November 17 2031 [Few Days Later]

Alex was driving through the road as he looked at the city in front of him and continued driving through the road while thinking about something. He continued driving while listening to some music on the radio until the radio began to emit static and Ambrose was confused by what just happened.

Suddenly silence was heard on the radio as Alex sighed to himself and put the song back on but just then, something else played on the radio and it gave Ambrose goosebumps and chills ran down his spine by what he was hearing on the radio.

Alex was terrified and tried to close the radio but the sounds continued to get even more louder and suddenly laughter was heard from the radio which made his eyes widen in shock and fear. He got angry and destroyed the radio as silence was heard and Ambrose was breathing heavily.

Suddenly he saw someone standing in the road as Alex immediately pressed on the brakes and the car stopped as he placed his head on the steering wheel and tried to control his breathing.

Ambrose looked up the road and saw no one standing as he was confused and worried until he noticed a blood trail which was leading him to the woods as a voice was heard coming from the area.

FIND ME. . . . .

Alex stepped out of the vehicle and began following the blood trail as cold wind blew on his face and suddenly the clouds began to get darker and the sun started slowly fading away as Ambrose continued following the trail.

Alex stood by a frozen lake as he was confused and saw a large hole on the lake as the trail ended there. He slowly continued moving forward as he heard a voice coming from the hole.

Your getting close. . . . .

Closer. . . . . .

Closer. . . . .

Almost there, Thomas. . . . . .

Alex stood by the hole and stared at it as he saw the water in the hole and slowly looked down as he felt his hands shivering until. . . . .

Margaret, Alex's biological mother bursted out of the water and grabbed his hand as his eyes were widen in shock and anger as she laughed at him and tried to pull him into the lake but Ambrose immediately stood back as she was gone.

Alex was shivering as he was scared until he saw someone emerging from the hole and his eyes were widen by who emerged from the hole and his feet were frozen in place because of the fear of who was standing in front of him.

????: You cannot escape me, For I am your soul. You are weak, you are scared, you are nothing but a hollow shell, a broken trap that cannot hold me, Smoldering, I burn you, burning you.

Alex: No, no, no. . . . .

????: From the fire, I rise, I flare, hot and bright and fierce and beautiful. You cannot stop no matter how much you try to push me away but I know, the war still rages within.

Alex: NO!

Ambrose immediately woke up and looked around as he was in the manor and was asleep on his bed. It was just a nightmare. Ambrose saw his hands were shivering in fear as he closed his fists in anger.

Alex sighed to himself until he felt Anna hugging him as she said something to him.

Anna: It's just a dream, Alex. Let it go.

She began rubbing his arm as Anna said something to him.

Anna: Let it go, Alex. Your a changed man, let go of Margaret and Andrew. They never loved you. Just burn their memories away.

Alex looked at the picture on the table as it was a picture of him, Mia, Margaret and Andrew as he was staring at it and guilt filled his heart. He couldn't let go of the memory of not saving his sister from those monsters and the fire that occurred in the house.

Alex continued staring at the picture until he took some scissors out of the drawer and cut Margaret and Andrew out of the picture as he kept the picture of him and Mia in a pendent.

Ambrose got out of bed and took the picture of Margaret and Andrew as he stepped outside the manor and saw a fireplace that he kept when him and Lizzie were sitting outside the manor as he continued staring at the picture of Margaret and Andrew.

Alex threw the picture on the fireplace as he watched the flames burn the picture away and he continued staring at it.

Few hours later [8:30 a.m]

Cillian was standing by the dining table as he was calling Anne's name as she was walking down the stairs while speaking to someone on the phone. Winters immediately disconnected the call and was gonna leave the house until he said something to her.

Cillian: Anne, you didn't eat anything yet.

Anne: I'll eat later, I have some work to do.

Cillian smiled at her and began holding her hand as Anne told him that she wasn't hungry but Murphy told her to sit down as he placed some food on the plate and said something.

Cillian: I don't want my wife to be working while having an empty stomach. Remember, your health comes first, love.

Anne had a small smile on her face and nodded as Cillian smiled at her as both of them began eating their meal while talking to each other.

Cillian and Anne met each other back in university and fell in love there. Soon after graduation, they got married and Winters gave birth to two daughters who are now studying at London since it was their dream to study and settle there. Cillian and Anne supported their discussion and since then they contact them via video call.

Soon they finished their meal as Anne got up from her seat as Cillian said something to her.

Cillian: [Smiles] You forgot something, love?

Anne smiled at him and kissed his cheek as he kissed her forehead before she left the house and after a few minutes, Murphy got ready and left the house.

Meanwhile Benjamin was eating his meal as he was looking at some text messages until someone hugged him from behind as he saw who it was.

Gionna: [Smiles] Eat up, honey then you can focus on work.

Benjamin: [Smiles] Okay honey

Liv smiled at him and gave him some coffee as both of them sat down, talking to each other while drinking some coffee.

Benjamin met Gionna in college many years ago and they were friends for a year before they started dating and have been since. Their bond is strong and unbreakable and their always here for each other. However Benjamin is looking to propose to her very soon.

Soon they were done with their meals as Gionna said something to him.

Gionna: [Smiles] Oh take this before you leave the house.

Benjamin: [Smiles] Oh I know what it is.

Gionna kissed his cheeks and smiled at him as Benjamin smiled at her and kissed her forehead as he left the house and soon Daddio left the house.

Meanwhile Daikon was fixing his shoes as he heard his phone ringing until he saw someone standing in front of him while holding coffee as he saw who it was.

