...Hi. Guys I'm so sorry for the delay. I really am - life just takes over but I haven't stopped writing, not at all. I've been working on this when I could, & working on my PPG high school fic Choices as well. I've currently wrote 10 chapters for that, I'll be uploading the first one soon. I have just been trying to prepare more of them first before uploading so you don't have such a long wait in between.
Anyway, this is the last chapter of Born For This - can you believe it! I can't believe it's taken me this long to get here. But I just want to thank everyone for reading, reviewing and supporting me along the way. So so grateful! Here's chapter 22 - enjoy!

1 month later…

It had been a month.

Benjamin wriggled slightly, stretching the muscles on his left side; he'd been on the floor of the library so long his leg had started to go numb. His eyes shifted from the page of his book he was reading to the deep mahogany eyes that were watching him intently.

A warm smile crept up his face as he lowered the book he'd been reading to look at her properly, before asking her: "What?"

Hyacinth smiled then, pulling herself upright and crossing her legs as she peered at the puffruff laid beside her on the dusty library floor. She shrugged lightly. "Just you."

"What about me? I'm just reading." Benjamin responded, pulling himself up too and stretching some more.

"I know. And I'm watching you reading." She responded simply with a small, content shrug.

"Weren't you reading too?" He questioned, this made Hyacinth smile even more. She sidled over to him, cosying herself against his chest and peering at the book he was reading.

"I was," She said, "but you're more interesting."

Ben glanced down at the top of her head, her copper curls resting against him, and a small smile broke out across his face.

It had been a month. A month of this. A month of rebuilding. Physical rebuilding, and emotional. He'd been rebuilding Hyacinth; and he didn't know if she realised she had been rebuilding him too.

But not only were Hyacinth and Benjamin rebuilding each other, Townsville was also undergoing some reconstruction.

The city was beginning to look like an actual city again - or at least a city in the making. It had roads again, and several mobile homes had been erected while new homes were being built. It also had a Mayor again - Sara Bellum was now resuming her mayoral roles and doing everything she could to patch up Townsville. She'd started by clearing the wreckage to make way for new beginnings.

Whilst Miss Bellum had worked on Townsville, the Rowdyruff's and Powerpuff's focussed on clearing the nation of any straggling R Trons and allies of Ramiro's. They had been travelling across the country - and sometimes the world, on a daily basis, rounding up R Trons to dose them up with Antidote RC and X, to stop and then eventually heal them so they could return to any family that may remain. The search for Ramiro's associates hadn't been an easy one, as most of them had fled the moment word had got out that Ramiro was dead, and the Powerpuff girls and the Rowdyruff boys were back in business. Princess Courtez was amongst those that had ran, they still hadn't caught her since the last battle. Those they did catch were instantly incarcerated. Sara had taken control of the main prison in Townsville and was busy reconstructing it - but they had a space at base too, for anyone they particularly wanted to keep a close eye on.

And as for Benjamin, his sister and his cousins? Well, they were at base, every day, chilling out and relaxing - recuperating, as Blossom had put it. They had done enough over the past year and half. Their parents had insisted they took a step back now to breathe.

And it was weird.

Because it was the closest to normal the four of them had ever had. They hung around at base, ate breakfast in the morning with their families, waved them off, then did what they pleased with the next few hours - played on video games, watched TV, or even read a book at the small library in base. Then at dinner time, their parents would return from 'work', they'd eat together, spend some time together, then back to bed until the next day, when the same pattern would repeat itself.

And most days had been just like that - maybe sometimes their parents would arrive back later than usual, or have duties in Townsville they had to pop out for, but give or take, they had some sort of routine in their lives - which didn't include undercover work, and the ever increasing risk of being discovered and killed by an evil dictator named Ramiro.

It was refreshing, to the say the least.

Blossom had only recently joined Brick and the others - Dr Shapiro had had her on rest for a week or so until he was content she was one hundred percent on the mend. Blossom had been insistent from about 2 days after waking up she was fine and eager to help but Dr Shapiro had been firm on his instructions. Brick knew she was definitely feeling better because she was already putting everyone else first and arguing when she was told off for doing so - definitely his usual Blossom.

Eugene had been dedicating his time to studying Antidote RC closely, along with many other lab technicians, creating more as they went along to ensure they didn't run out and could continue to bring back brainwashed civillains to their former lives and families. What they had left of Chemical RC was under lock and key, with plans to destroy every last drop as soon as they'd concluded their research.

It was predicted to be another 5-6 months before Townsville was inhabitable for the masses, so most people who had been living in base were still living there. And base would remain there even when Townsville was complete - the entrances would be sealed off and the entire structure would be kept, in case of emergency scenarios.

Benjamin for one was glad that their base wasn't going to be destroyed. He'd grown very fond of it over the past 18 months.

But then, he'd grown quite fond of many things.

Hyacinth had barely left his side in the month that had passed. And things had been… Nice. Really nice. They'd had the odd awkward, strained moment - particularly when anyone else was around. Not everyone found it as easy to be around Hyacinth as Benjamin did.

And he could see where they were coming from, considering who she was. But Ben did find it easy to be around her. Comforting, even.

He dropped his book, draping an arm around her shoulder and holding her close to him.

Hyacinth looked up at him, so their lips weren't far from each other. She hadn't kissed him in so long. Not since before, when he'd done it to distract her. Not a real, proper one. She wanted to kiss him so bad, but she was scared if she did, it would ruin it. She couldn't risk anything popping this little bubble the two of them were in at the moment.

It was honestly the only thing keeping her going.

She wanted him to kiss her so bad. She wanted him to do it because he wanted to. Not for some sort of ulterior motive. Hyacinth could sense something had shifted in him at least, he wanted to be around her nowadays, she could see that, but he still hadn't kissed her.

Benjamin swallowed. He should kiss her. He wanted to. He had wanted to for ages. But he was nervous. And then he was annoying himself for being nervous in the first place. He'd already kissed her before for crying out loud! But before, that was different. It was hurried, and rushed, and ill thought out. This time, he was overthinking it.

She shifted in his lap a bit so her body was facing him more than it had been. Benjamin swallowed again. He should do it. It wasn't like he didn't want to - and no one else was around.

Just as there eyes began to close, and there lips got even closer, an unholy racket from outside distracted them. Screaming and shouting, at a very loud level of volume.

Their eyes shot open and they stared at each other in confusion.

"What the hell is going on?" Benjamin asked, turning his head in the direction of the door to the small room they called a library at base.

Hyacinth didn't answer, and when Benjamin turned to look at her, she suddenly looked quite stricken. "What? What it is?"

"That noise - the screaming. It sounds like my Mom." She replied in a quiet, trembley voice.

Benjamin and Hyacinth had immediately followed the direction of the noise, and sure enough, Princess Courtez, looking much less preened and polished as she usually did, was being dragged in kicking and screaming by a pissed off looking Buttercup and Boomer, Blossom trailing along beside them.

"Help me! Help me! She's going to kill me! She's going to have me killed! Help! What are you going to do? Please, please don't! Help!" Princess howled as Buttercup and Boomer yanked her down the halls of Alliance X.

"For God's sake Princess, I've already told you I'm not going to kill you, and we're not going to do anything to you." She caught sight of her son and Hyacinth then, stood along the corridor. Hyacinth watched on in horror, and Blossom frowned, wishing she wasn't there at that moment.

"Then just let me go!" Princess insisted.

"Will you stop wriggling around?!" Boomer snapped at her.

"I don't think so. We need to keep an eye on you. You're in a lot of trouble." Blossom said, trying not to enjoy this too much since she'd spotted Hyacinth and Benjamin lagging behind them.

"You're going to kill me aren't you! No! No! Help! Somebody help!" Princess started again and Blossom sighed raggedly.

"If you don't stop screaming I might kill you." Buttercup muttered irritably.

"You're being held with us because you're a criminal, Princess. I'm taking you to one of our high security units. It's got a bed, and a toilet, and more dignity than the home you provided me with for 10 years - you're gunna love it." Blossom said with a sarcastic smile, swiping a card through the secure entry system by the door they had reached.

Benjamin and Hyacinth had wordlessly followed them. Ben glanced over at Hyacinth, and saw how crushed she looked. He reached out and grabbed ahold of her hand tightly. She squeezed it back gratefully.

"No, no, no this isn't fair! It was him! It was all him! It wasn't me at all! He made me!" Princess screeched and Blossom shook her head with a smirk.

"Princess, you and I especially know that's not true. The things you did to me in our one to one time are enough alone to keep you locked up for a few years. Actions have consequences again now I'm afraid." Blossom said with a little shrug as Buttercup and Boomer took her through to the high security unit.

