluded Todd, Dirk's screams that had woken him still fresh in his mind. Hesitantly, Dirk nodded.

"I just wanted you back."

Todd shook his head, glancing down to study the pattern on his covers.

"They did something, an operation… probably when they put the implant and all that in, I think. Everything was just a blur, doctors, heart monitors, needles… sometimes it hurt… but… I didn't even know how long it was. I was just so tired… and they kept telling me if I didn't cooperate they would take Amanda in… and then I remember waking up and you were there," Todd smiled at Dirk, despite the pain in his eyes, a tear now sliding slowly down his cheek. "You were holding my hand, telling me it was okay."

Sighing, Todd hastily swiped the tear away with his hand, before sliding back under the covers.

"Thanks, Dirk," he whispered.

Dirk gulped down the lump in his throat.

"What for?"

"For being there for me in Blackwing… For being here now…" Todd closed his eyes, yawning. "I know you always say that you were alone… before me…. But I think before you came… I was kind of alone too."

"I led you into a nightmare, Todd. If it wasn't for having to rescue me, you would've never even been at Blackwing in the first place."

Todd opened his eyes again, glancing up at Dirk.

"Dirk, if it wasn't for you, I would also probably still be working at a job I hated, Amanda would have never met the Rowdies to get the help she's getting now, and I would still be living under a weight of lies I could never repay for."

He smiled softly, reaching out to grasp Dirk's hand for a moment.

"And I also wouldn't have a best friend," he finished, sighing contently before closing his eyes again.

This time, Dirk let the lump in his throat stay. Sliding back under the covers himself, he turned towards Todd, studying his friend's now sleeping form. Carefully, he reached across, pulling Todd into his arms. He half expected Todd to pull away, but smiled when instead, Todd snuggled closer.

Flying together - two months and three weeks later...

"You have something to report, doctor?" asked Colonel Riggins, his arms crossed as he gazed over the canyon towards the setting sun.

Dr Waters nodded, steadying his own gaze over a different direction to the Colonel.

"Blackwing is finished, Colonel. After what happened, the damage, the lives lost, the committee want nothing to do with it. The program is being completely cleaned up and buried. We've all been reassigned or decommissioned."

"It is for the best," sighed Riggins, turning towards Waters.

"More than twenty years of work Colonel. You must have some regrets?"

"My proposal for Blackwing had always intended to identify, collect, and understand the subjects. Even though there are many things that I did for the sake of the program that I'm not proud of, what Wilson was going to do with it, I couldn't see that happen to it. I couldn't let that happen to the subjects… If it continued, it wasn't going to be the Blackwing we had been working towards all those years, doctor."

"I understand," Waters nodded, finally making eye contact with the Colonel. "But now what? We just let all the subjects go?"

Riggins shrugged, glancing up at the sky.

"You know, birds are amazing creatures, doctor. They somehow manage to migrate halfway across the world every year for survival, simply following sheer instinct to know where they have to go."

"... and we tag them to find out how far they actually go," Waters finished, a smile creeping into his lips.

"Exactly. To learn about them, we tag them… and then we set them free to see how far they go."

Riggins smiled, glancing down at the small business card in his hand, for a detective agency. A 'holistic' one.

"I have a feeling our birds will go far," Waters commented, catching a glimpse of the card. "Especially with Alpha and Icarus together."

Riggins looked at the doctor again.

"Something you want to share, doctor?"

The doctor smiled once more, this time confidently.

"Well, given your dedication to the program over the years, there is something that you may be interested to note… While Schultz was occupying herself with Alpha, she left most of the other research to me. In particular, that of Icarus."

The Colonel nodded briefly.

"Makes sense, you have been working with Icarus for years."

"Yes, and in all the years I've been working with him, I've never seen such astonishing results."

"How so?" The Colonel turned now to face the doctor fully.

