*flashback*

"Aye, chief, you good?" Devon asked, walking towards his office.

"Of course, my daughter good?" Aziel asked, looking up from his books.

"Yeah, she getting bigger every day." Devon smiled; he loved talking about his wife, especially now that they were having a baby.

"I got to come to see y'all apartment."

"You know you are always invited."

"We'll set something up." He said, looking at his phone and seeing he was getting a call. "What's the problem, baby girl?"

"Daddy, Keygan is pissing me off." He said, hearing Flaire sound like she was crying.

"What's the problem, my care bear?"

"I'm at my locker with Keygan, and some girl walks up to him, touching him, talking about she is mad she can't get to see him play football anymore, just flirting. I didn't say anything because I felt like this was something he should've handled himself. Daddy, he goes to tell me he handled it the best way he could without hurting her feelings. Fuck her feelings!"

"Watch your mouth."

"I'm sorry, but I'm mad daddy; how could you possibly not feel you could've handled that better? Shoe on the other foot, I would've been hearing about it all day!" 

"Baby, speaking as a male. We're dumb. Maybe he thought he handled the situation as best as he could, or maybe he didn't say too much because he knew you would but just don't overthink and have a conversation with him." He reasoned. "More importantly, get out of the bathroom crying before I come there and kick his ass."

"Please do, and bring all your coworkers too."

"Hold on, baby, Indigo's calling." He said, clicking over. "Aren't you in class? What's wrong, baby girl?"

"I just caught my period. Can you bring me some pads?"

"I'm not at home, baby; I'm at work. Did you call your mother?" 

"She's not answering."

"She probably sleeps; it's her off day. Go to the nurse and ask for some; I'll see if Genesis can bring you something."

"Okay, can you send her money for food also?"

"If I buy one food, I have to buy all food."

"It can be our secret, daddy." Indigo chuckled.

"I'll see what I can do; get off the phone and pay attention before I take it."

"Yes, sir, I love you, daddy."

"I love you more, daddy's girl." He said as she hung up, making him click back over. "Hello?"

"I don't appreciate you clicking over. Then you have the nerve to be longer than two minutes knowing I'm having a crisis, daddy; I don't appreciate that. I'm feeling unappreciated."

"Flaire, you're being dramatic- hold on, baby girl. Genesis calling." He said, clicking over. "Hello?"

"Dad, you told that brat I'll bring her food as if I'm not busy with life?" 

"I told her you would bring her pads and maybe food, can you please?"

"Am I getting food out of this?"

"You're getting a damn apartment out of this, a free one for your damn husband and bald-headed baby."

"Well, when you put things like that." Genesis laughed, rolling her eyes. "You know I have to get all of them food?"

"I know, y'all are all so damn brats. Text your sisters because I have Flaire on the other line, and she will curse me out if I have her waiting longer."

"Now she's the brat, spoiled heffa. We all know she's your favorite; you don't gotta keep showing us."

"I don't have favorites." He chuckled.

"Whatever, send me the money too!" 

"I'm sorry, baby girl, I won't click over no more." He said as soon as he clicked over. 

"I'm not your favorite no more? Cause why you treating me like the rest of your daughters." Flaire rolled her eyes, making him laugh.

"Where are y'all getting this from? I have no favorites."

"Right, dad, we believe you."

"Genesis is bringing you something to eat; please tell her what y'all want so I can send the money?"

"Can you come to have lunch with me?"

"Not today, baby, tomorrow definitely."

"Alright, I'll take it. I love you, daddy, and if I get sent home today, it's not me I promise."

"You get sent home today; you gon not feel like my favorite."

"I'm going to always be your favorite dad." She smiled, making him laugh.

"Go back to your work; I love you, my care bare." 

He hung up the phone blowing out air; his damn daughters were a piece of work. Each one of them had a personality that he loved. He loved having Devon like a son; he always wanted a boy; when Genesis married, he gained a bonus son.

"Aye, Luis!" He called out, locking his office door. 

"Wassup Chief?" 

"I'm about to head home quickly; I have my radio on me if there's a need for me. I'll be back in twenty minutes top; you're acting chief until I come back." 

"Got it, Chief."

Aziel headed home not before stopping to get some flowers; his wife's favorite flowers were Lilies, so that's what he got. 

His marriage has been on the worse side for a while, but he was trying to put in the work to make it back happy. He may not have been in love with his wife at the moment, but he never stopped loving her, and it was time to prove it before he was too late.

He pulled up in the driveway seeing his wife's car making him smile; he hoped she was in the house and wanted to see how grateful she was. 