The smug look on Blossom's face disappeared when Hyacinth and Benjamin - still holding hands - were stood before her, Hyacinth looking like her fragile heart had taken its last stamping on.

She felt bad for the girl. She also was aware that Benjamin hadn't even tried to hide the fact that he was holding Hyacinth's hand in front of her.

"She's not going to be harmed, Hyacinth." Blossom said, trying to somehow make her feel better.

Hyacinth nodded, still looking forlorn, her eyes wide with fright. Blossom looked to Benjamin then.

"Your father and the others are on their way back soon. I think we're calling it a day since finding - well, since our new arrival got here." She muttered, trying not to upset Hyacinth any further. "We'll see you for dinner?"

Benjamin looked round at his mother then, peeling his eyes off Hyacinth. "Oh, yeah, yeah we'll be at dinner."

'We'll', Blossom noted internally. She turned and swiped the card down the secure entry system again, and disappeared inside.

"Come on."

Hyacinth glanced over at him, still looking broken up. "Let's go back to the library - let them get her settled in and whatever…" Benjamin said, kicking himself a bit, he didn't really know what to say. Because he was glad they had found Princess - she needed locking up for the huge part she had played in all this.

Hyacinth nodded again, holding onto Benjamin's hand tightly still, and following him.

"Hey Beatrix." Blair said, as she hovered over to her cousin. "Wanna come hang out with me and Brandon? Rather than sitting here on your own, looking miserable.."

Beatrix was stirring her hot cocoa boredly at the table she was sat on in the cafeteria. She turned to face her cousins with a mildly irritated expression, that was soon replaced with the morose frown she'd been sporting for the past few weeks.

"I'm fine." She answered simply, looking back at her drink.

"Come on! We were thinking of going to watch a film or something." Brandon suggested. "One of the recreation rooms will be free this time of the afternoon. Come with us."

"Why are you sat here on your own anyway?" Blair questioned, and Beatrix shrugged a small, slow shrug.

"Because I want to be." She answered simply.

"That's not an answer." Blair replied instantly and Brandon sighed, dragging a mitt through his blonde locks. He sensed an argument on the horizon.

"Yes it is. You asked why I want to be on my own and I answered because I want to be on my own. That is an answer. Just go and watch your film. I'll come down later and join you. But for now I just want to be on my own, okay?" Beatrix explained, and Blair narrowed her mint eyes at her.

"Fine. But if you don't show we'll come looking for you again." Blair warned, before they both turned and hovered out of the cafeteria. Beatrix watched them go, then returned to her drink.

"You know I didn't once think about what would happen after we defeated Ramiro. I honestly just imagined we'd all be celebrating and happy. Not like this." Blair complained as they floated along, heading for the recreation rooms - which were basically four separate rooms laid out like living rooms for the occupants of Alliance X.

"I know what you mean. But I guess we've all got to deal with the aftermath in our own ways." Brandon said with a shrug.

"I know but, Beatrix is so miserable all the time. I mean okay, she blew a guy's brain up - but the guy totally deserved it! It wasn't like he was just some innocent bystander - he was Ramiro Courtez! Plus Benjamin was the one who actually killed him, not her. And Benjamin? I mean where the fuck is he? He's never around anymore. It's weird." Blair complained.

"But she's struggling with it. That's the bit that matters.. She'll feel better soon.. And as for Ben, I don't know where he is, but I can guess who he is with." Brandon replied with a smirk.

Blair rolled her eyes, not being able to keep the smirk off her face either. "Hmm, tell me about it. So much for: 'I DON'T LIKE HER LIKE THAT!'" Blair cried, doing a bad impression of Benjamin. "I'm calling bullshit on that."

Brandon chuckled, nodding his agreement. "Come on, let's go grab a sofa before they're all gone."

Brick stretched as he opened the door to his and his wife's bedroom, glad to be where they currently called home. He wasn't expecting to see Blossom perched on the edge of their bed. She looked up at him and smiled warmly, floating over to him to give him a welcome home hug.

"Hey." She murmured into his chest as he placed his arms around her.

"Hey. Wasn't expecting to see you in |here." Brick replied, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Well, couldn't see much point in coming back out after we got Princess settled in to her new digs." Blossom said with a smug look. Brick smirked.

"I bet it was satisfying putting her into a cell." Brick muttered, and Blossom smiled but only briefly, pulling away from Brick to talk to him.

"It was. And it wasn't - Hyacinth was there, with Benjamin. She saw everything. And Princess didn't even acknowledge her. Although I don't even know if she saw her - she was far too busy begging for mercy as dramatically as she could muster." Blossom said with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, what does Hyacinth expect? It's not like we're going to welcome Princess to base with open arms." Like we have with Hyacinth for some stupid reason, he added in his head.

"They were holding hands." Blossom murmured, and Brick, who was pulling his t shirt off over his head at the time, turned to look at her with a cranked eyebrow.

"Who was?"

"Benjamin. And Hyacinth. He didn't even try and hide it from me either. It was actually quite sweet. I think he's really smitten with her." Blossom said with a small smile on her face.

Brick screwed his face up in confusion. "Sweet? Smitten? Why are talking like that?"

Blossom furrowed her brow at him. "...What do you mean?"

"You're acting like, like it's first crush that he's brought home from school or something..? It isn't like that at all. It's far from it." Brick said, holding the black long sleeve he'd previously been wearing in his hand. "In fact, our entire lives are far from that."

Blossom blinked at him a couple of times. She could see already he was getting angry. "Okay…" She muttered slowly. " Yes, you're right, I know. But, he's still a 16 year old boy. And she's still a 16 year old girl."

"Yes but the situation isn't normal, and neither are they." Brick continued. "They're situation couldn't be more out of the ordinary." Blossom was pulling a thoroughly confused face at him and Brick sighed a short, irritated sigh. "I don't like them spending so much time together Blossom. It's not right."

Blossom smiled a slanted, almost pitiful smile at him. "I know we missed a huge chunk of his and Beatrix's lives Brick, but he's 16 now. He's going to want to be around girls his age, regardless of that being a little hard for us to swallow. I know how you feel, I mean, it's weird for us, considering he was a 5 year old little boy last time we were 'parenting' him normally.. Well, what was normal for us anyway."

Brick scoffed, irritated. "It's not that, I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the fact that it's Hyacinth Courtez he's spending all his time with. You know, Hyacinth Courtez, Ramiro's daughter!"

Blossom froze for a moment, then scoffed, holding back laughter.

Brick cranked a brow at her. "What the fuck is so funny?"

"You, of all people, disliking Benjamin liking Hyacinth." Blossom said, smiling widely.

Brick shook his head. "He does not like her."

"Oh come ON Brick! Yes he does! He's always with her, he holds her hand, like I just told you -"

Brick interrupted her. "He just pities her."

"He likes her! Ask him yourself if you don't believe me. It's clear as day." Blossom insisted.

"She is Ramiro's daughter!" Brick cried, his voice raising a little with his frustration. Blossom told him she knew that, but he carried on. "Princess' daughter!"

"I'm aware of who she is Brick." Blossom muttered, beginning to get annoyed by his grievance.

"How can you be so blasé about that?!" Brick exclaimed, baffled by how okay Blossom seemed to be by it all.

"How can you make such a big deal of it?!" Blossom asked him, equally as baffled.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, before Brick took a few steps closer to her as he spoke again. "Do you need a reminder of all the things Ramiro did? All the people he wronged? All the people he killed?"

"No Brick, I don't." She murmured, her voice tiresome.

"Sandy. Mike. Both gone because of him." Brick said, and Blossom's head shot up, a glare beginning to grace her features.

"Brick." She said, her voice warning him to stop it.

"Your father!" He continued and she scowled at him, snapping his name at him again. But he carried on, not getting the hint. "He wanted to rape you."

"Brick! I don't need you to remind me of everything he did -"

"He literally said he wanted to do it and would have done - he all but planned to do that to you!" Brick hollered. Blossom got to her feet sharply.

"I am well aware of everything Ramiro did, okay? Do you need a reminder of everything Hyacinth did?" She asked him, and he rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his bare chest.

"She's a stuck up, evil little brat. Just like her mother." He muttered, but Blossom began to list them off anyway.

"She didn't tell Ramiro who Ben was." She pointed out, and Brick scoffed.

"Yeah, she told Princess instead."

"She could have told them both straight away! She gave us the power orbs!" Blossom said and Brick nodded his head sarcastically.

"Out of guilt." He added and Blossom glared at him.

