Hal stumbled alongside Charly, whose arm was wrapped protectively around him. Charly gave him an assuring squeeze, and for once, Hal accepted his concern and care. He could see Charly's eyes flitting towards him in worry every two seconds, as if he feared Hal'd pass out from exhaustion any second. Lou walked a few paces behind them, his hands in his pockets, also watching Hal warily.

Sirens blared behind them. Ambulances crowded the park. Firefighters were also summoned and they were running around trying to contain the situation, hurdle injured people to safety. They passed two girls huddled together by an ambulance, a blanket wrapped around the pair, holding onto each other. One had a bandage wrapped hastily around her forehead which was still seeping blood. Her friend stared at the ground hollowly, a haunted look shadowing her pale face. A dog limped by, ash and smoke darkening its golden coat in patches, the red and blue lights reflecting in its eyes.

Charly breathed out deeply through his nose. Kylian Castillo had left in a cab once he delivered Hal safely to Charly after he took Hal to get the cuts on his hand and back bandaged. Luckily they didn't have to cut the gown to bandage his back and it wasn't deep. Kylian refused when Charly offered to drive him to his house saying it was far. Hal wondered whether he got home safely, the shock of knowing that Kylian was also an experiment still not leaving him. A werewolf. Who would have thought.

Hal's legs faltered and he almost fell, but Charly's arm tightened around him and immediately pulled him back up, helping him steady. "Whop. You're okay," Charly said fervently, "you're okay. There you go." He led them to his car and opened the door, and gingerly helped Hal in, who had started shaking by then. Charly frowned. "Should I get you a blanket?" Hal shook his head. Lou nodded. "Yeah, I'll get you a blanket," Charly said and jogged off towards the nearest ambulance, leaving the door open. Lou got in through the other door.

Hal sighed shakily, blinking back tears that tried to spill. His chest hitched. He rubbed his arms as he waited for Charly to return. Lou was silent beside him, watching him with concern. "Today was a mess," he said with a soft huff. Hal nodded silently, listening to the awful noise of the sirens which were still going on.

"Hal!" Lou and Hal both looked up at the voice calling his name. "Hal!" This time louder.

Hal frowned and leaned out the car to look for the person calling him and saw Antonio Agresti walking in the direction of their car, his hands cupped around his mouth as he called for Hal again, looking around, poking his head inside every ambulance.

"Antonio!" Hal called, shakily getting back to his feet, waving at him, "Antonio! Over here!"

Antonio saw him, and even from the distance, he saw his eyes light up, his whole body relaxing into a relieved demeanor. "Hal!" Antonio yelled again, running towards him. "Oh, thank God!" 

"Antonio, calm down-no, slow-!"

Antonio ran into him, engulfing Hal in a strong embrace as he swept Hal off his feet. "Oh, God!" Antonio exclaimed again. He placed Hal back on the ground but didn't let go of him. Hal patted his back awkwardly. "Thank God, you're safe." He rubbed a hand across his back and pulled away when Hal flinched in pain. "You're hurt? You look terrible. Where's Charly?" He turned Hal around to inspect the wound on his upper back.

"He'll be here in a minute," Lou answered, standing on the other side of the car, his eyebrow raised. Antonio nodded, still breathing heavily.

"Antonio," Hal said, genuinely concerned for the boy's mental state. He looked ready to go into shock. "Calm down and tell us what's wrong."

Antonio looked at Hal, then at Lou. Then back at Hal. Hal raised his eyebrows. Antonio ran his tongue over his lips nervously. "Ah."

"What?" Lou narrowed his eyes, leaning on the car. Hal stifled a groan as he sat back inside the car, dangling his legs outside.

"I..." Antonio started. "Look, I was...supposed to p-p-" he frowned and shook his head. "I was supposed to protect you. I-" He swallowed uncomfortably under their gaze. "I, well, my Dad, he was first assigned to...Look. I will explain all in good time. Maybe tomorrow. Yeah, definitely tomorrow. Just let me prepare. I wasn't prepared for this situation." He held up his hands in defense, looking back and forth between Hal and Lou.

"I'm sorry, you were assigned?" It was Charly, back with the blanket.

Antonio flinched at his sight. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." Charly frowned, walking over to Hal and wrapping the blanket around him which he accepted gratefully. "Get in, I'll drop you off, too."

"No!" Hal and Antonio both yelled at the same time. Charly and Lou raised their eyebrows.

Antonio looked at Hal for help, but he just shrugged. "Uh," Antonio said, "My house is nearby. I'll walk."

"Nonsense-"

"Charly," Hal said softly, "just let him go." Charly frowned but didn't argue. Hal turned to Antonio. "And you. You'd better be ready with answers tomorrow."

Hal noticed that Charly's knuckles were white and tense as he clutched tight to the steering wheel, on their way back home. Hal pursed his lips. "Breath, Charly, we're alright."

Charly looked at him through the rearview mirror, his eyes wide. "Breath? Me, I should breath?" He let out a long huff. Hal and Lou exchanged looks. "Yeah, maybe I should breath. You two weren't hurt in anyway were you? I mean those bruises on you, Hal and those bandages-"

Lou nodded. "Nope. Neat as a pin. Not a scratch. Hal just ran into a pole." Hal glanced at Lou. Thankfully, Lou really was neat as a pin.

