"Sorry for barging in," Shine said to Endeavor when she found him.

"If Shoto wants to invite you, that's his business," Endeavor said.

Shine shrugged. "I heard...your family is moving out of here."

"Yes.... I thought about what you said, giving space," Endeavor said.

[I wrote that part like 2 or 3 months before I saw the episode about it, too. Guess I really am good at this.]

"I think you're doing a very mature thing," Shine said sincerely, "and I never thought you'd take what I said to heart."

"Your opinion of me is as bad as everyone else." Endeavor didn't even sound mad. He'd really altered a lot in the last few months.

"No, sir. It's far higher," Shine said.

Endeavor gave her an odd look.

"I actually really am liking what you're doing," Shine said, "I...never got that with my family. If they were like you, we'd be on speaking terms today...but it's...touching, really, if I may be so frank."

"Why not? Why should things change now?" Endeavor said dryly.

Shine laughed. "I think I like you finally, Enji Todoroki. Hey, hang in there. You're making the right call...but don't give up hope. You know, just because you screwed it up doesn't mean they are not still your family. And if you're willing to do right by them, there is no reason not to hope for more..."

"No, I missed my chance," Endeavor said.

Shine eyed a shrine in the corner... Was that Touya? She hadn't come in this room or the kitchen before, so she'd never seen it. Wow...

"But we can get second chances," she said quietly, "all of us. Yeah, you don't deserve it-- I'll never lie to you or anyone about that. But it's not about desert. I believe in mercy. If it helps, I'd give you one...and I wouldn't give up on your kids... In fact...I don't know that this is what Fuyumi wants... Think about that. Sometimes you've got to approach different people in different ways."

Endeavor studied her. "You're not like other people, Likstar... You might be mad."

"Really?"

"Or you might be a saint," Endeavor shrugged, "but either way, I doubt anyone will share your opinion."

Shoto came in behind Shine.

"Hi..." he said awkwardly.

Shine motioned to the door questioningly, like "should I leave?"

He shook his head.

"I...know you're busy," Shoto said, "but, I wanted to tell you, I've been thinking about it, and I'm going to try to forgive you after all."

Endeavor's mouth dropped open.

Shine was grinning and trying to hide it.

"It's not because I think you deserve it," Shoto said, blunt as usual, "but...that's not the point...and I see you're trying, and I guess people should get a chance to change. I'm not sure we'll ever be close, but I'm willing to not be enemies anymore.... So...yeah, that's all I wanted to say."

He left as quickly as he could before it could get more awkward.

Endeavor was crying.

Shine smiled. "I told you...miracles do happen, you know. Later, Endeavor." She walked out after Shoto.

* * *

Shoto had gathered Fuyumi and Natsuo while Shine was talking to his father.

They were upstairs in Shoto's old room so that Endeavor would not be able to overhear, but he was probably going to go to his gym room anyway.

"So what is it?" Fuyumi was pretty worried. "Are you sick? Hurt? Did something happen at school?"

"Is it mom?" Natsuo said, "Or did Dad do something on your internship?"

Shine rolled her eyes.

Shoto hesitated.

"Well, it's hard to explain... Are you both ready for a shock?"

"Not really," Fuyumi said, "Uh--I mean, of course, whatever you need."

Natsuo just raised an eyebrow. "Can I ask why Miss Likstar is present for this?"

"She's been involved for months in it, and she's the only reason I even know what I'm about to tell you, so I thought she had the right to be here," Shoto said.

"Also, we're friends, and friends support each other," Shine added, with a smile, kind of a nervous smile.

Fuyumi thought that was cute. Natsuo thought it was weird, since Shine was, like, 8 years older than him.

Shoto, not being tactful, nor sensitive, just took the band-aid approach.

"So you're not going to believe this, but do you remember our older brother?"

"Touya. How could I forget?" Fuyumi said.

"We literally have a shrine downstairs." Natsuo looked angry. "I'll never forget what Dad did to him."

Shine held herself back from sassing him right then. She knew it would be glorious when Shoto got to his point.

She was the only one excited about it. Shoto felt like he was going to be sick.

"And you know how he died?" Shoto said slowly.

They nodded.

"I wondered when you'd ask us more about that," Fuyumi said sadly, "There was a fire, you know."

"I know that much. And he disappeared."