"To try and end all of this! She wanted it all to stop in the end as much as we all did. She put her life on the line! And no one asked her to do that!" Blossom defended.

Brick stared at her, his gaze even and stoic.

"She was brought up by evil, Blossom. So what does that make her?" He asked her, his expression serious.

Blossom looked at him for a few seconds, before laughing incredulously at him.

Brick glowered. "Stop fucking laughing at me! Do I look like I find any of this funny?"

Blossom stopped laughing, knowing Brick was getting more and more pissed off. "Will you just calm down!"

Brick was catching his breath, trying to calm himself down a bit. But what Blossom said next didn't help to compose him.

"You're talking absolute nonsense. And being a hypocrite." She said, folding her arms across her chest.

"How am I being a fucking hypocrite?!" He exploded, his temper flaring once more.

"The fact that you can't even see that you're being a hypocrite, proves how blind you're being. And stop talking to me like that!" Blossom rebutted, beginning to get mad at the tone he was taking with her.

"I'm blind? I'M blind?! You're being blind!" Brick cried, and Blossom turned away from him, picking up the jacket she'd been wearing off the bed and placing it over her arm.

"Ask him yourself, Brick. Or just watch them for 5 minutes. Because it doesn't take a genius to see they like each other. And it doesn't take a genius to see you're being a hypocrite."

"I'm not gunna ask him because he doesn't fucking like her like that. Because he knows full well who she is, and who her family are. Why would he be stupid enough to fall for a Courtez?! And I'm not being a hypocrite!" Brick spat angrily. Blossom strode over to the door, turning back to face him momentarily.

"You're being an asshole." She muttered, before leaving the room.

Brick furrowed his brow, slowly sitting down on their bed. He knew she was really mad at him when she cursed.

Well. He was mad too.

Dinner that evening had been tense. So tense that Benjamin had ended up suggesting himself and Hyacinth take their dinner elsewhere to eat it. His mother had tried to convince him to stay but they'd gone anyway, much to Blossom's dismay.

Benjamin could sense his parents had had a disagreement on something. Hell, everyone in the room could sense it. He didn't know what it was over he just knew they weren't talking. He'd get to the bottom of that later. He was focussing on Hyacinth for now - seeing her mother earlier had made her feel pretty shitty. And he felt like she'd been through enough shittyness already.

They'd headed back to the library - which was kind of their sanctuary at the moment. Together they'd silently finished their food, Benjamin wondering what was going on with his Mom and Dad, Hyacinth thinking about her own mother.

Once they'd finished, Hyacinth scooted closer to Benjamin, and gently rested her head against his shoulder. He looked down at her, checking she was okay. It was then that he realised she was crying.

"Whoa, whoa hey what's wrong?" Benjamin asked, linking his arm around her shoulders.

"I was just thinking about my brother. And, and my Mom. What's gunna happen to them now?" She asked in a small voice. "I mean, Harrison won't even talk to me! He can't even look at me!"

Benjamin frowned, putting his arm around her. Harrison had not long recovered from the cocktail of chemicals he had ingested during the final battle. He had been moved from the medical ward to a highly guarded room at the far end of base, not far from where Princess was now residing.

Hyacinth had tried to see him more than once but he'd refused, screaming and shouting at her and trying to hit her. She hadn't even gotten to tell him their father was dead, but she guessed he had guessed that himself. Or more, she hoped that he'd already figured that bit out. The thought of having to tell him that made her heart shatter all over again - Harrison had always been closer to their Dad than she had ever been.

And she didn't know what fate her mother had coming - besides a long stay in prison, she guessed.

"We can go and try and talk to your brother again now, if you want?" Benjamin suggested, trying to think of a way to make her feel a bit better.

She sniffed, resting her head against him again. "I don't know if I can take him yelling at me again right now."

"Well, then I'll go in there first." Benjamin said, his voice firmer.

"He won't talk to you Benjamin." Hyacinth said, wiping at her eyes.

"No but he might listen to me when I tell him to give you a chance or I'll cave his head in." Benjamin explained, and Hyacinth smirked. "Come on. It'll be all right."

When they arrived at Harrison's room, Hyacinth waited outside. The moment Benjamin was let in, Harrison went berserk, immediately launching at him to attack. He was screaming and shouting and lashing out at him. Benjamin gave him a firm shove that sent him flying across the room. He hit the wall with a thud, glaring up at the redheaded teen who stood before him.

"You sit down, you shut up and you listen to what your sister has to say." Benjamin barked, but Harrison ignored all but one of his commands.

"She's a disgusting traitor this is all her fault!" He seethed.

Benjamin reached forward, seizing Harrison by his jumper and plopping him down on his bed. "Sit down. Shut up."

Harrison glowered at him, but didn't say anything back. When Benjamin was satisfied that he was going to do as he'd said, he opened the door to his room to let Hyacinth come in.

The moment Hyacinth entered, Harrison began to rant and rage once more. Benjamin turned and glared at him, but he did shut up.

"Harrison," Hyacinth spoke, her voice a little shaky. "I know you probably hate me -"

"I do hate you! You ruined everything!" Harrison shouted, but Hyacinth carried on.

"But someday, when you're older, you'll see that this all needed to happen. Our lives, they weren't good. They were pretty terrible, actually." Hyacinth said sadly, and Harrison shook his head at her.

"You've been tricked, he's poisoned you!" Harrison exclaimed, pointing to Benjamin.

"No, Harrison, he's shown me the light. Maybe someday you'll see it too." Hyacinth said softly, but Harrison was having none of it.

"Father won't stand for this, you'll see! Neither will our mother! They'll kill you for all you've done." He hollered. Hyacinth closed her eyes, exhaling softly.

"Harrison." She said, but he carried on insisting how livid their parents would be. "Harrison, our father is dead. And our mother is probably going to prison for a long while."

Harrison stop talking abruptly. His face changed to one of a broken child's, and Hyacinth slowly extended her hand for him to hold. But he ignored the gesture, and grit his teeth. He lunged for Hyacinth, who stepped back, horrified. Benjamin jumped forward, pushing Harrison back onto the bed firmly.

"This is all your fault! It's all your fault, both of you! You will pay for this you understand!" Harrison screeched.

'Harrison please!" Hyacinth whimpered. "Enough is enough now. It's over. If you just calm down and stop acting so crazy things may actually be okay!"

"Calm down?! Calm down! I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!" Harrison shrieked.

"Harrison, please…" Hyacinth bleated.

Benjamin pushed Harrison back onto his bed, then turned to Hyacinth. "Maybe we should go…" He suggested, and Hyacinth nodded somberly.

Brick, still in a foul mood from his argument with his wife, was looking for Benjamin. Even though he'd said he wouldn't, he wanted to talk to him, and prove Blossom wrong. He was heading for the library room; Benjamin seemed to spend a lot of time in there at the moment. As he rounded a corner, he spotted him.

Or should he say, them. Benjamin was walking slowly down the hall, Hyacinth was beside him. He lagged behind the corner slightly, watching, hoping they would go their separate ways so he could talk to his son on his own.

"I have no family." Hyacinth murmured, her voice tiny and lost. Benjamin was walking along the hall beside her. He glanced down at her, his expression forlorn. "I have no one. My brother hates me. Mom isn't going to be around, plus she will never forgive me, and my Dad is dead. What am I gunna do? I have no one."

Benjamin stepped in front of her, making her stop walking and look up at him. He took ahold of her hands gently. "Will you stop saying you have no one? I'm here aren't I? You can stay with me, okay? Trust me when I say this, you never have no one. Even when you feel like you have no one, someone is always there, somewhere."

Hyacinth nodded, snivelling. Benjamin put his arm around her, holding her close. She accepted the embrace gratefully.

Brick was still watching. Blossom had been right, which just pissed him off even more because it made him feel like an asshole. He was holding her hands. And comforting her. Why, was the main question going around and around in Brick's head. Why and how? Why did he like her? How could he like her?!

This didn't clear up what Blossom had meant with the hypocrite comment, when they were fighting earlier though.

He turned around, hoping Benjamin or Hyacinth hadn't seen him, and headed back towards his and Blossom's bedroom.

"What did you mean earlier?" Brick asked as soon as he'd opened the door to the bedroom he shared with his wife.

Blossom, who had changed into her pyjamas and was now sat up in bed, the lamp on the bedside dimmed, glanced over at him with a mildly displeased expression. "What?"

"Earlier, when you kept calling me a hypocrite, what did you mean?" Brick said, slamming their door behind him and folding his arms across his chest.

