The susunod week was spent handling all legal things having to do with Dalton's so called "murder."Andrew insisted that Dalton was very likely to have killed himself, and he also explained how Reed's kutsilyo had been taken sa pamamagitan ng Dalton a long time before his death. It wasn't exactly that easy. There were lots of things that had to go through with the court. It was very boring and tiring.

Then one araw while we were at the court, Ms. Greener showed up. My eyes widened and I tried to hide behind Carmine, but it was no use.

"Hello Harley," she sinabi in that tone of voice that sinabi you're in deep shit, young lady.

"Um, hi," I sinabi nervously. She looked at me with a resentful expression. "So..." I said, trying to avoid an awkward silence. "How's Gail?" She sighed.

"Harley, you know I can send you back there anytime I want," she said.

"No!" I said, sounding like a three taon old complaining.

"Why would she come back if we hurt her?" Nikolai intervened. Ms. Greener pursed her lips. Win. She stalked off to her seat. Then a security man brought Reed in. He still wore the kahel suit, and was handcuffed. I wanted so badly to run over to him and hug him! I hadn't seen him in almost four months! Just the sight of him made me excited, and my eyes watered from joy. He didn't so much as look at me as he took his upuan towards the front of the court.

***

"...Mr. Cameron is not responsible for Dalton Collins' death. Case dismissed," the judge said, and hit the mesa with his hammer. I felt like I could finally breathe again. Everyone stood up to leave, and I had to fight my way through the crowd to get to Reed. I hugged him before the security guard had even gotten his handcuffs off.

"Whoa!" he said, stumbling back. "Hey there!" he said. His voice sounded worn out, it Nawawala that happy, carefree tone. I took a step back so the handcuffs could be taken back. I studied Reed's face. He had dark circles under his eyes, and even though he was smiling, he seemed to be putting up an awfully large effort to keep it that way. Once the handcuffs were off, I pulled all four of us into a giant group hug. Nikolai ruffled Reed's hair.

"I knew you were innocent, kid," he said. I raised an eyebrow, but didn't make any comment.

"It's good to have ya back, bro," Carmine said.

We went home, and Reed went straight to the couch. He sighed contently, rolling onto his back and closing his eyes.

"Just let 'em sleep. I'm sure a jail cell isn't that comfortable, even compared to that couch," Nikolai said. Him and Carmine began making an extra big hapunan to celebrate Reed coming home. I went over to the couch, and sat on the floor. I put my hand on Reed's wrist.

"Can I get you anything?" I asked softly.

"Uh, could you get me a glass of water?" he mumbled. I patted his hand and got up. When I came back, I carefully gave him the glass. He sat up, wincing as if he was really sore. "Thanks," he said, taking the glass from my hands. He didn't like he was up for conversation, so I left.

"I pag-ibig you," I whispered before I went to my room.

When I got in my room, I closed the door behind me and locked it. I stood in the middle of my nearly empty room, breathing in the cool air. I didn't know what to feel. On the one hand, I had my whole life back. I had my brothers, and they were ok. But that wasn't exactly great. I also got back the fighting, the guns, the gangs, the hate and crime that filled my neighborhood. This place was like a warzone sometimes. It hurt to feel like I had to put my guard up again, when it had taken so long to let it down. I also Nawawala my sisters, Gail who was practically my mother, and my friends, and the pag-ibig and warmth of where I had been living the past couple of months. That night, I cried myself to sleep.

Whether they were tears of joy or sadness, I don't know.

The susunod morning, I dragged my lazy asno out to the breakfast table, and got myself a bowl of cold cereal. I ate absentmindedly, only snapping back to reality for a couple segundos from sounds outside. Then there was a knock on the door. I watched it intently, not even thinking to get it. Nikolai sighed and opened it.

"Umm... may I help you?" he asked. I heard some murmurs, but I couldn't tell who it was. I couldn't even bring myself to be curious. "She's right here," I heard him whisper. Then I heard the running of a bunch of feet.

"Harley!" a familiar voice cried. My eyes snapped up to see Aspen and Jezebel running at me, nearly taking me out of my chair. My puso seemed to fill up so much, I was sure it was going to explode. I hugged them close, then saw Gail holding Bride come in. Behind her followed Scout, and even Trace, Forest, and Bambi! I couldn't believe all these people came to see me!

"You guys!" I shouted. I ran up to them, with Aspen and Jezebel still wrapped around me. We made the biggest group hug probably ever invented. "What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"Well," Scout began. "After you left, we didn't know where to look. Then yesterday Ms. Greener stopped sa pamamagitan ng and proved the rumors to be true: you did return home. So, we wanted to come and have a formal goodbye... And congratulate you on your brother returning home." I smiled and hugged them all again. Bride squealed.

"So, aren't you gonna introduce us?" Gail asked, gesturing to my brothers. Nikolai stood near the doorway, Carmine in the threshold of the hallway, and Reed looked at us warily from the couch.

"This is Nikolai, Carmine, and Reed," I said, pointing each one out. Then I introduced my foster family, and then my friends. Then before I knew it, Reed was standing behind me, looking everyone over. He seemed so cold and mapait now, I was afraid of what he might say. He looked Gail in the eye.

"You were the one that took my baby sister in?" he asked. Gail nodded. He was silent for a moment, then closed the distance between them and hugged her real quick. "Thank you," he said. "Thanks for taking good care of her."

"It was my pleasure," she sinabi warmly.

Gail and everyone stayed for lunch, and we had an awesome time. It was like having family over for the holidays, or at least what I'd think it's like. We've never had this many people in our house at one time.

I was especially sad when they left. Scout, Forest, Bambi, and Trace hugged me as they left.

"Keep in touch, ok?" Scout asked. I nodded.

"Of course," I told all of them. Aspen hugged my waist, and I heard her sniff. I knelt down, until I was face to face with her. "I promise I'll keep in touch, Aspen." A tear rolled down her cheek.

"I don't want you to go," she sniffed. Her lip trembled, and my eyes filled with tears.

"I know... But it's just the way things are. We can still call each other. Maybe we can visit sometime."

"But I don't want to say goodbye," she whispered.

"Everything happens for a reason. It makes us stronger. You need to be strong, ok?" She nodded. I kissed her forehead, then gave her a big hug. I sinabi goodbye to everyone else, and gave them hugs as well. When they left, once again I felt numb and empty.

"Well that was nice of them to stop by," Nikolai said. I nodded. I went and began cleaning the house, just to give me something to do. I heard Carmine murmur some concerned words to Nikolai, but Nikolai just sinabi I was trying to be helpful.

That night, we all ate separately. We've never really done that before; Nikolai likes hapunan to be quality family time. I ate a bowl of macaroni and cheese in my room. I was beginning to fear that my life would never be the same here again.