A New Additon, Unsure but ready (Private)

(Part 1)

The train seemed so quiet today, the sun was shining with bright yet warming glow. The wind was delicate and gentle, the air was sweet with each breath. It was as though God had decided to make the day a peaceful one for the man who was feeling everything but peace.

Carver, who like the rest of the squad were riding in the private train that only had the squad within, was sitting on a corner seat by the window.
Roth sat just one seat away from Carver, giving him some space. Eva sat 3 seats away from Kye, the closed she could get to him without him telling her to leave. His eye's were fixed on the open window that was currently showing the lower ring as they were passing through it to get to the middle ring.
Although Luna and Kuabara were mostly occupying each other with their big and loving personality's, even they were quiet this time.

Everyone could feel it.

The tension...

The worry...

The uncertainty...

The squad could feel Kye's concern, they all understood and shared a common feeling on unease with how he felt. All they had to do was take a quick glance at him.
This squad, although they have been together for only a year now, they have practically lived and died together. Each one fighting together, struggling to survive, escaping with nothing but their lives, the battles, the struggles. The constant pressure of battle and war. How each mission might be your last.
This squad only after a year had learned so much from one another. So when Kye, a fellow man, was in a deep inner turmoil, the squad was feeling it together.
The earth benders that were driving the train kept to themselves in the back and front of the train.

As they began to arrive into the middle ring of Ba Sing Sae, Kye felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He still was trying to think, trying to get it all sorted out in his head.
Not only was he going to be visiting a 3 year old boy that was supposed to be his son, he also had to see Akane again. The woman who broke up with him and who he had try and get over and forget about. Yet here old wounds had to be reopened and they had to reenter their lives again. He already told himself that there was no way he was taking her back, he told himself that a long time ago.
However this boy was something he was now supposed to die for. A good father does that right? Kye didn't even know the first thing about being a dad.
He was a tool, a weapon for causing pain and death to others, one of the worst kind of human beings out there. Yet now, the Assassin had to be called a Father? A Protector?
He knew that a father was more then just a man that simply helped make a baby, a father is someone that is there for their child. A man to be looked upon as a role model, a walking lesson to the boy. Kye didn't feel he was any kind of example, all he felt was that he was someone he would never want any son of his to become.
Such a responsibility weighed heavy on his heart.

Roth, the flame swordsmen looked outside the window and saw the train station was close.

"We're gonna be getting off soon" He told the squad, breaking the long silence between them.

Kye took a deep breath and sighed before the squad all got up off the chairs and placed their hands on the poles of the train as it slowed to a stop at the station.
Carver looked towards Kye who was keeping his head down and his sunglasses on, yet his hood was off this time. Perhaps someway to prove he's ready to face what's to come?

Once the doors opened they all proceeded to walk out, not saying a word as they walked across the waiting room and down the stairs to the city streets.
Eva remained close to Kye, doing the best she could to support him despite how distant he was acting. Even if just being there provided him just a little comfort though she was happy.
Out of almost instinct the whole group walked in a wide formation, although they just casually walked through the streets, the formation they took was one of covering a lot of ground in a big area. The only flaw in the form was Eva being slightly closer to Kye.
Carver lead in the front, having both his leadership and heightened sense's. He knew where to go.
While Carver himself was concerned for Kye, he was hoping that his presence wouldn't get in the way. Last time he saw Akane was when he was yelling in her face after what happened between Kye and her. The leader's bold and short fused nature got the best of him on that particular day. When he heard what Akane did to Kye, he walked right up to her and started scolding her for what she did. It ended with her slapping his face and telling him to get out. However in doing so he slammed the door as he left so violently that the hinges broke and the door caved in the door frame. Needless to say he was most likely going to stay out of this whole thing as much as possible.

The house wasn't far, Kye could only keep moving despite his feelings of wanted to just turn around and get back on the train. He was so used to fighting in the shadows and staying hidden. Yet now this battle was going to be fought in broad day light with all eye's on him.

Time seemed to pass so quickly, because next thing he knew he, there were standing by the front gate of the house.