Blossom could see he was still gunning for an argument. She sighed bitterly, sitting herself up in bed a bit more. "Honestly? I can't believe I'm having to spell it out for you Brick." She muttered a little incredulously.

"I could say the same thing. I mean you realise who she's directly related to right? A man who tortured you? And me, and your sisters and my brothers, and then tried to kill our children! A man who left you in a coma! Who very nearly did finish you off -" Brick began to rant again.

Blossom looked to the heavens. "Urgh, Brick!"

He carried on. "And Princess?! I mean, she's just as bad as him in so many ways -"

"Hyacinth isn't her parents. She's her own person. And your rigid objection to Benjamin being anywhere near her is kind of laughable to me." Blossom said, interrupting his tirade.

Brick didn't find it funny, and Blossom finding any element of this funny was just making him madder. "I'm sorry. How is it funny at all? It's not like I just think she's trouble or, or going to hurt him or something, her parents are literally pure evil! And she was never a bundle of joy as a kid either."

"She's helped our cause numerous times, and has risked her own life in the process. Plus, this is the point I'm trying to make! Think of you as a kid, think of me! There's absolutely no way we'd have imagined what our future, together, would be! I hated you! And you wanted me dead! For years! Think of you, aged, I don't know, 8! Before Mojo wanted nothing more to do with you all. YOU behaved evilly! You behaved like a villain! Because it was all you knew! If someone had told you back then, how we would end up, in love, and married, with kids, you'd have thrown up with disgust! Because you wanted me dead. And I'd have reacted in a similar manner; I despised you!" Blossom exclaimed, and Brick's angry expression faltered a little, until he fixed a frown back onto his face.

"We were kids back then, and Him and Mojo were warping our minds, you know that -" Brick said and Blossom stopped him short.

"It's no different for Hyacinth!"

Brick frowned, stumped for a few seconds, then shook his head. "It's not the same."

"It's exactly the same. You two have more in common then you realise."

"No we fucking do not. Yeah okay, I was an evil little shit as a kid. But my brothers and I spent five years on the wrong side, she's been on the wrong side all her life! Or at least 15 years of her life!"

"That's what you're holding against her? Timescale? Brick, her life, her old life, it was all she knew! She was 5 years old when Ramiro took over. She was supposed to stop him, was she? At 5 years old?" Blossom questioned, genuinely confused.

"I'm not saying that - but think about what our own son had to deal with at that same age. A lot fucking more than she ever did. She had it nice and easy in Daddy's mansion headquarters. And where was Benjamin, huh? Some pisshole children's home, looking after his 1 year old baby sister, and infant cousins." Brick said bitterly. Blossom looked down at the covers that were on her lap.

"Brick you can't hold that against her. That was Ramiro's fault, not Hyacinth's..." She said, her voice softer now. Imagining her children and niece and nephew going through that was forever going to cause discomfort for Blossom, her sisters, Brick and his brothers.

"I'm sorry Bloss I just, I can't deal with it. I can't allow it to happen. I don't like it one bit!" Brick insisted.

Blossom looked up sharply, giving her husband an exasperated look. "You can't allow it? I can't believe you're being like this! Imagine if my father had behaved like this! When I bought an ex villain home with me, no, when me and my sisters brought THREE ex villains home with us, and said, 'Hey Dad, how's it going? Please can the Rowdyruff boys LIVE here?! Oh and also you know, Boomer and Bubbles are dating, and, Butch and Buttercup are pretending they don't like each other, and so are me and Brick, just so you know! Oh! And here's another heads up! Brick and I will end up having a baby within 2 years time! Hope all that is just peachy!'"

Brick rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. "It was different with us! Completely different! Boomer and Bubbles were already together and had been for years, I'm sure Sandy and the Professor saw it coming. They weren't stupid."

"I don't think that matters. You're being a hypocrite, Brick. You know you are too." Blossom said firmly.

"He is expecting her to stay with us, did you know that?! I just saw him telling her she'd never have no one." Brick cried, completely ignoring what Blossom had just said.

"Well, she doesn't have anywhere else to go…" Blossom murmured. She looked down at the bedsheets again. This was something she'd already been thinking about for the past week. But it wasn't something she'd shared with Brick yet, as she'd had a feeling he wasn't going to agree with her.

Brick was staring at her, his eyes wide with shock. "You're seriously considering taking PRINCESS AND RAMIRO'S child in?" He exclaimed.

"I'm considering taking Hyacinth in. My father took you in Brick. He took in THREE 18 year old ex villains. Who eventually dated us, and you know how protective of us he was when it came to matters like that. Lest we forget, AFTER him and Sandy took you in, you got one of his precious daughters pregnant!" She said, pointing to Brick, who rolled his eyes at her reminder. "But he and Sandy did it without a second thought. Because they were good people, who believed you all deserved a second chance. And how right were they?" She asked him, and he looked down at the carpet silently.

"After everything the Professor and Sandy did for you, I'd have liked to have thought you'd have remembered, and maybe shown a bit of gratitude now, now that the tables are turned." Blossom said, her voice almost sad.

Brick looked up at her, his eyes offended. "Of course we're fucking grateful! We are well aware of everything your parents did for us! God knows where we'd have ended up had they not have taken us in."

"Exactly, Brick! I'll be damned if I'm going to let Hyacinth go through anymore hell. Her father's dead. Her mother's going straight to prison effective as soon as we have one erected! Harrison will more than likely end up in some kind of juvenile detention centre. Hyacinth will be left all alone. She's 16. She'll end up in a children's home, and I can't see her being treated very well, given her past. You lived in a children's home for 8 years. You lived in a nice one too! Our own children spent 10 years being passed from bad one to worse one. I can't stand by and let that happen to her, regardless of who she is." Blossom said, her voice full of fire and determination.

Brick was amazed, incredulous - but still not convinced.

"This is insane." Brick exclaimed, and Blossom looked back down at the sheets. She didn't want to be fighting with him, of course she didn't, but she felt very strongly about this. If she could do something, she wanted to. She opened her mouth to voice that but Brick spoke again, and what he said made her look up at him in confusion.

"How can you be so fucking perfect all of the time?" He didn't say it in a spiteful way, he was genuinely asking. Blossom pulled a puzzled face at him. How had it gone from them arguing to him saying something like that...

"Umm, what?" She questioned slowly.

"After everything, you're willing to look after her?" Brick had perched on the end of the bed beside her now.

"Well, Benjamin clearly cares for her... And why should she end up alone? She's a little girl, who has been caught up in all this and taught it was right. She now knows it was wrong. Benjamin has mentally been where she is right now. He had no one but his baby cousins and sister when we were taken. You can't expect him to watch someone he cares about suffer like he did, whether you like that they care for each other or not... There is nothing I can do about what happened to our children when we were taken. I can't control that, I can't change it, it's happened, and it's awful. And I will forever be angry, upset, devastated that they had to go through what they did for 10 years and I wasn't able to do right by them. But, I can do something about this, I can make sure she's okay. I know it won't change what happened to Ben and Beatrix, and Brandon and Blair, but, it stops another kid suffering… It stops another kid feeling alone. Like ours felt." Blossom said morosely.

Brick reached forward, gripping her hand gently. "I guess I never thought of it like that. Like any of it."

"You and your brothers saw the error of your ways, and changed your own lives for the better. You've gotta allow Hyacinth the chance to do the same." Blossom said softly, holding his hand back.

He looked in her rose eyes, sighing lightly. "I hope you know what you're doing Bloss."

"I really feel like I do." She replied, and he nodded slowly.

"Look who's finally a couple."

Aoife and Mitch jumped at the sound of the voice, both instantaneously attempting to make some room between them, but failing miserably at masking the fact they were cuddled up in a close embrace when the room had been empty.

But Butch and Buttercup had just entered the recreational room the two had been cosying up in, distubring their alone time.

"Are we interrupting?" Buttercup asked with a sly grin.

"No, no of course not." Aoife said, straightening herself up on the sofa beside Mitch.

Mitch only snickered beside her, and she lightly thumped him on the thigh.

"Oh come onnnn. You two have been dancing about for months. Will they, won't they - we all know you will." Butch said, as he sat down onto the sofa opposite them, Buttercup sitting beside him.

"Or that you already are." Buttercup added.

Mitch sniggered again and Aoife rolled her eyes, tutting.

Everyone else had cleared out and gone to bed, but Mitch and Aoife had waited everyone out for some alone time - until Butch and Buttercup had arrived.

"Oh shut up man, you two can talk." Mitch said, causing both Butch and Buttercup to glance around him with perplexed faces.

"Huh?" Buttercup questioned.

"You and Butch took your sweet time about it as well." Mitch pointed out, and Buttercup rolled her eyes.