He opened the door smelling a lemon aroma, meaning she had just cleaned; he walked up the stairs, unprepared for what he saw next.

His wife was in his bed with another man.

Ariel covered herself in the cover as her heart dropped, watching her husband's smile drop off his face. She watched him place the flowers in his hand down in defeat.

"Aziel, this isn't how I wanted you to find out." Ariel stood out of bed while Jonas stood to put on his boxers.

"In our damn bed? In our house?" He asked in shock. "In my fucking house?!" 

"Aziel, I was going to tell you everything, but I wanted to have everything settled first."

"Settled? When I asked you about the missing money in our bank account, you told me you didn't know what was going on, and I fired our damn accountant. You've been stealing money from me? From your kids?!" 

"Aziel, I wa-"

"You come in here with some fuckin flowers and think all is well." Jonas scoffed, chuckling. "She has been gone; if you paid attention to your wife, you would've known that."

"What was your plan?" He asked, ignoring him, which angered Jonas.

"She's been talking to divorce lawyers." He smiled, trying to get under his skin. "We were going to wait until she got all her money worth from this bullshit ass marriage, then move on to another state."

"How long have you been cheating on me?" 

"A few months." She mumbled as he put his hands on his head, turning his back.

Aziel wiped his face refusing to cry in front of them, he turned back to look at her, but she was avoiding all eye contact.

"You wanna leave me?" He asked, making her look up. "If you want to leave me, I'll sign the divorce papers, and you can have whatever you want. But if you've been feeling unappreciated, unloved, and let down that's something I can change. We can go to counseling and make the needed work happen."

Ariel looked up at Aziel confused. She's been waiting to hear these words for a while but she knew it was too late.

"I'm pregnant." She admitted taking the last bit of feelings Aziel had.

"How?" He asked. "You lied to me about the surgery? You been out of love with me, huh?"

"I told you I didn't want kids but I couldn't get a hysterectomy, I ju-"

"So I got the vasectomy for nothing?"

"Aziel baby-"

"Pregnant Ariel!?" He yelled slapping her hands since she was now crying trying to reach out to him. "You wanted this clown baby over mine?"

"You see what decision she made." Jonas chuckled.

"Yeah, the fucking clown."

"We can go to therapy." He mocked. "Fuck outta here. She's mine now, matter of fact hurry up and get the fuck out of my house so I can show your daughters what a real man is."

"Jonas, stop," Ariel said wiping her eyes and looking back at Aziel.

"I didn't want to get pregnant, I didn't want to have anyone else baby but yours. I didn't expect to be in love with someone else but you haven't been with me in years."

"Be with you? I'm here with you every night! I haven't looked at another female ever!"

"You've been here but not with me. You don't kiss me as soon as you wake up or before you go to sleep anymore. You used to say our goodnight kiss was the most important thing in your life. I'm not important to you and I haven't been. Jonas makes me feel everything I wanted you to."

He grabbed a napkin handing it to her. He watched her wipe up her tears just as more tears just replaced them. He knew he pushed his wife away and maybe it was too late but he still wanted to try.

"How many months are you?"

"Eighteen weeks."

"Can you send him home? Let's talk."

Ariel nodded her head looking over at Jonas. "Can we talk later?"

"Talk for fucking what? You leaving this nigga, right?!"

"Nah, she leaving you nigga." Aziel asked. "I should've made you eat your words earlier when you mentioned my daughters but I let you live. You better get the fuck out of my house before I remind you of your days of eating your lunch in the bathroom."

"This the anger you were talking about baby?" Jonas tried to egg on. "Didn't you say his daughters were scared of it?"

"Boy, I'll kill you," Aziel said going toward him, but Ariel jumped in front of him. 

"Stop! Both of you!"

"You'll kill who?!" Jonas yelled pulling out his handgun. "Yeah, that's right. Talk about what you were saying."

"Jonas!" Ariel called out in fear. "What are you doing?!" 

"I wanna hear him beg for your life, why shouldn't I kill you?"

"You'll never hear me beg for my life." Aziel looked at him. "My daughters know I love them, I made a life for myself, I'm not scared to die."

"Jonas, please put the gun down." Ariel cried standing in front of Aziel in defense.

"You're so scared of me." Jonas smiled thinking he was intimidating Aziel.

"That's why niggas like you become cops, y'all been bullied all your lives and want to be in control but you aren't in control here." Aziel chuckled. "Just know if you pull a gun on me, you better kill me."

"Aziel, please." Ariel cried, holding her hand out.

