"He was their favorite," Freider began, nodding towards Davyn, his tone filled with spite. "Even more so than Ron. It always felt like his birth brought about a second chance for their family. It was the first time I saw them caring for anyone but each other. It was sickening and pathetic--"

"And what you saw in our relationships, wasn't it?" Kyle asked, because after so many years, they finally had a potential answer to that particular piece of madness.

Freider's gaze moved to him, but the question seemed to fall in with his story so he answered instead if making a smart-ass remark about his bastard status. "Yes. Obsession, neglect, an unhealthy need to always be with the other person, away from the world. And when I looked at you and her..." His eyes moved to Kay. "I saw them." He turned to Davyn and Maxi. "I tried so hard to warn  all of you against the pain such a relationship could cause others. You didn't care, just like my parents didn't. And because of their lack of care, when my father died and my mother went crazy, it destroyed the family.

"I found myself stuck with two minors to look after. Bill wanted no part in this. And why would he, anyway? He'd left the family over ten years before it all went to shit so why would he came back now? It fell on me. I was expected to care for the brother I'd always despised and a moody teenager."

"Oh, shut up, you had me emancipated," Davyn said, rolling his eyes. "You didn't have to care for me at all. Just Ron. And you did a piss-poor job at it anyway."

"He was not my responsibility! If our parents hadn't been with their heads far up their asses, I wouldn't have had to be put in that position in the first place," Freider raged. "And neither of you made it easy, anyway. The shame I felt when I was called into the hospital and then the school because Ron had almost drugged himself to death. The rage that came when I found out it was your fault."

Neither Davyn nor Von Crooken contradicted him on that, so Kyle didn't see the point to do it himself. He wanted Freider's story as raw and as honest as possible.

"I had to come to school so often just to make sure that little shit didn't drop out or kill himself. And that's when I met her." Freider paused again, focusing on his wife. "So innocent, and helpful and flirty."

"I wasn't flirty," Maxi snapped. "I was just being nice. I was sixteen for God's sake, I saw you as a grown man, not a potential love interest."

"Well, you did a great job at hinting otherwise," Freider snapped back. "You were always there when I came by, always smiling. When I told you about my issues and why I had to come in, you were so understanding."

"You creeped her out," Davyn said with a shrug.

"Yes, maybe I was a fool to fall in love with her, but she didn't give me any sign that she didn't share my feelings. I knew it would take time for our relationship to grow, but I had patience. Until I came in one day and saw you kissing him."

"He was my boyfriend, and you knew," Maxi said between her teeth. "There is no way that you're not the creepy stalker in this story."

"Is there?" Freider narrowed his eyes. "Because I think I'll be getting to that part soon." He turned back to look at Sam and Jerry this time. "It was the first time that I'd ever been in love and for a moment, I saw a silver lining. I considered that maybe my parents hadn't been crazy. But it wasn't meant to be. She broke my heart. And it was the golden boy who was taking her, just like he'd always taken everything else. And not only that, but he was living a double life so that he could have that and be an underworld leader as well with the Snitch Gravel persona. He wanted to have everything."

"You forgot the part where you wouldn't stop coming to school to see Millie even after you found out we were together," Davyn pointed out.

"Why would I stop? Why not give you a little competition and have you earn it for once? But I didn't really need to do much because you fucked up yourself. The riots, the looting, the fire." Freider nodded towards Von Crooken. "Your choice of friends. As it was, I happened to be there when it mattered, to save her from death when you weren't around."

"You knew where I was," Davyn said between his teeth.

"I knew where you claimed you were. I also knew the official story. I chose to believe that instead."

"You sent me away on purpose!"

"Of course I did!" Freider spat. "You needed to pay for your mistakes! You were done being mommy and daddy's favorite and you had to face the consequences of your actions, of your choices!" He turned to Maxi next. "And the moment he disappointed, you were all over me. You practically begged me to care for you. When I asked you out on a date, you said yes. You asked me to take you to my place right after, gave yourself to me. I was willing to wait, give you time and space, but you didn't need it. All you seemed to want was me. And now I finally know why. You wanted to hide him all along.

"So you see, my dear children, it was your mother who, in the end, decided to be with me, to marry me in such a short time. The reason I proposed so fast was because I was in love, more entranced than I had ever been, and I knew that if Davyn came back, it would be over. I didn't want him to ruin what I thought was our happiness."