It was a 2 story house that had wooden gate which surrounded it and a garden that followed. Kye noticed the garden rather quickly, Akane always loved flowers, garden and all that, seems like she was still keeping up with her gardening hobby.
Luna rushed over to the gate and peered over the top to look at the flowers with the amazement of a child as she saw the colorful bloom of the summer plants that stood tall and showed their color's off to the world.
"Kye! You really lived in this place?!" She asked with joy in her voice as Carver opened the gate and let everyone inside first.
Kye followed and walked into the garden.
"Yeah...It wasn't this big when I last it though" He remarked about the garden.
It really was a lot bigger then before, it was more like a circle of flowers that surrounded the house last he saw, yet now it was so huge. The level of lush and vibrant colors followed by the rich smell was almost overwhelming when first walking in.

Kye walked up towards the stairs and stopped, his eye's fixed on the first step.
Carver who was now behind the group saw Kye stop and just watched.
Eva who was right behind him placed her hand on his shoulder. She saw he was scared and part of him didn't want to go up.
"Do you want us to go with you?" She asked him softly.
Kye kept his mouth closed and looked at the single step. He ran through he head a few poetry's lines and inspirational words about how life began with a single step. It was his brain's way of trying to help him go up.
Having the squad with him would be easier, but as a father, while people could help, was a responsibility he had to begin on his own.
He did in fact want them to come.
"No..." he told them with his quiet and slightly shuddering voice. He lied to them about that. He knew what he wanted, yet right now it was about what he needed.
"I need to do this on my own" He said a little more loudly for the rest of the squad to hear.
"Of course, take as much time as you need" Eva told Kye before she backed away from him a little bit to let him go up.
Kye nodded his head to her before looking up at the door.

It seemed to high, the man who could climb whole buildings in just minutes now felt he came across his biggest obstacle yet. However like any task he knew just standing there and thinking about it wouldn't do him any good. He didn't think there was anyway to truly mentally prepare himself, so taking a leap of faith, he lifting his leg up, and planted his foot down on the stair officially taking the first step.

(Part 1 end)

(Complete)

Going up each step Kye felt like he was walking towards a new chapter in his life, one where he was uncertain and nervous. Yet he tried to take strength from the rest of the squad that was right behind him.
He thought about what Carver said. His words about how all he's gotta do is just hold the boy in his arms, then he'll know. Carver's experience must have been much similar. So if he was able to get through it, then Kye figured he could as well.

After going up the last stair, he was just a single step away from the door.
He lifted his hands up to take off his sunglasses and slipped them into his pocket. His green eye's taking in the light now. It was surprisingly sunny today. He turned his head and looked in the direction of the sun without looking right at it.
It seemed like it was looking right back at him. It always looked like that really, like it's shining directly at you.
He turned back to the door, lifted his gloved hand up, he felt it shaking slightly.
Was he really this nervous? He looked at his hand and was almost amazed himself at his own feelings. He must have been over thinking this. Just remember what Carver said, nothing is decided yet, not until you hold that boy in your arms.

Still though...

It was damn hard not to be nervous.

His fingers curled into a fist and his knuckles hit the door lightly three times. 
After doing it he placed both his hands in his pockets and waited, keeping his head down.
It only took a few seconds for the sound of a deadbolt lock being turned open to hit Kye's ears. 
Kye's unease seemed to grow, a wave of nausea running over him, causing some of his muscles to tighten as he heard the lock.
The door was pulled open.

Kye's eye's stayed down, yet he forced them up just enough to see...Her again...

"Hey"  She greeted simple.

The first thing he noticed was her long, flowing red hair, upon open the door her hair danced with it lightly like crimson sparkling curtains. The natural deep red color was very noticeable. The next thing was her eye's. Those cerulean blue pools that surrounded her pupils of her's were like mystic spirits that were just as equally eye catching as her hair.
"Hey Akane..." He eventually was able to pull out.
She looked at him for a moment, seeming just as nervous as he was.
Her eye's turned the rather...Interesting group of people that was on her front yard.
"Are they coming in as well?"

"No not yet, I'd like to do this on my own first" He replied
She looked up at him, then nodded her head before moving out of the way for him to come inside.
He walked in, hands still in his pockets.
Closing the door behind him, Akane walked across the living room to the kitchen.
"Do you want some coffee?" She offered.

