This is a sequel to my book, Nothing short of a hero, so I reccomend you read that one first, otherwise, this will make no sense.

Enjoy!

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Micah's pov

"Hi. Thank you for coming."

I nodded silently as I sat in the quiet cafe. It wasn't well known to people, so it was the perfect place for a meeting.

"Get on with it. I don't feel like waiting."

The woman who sat in front of me fiddled with her fingers, sighing quietly.

"Micah I-...I'm Sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did all those years ago. I reached out to you because I wanted to know if I could be forgiven for my mistakes."

She looked at me from under her white, curly hair as my hands folded in front of me on the cafe table and I leaned forwards.

"Sarai, I forgave you long ago. Back when I didn't understand why you left, I was hurt. Sure I was young, but it still hurt for my mother to leave and not come back."

Her hands trembled as she looked back to the table and nodded slowly.

I continued.

"Pop always told me that you weren't coming back. I didn't beleive him for a while because, you were mommy. Of course you would come back. And then, one day I started to beleive him.

"I beleived him because I met my dad for the first time. A tall, bulky guy with bright red hair and a warm smile."

I smiled softly as I recalled the memmory of first meeting Eijiro.

"He cared for us. Loved us. Loved Pop."

Slowly, I reached out and grasped her hand. When she looked up with teary eyes, I squeezed gently.

"He was a better parent than you ever could have been to me, Sarai. But I forgive you because I know, that if you wouldn't have left, I would never have met Eijiro. And I thank you for giving me that opportunity."

She, almost immediately, broke into tears, pulling her hand away to wipe at her face.

"And Kai? How's she?"

She sniffled and dabbed at her eyes with a napkin.

"She's okay. She's got good grades, friends." I rolled my eyes as I tacked on, "A boyfriend."

I heard a quiet chuckle come across the table and I tapped my fingers against the wood. Checking my watch, I sighed.

"I've got to be home soon. Anything else you want to know?"

A  breath shuttered through her, shaking her thin form that looked worn with age, though she was only thirty six.

"I never got news of what happened to-.." She chewed her lip nervously.

"Niko," I finished. "His name is Niko Eijiki Bakugo. Pop took your offer in adopting him."

As she sighed in relief, she seemed to slump down again, but tensing up when I spoke.

"I heard why we adopted him. Why were you deemed unfit to care for him, Sarai? Can I know that much?"

I could practically tell. The slight tick of picking of her nails, her thin frame, bags under her eyes, and many other telling signs.

"Me and my boyfriend were deep into drugs and alcohol at the time I got pregnant. As soon as I found out, I tried to stop. But I relapsed and halfway through my pregnancy they found out about my use and kept me in the hospital for the safety of the baby."

I nearly wanted to growl with anger. My baby brother could have had problems, or even be dead because of her. But before I could open my mouth, she beat me to it.

"I knew they would take him away from me. They said so. I begged and pleaded that they contact your dad. He had been such a good father to you and your sister, I knew he wouldn't hesitate to take him in.

"I decided against giving him a name so your father could choose it. I'm truly sorry for all the hurt I caused. I know you said you have forgiven me but-"

"I have to go."

I cut her off as I suddenly stood, rage burning through my every nerve.

"Micah, can we meet again?"

I looked down at her, a nearly pathetic frown on her face.

"I'll contact you later if I want to."

And with that, I was walking out of the small cafe, people immediately moving out of the way as I walked down the street.

The anger boiled for a bit before I actually started to calm down and think.

She had tried to stop when she found out when she was pregnant. She knew it wasn't good. But she still did it again.

It was a relapse, I had to remind myself. She couldn't help it.

She specifically asked for my father to adopt him, even though she left him all those years ago. She even decided to let him give Niko a name.

The night she left was blurry now. A distant memory covered by many others. But I still remember the hurt in my chest over the few years I waited for her to come home to us.

Luckily, Kai was much younger and she didn't rember anything. Never asked when her mommy was coming home. Never had to live with the sadness of knowing she was gone.

Dad and Pop are all she's ever known. Niko too. And I thank whatever god is out there that they didn't have to live that. I would take all of their pain for them to be happy.

Even if it meant hurting myself in the process.

I sighed as I checked my watch. I was going to be home earlier than I had anticipated.

As I unlocked the door and stepped inside the house, a flash of white curls crashed into my legs. "Bubby!"

I laughed gently and ran my hand through his hair. "Hi, Niko. How was your playdate with Meibel?"

"It was good! We played heros and villans together! And Kiyoto was there too! He said he was getting too old to play anymore but we made him anyways. He had fun!"

I smiled down at him and ruffled his hair. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. I have to put my bag down though."

The eleven year old giggled and nodded. "Okay!" He quickly ran upstairs and I could hear a door shut, rather loudly.

"Hey, Micah. Come here a second."

I glanced back into the kitchen as I passed, seeing my father leaned against the counter, his head down and eyes on the floor.

"What's up? Everything okay?"
A quiet sigh came from him as I grabbed a water from the fridge.

"Have you noticed anything wrong with your sister lately?" His weight shifted to the opposite foot it was originally on as I looked on in confusion.

I uncapped the bottle before speaking. "No, not really. Why? Is she alright?"

Slowly, my worry increased until he shook his head slowly, blonde hair swaying as he did so.

"I dunno. She just seems off today but I'm sure it's nothing." He huffed before turning to a plate of sandwhiches. "Want some lunch?"

I nodded and set my bag on the counter before grabbing one and taking a bite of it.

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Eh. Fuck it. It's edited and done so why the hell not publish early?