"Well, Icarus has always been the subject with the most potential. However, that seemed to be all we could take from him, potential. Glimpses of brilliance, but never substantial enough to be significant. However, his performance over the past couple of months..."

Waters shook his head, as though still in disbelief.

"His abilities got stronger?"

"Yes, but more than just stronger, Colonel. While Icarus wasn't exactly forthcoming about everything he was capable of doing, not only was he performing perfect scores in all the preset tests, he was displaying capabilities that we weren't even aware he may have been capable of."

"Perfect scores?"

"Yes, he was essentially getting everything right, when he wasn't failing out of defiance of course."

"And were you able to determine the cause of this, increase in ability? Has he simply grown into them perhaps?"

Dr Waters shook his head again.

"No sir. While I noticed that Icarus had grown stronger since we collected him back, there was a very clear cut improvement in his test results at a very specific time range."

"That being?"

"Alpha, Colonel. Icarus's significant growth in performance started the very day Alpha was taken in. And as Schultz continued her research to build on Alpha's abilities, Icarus's performance only became stronger."

"So you're saying…"

"Colonel, I'm saying that while Schultz thought she was getting results with Alpha, she really should've been paying attention to the combined effects of Icarus andAlpha… together."

New beginnings - three months later...

"So… what do you think?" asked Todd.

Dirk stood before the simple door, his eyes fixed on the gold plaque in the middle.

Dirk Gently's
Holistic Detective Agency

Dirk, Todd and Farah had spent the last few weeks furnishing the small office space they had rented. While they kept Dirk preoccupied with decisions on the furnishings inside, Todd and Farah had secretly organised the sign on the door as a surprise.

"It's… it's fantastic!" Dirk exclaimed, a giddy grin on his face. "It's just… fantastic!"

"I was just going to go with brass, but Todd insisted on gold," said Farah, shaking her head. "He even offered to let me take the extra cost out of his pay."

Todd ducked his head, a hint of blush filling his cheeks.

"I… I just thought with the new office and all… gold would be the right color-"

Dirk pulled Todd into his arms before Todd could finish, hugging him tightly.

"It's just simply wonderful, Todd. I love it!"

Todd smiled, but cleared his throat awkwardly, pulling away from Dirk's embrace, the pink tinge on his cheeks growing a deeper shade of red.

"Guys, maybe you should uh… leave all that in your bedroom?" interrupted Farah, a teasing smile on her face.

"What?!" spluttered Todd, growing ever redder. "Farah, I can assure you that all we do in there is sleep-"

"Yes sleep. And maybe sometimes hold hands. Ooo, and there wasthat time you woke up after that horrid nightmare and we cuddled all night because you were sobbing so hard and I was worried you'd work yourself up into another attack," interrupted Dirk earnestly. "Todd… are you alright, Todd?" he asked when the man seemed to go a shade of red that Dirk didn't even think was humanly possible and also sway a little on his feet.

"M'fine…" was the mumbled reply. "Let's just… cut the ribbon." He gestured at the neat ribbon that was tied across the door, waiting for Dirk's official entry into his new office.

"Wait, we can't yet. We have to wait for Amanda!"

Todd perked up at the mention of his sister.

"Amanda's coming?"

"Yes, I invited her," replied Dirk, grinning when they heard the familiar sound of a revving van from the stairs. "Oh, that must be her!"

Todd barely had time to cover his ears before the Rowdies came bounding up the hallway, Amanda leading the way.

"Yo, that looks sweeeet Icarus boy," greeted Martin, admiring the plague on the door.

"Hey little man," greeted Gripps, unceremoniously lifting Todd over his shoulder into a fireman's carry and spinning him around, only grinning when Todd yelped in protest.

"Let's get this party started!" yelled Vogel, smashing open the door to the new office with his bat, snapping the ribbon Todd had stuck across with a crack.

"Well, that's the ribbon cut," said Farah with a smirk, following the Rowdies as they roared into the new office space. Dirk followed as well, slightly shell shocked amidst the chaos. Gripps carried a struggling Todd in, still hoisted up on his shoulder.