Kye looked around the house, the one he knew like the back of his hand. At least that was back when he lived here with her.
Walking in one would see the large living room with dark green and golden designs, the furniture was also of earth nation design. There was nothing fancy about the decor, what made the place special was the art on the walls.
Drawings, painting, landscapes, images and abstracts, all different kinds of art were on the walls. Some Kye liked, and some he didn't.

He wasn't in the mood for coffee, but perhaps it would make things feel more...Normal.
"Yeah sure" He replied, walking towards the dark red sofa and sitting down right next to the arm rest.
Akane didn't say a word, just like how Kye did the same.
He knew that the boy was around here somewhere. He tried to prepare himself in case he would come running in for something. Thinking of that though, he couldn't hear the sounds of a child, he must have been outside in the back yard. 

Akane came walking out two cups of coffee in her hands, one had steam coming out from it, the other did not.
She walked up to him and placed the cup of the coffee table before walking the couch that was across from the one Kye was sitting on.
Sitting down she took a sip of her coffee.
"So...How are things?" He asked her quietly.
He knew this whole situation was awkward, after how they broke up 3 years ago. They had both let each other go a long time ago. Yet now here they were, almost forced to oddly get into each others lives again. Were it not for the boy, Kye and Akane might never have seen each other again.
"Oh things are good, I'm working in the gardens of the Earth Nation Kingdom now, I might be getting a new place in first class pretty soon" She told him, trying to over come the very uncomfortable and unsettling feeling that she had about all this.
Kye nodded his head.
"Good...Good" He replied quietly, looking to his right to the fire place for a second. He noticed the picture's of him and Akane together were gone. Not a big surprise but something he noticed.
"How about you, everything alright?" She asked him before taking a sip of coffee.
"It's going well...We uhhh, just got back from a mission before coming straight here. An infiltration and recon job back on Kyoshi." He explained with relative ease, he was rather thankful she asked about his work actually. He was at work all the time so talking about it was calming.
However after he told her she was quiet. Just like he was.

After 5 seconds of silence, Akane figured she would have to talk about this at some point.
"Kye I-"
"I don't want to get back together!" He suddenly pushed out, interrupting her in the process.
Akane's mouth was left open slightly, followed by a shifting of her eye's and her gaze turning away from him.
What he just said was the very thing she was going to try and say, but only she was going to try and gently push the subject on him.
Kye himself felt his fingers tingling for some reason. He just lept right into it without thinking. You could say he was just getting tired of feeling weird.
"After three years I let go, I closed that wound a long time ago. It was hard, considering we were together for almost our entire lives, but I did it...So...I don't wanna go through that again" He told her with passion in his voice. Remembering old times like they were distant memories.
Their was still a little pain when he remembered.
From the first time they met when they were just kids, when they grew up together, struggled together, lived together. Every child hood memory involving one another in some form.
Akane was Kye's life, and Kye was Akane's life.

Looking at Akane after saying that, he saw she was looking away from him, yet those deep blue eye's of her's were shimmering from the sunlight. Her eye's were moist. She seemed to feel the same pain just as much as he did. Perhaps more so? He wasn't sure.

She nodded her head in response though.
"With..."  She felt her throat tighten a little, causing her words to stop, she closed her eye's for a moment and took a deep breath.
"With Enoch though...We'll have to stay in contact so..." Her throat tightened up again, their past weighing heavy on her heart.
Kye felt concerned for her at this point, yet he was listening, letting her take her time to speak.
"I'm sorry Kye, I'm so sorry" She finally pushed out with a pained expression of regret on her face.
Kye's eye's were looking straight at her, he felt his heart skip a beat when she said that.
He knew her well, he knew that she was sorry for a long time, so it didn't come as a surprise, but she never actually said it. After she left him, they had never spoken again until she sent that messenger hawk just 2 years ago.
He wasn't really sure what to say. However he could feel her pain as well.