Charly nodded sarcastically. "Right, yes. Ran into a pole, because a pole can get someone bruised all over."

Hal shrugged. "Yep."

Charley let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, don't tell me. No one ever tells me anything. But have you thought of your mother? What will you tell her They're all worried sick back home." He watched triumphantly from the rearview mirror, sure that he'll get a proper response off Hal and Lou.

Hal pressed his lips together and looked at Lou. "She doesn't need explanations."

Charly shook his head. Hal wondered if, now that the worry of danger has passed, he was just playing the dad-role or if he was genuinely concerned. 

"Because that's likely," Charly muttered. "Come on, I know your Mum."

"No, you don't."

"I'm her boyfriend, for heaven's sake, Hal. I know how she-"

"You may know her Charly, but you don't know everything!" Hal shot back loudly.

Charly and Lou went quiet. "Like what?" Charly asked after a pause.

"Like history," Lou said softly. Charly eyed them suspiciously.

"Eyes on the road, Charly," Hal said, sinking into his seat, refusing to meet their eyes.

***
Hal, Charly and Lou shuffled into the house without bothering to keep it quiet. They heard loud footsteps come down the stairs as the twins crashed into view, and Mum and Grandma stepped into the corridor from the living room, their expressions worried. Lisa launched herself at Lou, who caught her, and Daniel ran to hug Hal, throwing his arms around Hal's waist. Mum watched them apprehensively as Grandma gasped loudly, her eyes wide and a hand on her chest. 

"Weren't you in your uniform when you left the house?" Grandma said at last. She rushed to Hal, hugging him tightly. "What happened to you, dear?"

Lou answered immediately. "Just ran into a pole. No big deal."

Mum gasped, her worried expression suddenly turning fearful. "But that's... I thought we were-" She pressed her fingers to 
her lips in shock.

Hal frowned. Was 'ran into a pole' more than just a quick excuse? Was Lou and Mum using codes behind his back?

Lou, behind Hal, cleared his throat. "I'm fine, by the way, in case anyone wants to know." 

Charly, who was quiet until then, spoke. "Do you really..." he looked at Hal who stared back. "Uh, where's Thomas?"

"Uncle Thomas was here?" Hal asked as Grandma gently pushed Hal towards the living room, softly gasping as she noticed the bandaged wounds. Hal changed their direction to the kitchen. Grandma obliged.

"Yeah, he dropped by earlier," Mum said, following them worriedly. "He left before we heard about what happened at the park."

"We're fine, guys," Lou said reassuringly, patting Lisa gently on her back and leaning down to give Danny a quick peck on his 
forehead. "Seriously, you guys. Relax."

Hal nodded, agreeing, trying to hide the bandage on his arm and fluffed up his hair so the soft mullet would do what it could to hide the bandages on his back, near his neck. "I'm hungry," he declared, "and I want to sleep."

Once all the fussing was over, Grandma retired for the night. Lou went upstairs to try his hand at putting the twin to bed after taking a long shower. Uncle Thomas called in to make sure Lou and Hal returned home safely, and Mum lied that everythign was alright. Mum returned to Hal in the kitchen, where she helped remove Hal's makeup as he munched on bread. Charly was pacing around the room, picking at his beard.

"Well?" He asked,

"Well, what?" chimed Mum as she used to cotton swabs to wipe off the blue makeup.

Charly stopped his pacing. "Well, aren't you suspicious of all Hal's bruises?" Hal didn't intervene and continued indulging on good bread.

Mum shrugged. "Not really. He said he ran into a pole, right, Hals?"

"Mhm," Hal managed between bites, "a tall one."

Charly stared at Mum incredulously. "Are you serious? A pole cannot do that!"

"Yes," Hal said, "if it fell on you."

"You said you ran into it!"

"What's the difference? There was a pole involved and my memory isn't great."

"Hey, both of you," Mum scolded, "there are people sleeping in this house."

Charly gaped at Mum, his mouth hanging open. "Sherin, you have got to be kidding me!" he said in aloud, strained whisper. "You are being very..." he stopped when Mum glared at him, daring him to finish the sentence. "I saw you reaction when Lou said your boy ran into a pole." His voice was laced with suspicion.

"Hey, don't talk to my mother like that!" Hal said frowning, as Mum threw the soiled cotton swab away, nodding pointedly at Charly.

Charly let out a frustrated groan. "You two are impossible!"

There was two loud knocks from the front door. Charly raised his eyebrow at Mum who shrugged. They heard the door open, and Charly's eyes widened in suspicion as he started to step out of the kitchen. They heard the door close and footsteps approaching. At first he frowned, then he relaxed. 

"What?" Mum asked.

Charly shot her an annoyed look. "A pole," he said before storming out of the kitchen, leaving Hal and his mother grinning at his behavior. Hal knew Mum was only barely holding it together. He'll have to give her an explanation soon.

Two seconds later, Catalina walked in casually, a big backpack on her back, wearing pajamas. "Hello, Ms. Deven, mind if I move in?"