Kyle winced because he actually felt sorry for Freider on some level, even if his stupidity was inexcusable. He couldn't have actually believed that a young girl could fall in love with him that madly a few days after her boyfriend disappeared. And yet, it seemed like he had. He'd had malice, but also a desperate hope.

"However... When she announced she was pregnant two weeks after the wedding, there seemed to be a rain cloud coming down over me." The look on Freider's face turned disgusted. "I wanted to be happy, to believe her claims that it was our child, but there were so many signs. How fast it started showing, how downtrodden and miserable she was. Of course, your dear mother claimed it was hormones, that each pregnancy was different, that she was a twin so maybe we had twins as well... Every excuse she could think of. And I felt like a fool."

It was maybe how aware they all were that this part of the story was their mother's fault and couldn't be blamed on Fredier that had all of them, Davyn included, shutting up and letting him talk. Kyle could definitely picture it, his young desperate mother trying to lie to a much older man she hardly knew, trying to get away with something she never should have hidden.

"It became unbearable," Freider continued. "At one point, I was convinced that she was lying, that the child growing inside her wasn't mine. So I tried to end it. I switched her vitamins with other pills, the most damaging ones I could find."

"You did what?" Maxi asked, her tone high and screeching.

Kyle sidestepped to the left and blocked Davyn's path before he could launch himself at Freider. "Let him finish," he hissed. He really wanted to hear this. Everything. Finally have the whole truth and put his life together.

"You monster!" Jessie said. She left Sam and Jerry's side and moved toward Kyle, Jimmy and Kay, her fists clenched. "Do you have any idea the damage you could've done?"

Freider glanced at her unimpressed. "I wanted to terminate her pregnancy. What I ended up doing weighed on me for the rest of my life. Because my actions justified her lies. It was easy to believe that the child was born premature when he was on the edge of death. So easy that I panicked, really believed that I have nearly killed my child. So when I was presented with the opportunity to save him, I took it at once."

"You didn't know what the treatment did," Kyle said, his voice even, because he really needed to know this.

"Beyond save your life? No, I didn't. I was told much later that the others who'd taken the same treatment had gone crazy or died."

"Before, or after you sent me to Texas?"

Freider narrowed his eyes. "I sent you to Texas because you looked just like him." He nodded towards Davyn. "And I couldn't stand looking at you. The danger you proved to be was just an afterthought."

"And you could look at me once I grew up?" The idea was ludicrous since he probably looked even more like his real father.

"No. I brought you home for your mother and for Sam."

"Alas," Tom said dramatically, "there is some good in him."

"No," Sam said. "There's not. How could you do something like that? That's completely disgusting!"

"So was living a lie my entire life," Freider growled. "But I sucked it up for you, to raise you in a happy home. I sacrificed my pride and myself for you."

"No, you didn't," Jimmy said. "You just punished yourself to make amends for all your garbage and now expect us to be grateful for it?"

"I don't believe you've ever been grateful for anything," Freider said. "Not for finding your family, not for everything we gave."

"Oh, but we are," Tom said. "We are grateful for this." He looked to Kyle and Jimmy and then back to Sam and Jerry. "Which is why we're here, and not there with you."

The affirmation warmed Kyle up and pulled him out of the cone of darkness. Because no matter what the past held, their present was now. They were still together, still had their families and their lives were filled with love. And now, they also knew the truth.

"Anything else you need to say, Fredier, or can I smash your face in right now?" Davyn asked.

"I can't believe what you did," Maxi whispered. "And I trusted you, stayed with you for years."

"If you want to get to him, I won't stop you," Kyle said, pulling back towards the center of the room. "But I think they might." Because Von Crooken and the rest of the goons had their guns out and pointing again.

"So you see, Sam," Freider said, as if they were not back to a Mexican standoff, "there is no right or wrong in this mess. But I do tend to believe my sins were the least grave and justified."

"I don't," Sam said, his voice strong and his shoulders squared. He then glanced towards Davyn and their mother. "But I do agree that everything is messed up."

"You cannot be considering to join the man who has been making your life hell for the past ten years!" Freider let out a laugh that was desperate and pathetic.