"It's just that I know...I know that you knew already but...I just never said it so...I wanted to tell you. She explained with her face now red and her eye's moist and sparkling.
She lived with this regret for three years, yet she buried it deep within, not letting it out until now.
She left him, and for such a...Selfish reason. Kye was so busy at work back then that they never had time to be together, so they grew distant. Yet Kye always tried when he could to keep her happy. However despite his attempts her pain of being alone was too grave, and she ended up taking in the comforts of another man. She was not that kind of person, yet all it took was one brief moment of weakness while in the company of a close friend, and that was all it took. She kept it hidden from Kye for 2 months after. Kye himself found out eventually though. When he did, Akane felt that she wasn't worthy of him. So she left him, not considering his own feelings on the matter. Her intention was to spare him the pain and hardship, however she hadn't considered the possibility of him forgiving her. So when she left, Kye was forced to be alone.
Naturally, Kye's squad leader Carver noticed how different Kye was, and he confronted her. While she acted tough and made it seem like his harsh words did nothing, Carver in fact destroyed her, causing her to kick him out.
The intense regret and pain caused her to run away from Kye completely.
Where the pain came from was that she never let Kye do anything. She led the entire process. While she tried to spare Kye from feeling bad from any of this, she just in fact made things far worse.

Kye knew a long time ago that she was sorry. After being together for so long they grew a level of empathy for each other where they could quite literally feel what the other was feeling.

Hearing her say it now though, he felt the barrage of emotions she was feeling, and even though he felt no emotional pull to do so. A tear fell from his left eye, as did one from her left eye as well.
It was both a gift and a curse, regardless of if he wanted to or not, they both would feel what the other feels. No matter what they might do, or where they might go, their souls were permanently locked.

Akane hung her head down, looking away from him and she lifted her knee's up to her chest, and her arms hugged her rib cage.
Kye felt the same thing, yet he merely turned his head away from her. He didn't know what to say, or if he even could say anything. The tightness Akane was feeling on her throat was affecting Kye as well, preventing him from speaking. It felt almost like a spirit was choking him.
He had to stop this, he had to let her know how he felt in some way. However he couldn't say anything. So with nothing else he could think of. He slowly placed his boots firmly on the ground, and stood himself up.
Akane looked up at him, her powerful blue eye's looking right into his green eye's by mere instinct.
Looking down at her for a second, he motioned his head upwards, as though he was telling her to stand up.

Her legs moved down to the floor slightly, feeling his sudden spike of adrenaline and sincerity.
She placed her feet on the ground, however she stopped when Kye took two slow steps towards her, his shadow casting over her.
He stood right over her, just a few inch's away. His eye's piercing into her's, his gaze was like an abstract painting that one could see an image in, but had to look much closer in order to understand.
She placed his hands on her thighs before placing her feet firmly on the ground.
She rose up slightly, her chest almost brushing against his stomach. However just as she rose, Kye's arms suddenly shot out on both sides of her.
His hands both crossing together slightly before he placed them both on her back and pulled her in against him. His arms feeling the warmth of her body, and her chest against the top of his stomach.
Her eye's widened, followed by a deep gasp as she was suddenly embraced by an invitation of Kye's warmth.
A feeling she once considered the greatest gift of all
Her forearms were against his shoulders. In the shock of everything she had to take a second to comprehend that Kye's arms were now wrapped around her.
Her hands hesitated, but she slowly moved her arms down, and let her fingers trail along his chest and go around his rib cage to his back, where she placed both her hands on his back, and her head rested against his chest. Her head just below his neck. She closed her eyes and listened to his heart beat. The smell of her garden flowers on his clothes. Her heart beat went in sync with his, and she was able to exhale a long breath.

Kye looked straight ahead for a second before he looked down and settled his arms on her lower back. The smell of spring lilies in her hair as he lightly rested his chin on her head.
The feelings of pain he felt were gone now, because her's all but vanished. Where he wasn't able to speak, he let his actions speak for him.
His throat relaxed finally, and he felt no more weight on his stomach from the anxiety.
Although Kye would never get back with her, if but for a moment they both could pretend the past never existed. They both were then able enjoy this moment of peace.