"He burned up." Natsuo was mad. "His own quirk, he couldn't stand it. Dad pushed him too hard."

Shine waited.

"And they never found a body." Shoto felt really weird saying that.

"No, that's how we know it was the fire," Fuyumi said.

Shoto nodded. "But...uh, here's the thing...he actually didn't die."

There, he'd said it.

[The fall-half alive.]

His sister and brother stared at him like he'd started speaking in another language.

Shine grinned. Again, she was the only one enjoying this.

"Come again?" Natsuo finally said blankly.

"What do you mean he didn't die?" Fuyumi said.

"I mean that he's alive," Shoto said. It was better now that he'd finally gotten it out. "I've met him."

Their mouths dropped open.

After about a minute of strained silence, Fuyumi started crying.

"You're serious?" Natsuo said, sounding dazed, "He's alive? Really?"

"Really," Shoto said.

"And you're sure. You're sure it's Touya. I mean, you were just a baby."

"It's him. He has the quirk," Shoto said.

"And the eyes, hair, face," Shine added dryly, "and he admitted it upfront..."

"Yes, he told me," Shoto said, "I didn't believe it either, but he knew you, and he knew about Mom, and he knew everything no one else knows about. It's Touya."

Natsuo broke into a huge smile. "Oh, wow...that's... This is great!" He jumped up, excited. "I can't believe it! He's not dead! This is... Wait a second." He looked down at them. "Why isn't he here, then? Why didn't he come with you?"

"Yes, where is he? We have to talk to him!" Fuyumi wiped her eyes and looked around like she'd run for him as soon as she had a location.

"Hang on." Shine was firm. "We're not done yet. Do you think he'd want to come back here? Your father is here."

"Oh, yeah, good point." Natsuo sat back down, but he was still beaming. "So where is he? Some kind of safe house? Maybe for his quirk? Huh, how is his quirk?"

"It's fine," Shine said, since Shoto was now at a loss for how to continue.

"He's...doing well?" Fuyumi said hesitantly, "He's not sick."

"No, he's not sick anymore," Shine said.

Actually Dabi had been doing great since moving to UA. Out of the filth and dust of the lairs, he'd stopped feeling ill all the time, and not using his quirk had made his stamina better. Even after the nomu incident, he'd recovered much faster. Likely it was being taken care of and monitored, as Shine was always on his case about eating enough and not getting too warm or cold.

Or it was the change in his situation-- the mind is a powerful thing.

Whatever the case, he was gaining weight and looking more normal than he probably had when he left home.

But explaining all that was a little too much right then, so Shine didn't.

"That's wonderful!" Fuyumi said, "I...wow... Mom would be so happy to know that... You haven't told her yet, have you? I want to be there."

"No...uh, listen, Big Sister, we can't tell Mom yet," Shoto said.

"What? Why not?" Natsuo deflated a little.

"It took a lot of convincing to get Touya to agree to telling you," Shine said.

"Why? Wait, why hasn't he been in touch?" Natsuo finally started to get that this was a little suspicious. "Where did he go all this time?"

Shine tilted her head. "Shoto will tell you if you can't get it. But let's try something first. I want you to think really hard about the last couple months and what's happened to your father."

They looked at her, confused.

"Oh, clever idea," Shoto said to Shine appreciatively, "That might be faster than trying to explain it ourselves."

"That was the point, yes. Thank you," Shine said.

Fuyumi was lost. "I...don't understand. Did Dad find him already?"

"Yes...and no... Think about it." Shine studied her nails.

More silence.

You could see the wheels turning in Natsuo's head.

Then, like a light bulb, you could see an idea come into his mind. His eyes widened.

"It... No...but the quirk was...but...no way."

"You're not stupid," Shine said.

"You...you have to be lying." Natsuo got mad suddenly. "That's impossible."

"What is? What's going on?" Fuyumi said.

"They," Natsuo gestured at them, "are daring to say that Touya is actually that monster Dabi who put Dad in the hospital!"

Fuyumi gasped and covered her mouth. "No...that's not possible."

Shoto didn't know what to say.

Shine had no such problem. "Really? That's impossible?" She sipped some tea. Fuyumi had brought it in earlier.

"You draw the line there? Mystery man the police still have yet to identify, happens to hate your father, and has the same kind of quirk as your long dead brother whose body was never found? Not to brag, but I literally put this together months ago without any help."