Sam looked to him and Kyle realized he wanted advice. Even if he was their leader, at this moment, Sam was his baby brother asking for his opinion on all this, for confirmation that they were not dysfunctional and hateful like their fathers. Jimmy, Jerry and Tom also looked to him, as if the decision was his, except it wasn't. It never had been.

"We don't have to," he said. "We don't have to do anything."

Freider let out another forced laugh. "Oh, but you do! Because you can't choose sit this out."

"We should," Jimmy mumbled. "We should let the two of you murder each other and get this over with. But..." He glanced to Davyn and their mom who were alone as opposed to Freider who had an army. "I guess that wouldn't be fair."

"There is no fair," Freider said. "There never was. There is no innocent party."

"Actually, yes there is." And Sam walked to his left and stopped next to Tom.

Angie followed him immediately and wrapped her arms around Tom's waist, glaring at Freider. It just left Jerry alone in their former corner.

"Jerry, talk some sense into them," Freider said, his voice smooth. "You've always been my son, the most sensible one of them all. Don't you see it's crazy to turn against your father?"

Kyle's muscles tensed as disgust crawled up his spine. How did that piece of shit dare try to blackmail Jerry and turn him against them? A part of him wanted to pull Jerry to them, protect him from Freider's poison.

But Jerry turned out not to need it. His gaze was steady and cold as he took in his father. "My father died five years ago. I don't know who you're supposed to be, but I want nothing to do with you." And he walked to them and joined their group, in the middle of it all, as they'd always been.

"That's what all of you fail to understand," Sam said once they were finally together. "We don't need to choose between either of you. We don't need to choose anything because we don't need you. This is us. We're a family, and all the secrets in the world won't change that. Because the consequences of your actions are on you, not us."

Kyle grasped Sam's shoulder and squeezed. He couldn't agree more and Sam's words grounded him. They had their answers and now they had to use them to go forward. Yes, Davyn could be trusted to help them. Freider and the goon squad were in the way. Maxi was in the wrong place at the wrong time, as usual.

"Oh no, Sam. You don't get it." Freider shook his head. "These men are expecting me to hand your bastard half-brother over to them. If you refuse to join me, at least get out of my way."

Kyle opened his mouth to point out that he dared Freider to hand him over to the goons, but Jimmy pushed him back and got in front of him.

"You're not getting shit. You want Kyle? You'll have to get through all of us."

"Guys, it's--"

"Shut up, Kyle," Jerry said, stepping next to Jimmy. "We know it's not necessary. It's the idea itself that rubs us the wrong way."

Freider's snarl morphed into pain, but he shook his head. "Don't make me do this."

"Freider, you're not going to order your kids shot," Maxi said, her tone desperate. "Even you can't be that cruel. That sick and twisted."

"He could, and yet you're still with him." Freider growled and raised his hand.

With a giant grin, Von Crooken took out his pistol and raised it, then moved out of the way to give his men a better shot.

Kyle's entire body tensed as his kind made calculations. Freider was still in the way, impeding some of the goons. He was sure his brothers all had vests and he had a shotgun with 12 shots. He'd take out more than half of Freider's men if given a clear shot.

Before he could finish his calculations, Davyn slid in front of them, his arms stretched out. Kyle's brain seemed to jam at the stupidity of that simple action. It made Freider burst into laughter.

"You cannot possibly imagine that I would have more trouble shooting you than my own sons when I've been wanting to end you for years."

"No, I don't expect you to," Davyn said. "I also don't expect you to understand what this means."

Freider rolled his eyes. "Yes, you're trying to protect them. How noble of you."

"Freider, can't you see it, you moron? Our genes, our feud, the disagreements, the hatred... They produced them and they're amazing. I'm not going to allow you to destroy so many years of hard work."

"You're taking credit for them?"

"You should, too." Davyn's eyes moved to Maxi for a moment. "I guess all three of us should. At least for setting them on this path. The way they managed to navigate it, with no help from any of us, well, that's entirely their merit." He turned to them, his back towards the guns, his arms still outstretched. "I mean it. There's so much I regret in my life, but it's all selfish. Because my crazy actions led us here, made you who you are. And that's something I will never regret. I'm so proud of all of you."

"You've got to be shitting us," Jimmy said, quirking one eyebrow.