SMASH!

Vogel wasted no time in delivering a well placed swing towards one of the metal cabinets, denting it with his bat.

"Woah woah woah, no!" Farah scolded firmly when the other Rowdies lifted their implements to follow. They all paused at her halt, and Farah found herself suddenly greeted by five pairs of pleading eyes and pouting faces, Amanda included. She sighed, considering how it was even possible for the Rowdies to make such expressions, and trying hard not to calculate the expenses list racking up in her mind.

"Alright, fine. But only one object each, and the computer is off limits."

Amanda was the first to grin manically, bashing her bat into one of the chairs, making short work of bending its metal frame out of shape. Martin screamed before following suit with a large couch cushion, sending feathers flying, while Cross and Vogel both swung at a pot plant, dirt, leaves and pottery pieces joining the mess. Todd began yelping in panic when Gripps decided to pick up the chair Amanda had broken and throw it into a glass cabinet beside him, sending splintering shards of sharp glass everywhere. All of a sudden, the Rowdies paused, hungry eyes glancing eagerly towards Gripps and Todd, the latter's yelping having changed into more desperate screaming.

"Todd!" cried Dirk when he peeked out from behind his fingers to see Todd being impaled by millions of shards of broken glass. He rushed in a panic to his friend's side, though he had barely reached Todd when he felt the familiar dull feeling of having his energy sapped, blue mist being drawn from both him and Todd and into the Rowdies.

"Mmm… that was delicious!" an excited Vogel shouted out in exuberance as soon as they were done, burping loudly as though to prove his point. The other Rowdies made similar noises of satisfaction, grinning at the 'feast' they just had.

"Thanks Icarus and little hobbit, you guys really are the most delicious!" grinned Martin. Dirk frowned indignantly while Todd just sighed in relief, still somewhat stunned from the attack and following quick relief.

"That wasn't very nice, guys," admonished Farah. The Rowdies glanced at her before all turning to Amanda.

"Sorry Farah, I promised them a meal." She shrugged sheepishly. "Dirk and Todd are their favourite apparently." She grinned, making her way over and helping her brother to his feet.

"I guess we can call it even now."

"Even?" Todd shook his head, confused.

"Sure, the score is not even close… but I've decided be generous." She smiled at him.

"Amanda… what… what do you mean?" asked Todd hesitantly.

"What I mean is, I've decided to forgive you, idiot."

Amanda had barely finished her sentence when Todd wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly, his breath shaky as he quickly blinked away tears from his eyes. Amanda gently returned the hug, giving him a soft squeeze.

"But… why?" stammered Todd.

Amanda sighed, but allowed her brother to continue holding her.

"I spoke to Mum and Dad, and they told me what you've been doing, leaving money outside their door every week to pay them back… and I figure they're probably mad enough at you without me having to be. Plus... I kind of just want my brother back… I hate to say it, but I've missed you. You never call me anymore, only Dirk does, which I guess is kind of my fault since I haven't exactly been nice to you when you have called... Still... Anyway, I can see you've been trying to be a better person these past few months, so I'm going to give you a chance. Just promise you'll never lie to me again, okay?"

Arms still tightly wrapped around her, Todd nodded desperately.

"I promise," he whispered, his words choking at the back of his throat.

"I'll tell you if he does," Dirk added, grinning from his spot beside them, not even trying to stop the stream of emotional happy tears sliding down his cheeks.

"I'm sure you will, Dirk," she grinned back, finally pulling away from her brother's embrace to face him.

"So… do you think you'll be joining us for thanksgiving? I reallydon't want to spend all that time with Mom and Dad by myself while they mope about what a failure you are."

Todd gulped, still remembering the hurtful words from last week when he had gone to leave the usual amount of money at his parent's door and had been caught in the act by his father.

"You think you can just repay all the hurt you've caused with money now?"