"You...did?" Fuyumi said.

"When I came over. You remember?" Shine said, "I had only met Dabi once or twice then, and he didn't talk to me much, but something really felt familiar about him, and I had a hunch. I'm not usually wrong. I put it together. I was then amazed none of you had... Now that I know Shoto better, I'm not amazed so much at him, but seriously, does being dense as an atom run in this family?"

They looked at her oddly.

"Is this the time to gloat?" Shoto said to her.

"No, but someone has to lighten the mood," Shine said, sipping again.

Natsuo covered part of his face. Now that she'd said it all like that, it made perfect sense...too much sense. He looked sick.

"Dabi is Touya... How is that...? I mean...why would he do that to us?"

Shine held back another snippy remark-- not the time.

"He hates Dad," Shoto spoke finally, "I mean, he hated all of us... I don't know exactly how he feels about us now. He doesn't like me, but maybe he's okay with you. I'm not sure. But he wanted to hurt us all. I don't know really what happened. I don't remember. I thought maybe you could help me, actually."

Fuyumi was oddly calm now... Perhaps deep down, she'd kind of known.

She stirred her tea with one finger soberly. "Well, Shoto, it's not something we want to remember, but...well, Touya, he couldn't handle not being strong enough for his quirk. We all felt like disappointments, I guess, but he took it harder because he got farther in training. He got more and more angry...and desperate. He pushed himself too far. That's why in that picture, his hair is white. He got this syndrome...and finally, even Dad wanted him to stop, I remember. But he wouldn't. And he got more and more...angry, or desperate, I don't know which. He was close to us, but he pulled away... Then with you, he just...didn't know how to take that."

Shoto felt bad hearing this.

Shine reached over and patted his arm reassuringly, and that helped a little.

"Yeah, I'll say," Natsuo said darkly, "and he got sick a lot too."

"Finally, he was even getting resentful toward you. I'm sorry. It's not right to just say that," Fuyumi said.

"No, it's okay. I want to hear this," Shoto said.

Fuyumi nodded. "I'm not sure what he would have done, but Dad got angry at him...and then, Mom...did what she did...and then, he...well, we thought he set the room on fire and died, but...I guess he actually just ran away. That's all I know."

She wiped her eyes. "He was a nice person once...when we were little."

Shine smiled, but she thought Touya would be livid if he heard that.

"Yeah, he was cool," Natsuo said, "Dad destroyed him."

Shine was getting tired of hearing this. "Hey, Natsuo-san," she said, proud of herself for finally knowing the honorific, "why don't you go for five minutes without saying that?"

Natsuo shot her a look. "Excuse me?"

"Dabi himself will claim that's not all there is to it," Shine said coolly, "so I don't think you're preparing yourself mentally to talk to him if you keep saying that."

"What? What else does he think there is to it?" Natsuo said.

"Might be better to let him explain, but as I don't know when he will, I'll give you a preview." Shine leaned on her hands. "Touya, a. k. a., Dabi, has come to see his own fault in what happened. He is trying to take ownership of it and turn his life around right now. But let's face facts. The reason he doesn't want to talk to you is because of what hasn't fully hit you yet, but it will any second. Your brother became a villain. And I'm sorry to say this, but we have to to get past it-- he was also a murderer...en masse."

Fuyumi covered her mouth like she was the one who felt sick now.

"So...that's all true." Natsuo must have remembered it already. "All the mass killing, and that hero he killed, all of it."

"Yes, but he has not murdered anyone in months," Shine said, "and his actual murder record was only about 4-6 months of time. While that's not good, one could chalk it up to a bout of insanity, as he himself will admit to. If it helps, up till last year, he didn't commit any major crimes. Probably just petty theft and street fights, from what he's told me. He wasn't good, but he wasn't the monster he became in the LOV. And he is not that monster now. I've seen it."

They didn't look comforted.

"I can't believe our Touya would have become that...Dabi person." Fuyumi was shaking her head. "I...feel like we don't even know him anymore... What would make him turn on the world like that?"

"I get hating Dad," Natsuo said, "but why all the other heroes, the innocent people?"

"Bad company corrupts," Shine said, "and he was looking to be corrupted. Stain got his attention, and he was led astray. Look, it's not pretty. I specialize in cases like this, and I had a hard time with it too. I wasn't sure I'd be able to help him."