"Whatever man we're married with a kid now." Butch replied. "But you two have clearly been fucking for ages, or at least wanting to."

"Yeah well, now we are." Mitch said, leaning in and kissing Aoife's neck. She shoved him away lightly, but giggled.

"Mitch! Stop it!" She hissed but she was smiling.

"About time!" Buttercup said with a smile, happy to see an old friend, and her cousin of sorts, happy.

"Again, pot, kettle, black." Mitch said and Buttercup, who was holding her husband's hand, fiddling with his fingers absentmindedly, furrowed her brow.

"We took our time because of our history. You guys took your time for no actual reason." Buttercup inputted, and Mitch rolled his eyes now.

"Yeah, nothing to do with the fact that you were too yellow belly to tell each other how you feel. Like we were."

"Well, a little of that too." Buttercup added quietly, and Butch sniggered.

"True. But we've been together forever now - fuck, how long have we been together? We were what, 19 when we properly got together?" Butch asked, his eyes darting as he tried to figure it out in his head.

"We've been together for 17 years! Married for… 12 years. Fuck me." Buttercup cried. "Where's my medal at?"

"You have loved every minute with me and hated every second without me." Butch said, slinging an arm around her and placing his forehead against hers.

She smirked, nuzzling against him. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Definitely right." Butch said, tilting her chin and kissing her.

"Jeez what a vom fest." Aoife smirked and Mitch chuckled beside her, pulling her closer.

"Come 'ere!" He muttered, kissing Aoife firmly too. She kissed him back.

Bubbles blinked blearily, stretching as she sat up in bed. Her sheets were a duck egg blue, and so silky soft, definitely one of her most favourite bed sets - and how nice it was to have them back! Same went for their gorgeous apartment. She'd missed it so much, it was so nice to be waking up in her own bed again, in her own home.

Brandon was sleeping in his bedroom in the room next to theirs, and as for Boomer, he was laying right beside her.

"Boomie," She murmured, he was completely hidden under the covers, so she gently reached over to him and nudged him. "Good morning Boomer."

After a couple more nudges, the lump under the covers beside her moved slightly, and slowly sat up.

The figure that emerged wasn't the head of messy, golden waves she was used to on her husband. His complexion was pale and ghostly, and his hair was light brown, but covered in dust and blood. When he turned to face her, Bubbles gasped. It wasn't her husband's face looking back at her. It was Mike's. But his eyes were hollow, and staring wide, unblinking. His mouth was drooping open, his lips a deep purply blue.

"Bubbles what's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost." It was Boomer's voice, but the face that stared back at her was Mike's, and it was unmoving. Bubbles was frozen in fear as the figure scooted closer to her in bed, reaching out for her with a pale, limp hand. "Come here, it's okay!"

"No, stay away from me, no!" Bubbles shrieked. The figure got closer and closer, it's face getting nearer and nearer to Bubbles, his face looming over her, still staring, wide eyed and lost. Dead. He was dead.

Bubbles screamed and everything went black.

Boomer sat bolt upright in bed at the sound of his Bubbles screeching beside him.

"What the fuck wha - Bubbles! Bubbles are you okay?! It's okay!" Boomer cried, confused, but reaching for his wife to hold her.

She was sobbing uncontrollably now, shaky and sweaty in the bed next to him. He pulled her against his chest as she cried, feeling her relax ever so slightly into him.

"Bubbles, it's okay, I'm here. It was just a dream. It was a nightmare." Boomer reassured her, rubbing her back gently.

Bubbles tried to control her breathing, reaching out and holding onto Boomer tightly as she realised it had only been a dream and Boomer, the real Boomer, was holding her in a warm embrace.

"I can't take… Much more of these dreams!" She whimpered through her hiccups.

Boomer frowned deeply, his hand travelling up from her back to her hair, pulled into a messy ponytail. "Was it Ramiro? Or -"

"Mike. Again. His face. I can't get his face out of my head!" She yelped helplessly. "I just want to feel normal again. I swear I've felt crazier since the last battle.."

"It was a rough ride. Things will improve." Boomer assured her and she sighed.

"I'm so glad you're able to be so positive all the time. For the most part I'm fine but, sometimes it's just too hard." She murmured.

And Boomer pulled her close to his chest again. "I know. It's hard for me too. But the only thing I just keep thinking is, we have to believe things will get better, cos what is our other option? It's like, we've already seen the bottom. So there's nothing to fear."

Bubbles blinked, a big fat tear rolling down her cheek as she did so. "I didn't think of it like that."

"It's going to be hard. But it can't get as bad as it was. And Mike's only been gone like a month. It's going to be fresh on your mind.. Especially considering you were the one who found him." Boomer said, kissing the top of her head. "But things can only get better."

She nodded absentmindedly. "Boomer. I'm late."

"Huh? Late? For what?" He questioned, confused by the sudden subject change.

"I'm late on my period. I haven't come on." Bubbles said, her voice quiet, almost frightened sounding.

Boomer had frozen as he comprehended what his wife had just said. Bubbles carried on talking to fill the emptiness that had ensued.

"I mean, okay, my periods have been a little unreliable over the past few years, what with being imprisoned, and under all that stress and strain, but I did come on, semi regularly. And I know a lot has happened but I've just been feeling super crazy lately.. I was due on two weeks ago I think and, still nothing. Am I being crazy here, even considering that I could be…?" Bubbles babbled a bit.

"Holy shit." Boomer said breathlessly.

"I know…" Bubbles said in that same quiet voice. "It's not the best timing, is it? Again."

"Time… Timing? Timing doesn't matter. I mean, if you're pregnant, if you're pregnant that's, it's amazing!" Boomer stuttered. And Bubbles' eyes lit up as she turned to look at her husband's face. "I mean it's fucking amazing! It's another kid, another little blonde haired ball of amazingness, like Brandon!"

He pulled her close against him again, squeezing gently. "Have you taken a test, or anything? Do we even have access to tests?!"

"I'm sure Dr Shapiro does.. We'll go see him in the morning and get one done.. Are you really happy? If I am?" Bubbles asked carefully, and Boomer gave her a baffled expression.

"Of course I am! And if you're not I think we should make it so!" Boomer cried, kissing her affectionately.

Bubbles giggled as he pressed his lips against hers.

"What did I tell you?" Boomer asked as he pulled away, but kept his head touching hers. "Things can only get better."

Bubbles floated along the halls of base, following Boomer in her peripheral vision. She wasn't really looking where she was going as she glanced down at the small black and white photo she held in her hand.

A baby. A teeny, tiny, 9 week old fetus. A baby. She was pregnant.

You could just make out the little bobbly arms and legs, its head and tiny body, even a blurry little eye. A baby. She couldn't believe it.

"Brick! Brick, do you know where Brandon is? And Butch? Is everyone here still?" Boomer had spotted his brother hovering towards the cafeteria ahead of him as they'd made their way there too.

Brick turned at the sound of his name being called, and stopped when he saw his brother and sister in law making their way toward him, hand in hand.

"I think everyone's at the cafeteria. Blossom will be heading off to high security soon though - it's her turn to guard today." Brick replied, hovering along with them both now. He noted Bubbles was completely taken by a small photo, or something in her hand, but he didn't pay it much more attention.

Bubbles reminded him of their confinement more than Buttercup did - as bad as it sounded he tended to try and avoid her. But if his blonde brother was with her, which he inevitably was, he tried to ignore it, as he didn't want to avoid his brother in the slightest.

"Come on." Boomer cried excitedly, grabbing his brothers arm and pulling along. "We need to speak to Brandon, to everyone!"

He gave his brother a curious look, but followed anyway.

Brandon was sat at the table in the cafeteria, inhaling his breakfast cereal, his female cousins sat beside him. Benjamin slowly hovered towards them, a plate of toast in his hand.

"Oh, hello Benjamin, are you feeling alright?" Brandon asked, giving the redhead a puzzled once over.

Benjamin cranked an eyebrow at him. "I'm fine. Are you?"

"I'm good yeah, I just, I'm confused. You appeared to be missing something? Like, 5 foot 3, maybe 5 foot 4, attached right here," Brandon said, indicating Benjamin's hip. "To your hip."

Benjamin's mouth fell into a straight line as he realised what, or more who, his cousin was referring to. Blair was snickering beside him, Blossom was sat opposite them and was failing to hide the smile from her face. She was reading a book, and continued to do so, hoping to look distracted.

"Ha ha." Benjamin said simply, sitting down beside Blair, and hoping his mother wasn't listening - but realising she probably was. "If you're referring to Hyacinth, she's still in bed. And I was hungry. So I've come to eat. Problem?"