"Will… will they want me there?" he asked hesitantly. Amanda shrugged.

"To be honest, probably not. But regardless, you are still part of our family, and it is thanksgiving."

Todd nodded.

"I… I guess I will try to be there… even if just to let Dad throw me out again, right?" He smiled awkwardly, using his hands to swipe away a quick tear. Amanda gently patted his shoulder.

"I'll see if I can convince Mom to keep you… it is thanksgiving after all," she reassured him. "And hey, maybe you can bring Dirk. I'm sure Mom would love him."

Dirk's eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"Ooo, that's a wonderful idea, Amanda! I'd love to meet your parents! And I've positively never celebrated thanksgiving before! Please, Todd?"

Todd sighed, shaking his head.

"Sure, why not. Maybe you'll even be annoying enough to distract my parents from my past transgressions long enough for me to enjoy a bit of Mom's cranberry sauce," he teased, smiling as he glanced at Dirk who was grinning as wide as a cheshire cat.

"Oh, I'm totally happy to be annoying enough to distract your parents," Dirk replied, making them all laugh.

"Wooo… enough talk, celebration time!" Martin suddenly interrupted, cracking open a can of beer and handing it to Amanda. "Come on Icarus, Farah and tiny, party time," he beckoned, handing Dirk, Farah and Todd a beer also, and ignoring Todd's "I'm really not that small!" retaliation.

"To Icarus's new joint" he yelled, holding his can out for a toast.

"To yummy energy," added Vogel, holding his out.

"To no more Blackwing!" cheered Cross.

"To letting us break things," added Gripps, grinning at Farah. Farah shook her head, smiling.

"To new beginnings," she added, looking to Dirk, Todd and Amanda.

"To freedom," said Amanda, glancing at her brother.

"To best friends," said Dirk, grinning at Todd.

Todd smiled back, glancing at everyone before him.

"To family, blood or otherwise," he added, raising his can.

THE END

Tag

"So I'll see you at thanksgiving," said Amanda, giving Todd a final hug goodbye. The party had lasted a good few hours, but they ran out of beer and the Rowdies were itching to get going anyway. Todd nodded, hugging his sister back tightly. She eventually pulled away, giving him a final wave as she disappeared down the stairs.

Wandering back into the office, Todd found Dirk seated in his new plush leather office chair, running his hands over his new mahogany desk. Farah was over at the computer, cleaning up the files from their recent two cases. Seeing the mess of broken glass, feathers and pot plant still on the ground, Todd put himself to task, taking out a broom to sweep up.

"So Dirk," he began after a moment, seeing the man grinning smugly at him. "What's next? Any hunches?" he asked. Dirk closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Hmm…" he simply hummed.

"Not yet," he responded after a moment. "Why don't you try, Todd?"

Todd let out a small laughed.

"Last time I tried, I felt the hunch to go to the bathroom, you got kidnapped by Blackwing and I had my first pararibulitis attack."

"Good point, Todd," nodded Dirk. "Please don't try… just keep… assisting. You're doing a brilliant job at the moment may I add?" He grinned, causing Todd to roll his eyes and resist the urge to throw his broom at the man. He was about to recommence his sweeping again when he noticed the feathers were blowing over to one side of the room. He barely had time to check if the window was opened when a strange cloud of dust suddenly appeared, swirling colours of pink and purple. Without thinking, he dived behind the desk to where Dirk was, Farah following suit. They watched, wide-eyed, as the swirl opened up into a portal of some sort, before disappearing just as sudden as it had appeared with a zap, leaving behind a white and brown pigeon. Before any of them could utter a word, the pigeon had made its way over to Dirk, dropping a tiny object before him.

"What is it?" Todd asked, Dirk picking it up into his hand.

"It's… some sort of shiny rock?" he mused, holding it out for Todd and Farah to see.

"It's… a diamond," supplied Farah. "Woah."

Dirk grinned, closing his hand around the diamond.

"Looks like we have a new case!"