Although no words needed to be spoken, Kye felt he only needed to mention three of them.
"I forgive you"

(Part 2 end)

(Part 3)

Continuing to admire the flowers, Luna Valentine walked around the front yard slowly, taking in the smells of each kind of flower. Her youthful and vibrant purple scanning each flower with delight. Kuabara, the 8 foot 4 giant even looked at them himself. Being the gentle creature he was, when he felt something crawling on his finger he looked and saw a caterpillar. Yet he simply looked at it and smiled before continuing to do his own thing without minding it at all.
Roth rested his hand on the hilt of his katana and simply stood in place. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his other hand before looking towards Carver.
The squad leader decided to sit down on the concrete walkway, leaning his back against the gate. He felt rather awkward here. Still thinking about how he scolded Akane last he saw her. Although it was years ago it still held enough weight that he would just rather not see her. He didn't like being put in situations where he'd have to deal with complicated issues like this.
He would stay for Kye though, he knew that the man needed all the support he could get. He was a good soldier, and a good man.
Eva stood right by the stairs with her hand on the side railing, looking up at the door with a look of concern.
Carver gave out a small sarcastic smile.
"The man's not gonna die up there, he'll be fine"He remarked, motioning his hand to her.
Eva turned her head to him briefly before looking back at the door.
"I know that" She replied sternly.
"He's never done anything like this before, I'm just worried."
"The man is a coward, who hides behind shadows" Roth said boldly.
He looked up at the house as well, looking through one the windows, however only seeing the reflection of the sun.
"However, even shadows stand alone, surrounded by light. If he and the darkness are one, then he can do this" He told her, as he pictured in his mind the shadow of a man that was standing while being surrounded by sunlight.
Eva thought about it for a moment and understood the meaning. Roth and Kye were rivals in a way. Roth was the picture of a samurai warrior, and Kye was the picture of a Shinobi. The two had completely different styles, two different ways of life, causing a rivalry between them. Deep down they both are like family, the rivalry is like that of a competition between two brothers. They don't like each other, but they care for one another all the same.

Carver nodded his head to Roth's comment.
Kuabara turned towards the three.
"Kye will make great dad" He told them in his deep and heavy voice that could only be described as the words of a caveman.
They all turned to face the giant as he spoke. Eva smiled in response.
Luna turned towards the squad as well and took a few steps towards them.  
"I can't wait to meet Enoch!"She said with a smile.
"Do you think he'll be like his father?"

Carver scoffed at the thought.
"I don't think shadows and gardens make a great match" Carver said before looking back up at the house.
"No matter how that boy grows up though, he gonna have a hard choice to make when he's old enough"
"What might that be?" Eva asked him.
Carver ran the image through his mind of Kye performing a stealth kill to one of the rebel soldiers of the Earth Nation. He remembered Kye grabbing a man's mouth before extending his hidden half sword from his sleeve and shoving in the man's back through his spinal cord and his heart at the same time using perfect precision.
"Whether he wants to follow in his father's footsteps or not. He told them all.
He knew that since Kye would be away at work it would be much similar to how Carver's relationship with his son was. The boy never saw his father, so he decided that he wanted to be like his dad, making sure bad people never hurt good people. Terra always told Laguna that his daddy was a hero, so naturally Laguna wanted to do the same thing. Carver didn't want his son to be a soldier, however he understood why the idea would come.
So now Kye's relationship with Enoch could very well be about the same.

Eva thought about it for a moment before looking back up towards the house for a moment.
"Kye is special" She told them as she thought about the spirit world for a moment, reflecting on her abilities as a spirit bender.
"I've seen it in him ever since I first met him, he has a aura that I don't think I've ever seen before, and I feel that Enoch has the same aura, only...Different" She explained to everyone, her eye's shifting to the left slightly as he paused on the thought of Enoch's aura.
Roth's eye's narrowed as he heard this
"Kye's been to the spirit world, and gained his abilities from it. What would make Enoch's aura different from his?"Roth asked her with curiosity in his voice.
Eva concentrated for a moment on the feeling she got from Enoch, however she couldn't understand it.
"I don't know...I just know that whoever Enoch grows up to be...He'll be special." She remarked, placing one hand on her chin and the other across her chest.