Harleen: [Smiles] Puddin, drink some coffee before you leave for work. I made it just for you.

Daikon needed to go to the station but Harleen smiled at him and told to drink some coffee as he smiled at her and nodded before he took the cup and both of them sat down, drinking coffee while talking to each other.

Daikon met Harleen eleven years ago after Alex killed Joker and Quinzel was sent to Arkham State Hospital. He felt bad for what Joker has done to her for years and wanted to help her. Soon Harleen and Daikon continued meeting each other and both of them fell in love.

After Harleen was released from the hospital three years ago, Quinzel became an informant and would give information to Daikon about certain cases and leads.

Daikon: [Smiles] Okay I gotta go now. Take care, Harleen.

Harleen: [Smiles] You too, Puddin! Also one last thing before you leave.

She kissed his cheek as Daikon smiled at her and kissed her forehead. Soon he left the house as Harleen was looking at him through the window and had a smile on her face.

Meanwhile Caleb was done with his meal and drank some coffee as he was on the phone until he felt someone hugging him as he smiled to himself and saw who it was.

Skylar: Don't go, Caleb.

Caleb: [Smiles] Sorry love, I have to go but don't worry, I'll be there for our date tonight.

Skylar smiled in excitement and Caleb kissed her cheek as both of them continued smiling at each other.

Caleb met Skylar after his family, the Flying Graysons were killed in a circus accident. An accident which was plotted by the Maroni crime family when he was nine years old. Soon, they continued meeting each other and then they started dating and years later, they're engaged.

Caleb: [Smiles] I have to go now, love. Take care.

Skylar: [Smiles] You too, love. Stay safe.

She kissed his cheek as he smiled at her and kissed her forehead before Caleb left the house and soon Skylar left the house.

Meanwhile Alex was walking through the streets as he was fixing his hoodie jacket while thinking about everything that has happened until someone bumped into him as he was gonna say sorry until he saw who it was.

Lexi: I'm sorry, Oh hey Jim. How are you?

Alex: I'm good. . . . . . Sorry about that.

Lexi: It's okay. Don't worry about it. I was actually gonna head to the manor to meet you but here you are.

Lexi has been meeting up with Alex for the last few days. However Ambrose always wanted to tell her to stop visiting him, but there was something in him that's stopping him from saying that. Whenever Lexi meets him and speaks to him, his heart beats very fast and he feels at peace.

Soon a thought came to his mind. "He was slowly falling for her" and a wave of guilt and sadness began going through him. Lexi doesn't know who he really is and what has he done over the years. He lost a lot of his loved ones and if he was slowly falling for her, then he fears he might lose her too.

Alex needed to stay away from her, it something happens to her then Jennifer will be alone and nobody will look after her and he can't let that happen.

Lexi noticed Alex was in deep thoughts about something and was worried about what was going through his mind. Ever since she met him and has been visiting him, she always felt bad for him. He lives all by himself in the manor and doesn't have anyone. She even noticed he's always been in deep thoughts about something, felt sad whenever he was thinking about it and didn't wanted to tell it to anyone.

However as the days go by, she was slowly developing feelings for him. She knows he's a good person and knows he's going through something and wants to help him.

Lexi: Jim? You alright?

Alex snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her until he said something to her.

Alex: I'm fine. . . . . Sorry I have to go now.

Lexi: Wait, Jim. I noticed your beard and hair are getting way to big. I think you cut it off.

Alex: No. . . . I prefer to keep it like that.

Lexi: Jim, you should cut it off. You'll look fresh if you do that.

Alex was looking at her as she continued staring at him until he sighed to himself and said something.

Alex: Fine. . . . . I'll do that.

Lexi smiled at him and grabbed his hand as he felt his heart beating fast and he was staring at her. Soon Kaufman took him to the nearest barber shop and eventually they made it there.

Ambrose got inside the barber shop as Lexi said she needed to go to the other cafe to grab some donuts and coffee. Soon Ambrose sat down on the chair as he was looking at his reflection in the mirror and continued staring at it.

The barber noticed Alex hasn't said a word as he asked him a question and Ambrose told him to completely shave the beard off and cut some of his hair. The barber nodded as Alex continued staring at his reflection.

Few minutes later

Lexi has a donut box and some coffee as she made it to the barber shop and was about to enter the shop until the doors were opened as she saw Alex exiting the barber shop and Kaufman looked at him.

.
.
.

Lexi: [Smiles] See, that wasn't so bad. You look handsome, Jim.

Alex was staring at her as Lexi cupped her hands on his cheeks as she smiled at him and looked at him.

Both of them felt their hearts beating as they continued staring at each other. However she noticed his face was getting warmer and Kaufman was worried as she said something to him.

Lexi: Jim, do you have a fever?

And she was right. For two days, Alex has been dealing with a fever and didn't tell her about it.

Alex: Yeah. . . . . But I'm getting better now.

Lexi knew he wasn't telling the truth and wanted to tell him something but Alex's phone began ringing as he told her that he needed to go now.

Kaufman nodded and gave him some donuts and coffee as she said something to him.

Lexi: Bye, Jim. Take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself.

Alex looked at her and nodded as he was gonna walk away until Lexi said something to him.

Lexi: Jim. If there's anything bothering you or anything you want to talk about. Let me know, I'm here for you.

Alex looked at her and felt his heart beating fast as he nodded and began walking away while Lexi was staring at him and was thinking about him.

A/N: Thanks For Reading And Stay Cool :)