Gavin smirked.

"Yeah.  I suppose.  She's always taking home strays.  Thank god for that... otherwise, I might have gotten turned down flat in an ice cream shop 25 years ago and who knows where the hell I'd be today."

He leaned back in his chair.  

"Although, I might have less lead in me."  

He chuckled.

"After reading the book I have to ask... why did you come to meet her?  This woman who never noticed your dad?  I mean, if they'd been lovers or even friends I could understand it, but at best she was some sort of infatuation.  I guess I'm just curious about what makes a man track down an unfulfilled fantasy of his dead father."

Bill looked out at the clouds rolling in as Gavin asked him why. There was only one real answer.

"I had nobody else Gavin. Parents? Dead. No siblings. Marie? Dead. Sal? Dead. What does an orphan boy do when he finds out there's somebody alive who he might know? This orphan boy dropped everything and came running."

The thunder peeled across the land then as the sky opened up with light.

"Maybe I shouldn't have. There are times I feel like your lives would have been a bit easier if I hadn't. Rora would have never gone to that party for starters. You and me might both a little less lead in us."

Billy put his hand on Gavin's shoulder.

"Fate is bullshit Gavin, but until I come up with a better explanation?"

He shrugged by way of finishing his sentence and then started toward the back door.

"I think I've beginning to understand what Aurora sees in you... a kindred spirit."  His smirk became a smile as he spoke and he got up out of the chair to head back inside.

"Well, you're part of the family now so... don't get any ideas about disappearing on us."

Inside Isabella was on the couch, drawing.

"Finally decided to come in?  The radio says it's gonna be a big one, apparently took down some trees over in Lansing area."

"Yeah, it looks pretty rough out there."  Gavin said.  

As the two men came closer to Bella it was easy to notice that the image starting to appear on her paper was that of Billy and Gavin sitting together on the back patio though none of their features were yet visible... just their general shapes.

Gavin scoffed.  "Think you'll get it this time?"

Bella smiled as if she had just been flirted with by her favorite guy, "I'll never capture you Wolf... but I won't stop trying."

Gavin leaned down and kissed his wife's cheek.

"Good Lord!"  She stared hard at him, "How much were you two drinking out there?"

Billy looked at Gavin and then just shrugged by way of response. Then he stepped over to her and put the journal down beside her.

"You're only allowed to look at that under one condition. You aren't allowed to blame yourself for anything in regards to its contents. This was a man who lived in his own way and nothing you think you could have done would have changed who he was. Trust me."

There was an air of a much older story behind those last two words. A lifetime of things to say, and yet nobody to say them to, not anymore.

Billy for his part left the journal there and went to go sit across the room from Bella.

"So, are we going to talk about the elephant in the room, or am I going to have to bring it up?"

He looked at both of them and then nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I thought you might be too polite. Forgot the dessert Bella. We both did. Could have grabbed something small, but didn't even think about it. And now with the rain? Oh well, it'll wind up being an early night I guess."

"Just as well.  Though honestly, I'm sure we could make the drive back to the city... or rather I can drive as you two are far too drunk to get behind the wheel."

She put down her artwork and reached into the box with her supplies and pulled out two small boxes and handed them over to Billy.

"I believe that these are what you wanted to come here for?" 

She offered the boxes to Billy as she stood up.

"If you're okay with it, we'll make the drive back.  Gavin and I can stay the night in Corktown if is too bad, otherwise, I'll drive us back here after we leave your place."

Bella waited to see Billy open up the watch boxes to make certain they were the ones he was hoping she had tucked away.

Billy nodded at the watches and then shook his head at Bella.

"I told you I wanted to make you breakfast. How am I supposed to do that if you're way out here and I'm way down in Corktown? Either you stay in my spare apartment, or I stay here. You pick."

He watched as Bella put the watches down.

"Oh, and those, I don't know about yet, but I got an idea and I might need a jeweler for it. Of course, that's only if you'll let me take them, and I already told you, name your price."

"Of course you can take them."  she smiled.  "If you feel the need for paying me back, I suppose I need to think of a price, but to be honest I don't have one yet.  Take them for now, we'll negotiate a price later.  I trust you'll be good for it."  

"And if you're gonna stay for the night, I have a guest room upstairs you can stay in as planned.  I guess I nearly forgot about breakfast with all the excitement.  I'm glad you reminded me."

The night passed slowly.  The storm was as bad as Gavin feared taking down the large oak at the southwest corner of the yard.  Luckily it didn't hit anything.  Billy us a great breakfast and before noon we were on our way back to the motor city.  

I can't be sure what Gavin and Billy talked about out on the back patio, nor what experiences you had out in LA.  You're on your way back now and I'm happy just knowing you're alive, but I hope I've made the right choice to step back and let your life play out as it will.  

I understand my father's choices, and while I feel much as he did regarding the future happiness of my kids - I just can't deny you what your heart wants anymore than he could me in the end.  I suppose it worked out well enough, in the end, and perhaps it will for you too.  Maybe, the circles will continue as they seem to in this thing of ours and you'll find yourself reading this journal one day as Santino said ... looking on my words knowing that you burried Gavin and I in Philly and escaped our fate by marrying Billy.  The circle completing again.  I just can't say.  Who can know what the future will hold?

Whatever comes, I hope you know I've always tried my best... for Philly, for your father, for your brother, but most of all you.  

I love you Aurora Byrne.  May your life be as long and as filled with as much joy as mine.

-Mom.

"Bella?"  Gavin peaked his head into Bella's office and she closed the book she was writing in.

"Yes?"  She said looking up.

Gavin narrowed his eyes, "What's that?"

"A journal."  She said softly, looking down at its red leather cover.

"I thought you weren't going to keep a journal?"  he said smirking, leaning in the doorway.

"I didn't think I'd be a crew leader again either... and yet, here we are."

"Here we are."  Said the wolf.

"Something up?"  She asked.

"Aurora's plane landed.  I'm going to pick her up.  Just wanted to know if you wanted to come along or if you needed me to pick something up on the way back."

Bella nodded.  "Vanilla ice cream."

Gavin chuckled.  "You got it."