_________________________

Kye lifted his arms up and gently placed his hands on Akane's shoulders. As he did she slowly moved her hands down his body and rested her hands on his hips before they took a small step away from each other. However Kye kept his hands on Akane's shoulders so she would look up at him.
He felt slightly nervous again, he didn't want to say it, he didn't even want to think about it, but he knew he had to.
"Take me to see him"He told her while looking her straight in the eye's with a serious gaze.
She nodded her head before sniffling and wiping the tears on her cheek with her hand.
"Yeah...He's just in the back yard"She told him before taking her hands off his hips.
She didn't want to though, she had a feeling of hesitation as her hands left him.
However she turned around and walked towards the sliding glass doors that lead to the patio outside. The curtains were shut so Akane placed her hands on them and spread them open.
Right as she did, the sight of green grass and a fountain with fish in it could be seen.
However Kye only noticed those briefly, it was the much smaller person that was on his knees looking down at the fish that caught his eye.
Kye inhaled sharply, and felt like his heart just jumped in his chest. His eye grew wide as he saw the boy.
He had unkempt blonde hair, he wore a white shirt with a red stripe that ran down the back. He was laughing, sticking his hand on the pond and trying to touch the fish.
Akane placed her hand on the door to slide it open, but before she would follow through she turned her head to Kye whose eye's were locked on Enoch.
"You ready?" She asked him, looking back into his eye's.
He looked at Enoch for 3 seconds before turning his head to Akane for a brief second then turning back to the boy.
"...Yeah" He whispered.
Akane could see he was nervous, but she knew that he would want to do this on his own so she wouldn't go with him.
She slid the door open, then stepped aside for him to pass.

Kye took a deep breath, looking down at the sliding door frame that was between him and the concrete that lead to the grass outside.
This was it, this was this was really it. As soon as he would step over that gap, it would mark the true beginning of his responsibility as a father. He didn't know the first thing about being a dad, but he knew that he wouldn't let any son of his down when they needed him.
He lifted his left foot up, moved it over the gap, then placed it down on the concrete path.
His other foot then followed.
He walked up to Enoch who was still playing with the fish and didn't notice him.
He walked up beside him, Kye's eye's still locked onto the boy. He merely stood there for a moment before slowly getting down on one knee beside Enoch.

He looked down at the pond, there were salmon and catfish swimming around in there. They all tried to swim around as they avoided Enoch's hand that was trying to grab them.
Not knowing really what else to say, Kye was only able to come up with
"Hey..." He pushed out, practically forcing the words out.
He wished he could be more comfortable, it wasn't a good first impression as a role model.
Enoch turned his head and looked at the large man in black.
Kye noticed the boy's eye's, they were a bright purple, with what looked like some sort of light behind them. Aside from the color they were just like his mothers.
"Hello" Enoch replied in a slightly high pitched voice.
Kye found himself unsure of what to say. He blinked and looked down for a moment back at the fish.
Enoch turned back to the fish and put his hand back in the water, gripping at the fish as best as he could.
Kye's eye's turned to his arm.
"What uhhh...What are ya doing there?" He asked him awkwardly although he tried to mask his voice with some measure of confidence.
This wasn't going well at all he thought.
"Trying to catch the fish" He replied as he shot his hand forward farther and grabbed at the fish when it got close.
Kye saw how he frantically tried to grab them, as soon as the boy felt they were within reach he shot his hand after them, causing them to swim away.
"Well...You won't be able to catch them like that...Here" He told him before he rolled up his sleeve and pulled the fingers of his glove off before his hand slipped out of the Kevlar glove.
"You put your hand in gently like this" He said as he slowly let the tips of his fingers dip into the cool water. He let his hand gently go further in, the water surrounding his hand. He stopped once the water hit his wrist.
"Then you just stay still like this, the trick is to let the fish come to you" He told him as he kept his hand perfectly still.
Enoch payed close attention and pulled his hand out, looking at the fish and Kye's hand.
The fish swam around, slowly getting closer to Kye's hand with each circle they made in their swim pattern.
It didn't take long, but slowly but surely, one of the salmon in one of it's paths lightly grazed Kye's thumb.
Enoch gasped and his eye's widened as he saw the fish touch Kye's hand.
The gasp and sudden movement caused the fish to swim away. Kye gave out a small half at Enoch's reaction.
"See? You just gotta be patient."He told Enoch as he took his hand out of the water and shook his hand before putting his glove back on.
"I wanna try!" He yelled with enthusiasm.
Enoch dipped his hand back into the water and let it remain still as he waited.
It took only about thirty seconds before catfish lightly hit Enoch's hand with it's tale.
Enoch yanked his hand out with a gasp by the sudden touch before he smiled and started laughing.
"Heheh, there ya go"
Kye lifted his hand up to Enoch.
"High five" He said with a smile.
Enoch hit Kye's hand with an open palm, letting out a loud clap.