"You never expressed doubts before." Shoto looked at her oddly.

"No," Shine said, "I wouldn't have to you, would I? But I have them, same as anyone, but I don't let it stop me, and that faith did pay off. Touya is different now."

"How?" Natsuo wasn't buying it. "Are you sure? If it's true he's Dabi, he could just be using Shoto and you to get closer to Dad."

Shine laughed. "He's not that subtle..."

"I really don't think so," Shoto said, "The last thing he wants is to talk to Dad-- the one thing I really don't blame him for, actually."

"Well, yeah, that makes sense," Natsuo said, "but you're just okay with him murdering people? That's not the Touya we knew. Is the Touya we knew even still there? Maybe he's been brainwashed."

"If only it was that simple," Shine said, "But, Natsuo-san, if Touya lived, did you think he would truly forget what happened? Surely you saw this in him years ago, if you remember. Wasn't he getting unstable?"

"He was kind of moody and obsessive, maybe," Natsuo said, "but he wasn't that violent with other people."

[For those who are wondering, this is where I am altering the manga canon a bit, though I think even in that, it was only his family he was violent towards. But it just didn't make sense to me with his current self how it was laid out, so I made it more consistent.]

"One thing leads to another." Shine's calm was reassuring to Shoto but maddening to his siblings.

And as he saw their irritation, he understood finally why Shine stayed so calm in these moments. He needed her to be calm, or this would have swung wildly out of hand. No wonder she kept her cool. But to people who wanted to get emotional and angry, it was always going to be annoying.

It wasn't that long ago that was him. The only reason it wasn't now was because he finally had the burden of trying to handle it on his own.

Shoto felt a bit more what it was like to be in Shine's shoes. This is why she hadn't told him about Touya without permission, he saw. If he'd been going behind his brother's back doing this, he'd have felt really guilty right about now, watching the two others react to it. Even if he didn't like Dabi at all, he knew he was trying to make this work, and this reaction was anything but encouraging.

While Shoto was reflecting on all that though, Natsuo was getting more upset.

"I can't believe no one told us. You knew for months?"

"Shoto only knew for about a month and a half," Shine said helpfully.

"So what? You knew-- he knew that long-- and you did nothing? Why didn't you come to us right away?" Natsuo demanded.

"All of you are so entitled," Shine said, sipping more tea, "You think everyone should tell you everything, regardless of how well you're likely to handle it. I know how you've been about Endeavor, Natsuo, no offense. You don't try to hide it, and Shoto knows too. You think you would be calm about this?"

Natsuo couldn't believe she'd just said that to his face.

Fuyumi cringed. "Uh, I'm not sure that was called for. We're a little upset of course, but who wouldn't be?"

"You can be upset," Shine said, "but I know that tone. He's about to accuse us of all this being our fault for not coming out with the truth. As if that would have stopped Dabi! Please, don't make me laugh." She put the cup down finally. "Dabi has had a lot to deal with. I've had to listen to it, believe me."

"What are you, his shrink?" Natsuo said.

"I was the closest thing to it until he started therapy, yes," Shine said.

"He's...doing therapy?" Fuyumi said.

"Luckily, your brother has a friend who's a counselor," Shine said, "and who was willing to keep this under wraps. Yes, he's been going. He's doing good, actually, from what she tells me." She tilted her head. "In fact, better than anyone would ever expect, as evidenced by the fact he agreed to let us come here. He's trying to face the past, and, in my opinion, he's being as brave about it as anyone I've ever known to be. I respect him a lot for that."

Natsuo stared at her. "You respect...him for coming out about being Dabi? The murderer? The terrorist?"

"Murderers and terrorists are nothing new to me, sir. I'm used to them in my line of work," Shine said, "and I'm American, so...yeah, our attitude towards this sort of thing is a bit different culturally than yours. We don't sweep it all under the rug. We rehabilitate instead. And as a Christian, I also believe in mercy, redemption, and forgiveness, and I've seen it happen many times with people just as bad as Touya has been. One of our saints was a killer, and so was one of our greatest prophets. So yes, I respect Touya. It takes a lot of courage to admit you went completely wrong and want to go right. And he didn't do it for you. He did it because he knows it was wrong."

