☀ — and till the end you're my very best friend

Hana Song- it was a name long-since forgotten by Pierce, one that, although it belonged to a person who had been with him through nearly everything, had faded months ago, along with many other memories of his old life. Her face, however, was one that still appeared in his dreams, however blurry and smudged, her voice but a soft whisper in the back of his mind, a fragmented bit of the memory of someone he loved that his brain was struggling to piece together. It had been so long. He could remember the stench and crimson-tint of the blood, her blood, the sounds of his own cries of protest as the girl forced him to leave her. He'd known if he left, it would all be over for her, but what else was he supposed to do? Dump Clementine into Riddler's care and abandon the two of them with no explanation? Not like he'd done much better in the end, anyway, but he continued to tell himself he'd done what he'd had to. Right?

Pierce had been spending more time out of camp lately, due to his family's return. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with them - every moment he was away from them again he worried, ached to see the two of them once more just to make sure it wasn't all a dream -, it was just that they... seemed to need some space right now, so he'd respect that. He had been on one of the patrols he made just to pass the time when he spotted her- a joiner, in the distance. She had pretty fur, he noted, as he approached, humming a soft tune to himself as he shoved aside any lingering thoughts about his family. He didn't quite focus on the femme's features as he flashed a bright smile, though when he blinked honey eyes and fixed them on her face, he felt his stomach drop. He knew that face. It was a face he associated with good times, with a warm feeling in his chest, though it was also one that  brought back memories of the utmost pain, one whose story he knew didn't have a happy ending.

It was her.

Her, the girl whose name alluded him, the girl who, no matter how many horrifying or warm and fuzzy feelings accompanied memories of her, he couldn't identify. Three months, and he still couldn't put a name to her face. Just a week ago, he would have given anything to be in the position he was now, seeing her again, but now that his... friend and daughter were home and the three of them were trying to stabilize the family, he wasn't so keen on going after this girl, this girl that had caused him so much pain in his life. But he loved her, didn't he? Wasn't that why all those warm, cozy memories of them together, playing games, telling stories, even just resting in his or her home, returned to him in his dreams? Wasn't that why he'd laid awake so many nights, trying to keep tears from spilling from his eyes all the while wishing she was with him to help with whatever hardships he was facing? Slowly, he blinked down at the molly, perhaps confused, perhaps simply shocked, before breathing, "Is it really you?" Could he have really finally, coincidentally, stumbled upon the girl who he'd been seeing in his dreams, especially so soon after his own family returned to him? It all almost seemed too perfect- god, he swore he was going insane.

"speech"

WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO LOVE — Jacob hadn't actually run anywhere in a very long time. He'd tried, sure, but such movements were painful for his damaged legs. The legs that seemed to shake more with each step now and failed to respond to any of the herbs or physical therapy exercises he used. The entire situation made him angry and only reminded him that he had run away, so many times. Even if he hadn't been moving at an unusually fast pace, he had always had to leave when thing went wrong. In New York, it'd been after his kidnapping and after he'd been held by a rivaling family for weeks at a time. Back then, he'd run to New Jersey to be with a family friend who quickly became a strong father figure. It was there where he'd met Jerseyboy, Harrison (his Pa), and Lottie (his Ma). It was there where he'd picked up a southern accent that disguised his lineage even more than his appearance already did. Then the fire happened in New Jersey and he hadn't run. He told himself he would stay. Not only that, but following the event, he was in no shape at all to go anywhere far away and so he stayed. Then Jerseyboy had been attacked and that had been the last straw. He ran again in hopes of finding someplace where no one knew him or his family, a place where he could be rid of all of that for the rest of his life. Of course, he would still be expected to exchange letters with his Babbo but that wasn't too hard to hide.

For a few months now, things had been good here. He didn't see Jersey nearly as much as he would've liked but he had his son, Harrison, and he had found his best friend, whom he told almost everything to. He had the support of his entire clan, including the likes of August and Izuku and AIzawa and Melantha, and he adored being with each of them. It was like being part of a big family again. While he may not know everyone personally, especially with so many new members coming in recently, he did care for each of them. But as of just a few days ago it seemed like his past had caught up with him. The letter from Archie had shaken him more than he cared to admit and Pincher's injuries constantly troubled him. He would worry until he heard good new from the Typhoon.

Now that things had settled down, he thought about going to visit the doberman but decided to wait. Lilyspoise knew how they were close friends and he was sure she'd send news as soon as his condition changed. There was a part of him that felt guilty. Pincher had personally taken care of him for two weeks when he'd been in the worst condition he'd been in since the fire and yet Jacob was here, in Snowbound, not looking after him. He knew his friend would understand, he was sure. He knew what it was like to have a clan that one had responsibilities to. Jacob didn't really have the option to leave when they'd only just moved and there was still much work to be done before the move was complete. Still, all that logic din't stop him from feeling guilty. He just felt like he was running again. He didn't want to do that. He didn't want to run away ever again, no matter how much Archie scared him or how alone he felt. He wanted to stay here now.

He'd just been out on a walk, trying to clear his mind but only stuffing it with more of the same worries and fears. The thought that Archie could be watching him at any moment dug it's claws deep in the sinews of his brain, infecting every last nerve. He knew it was only paranoia, the same sort he'd had after the kidnapping and after the fire. This was what the man wanted, he wanted him to be afraid and paranoid. So if he knew that, why was he still giving in to it? Thankfully, he was soon distracted from his own thoughts when he heard an unfamiliar voice and Pierce's. He arrived behind his clanmate soon enough and looked towards the unfamiliar women, glancing between her and Pierce. "Sorry ta' bother the both ah' ya', but, uh, who're ya', ma'm?" he requested. He hated to break up a moment but he had to have some kind of information about this woman when she showed up on his border. Pierce seemed happy but what if that question had been out of some sort of shock or terror? It certainly didn't seem like it but he'd like to know for certain before letting anyone waltz into camp. —A GREAT HONOR TO HOLD YOU UP

"SPEECH"