Akane was leaning against the glass of the door with a big smile on her face, laughing as she saw the high five.
She half expected them to take long to already start playing, yet it only took a few minutes for them to being figuring each other out.
She was nervous about how Kye being gone would affect Enoch, however she knew that Kye would make a great dad. He just didn't know it yet.

(Part 3 end)

(Part 4)

Some time had passed...

As the squad talked to each other the front door slowly swung open.
Roth was the first to notice, turning towards the door, his vision breaking contact from the squad. The others followed and turned as well.
Walking out was Kye, he had a serious yet somewhat satisfied look on his face. Like he was at peace. Eva saw it as him being "Relieved"
Carver lifted himself up and stood on his feet.

Kye looked down at them, he didn't say anything for a moment. He had a lot of thinking to do. One of those things, was coincidentally the very thing Carver had mentioned, what would Kye do if Enoch wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps.
He looked at the squad not as soldiers, but as friends. If Enoch wanted to be a soldier, he would eventually join the squad.
Could this group help support Enoch? Could they be like family to him?
Carver would no doubt be a good leader for the boy and a good role model when Kye wasn't around, since his job was being alone as a shinobi.
Eva would be there for Enoch on a mental and emotional level. Roth and Kuabara would be great protectors, and Luna would be a great friend.

Kye considered this for a few seconds, the squad merely looked up at him at waited.
"You can all come up now and see him if you want to" He eventually told them, taking a step to the side for them to pass.
Luna rushed up the stairs first.
"Oooh I wanna see him!" She said joyfully as she trotted up the stairs.
Kuabara quickly followed with his sasquatch feet stomping on the steps. Kye could feel the vibrations from his weight. He even had to place his back right against the railing for him to pass.
Roth followed, simply passing the shinobi warrior and not saying a word.
Eva came up next, turning towards Kye.
"How'd it go in there?" She asked him gently.
Kye nodded his head to her and gave out a very small smile that was more like a twitch of the corners of his mouth rather than an actual sign of happiness.
"It...Went well, we worked it out" He told her before lightly placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Go see Enoch, tell me what you see in him when you get the chance"He suggested before she smiled at him and turned to leave.
As Carver walked up the stairs and went to pass Kye he intended to just pass. However Kye lifted his arm up in front of him and blocked his path.
Carver's eye's narrowed as he stopped and turned to face him.
"Yeah?" He said with a slightly tone of annoyance.
Kye turned his gaze away from Carver before putting his arm down.
"You were right Carver...Only thing is all I had to do was see his eye's." He told him in a somber yet hopeful tone.
Carver looked Kye in the eye's seriously for a couple seconds before smiling and letting out a small chuckle.
"Heheh...You'll do fine buddy" He remarked before making a fist and lightly hitting Kye's shoulder before walking inside.
"Just try to smile more"

