Ryder James was excited to get out of rehab, this wasn't his first stint and his family didn't think it would be his last. His roommate and kind of secret crush Klaus Hargreeves was also getting out today, but Ryder knew that Klaus would be back neither of them stayed sober long enough.

Sure they had different choices of poison Klaus's being drugs and Ryder favoring alcohol, it never helped that they were each other's enablers choosing to drink and do drugs together rather than alone. Not only did the fact that they were roommates make them become fast friends but they also swapped childhood stories, Klaus's broke Ryder's heart more as Ryder was mostly neglected by his mother but never abused.

Ryder never harbored any ill will to his parents, having to raise 3 children with superpowers wasn't easy and Ryder knew it wasn't easy. He saw now as his mother came to pick him up from rehab, Ryder can see his mother's car from his window, but first had to checkout.

Ryder could hear Klaus shouting his pleasantries from his room, a smile graced Ryder's face. He placed his backpack on his back and stood in the doorway of his room. "Stay sober," Ryder said once Klaus was beside him.

Klaus looked at Ryder and rolled his eyes. "Right, you too." Ryder knocked his shoulder against Klaus's slightly. "You have a ride home?" Ryder asked watching as Klaus said more pleasantries to the residents.

"Yea, it's called a cab. What about you?"

He nodded towards his Mother's car and saw that his mom was leaning against it waving. "She's picking me up." Klaus awed and stopped in his tracks. "Call me anytime, I'll come running." Klaus gave Ryder that soft smile which made Ryder's stomach do flip flops because Klaus made something in Ryder come alive, something that Ryder has tried to keep hidden.

"You know I will."

Ryder left Klaus with a pat on the shoulder and walked towards his Mom. His Mother Elizabeth opened her arms when Ryder got closer for a hug, since Ryder and his siblings gotten older their Mom especially has been big on physical contact.

After the hug, Elizabeth looked her son an arm's length away looking him up and down. "You okay? Did they feed you enough?" Ryder nodded laughing as he placed his backpack in the backseat.

"They fed me plenty, is everyone at home?"

Elizabeth nodded as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Yes, I had to beg Florence to come but I think your Father helped persuade her to come." Like the Hargreeves children, the James family did have powers however they don't have a mansion like the Hargreeves family because as bad as a Mom Elizabeth was she never profited off of her children.

"I wouldn't have blamed Florence if she didn't show up, we get that you're trying but it's still hard for us."

Elizabeth huffed out a laugh. "I seem to have won over Both you and Holden but not Florence she still calls me by my full name." Ryder nodded. "It took Holden and I time to start calling you Mom, Florence is stubborn. Mom, you have to be prepared in case that time never comes, I know it's going to be hard but you might have to accept that."

Ryder could tell his mother was holding back tears but the audible sniff that she let out confirmed. "I know, it's just hard. I wish I could go back in time and change everything that happened." Ryder resisted the urge to roll his eyes, they had this conversation all the time, and it always ended the same way. "Yea, but you can't. You have to live with your choices and do your best to make up for them."

Ryder was grateful when Elizabeth dropped it and the car ride was left in silence because Ryder knew that if Elizabeth pushed he would've said something he would regret.

He was glad when his mother pulled into the driveway of his childhood home, the memories he's had began to flood into his mind. He clenched his hand tightly and he had to push back the flames that urged to come forward.

Ryder couldn't help the smile the grew on his face when he saw his Dad walk out of the house arms stretched waiting for Ryder to hug him. "Hi, Dad." Ryder wrapped his arms around Miles tightly taking in the smell that he's always resonated with warmth and comfort.

"I missed you kiddo, you doing okay?"

Ryder looked back towards the car to see his mother getting his backpack out. "I'm doing great, excited to be back home. Siblings inside?" Ryder nodded his head towards the door and Miles nodded so Ryder walked up the steps and was hit with childhood memories. His eyes drifted to the burnt wall mark by the door that he caused, the thought made Ryder chuckle.

"Ryder! Hi."

Ryder yelped when Holden came in contact with him, hugging Ryder tightly. "Hey Holden, missed you." Ryder tightens his arms around Holden, even though they were all the same age people treated Holden as the younger brother because he looked younger than all of them.

When Ryder separated from Holden he could see Florence's blonde hair tied up in a bun, he smirked as he snuck up behind her. "Hey, twerp."

Ryder rolled his eyes as she plopped beside her on the couch. "I see your powers still work." He felt the couch lower and he noticed that Holden sat beside him, for the first time in a while Ryder felt peace, he was back with his family.

As Ryder looked around he noticed his parents were sitting together on the love seat, they weren't close, and if Ryder is being honest he doesn't think his parents will have what you would call a normal relationship and Ryder is going to have to live with that.

His eyes drifted towards the tv because Florence turned it up, Reginald Hargreeves is dead it showed on the news. Ryder's heart broke, not for the man on the tv but for Klaus.

Ryder was about to pick up his phone to call him when he saw Klaus was calling him.

"I have to take this."