"I'll never beg for my life from no coward ass nigga." Aziel said.

Just then Jonas squeezed the trigger twice, one grazing his head and then shooting him directly in his face. Ariel watched Aziel drop down to the floor with his eyes closed looking lifeless, her heart immediately broke as she dropped to her knees.

"No no no no, Aziel baby. Please don't do this to our daughters, fight for them please." Aziel cried as she grabbed a towel to put pressure on the wound. "You're standing there, get on your damn walkie-talkie!" 

"We could say it was self-defense. He caught us in bed together, and I had no choice."

"I'm not lying to my husband, this is my kid's father. My kids don't have a family, they have just Aziel and me. You will not kill my husband and get to go on with your life."

"Your husband? I'm your husband! I put in the work when he couldn't! You're carrying my baby; we have no fucking choice!" 

"It may be Aziels!" She yelled out.

"What?" He asked, squinting his eyes. "You told me you weren't having sex with him!"      

"I lied!" She cried. "Aziel has been trying, and I've been falling back in love with my husband. I didn't know how to tell you."

Jonas didn't say anything as he turned to look at Aziel. He turned back around, putting his hands on his head. While he was distracted, Ariel grabbed Aziel's phone out of his pocket, dialing 911; she glanced at Jonas, still seeing him distracted. 

"911, what's your emergency?"

"My husband has been shot, 834 Spring-" Was all she got out before Jonas tackled her taking the phone out of her hand. 

"Hello? Ma'am." The dispatcher called out before the line went blank. 

"Are you fucking stupid?!?" He asked, choking her. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" 

He raised the gun, shooting her directly in her forehead before realizing what he was doing. His eyes opened in panic as he dropped the gun; he gasped before picking up her lifeless body. 

The bullet entered through her forehead and left through the back of her skull, but he knew she was gone the minute the bullet touched her. 

"Baby, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, baby. Ariel!" He cried out. "Ariel!" 

He stood up panicking, a million thoughts ran through his head as he tried to figure out what to do. He knew self-defense wouldn't work, so he knew what he had to do. 

"I love you, Regina." He mumbled as he shot himself. "Shit!" 

He hit exactly what he was going for, the inferior vena cava. He had approximately four minutes before he died.

He set the scene as a double homicide and suicide. Aziel would get blamed for everything; he laid next to Ariel holding her head as he kissed her stomach. 

"Daddy's so sorry, baby." He kissed her stomach again, then looked at Ariel. "You were a dream." 

He grabbed his walkie-talkie sending a 10-999 code alerting his officers that he was down and needed immediate assistance. 

He knew by the time anybody got there; he'll be long gone. 

"So when I woke up, I didn't have any memory, so whatever they said they had against me, I went along with it." 

Flaire wiped her eyes as Keygan rubbed her back to soothe her. She didn't know what she felt, but she knew she believed him; it made sense. Everything made sense.

"Daddy, you didn't do it?" She asked, watching his eyes water as he shook his head. 

"By the time I remembered nobody was fucking with me, I was coerced into a false confession and sentenced. I've come to terms with being here, Care Bear." 

"Daddy, we can get you out of here. I work; I can pay for your legal."

"I'll help too," Keygan added, making her smile.

"We can even fundraise."

"Baby, it's he says. There's no evidence to prove anything; I would go to trial to lose. Please don't pursue this, baby; we'll get through this. I parole in seven years; we'll make it out of this." 

"Daddy, I-"

"I just wanted my daughters to believe me, Flaire Bare; I wanted my babies to know I would've never taken their mom from them and abandoned y'all. Y'all are the reason I'm still breathing today." 

"Visiting hours are over!" The guard yelled, making all the families start to moan and groan. 

"I didn't tell you this so you can do something about it; I just don't want my kids hating me anymore. I love you, baby, I love all of y'all. Please come back soon." 

"I love you."

"I love you too, Key; make sure you got her."

"Back at you, she in good hands, always."

He nodded, letting the guards escort him out; Keygan grabbed Flaire's hand, leading her back to the car. They drove in silence; neither had anything to say, but Flaire's mind was anything but quiet.

"Where are we going back to my house or yours?" 

"Go to the 5th district police department."

"Flaire, he-"

"I don't care. I'm not going to let my father suffer over something he didn't do! I can have my dad; I want my dad. Indigo could have something she lost back; he can finally meet Alana; I'm going to get my dad out of jail." 

Keygan didn't say anything as he routed towards the precinct. They were there within fifteen minutes, and they both got out of the car heading to the desk.

"Hello, how can I help you?" The lady at the desk asked.