"Nope, not at all. Not at all." Brandon brushed it off, a small, open pause following. Benjamin gave them warning glances, before biting into a piece of toast. "Soooooo, when you going to admit it to us?"

"Admit what?" Benjamin asked, his mouth full of toast.

Blair poked him in the side. "Benji and Hyacinth sitting in a tree!" She sang, and Brandon continued.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Mwah mwah mwah!"

"Oh for the love of God, shut up." Benjamin responded, as his cousins laughed. His crimson eyes flickered to his Mom, who was doing a fairly convincing job appearing to ignore their conversation, even though she was listening, and trying not to smile still.

"We've known all along dude." Brandon said, his tone reassuring.

"Yeah man no point in denying it." Blair chipped in. Benjamin noted Beatrix had even cracked a small smile, which was nice to see on her, and he sighed a small sigh.

"I'm not denying it am I?" He responded simply, provoking whoops of 'ooooh's and 'ahhh's from his cousins. "Oh for fuck's sake shut up!"

"We're just kidding jeez!" Blair cried, nudging him with her elbow. "Least you've not gone all soft now you're in loveeeee!"

"Blair come on! I'm not 'in love'! I just, she's all right. And hey, she was a huge help in the end!" Benjamin tried to justify, hoping he wasn't blushing as much as he felt like he was.

"Yeah, she's just 'all right'. We'll go with that." Brandon said dryly, and Blair and Beatrix giggled.

Boomer, Bubbles and Brick approached their table then; Boomer was calling his son's name, and boy was Benjamin thankful for the distraction.

Brick came and stood behind Blossom, placing his hand on her shoulder and squeezing it affectionately. She absentmindedly squeezed his hand back, still reading the book she had in her hands. Benjamin noticed the gesture, and was hoping that meant they weren't fighting anymore.

Brandon turned around in his seat slightly to see what his parents wanted. His mum looked a little bowled over, but his Dad, well, he practically looked giddy. "Hey, what's up?"

"Brandon, you've achieved so much in your life already, despite the circumstances beyond our control and despite some of the totally shitty things that have happened to you, to us all, over the past years." Boomer began, and Brandon felt his cheeks redden suddenly. He had an impending feeling something big was happening, but he had no idea what, which unnerved him a bit. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything, and his father continued to speak. "You've grown into a awesome kid, and your Mom and I are both so fucking lucky to call you our son! You and your cousins saved our lives, you bought us hope; you reunited us all! You helped destroy Ramiro and bring his reign of terror down. You single handedly beat down a huge, mutated Courtez kid doped up on chemicals, like a blonde little badass. So now, this morning, we've had some news."

Bubbles passed her son the small black and white photo she held in her hand.

"Do you think you can handle being a big brother like a total boss too?" Boomer asked him as Brandon looked down at the photo with wide, navy eyes.

"Oh my fucking god." Buttercup cried as she, and the rest of the family at the table realised what they were announcing. "You're pregnant?!"

"Whattttt?" Brandon cried as Bubbles smiled a small smile.

"I'm pregnant. 9 weeks. We're having another baby. You're going to be a big brother, Brandon." Bubbles squeaked.

There was a rush of noise and congratulations as everyone at the table reacted.

"Seriously?" Brandon had asked more than once. "Like, seriously? A baby? This is, you're having a baby?"

"Yes! That's it there, you're little brother or sister." Bubbles said, pointing to the sonogram picture tearfully.

"Bubbles that's amazing news, congratulations!" Blossom cried, giving her blonde sister a hug.

"Congrats Bubs. You're fucking insane, but, congrats." Buttercup added, giving her a one armed hug too. When she'd finished hugging her sister, she turned her head in Butch's direction. "You're getting a fucking vasectomy."

"Preach it mama." Butch agreed, the two low-fiving each other. The idea of having anymore kids was not on the cards for Butch and Buttercup, not in the slightest. Seeing Bubbles and Boomer were having another had sealed that deal for them both.

"It's a bit of a shock, but, it's amazing news." Bubbles said, looking down at the photo in Brandon's hand.

"I can't believe it, I mean, I thought you two were too old for that all now!" Brandon murmured, causing his parents, aunts and uncles to laugh.

"Brando come on we're not that old!" Boomer defended.

"I will never be too old for all that!" Butch said in a low voice, his arm slinking around his wife's waist, who nudged him off with a chuckle.

"Which is why you need the snip!" Buttercup replied.

"Hang on a minute," Blossom said, realising something. "If you're 9 weeks pregnant, surely that means you were pregnant during the last battle?"

"Yes, I was." Bubbles cried. "I mean, I didn't know, but I had to have been, that was only a month ago. He or she is just a little miracle."

"Wow.. Big brother Brandon!" Beatrix cried excitedly as her, Blair and Benjamin peered down at the scan photo in Brandon's hands. It was the happiest Beatrix had felt in a long time. "Hey, will I ever be big sister Beatrix?" She asked, looking up at her Mom and Dad.

Blossom's mouth went in a straight line, as did Brick's.

"Sorry to burst your bubble there sweetie but, I very much doubt that.' Blossom said softly.

"I one hundred percent doubt that. I'm way too fucking old for all that now." Brick agreed.

"Oh.. Well, at least I won't be the youngest anymore!" Beatrix mused with a smile.

Blossom's good moved faded astonishingly quickly as soon as she arrived at the high security unit to take her turn of guard duty for the day.

She wouldn't have minded too much, as guarding was a pretty easy gig, it was who she was guarding that caused the foul mood.

Princess Courtez, of course.

The unit Princess was residing in was a simple, square room, with a bed and a bedside table in it. There was a small, doorless cubicle with a sink/water fountain and a toilet in it. The door the was made of mostly strong glass, with a few strips of metal across it, so you could see inside clearly. There was also a slat big enough to fit a dinner plate through in it. Said slat was currently open, to allow for air circulation.

It was just as basic, if not more basic, then where Princess had placed Blossom for 10 years time.

There was a room connected to the cell, in which Blossom was in right now. That had a nice comfy chair and some reading material, as well as a few refreshments, for whomever was guarding.

Princess was laying on her bed, her arms crossed over her face. Blossom was stood opposite the door, leaning on the wall, her arms crossed against her chest. They were both silent.

Blossom exhaled slowly. It was going to be a long day.

Princess sat up in her bed, an even glare fixed onto her face. "I bet you're loving this aren't you? I bet you're loving every minute."

Blossom rolled her eyes. It was definitely going to be a long day. "Having to stand here for hours on end with you? No, not really."

"Whatever, I know you're loving every second of this. Getting to sit and watch me suffer!" Princess cried dramatically, and Blossom resisted rolling her eyes again. She had an 8 hour shift here today, if she continued to roll her eyes at this rate she'd give herself a headache.

"In case you ever cared to stop thinking about yourself, and started to wonder about the welfare of your children, both Hyacinth and Harrison are here, and they're both safe." Blossom replied, changing the subject a little.

Princess' face softened slightly as she looked over at Blossom, but then she scowled at her. "You think you have me pegged, don't you? You think you know me, know what I'm like!"

Blossom scoffed. "Yes Princess, I know exactly what you're like. I know you're selfish. So I know they've probably not even crossed your mind."

"That's what you like to think. That I don't care. You think I don't care about them, or anything, but I do. I do care about things, about people!" Princess insisted, and Blossom bit her bottom lip as she made sure she kept her cool.

"I swear to god Princess if you mention my husband right now I'm going to scream." Blossom said, her voice sincere.

"I wasn't talking about him." Princess spat, but then her face softened a little. "But I do care about him, of course.."

Blossom looked up at the ceiling in despair. "Oh my god Princess I am not having this conversation with you again! Brick doesn't love you. The sooner you come to terms with that the easier you're going to find the rest of your life."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" She replied snappily.

"Princess!" Blossom cried, exasperated as she stood properly. "Come on! Through all of this, every second of it, you're entire goal has been for me to be gone and you have to Brick, right?"

Princess was still sat on her bed, but she was perched on the end of it now, facing Blossom so she could see her through the door. Blossom continued to talk.

"Brick spent 10 years thinking I was dead, but he still said no to any of your little deals. Doesn't that speak volumes to you? Isn't that a great big neon sign flashing in your face that Brick just isn't into you?!" Blossom exclaimed, coming to her wits end with it all.

Princess frowned deeply at the pink puff. "Why are you always so mean?!" She asked, her voice childish.

Blossom's mouth dropped open incredulously.