Davyn grinned. "Not at all. I don't see any other scenario in which you would have ended up as amazing. And to be honest, knowing you like I do, I don't think any of you would have preferred a life of normal mediocrity. Not even you, Jerry."

He had such a good point and Kyle low-key hated him for being right. But he wouldn't change anything in his crazy life. Not even his criminally insane fathers.

"Oh, fuck you, you know-it-all," Tom said. "I've already gone through this existential crisis once this month."

"So you see, Freider..." Davyn turned back to face his brother. "The only way you're even trying to hurt a hair on their heads is over my dead body."

"Your logic is faulty," Freider said. "Since it relies on the wrong assumption that I have a problem with killing you."

"And your own faulty logic relies on the wrong assumption that I have a problem dying."

"Davyn, no!"

Kyle turned to his mother, but Kay was faster. She charged out from behind him and grabbed Maxi. In a second, she pulled her back to safety, slapping her hand over her mouth to keep her quiet.

"That's the thing, Millie," he said, not even turning to look at her. "Maybe for a moment I considered that we might have a second chance at happiness, but that's not true. Because neither of us deserve it, especially not me. There's no redemption for what I've done. So, in truth, I don't need this life anymore. I haven't for a while. For years I've felt like I had nothing to live for. But then again, I also had no reason to die." He took a step forward towards the guns. "All I needed was this opportunity to set things right. To tell the truth and give you the tools to go further.

"But you don't need me. You don't have to understand me or forgive me. I'm not even worthy of your forgiveness. And what Sam said is true. It's you. All about you, not us. So I finally have what I needed. Somebody to die for."

Davyn's words sent a bitter taste to Kyle's mouth because he understood the sentiment behind them, his need to make amends and the fact that for him, this really was the curtain call.

"No one has to die," Sam said. "Let's all just lower our weapons and..."

"And what?" Davyn asked. "Make friends with Nicholas? He's a pretty lousy friend. Look at him pointing his gun at me."

"I'm just waiting for you to stop embarrassing yourself so that I can finally shoot you," Von Crooken snarled.

"I don't think my dear brother would let you take that pleasure from him."

Freider seemed to be thinking along the same lines, because he wobbled a step forward, his gun pointing between Davyn's eyes. "You're full of shit. I want to see you piss your pants and beg me not to shoot you."

Davyn shook his head. "Do you even know me, Freider?"

"You're going to hell anyway."

"Most likely, but with bragging rights. Because I was brave enough to die for something I believed in. And after what I've lived through, how bad can hell be anyway?
I just need to know something, though..." He glanced over his shoulder at them, and the crazy idiot grinned. "That I'll never be forgotten."

Kyle felt his brothers tensing, saw their realization that their former enemy was serious, that he was ready to stand as a bullet shield between them and their own father. He wasn't just being theatrical to buy himself time for an intelligent escape plan.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sam asked, his voice panicky. "No one has to die."

"I beg to differ," Von Crooken said. "Because you're all dying here tonight, one way or another."

"Stop spreading hate, Nicholas," Davyn said with a sarcastic shake of his head. "Embrace the love."

"I don't buy this," Freider said. "So put your money where your mouth is. You have five seconds to get out of the way."

"I won't," he said with a shrug.

"One."

"Dad, don't do this," Jerry pleaded.

"Why would you defend him? Two."

"This is crazy," Jimmy mumbled, stepping forward to pull Davyn out of the way.

"Move and I'm shooting you in the head," Von Crooken said.

"Three."

"Freider, don't," Maxi said. "What are you gaining from all this?"

"Four."

Satisfaction. The asshole was gaining satisfaction. Kyle took in the goons and identified the weapon pointed at his head. He noticed that there were multiple guns on each of them so moving really was out of the question.

"Are you going to do it, Freider?" Davyn asked. "Are you going to shoot your own brother for trying to protect your kids?"

"Oh, so even now, after everything you've done, you're still better than me?" Freider growled. "Just die, you self-righteous bastard!"

And he pulled the trigger.

🧭🧭🧭

And here comes the climax. In all its beautiful glory! I hope you're enjoying it. And we finally have all the answers.

Now let's see how we wrap this up. I'm fairly lost for words and in a bit of a hurry, so all thoughts are greatly appreciated especially because HOLY HELL SERIES CLIMAX!

So help me out!

Don't forget to vote and comment.