"How can I see an old case file?" Flaire asked.

"Are you a reporter? Reporters can only see case files if the family and leading detective agree."

"I'm a family member. My mom was murdered, and I want to see the case file."

"Do you remember the day?" 

"March 5, 2019." 

"Oh." She looked. "The double murder and suicide."

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Let me go get the detective that was on that case."

Flaire nodded as the police officer walked away; she couldn't stop herself from shaking. A man who looked familiar came toward her with a serious face; she made sure to put on a face also to let him know she wasn't intimidated. 

"Flaire, right?" He smiled. "I remember you from questioning you."

"Oh, yeah, I remember. My family and I are trying to get closure from this situation and find a way to forgive my dad. We think seeing the case head-on would help us. Can I see the case files?"

"Of course, I'll take you to a private room so you can review." He nodded sadly. "Officer Brooks, take them into the quiet room until I can come in."

The officer led them to a room she could tell was a comfort room. The detective walked back in, handed her the file then walked back out. 

"Flaire, you're going to see the crime scene in this. You're going to see your mother, dead Flaire."

"I'm ready." She nodded as she started going through the pictures.

She lied. She wasn't prepared to see her mother's brain matter out of her skull or on an autopsy picture.

"Oh my God." She said before she broke down.

"Take a minute, baby." He rocked her as she covered her mouth, crying. 

"Can you go get the detective for me?" 

Keygan walked out of the room as Flaire started taking pictures of everything; she didn't leave anything unturned. She needed everything. 

"Is there a way I can obtain our own copies? And I didn't see the trial transcripts in here?"

"The courts would have that; we don't carry those. I can't get you the file right now, but you can come back in a few days, and I'll have it for you."

"Thank you so much." She spoke, wiping her eyes.

"I hope this gives you and your family closure; I still think about your sisters until this day. This case left me heartbroken; I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, it means so much. We're trying to get our lives back."

He walked them out as they got into the car; she smiled again as he started his way to her house. She couldn't bring herself to think about anything but this; she would get her dad out if it was the last thing she did.

"You know Rell died?" Key asked.

"Yeah, he died at Sugar."

"Damn, everybody is just dying now."

"Yeah." Flaire nodded. 

As soon as he pulled up, they both got out of the car; they saw Ezra, Haven, Genesis, and Devon in the kitchen laughing. Genesis was the first to notice Flaire, so she looked at her knowing she knew the truth. 

"Indigo here?" Flaire asked.

"Upstairs."

"Well, everybody, come into the living room. Family meeting. I'll go get Indi."

Flaire walked up the stairs seeing Milly cuddled up with Indigo as she stared at the football players in the movie. She squatted down next to the bed to face her face.

"Can you come downstairs? We're having a family meeting, and I need you to hear what's happening."

Indigo didn't say anything, but she nodded her head; she stood up, dragging her feet and going downstairs.

"C'mere," Keygan said, holding his arms out as she leaned her head on him. "Your breath probably stinks."

She cracked a small smile making him smile as he kissed her forehead. 

"So I've been going to see dad." Flaire started out getting Haven's attention. "This is my third visit, and he told me something we should know. Genesis, Devon, and daddy have been keeping a secret for two years because they didn't think we should know." 

"Daddy didn't kill mommy," Genesis said, making Indigo look up as everybody gasped.

"Y'all know y'all mother was cheating with Jonas, Regina's father who was a detective, so he made the scene a double homicide and suicide, but he didn't expect y'all dad to still be alive." Devon jumped in.

"Also, mom was pregnant when she died, so they counted it as a triple homicide, but she didn't know which one was the dad," Flaire added.

"Y'all have all right to be mad, I'm sorry I kept this from you guys, but I didn't think you could handle it. More so, I didn't think you guys needed to know."

"I'm telling y'all because I'm going to fight for his case," Flaire said. "Tomorrow, I'll be going to the court to request the trial transcripts; then, I'll see if Leval can take the case. I don't know about y'all, but I need my dad."

"He told you to fight for him?" Devon asked.

"No," Keygan said. "He told her to drop it."

"But I'm not."

"Fight for him," Indigo mumbled, making everybody look at her. "If he didn't do it, fight for him."

"I agree," Haven said. "We have had enough taken from us; let's gain something." 

"If this is what everybody wants, we can all talk to Leval together," Genesis said. "We'll all fight for him."

Flaire smiled, looking at everybody; she was glad everyone was on the same page because she didn't want anyone feeling that way.

Her dad would see her go to prom and graduation, and she would ensure that.