"Why do you have to shove in my face what you have and what I don't?!" Princess continued, her hands screwing up into tight fists as she got to her feet and approached the door.

"Princess I've never shoved it in your face!" Blossom cried, her voice softening a little. "Okay, you love Brick, so do I. But Brick loves me. He's loved me for a very long time. We're married. We have two children together. If Brick wanted to leave me for you, he'd have done it by now! He'd have done it when he thought I was dead, surely?!"

"I had all that too you know! But it didn't make a damned difference! You have no idea what it feels like to spend your entire life never being loved!" Princess uttered, her voice thick with emotion.

Blossom looked to the ceiling, a light scoff escaping her lips. "You sound ridiculous, Princess."

"No I don't! My parents never loved me! And then when I found the person I loved, the person who should have loved me back he loved you instead!" She cried, her voice changing to an angered one as she pointed to Blossom accusingly. "So I got a family of my own - and even he didn't love me! Ramiro never loved me."

"You claim to never have loved him, so why would you even care?! You both used each other. Like you use everyone." Blossom remarked, leaning against the wall again.

"No he uses everyone! He used me just like he uses everyone else! He only ever wanted my Dad's money. Our relationship was a complete lie!" Princess' demeanour had changed as she spoke, she almost looked sad...? "Ask him yourself! He doesn't care about me. No one ever has!"

Blossom looked at her with a surprised expression then. She had no idea she didn't know. "Princess, Ramiro is dead."

Princess' face fell into one of shock. Hurt, and devastation flashed across her freckled face. "What?" She asked, her voice a mere whimper.

"He's dead. He died, in battle." Blossom answered, her voice empty.

Princess stared at her, eyes wide with shock. "How? Who, who did it?"

"What does that matter?" Blossom asked, confused why Princess would want to know that.

"Who killed him?" Princess repeated.

"Benjamin did. He almost killed me. Benjamin got there just in time." Blossom answered, her voice monotonous. She didn't mention Beatrix's involvement. She knew her daughter was struggling with it and Princess didn't need to know the gritty details.

"Oh." Princess said, her voice thick. Her eyes had filled with tears. She looked ahead blankly for a couple of minutes. Blossom did the same, until Princess broke the silence. "You said my kids were safe?" She whimpered.

Blossom cleared her throat before speaking. "Harrison's being held in a unit not that different to your own, here on site. He's safe, and well. Well, he's okay now, thanks to our medical team. He ingested a concoction of chemicals that mutated him and could have killed him during the battle. And Hyacinth is here too. Being looked after, and recovering from the ordeal you and your husband put her through." Blossom answered her. "You think no one has ever cared for you? Clearly you've never realised how much love your daughter has for you. Did you even notice her the other day? When we bought you here?"

She ignored Blossom's question. "What's going to happen to them?" Princess squeaked.

"Harrison will likely end up in a juvenile detention centre for his crimes. As soon as one is made locally. And Hyacinth," Blossom hesitated, knowing Princess more than likely wouldn't like what she was about to say. But she finished her sentence, because Princess' being a decent parent ship had sailed. "She's staying with us."

Princess' eyes widened in shock. "What?!"

"She wants to stay with Benjamin, and, he wants her to stay with him. So, she'll be staying with me, and Brick." Blossom said, her voice certain and firm.

"Why, I mean, why would you do that?" Princess asked, bewildered.

"Because she deserves to feel loved, and safe. And everyone deserves a second chance." Blossom said, swallowing hard as she looked Princess up and down. "Most people do anyway."

After that joy of a shift, Blossom headed to the cafeteria. She had no appetite, but a cup of tea sounded amazing at that moment in time. When she arrived, she saw Benjamin, Hyacinth, Beatrix, Bubbles, her niece and nephew, Sara Bellum and Dylan sat at their usual table in the corner.

Sara and Dylan were looking over some paperwork; Bubbles had been glancing over it interestedly too.

Hyacinth, perched beside Ben on the bench, had gone into herself a bit - the way she always did around members of Benjamin's family, particularly his parents. Blossom was looking at her hard, examining the features of her face. She was fair skinned, and freckley, like her mother. Her hair was the same dark red too, thick and curly. She looked more like her mother than her father. The only feature of his she could spot was her eyes, but even then they weren't as dark in colour as Ramiro's. Hyacinth had deep mahogany eyes; Ramiro's were pools of black. She looked more like Princess than Ramiro. Blossom was thankful for that. She noticed how quiet she was, how withdrawn she had become at her presence. It made Blossom feel sad. She didn't want her to react like that around her.

"Hey." Blossom said friendlily. "What's going on?" She asked, indicating the paperwork.

"These are plans for the housing you'll be living in. I thought you might want to take a quick look at them." Sara said, looking up and smiling at the pink puff.

Blossom's face lit up. "Oh wow, that's great!"

"We have the two beds, which is what Butch, Buttercup and Blair will be moving in to." Sara said, passing that plan over a bit so Blair could peek at it. "It was also what you, Boomer and Brandon were set to be getting too, but I suppose you'll want a three bed now hmm?" Sara asked Bubbles, a warm smile on her face.

Bubbles grinned, looking at Brandon, who was smiling excitedly too. "Yes please!"

"Well, here's the three beds, which is what you'll be wanting too right Blossom?" Sara said, finding the piece of paper she was looking for and placing it down in front of Bubbles. Blossom was stood behind her.

"Actually, we're going to need a four bed." Blossom said, causing everyone to look round at her.

"Oh no. You're pregnant too?!" Benjamin cried, sounding devastated.

Blossom couldn't help but chuckle then as Beatrix's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "No no! Of course not!" Beatrix's face fell again. "We need a four bed because Hyacinth is going to need a room too."

Hyacinth looked up, her deep brown eyes wide as saucers. Blossom gave her a meaningful look.

"Really?" Benjamin asked, he looked just as shocked, the whole table did.

Blossom simply nodded. "Yeah. A four bed should be big enough for the five of us."

Sara gave Blossom a shell shocked look, before slowly retrieving a four bed plan from the folder.

"Erm, here's the four bed plan." She muttered, sliding it over.

"So, Hyacinth is going to be living with us?" Beatrix confirmed, and Blossom nodded.

"Mm hmm. Wow those rooms look really roomy." Blossom commented as she looked over the plans, moving the paper so Benjamin, Beatrix and Hyacinth could take a look too.

Benjamin hadn't looked down at the paper yet, he was looking up at his mother still, in awe. In awe of her. After everything, she would take Hyacinth in? He was flabbergasted. Was this what her and his Dad had argued about?

"Thank you." Hyacinth said, in a small, almost not there voice.

Blossom looked down at her. "Everyone deserves a second chance." She told her confidently.

Benjamin and Hyacinth hadn't spoken much since their mother had given them the news of what their living arrangements would be. They were both pretty astounded. But so was everyone.

They'd eaten some dinner, then Hyacinth had suggested they go hang out in the library till bed.

Just as they were getting up to leave, Hyacinth glanced over at Beatrix. She was sat, her head leaning against her mother, staring ahead vacantly, clearly troubled. Blossom had her arm around her, holding her daughter close as she looked over the floor plans of the houses still. Hyacinth frowned, placing her hand on Ben's arm to get his attention.

"Is your sister okay?" She asked in a hushed voice.

Ben looked down at his sibling grimly. She was still struggling with everything that had happened a month ago, no matter what anyone said, it didn't seem to help.

"Not really. She's not really coping very well with how things… Ended." Benjamin explained in a quiet voice.

Hyacinth pulled a perplexed face. "Ended? What do you mean?"

Benjamin sighed lightly. "She thinks she killed your Dad... She feels bad, she feels guilty. I've tried explaining it wasn't really her, it was me if we're gunna get technical about it.." He hoped Hyacinth wouldn't get upset at his last sentence, as true as it was, it was still (and probably always would be) touchy ground between them both. Hyacinth's face changed to a worried one as Benjamin continued talking. "She's not handling it very well at all…"

"But, she was just protecting her Mom…" Hyacinth murmured, and Benjamin rubbed the back of his neck.

"I know that.. Surprised you have that opinion on it though." Benjamin said, and Hyacinth shrugged a small shrug.

"She would never intentionally hurt someone, I don't know anything about her and I can see that, I mean look at her…" Hyacinth said, looking at her once again.

Hyacinth approached Beatrix, saying her name to get her attention. Broken from her reverie, Beatrix looked up at the teenage girl stood before her, confused.

"Beatrix, you don't need to feel sad, okay? You did nothing wrong. If you didn't do what you did, your Mom wouldn't be here. Focus on that bit. I forgive you, okay? And I forgive Benjamin. Don't look so sad. You've got everything a little girl could wish for right around you." Hyacinth said softly.