She smiled. "And that's a better reason, whether you think so or not, because if it was for this stupid family, then all it would take to turn him back evil would be a reaction like the one you're having, but luckily, that's not his motivation, so I think he'll survive. I don't know about you, though. You seem pretty angry."

Natsuo scowled at her. "I don't like how you're talking like you know me, and it's none of your business anyway... this is our family, after all. Shoto, why did you bring her here?"

"I told you, she's involved," Shoto said, "and, on record, she's the only reason Touya is turning back to... Well, he's not really on our side, but he's not a villain now, and that's amazing, so...look, I don't like him or it all that much, but it's a lot better than what he was doing, and he's...well, he's at least been around me without trying to hurt me or anyone else, and that's something."

In fact, until he had to defend it, Shoto hadn't even realized how much Dabi was acting different, or how much he himself believed it. But now he went on with more confidence.

"He really is different than when he attacked my class. I would know, I saw him then, and he knew me...but he would never have acted the way he does now. I don't know how he's changed-- it's like a miracle-- but he's not the same person. And Shine is a lot of that, and some of it was other stuff, but don't disrespect her. I wouldn't even be here if not for her. She's been protecting my friend and I for months."

Shine didn't look smug. She just smiled gratefully.

Fuyumi nodded. "That's...good. I'm grateful for that...and it's amazing, if all you say is true. But...it's lot to accept. I'm...hoping you're right-- Touya is not Dabi anymore. But...I don't know. How can we be sure?"

"Like all things in life, you really can't be sure. You have to believe," Shine said, "and perhaps you will be sure, given enough time. Depends on what your criteria is. I don't think you need to fear him anymore."

Natsuo snorted like he didn't believe that. "This...is not what I wanted to hear about him... I don't know if it's worse than if he actually died."

"Natsuo!" Fuyumi was shocked.

"No, I don't want to talk about it anymore." Natsuo got up. "I need to think... I don't know.... No one's going to tell Dad about this, are they?"

"No," Shine said firmly.

"Yeah, we can't," Shoto said, "Dad would...do something."

"Oh, yes, he would, but he'd be so happy," Fuyumi said.

"Happy that his own son tired to kill him?" Shine said flatly.

"No...but that he's alive-- and changing," Fuyumi said.

"And I'm sure Endeavor will learn this sooner or later," Shine said, "but it had better not be coming from you, don't you think?"

Fuyumi thought. "I do see your point... Yes, it should be Touya who tells him."

Natsuo snorted. "He won't hear it from me. No one will." He left the room in a huff.

Shine sighed.

Fuyumi sipped her own tea for a bit, then, "I don't know if I want to...but if I did want to see Touya, would he allow me to?"

Shoto shook his head. "I don't know."

Shine tilted her head. "Right now he thinks he doesn't want to, but I think he would probably if he knew it wouldn't be...well...an interrogation. You would need to be really able to hold off from asking him anything about what happened. He might tell you, but you shouldn't just ask."

"Oh, I understand," Fuyumi nodded, "and...uh...I shouldn't bring up Dad either, huh?"

Shine nodded vehemently.

"But if I can...do that, then...I mean, I don't know, I'm kind of scared to," Fuyumi said, "But I have a feeling if I don't see this for myself, I won't believe I didn't hallucinate this whole thing...and...well, he is still my brother...so maybe I'd like to."

"I'll ask him," Shine promised, "and maybe we'll ask that counselor too. But my judgment says it would be okay."

"You really think he's ready?" Shoto looked at her.

"Shoto, I don't think there is a ready and not ready nearly as much as we think. Were Joseph's brothers ready to hear he wasn't dead and was the second in command to all Egypt? No, I don't think that thought ever crossed their minds, and they didn't handle it the best way either, but it was right for him to tell them, and right is not based on what we are ready for, but on what we are called to do," Shine said.

Shoto nodded. "I see..."

"Wow...are you a counselor too?" Fuyumi said.

"Hah, no," Shine laughed, "I like telling people what to do too much to be a counselor. I'm a teacher."

"This is like Joseph a lot, huh?" Shoto mused, "Only, Dabi is not the second in command to all Egypt."

"No, but he was up there in the LOV, if that counts as something," Shine laughed, "and whatever you feel about the League, his position there is the main reason we've survived all the recent attacks, so I consider it an ironic blessing in disguise."

"You're so...odd..." Shoto said.

"Oh well," Shine said.