Beatrix felt a lump form in her throat, and she nodded slowly.

Hyacinth smiled a sad little smile, before turning back to Benjamin, and gesturing for them to go to the library as planned.

Blossom had listened to what Hyacinth had had to say. She definitely didn't feel like she'd made the wrong decision.

After a long, long pause, Buttercup spoke, breaking the silence. "Shit," She hissed. "I think I'm gunna cry."

Bubbles sniffed, tears falling down her face. "I already am. And I would be, even if I wasn't pregnant right now."

Blossom was speechless as she stood in between her sisters, all three of them looking up at the derelict, dusty white house before them. Their childhood home.

"I can't believe it took us a month to finally do this." Blossom murmured.

"I can." Buttercup muttered. She'd wanted to see their old home just as much as she hadn't.

It was in one piece, but just. The once brilliant white house was now a dusky grey. There was huge cracks running down the front of it, and only two of the three circle windows remained - none had glass in them anymore though. The red front door had one chunk hanging off of it and was clinging on by one set of hinges.

The garage was completely gone, reduced to just a pile of rubble, the garage door laying discarded on the drive.

Blossom exhaled slowly. "You ready?"

Buttercup and Bubbles nodded slowly, both reaching out for their leaders hand. She held onto her sisters tightly.

"Ready." Bubbles and Buttercup said in unison. Together, they entered the remains of the home they grew up in.

Apart from being in ruins, what was left was just as it had been left. The sofa, moth eaten and moulding in places, was still in the living room. The coffee table and the Professor's armchair was still by the fireplace in the hallway. The table they used to eat their meals at was still in the kitchen, though it was missing a leg. The stairs, being glass, were mostly smashed, but the girls were able to hover up them to take a look upstairs.

Their bedroom was still pink. It was faded, and dirty and old, but it was still as pink as it had been before. There were two beds in the room still, they'd been Bubbles and Boomer's, as they'd been the last two living in the room before moving out. Dylan's room was the old spare room, and then, the room down the hall, was the Professor's bedroom.

It was the last room the three sisters ventured into. The last time they'd all been in this bedroom, they'd been saying goodbye to their father. The last time they'd seen him, he'd been tucked up in this very bed, as if he was sleeping. The moment they stepped foot inside, seeing it looking as he'd left it, bar the destruction and decay from the years that had passed as the house had stood neglected, they broke. Bubbles was first, bursting into tears and crumbling to her knees, resting her head against the Professor's bed.

Blossom threw her arms around her sister, bursting into tears as well, then Buttercup held them both, not being able to hold back the tears either.

They held each other like that for awhile, before Blossom made them get up. So together they made their way out to the back garden.

And that was where he lay. That was where they had buried him, after the girls and the ruffs had been captured.

Except, he wasn't alone anymore.

Sandra Utonium lay beside him, a rectangular patch of dirt beside the long grass, where she'd only recently been laid to rest next to her husband.

"Sorry we took so long to come visit you Sandy. And you Professor. We really should have come sooner but, it was too hard." Bubbles apologised, sitting down on the ground by both of their graves. "Boomer says things can only get better. He says we've seen the bottom so we have nothing to fear now. And, I like to think that he's right. Maybe things won't be so hard from here on out."

Blossom and Buttercup sat down beside their sister, clutching a hand of hers each.

"Jeez, that's pretty wise coming from Boomer." Buttercup commented, and Bubbles smiled.

"He has a beautiful brain in his head. More optimism in there than in mine sometimes." Bubbles replied.

"Beautifully small brain." Buttercup added, and her sisters giggled, even Bubbles, who patted the green puffs thigh scoldingly.

"It's a nice way to think though. Things can't get shittier than they were, right?" Buttercup asked.

Blossom looked over at the flattened mound of fresh dirt, a sigh escaping her lips. "Let's hope not."

"They won't." Bubbles said, sounding certain. "Because we did it, Professor. It's over. We're free. Everyone is. And we did it for you."

"And now we can rest easy knowing you're not alone up there." Blossom said, as Bubbles linked her arms around her sister's shoulders, pulling them close.

"No, I'm sure Sandy's making him do the washing up and telling him off for smoking his pipe in the house up there in the clouds." Buttercup said, thinking of her father and stepmother lovingly.

Bubbles chuckled. "He's probably loving every minute of her nagging too. Although, don't think we don't wish you both were here with us. We do every day. Every minute of every day, we miss you."

"It's not fair." Buttercup cried, a few tears creeping down her face. "He should be here. With his grandkids, and his daughters. It's never going to be fair."

"None of it is Buttercup. But, the only way is up, okay?" Blossom said, reaching her hand round Bubbles' back to stroke her brunette sister's back affectionately.

"Okay." Buttercup said after some hesitation.

There was a little pause, in which the three sisters sat on the long grass beside their parent's grave. They stayed there together for most of the afternoon.

"Oh man, it's so nice to be outside in the sun." Butch said, leaning back on his hands and enjoying the sun on his face.

"Amazing right?" Buttercup agreed, leaning against his chest.

They were sat on the front lawn of the Utonium residence. Bubbles, Boomer, Brick, Blossom, Beatrix, Brandon, Blair, Hyacinth and Benjamin were there too.

Blair was laid out beside them, her eyes shut as she relaxed, bathing in the sun. Butch looked over at her, then down at his wife, snuggled up beside him.

"Amazing." He agreed, kissing the top of her head.

Blossom was sat beside Brick, her knees drawn to her chest, looking at the house, a nostalgic look on her face.

Brick leant forward and kissed her cheek gently, placing an arm around her. "You okay?"

"I'm okay. I'm just -" She paused. "I'm okay. It's just, sad, being here, you know? But nice, at the same time."

"I can see that… A lot of memories in this place. A lot." Brick said, looking out over it as he sat beside her. "Just think about the good ones, hmm? Like, me freaking out when we found out you were pregnant with Ben. And all the sneaking around we did when we didn't want anyone to know we were dating at first. Ben's first steps, in the living room. Catching Butch and Buttercup making out in the closet, when they supposedly hated each other. Making pancakes every Saturday morning with the Professor. Think about the good things."

Blossom smiled warmly, nuzzling into Brick. "I love you."

"I love you too." He replied.

Bubbles was sat nearby with her husband and son, all three enjoying the feel of the sun too. Boomer was telling Brandon a silly story from when they'd first started dating; about how terrified he'd been when Bubbles had brought him home, to this house, for the first time and introduced him to her family as Boomer her boyfriend, and how he'd hidden in the bushes at first rather than go inside with Bubbles.

She watched her husband and son, faces lit up as they chatted, and smiled. Boomer was right. Things could only get better. And as she looked down at currently flat stomach, she knew he was definitely right.

Hyacinth let out a little sigh, her head falling onto Benjamin's shoulder. He looked down at her, slowly linking his arm around her shoulder.

"You okay?" He asked, and she smiled.

"Definitely okay. The most okay I've felt in a long while. Are you okay?" She answered, genuinely sounding contented.

"Yeah. I'm okay." Benjamin said back, then let out a little frustrated sigh. He wanted to kiss her. He still hadn't fucking done it. But now, all his family were around, and he didn't know if it was inappropriate to do it here, at the house that had so much history, but he felt like it was getting stupid how long it had been now and -

"You sure you're okay?" Hyacinth asked, breaking his train of thought.

"Definitely okay." Benjamin replied, echoing her answer. "Just overthinking, as usual."

"What are you over thinking?" She questioned, sitting up and turning to face him, concern etched across her pretty features.

"Hard to explain. Probably easier if I just show you." Benjamin answered, and Hyacinth's brow crinkled with confusion.

But then he leant forward and planted his lips against hers firmly.

She froze with sheer joy and shock. Finallyyyyy, he'd kissed her.

"So err, yeah, that's what I'd been overthinking." Benjamin murmured, clearing his throat as he felt his cheeks flushing red. It seemed none of his family had noticed, which he was relieved about.

"Oh.. Oh no you should never overthink that. I mean, you should definitely just do it, you know?" Hyacinth burbled, dazed.

Benjamin laughed, and she smiled. "Yeah? So I should just do it?"

She nodded fervently. "Yes, definitely."

So he took her face in his hands, and kissed her again. This time, Blair spotted it.

"Ben and Hyacinth sitting in a tree!" She cried, catching all her family's attention. Benjamin glared at her, his cheeks reddening, as were Hyacinth's.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Brandon chimed in. Benjamin undid his shoe, and hurled it at Brandon's head.

The end xo