Inside Akane was standing in the living room to greet everyone with a smile.
The young Luna ran in with a continuous smile on her face. She walked right up to Akane and shook her hand.
"Hello! I'm Luna, it's very nice to meet you!" She happily said.
Akane shook her hand with a smile in reply.
"Nice to meet you as well, I'm Akane"
Luna was very small, even to Akane. To her she seemed like a little girl, yet there was an air of experience that surrounded her.
"Please make yourself at home" She added.
Luna bowed her head to her as a reply.
"Thank you" She said before walking past her and over to Enoch who was still outside. Only this time her hand was still as it was in the water, letting the fish graze his hand.
Kuabara's entrance caused a slight and sudden gasp of breath in Akane. The man was huge! He was hunched over and the top of his back was against the ceiling. He was bigger than a gorilla and towered over Akane, making her seem like a twig in comparison. However the massive man held the biggest smile with his large mouth that was just one of many of his large features.
His body made her want to take a step back, however his face was very friendly.
Kuabara extended his finger out rather then his hand, a habit that he had to create since his hand is far too big to be grabbed by another for a handshake.
"My name Kuabara"  He said with a smile as well.
Akane looked at his finger and quickly understood the gesture. She wrapped her hand around his finger and shook before letting go and letting him pass.
Roth walked up next, following the same handshake process with him, followed by Eva.
Carver walked in, but much more slowly. When he saw Akane he wasn't really sure what to say.
Seeing him she remembered what he said to her three years ago, how he scolded her and yelled at her. She could see he remembered it as well, hence his awkward way of walking in.
"Hey Akane" He pushed out.
"Hello Carver" She replied.
Kye who was behind Carver stayed where he was. He knew about what happened between them and understood why the air got a lot more uncomfortable.
Carver still felt like he said the right things, despite how harsh he was. However he understood his anger, and how she felt the full force of it.
"Yeah...So listen I'm-
"No, no...It's fine, you don't have to apologize" She told him suddenly, cutting him off.
Carver let out a small sigh and rubbed his eye for a moment with his finger.
"Thanks...
Akane nodded her head.
Not really sure how to break the ice, he simply performed the slightly awkward action of turning slightly to walked past her.
"Hold on" She said out loud for him to stop.
Carver stopped in his tracks and felt a slight spike of anxiety. He thought she was still mad about it and had something say. A long sigh came from his lungs before she turned around to face her, His expression looking apathetic.
"I know with Kye gone all the time Enoch will work hard to make his father proud. I don't know how he'll want to do it, but if it's the military. I want you to be his squad leader." She explained to him with sincerity in her heart.
Akane and Carver could be called nothing higher than acquaintances even when Kye and her were together. However from what she saw, and what she heard when Kye talked about him, Carver was a very good man and a noble leader with a immeasurable drive to protect and help others. His often cold and standoffish way's were only walls that were built from his hard experience's. She could see it to when she looked in his eye's.
A pure soul that was covered in scars.

Carver's gaze turned away from Akane's, he some odd feeling that this would happen. Yet he felt a little frustrated that it did. He didn't want them to feel like they could push their child on him. He was a friend of Kye's and the man's Captain and that was it, not a babysitter. However he understood the request. Better your boy be in the hands of someone you know then sent off with some other squad your not even sure you can trust.
Yet this was all too soon for him. The boy was only three years old. Clearly she had much to learn about parenting.
"The boy's gonna go on his own road. Let him grow a little before start worrying about his future." He replied, turning his head to Kye for a moment to catch his expression on this. He seemed to agree with what Akane was saying before.

Carver lifting his hand up and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Eh...If the military is what he's gonna want though, and I ain't KIA by then...Then sure, I'll recruit him" He told them both, feeling that they would both by happy with the answer. It was true in that he would recruit the boy if circumstances allowed it, however with his line of work, another 15 to 20 years down the road was a destination a military Captain might not ever make. Yet deep down, in the part of his heart only Eva and his family before understood.
He was compassionate, and didn't want Kye or Akane feel the worry of Enoch being in the military.
Kye would be away from the squad since his main role was Infiltration and Recon, so Carver would gladly fill the role of "Protector" or "Role Model" which Kye and Akane felt his was well suited for.

Akane folded her hands together.
"Thank you Carver" She said with a smile as she looked up at him.
Kye took a step forward and placed his hand on Carver's shoulder.
"Lets go see him"  He said before taking a step forward and waiting for Carver to follow.
"Sure" He replied simply.
The three of them walked outside to where Luna, Kuabara and Eva were. Kuabara seemed to be playing with Enoch, throwing  up both him and Luna in the air at the same time with each arm and catching them while they all laughed, Eva included.

Once Carver walked outside with Kye and Akane he looked up at Enoch who, since Kuabara was above 8 feet tall, was being thrown 15 feet in the air.
"Alright squad!" He announced, looking back down at everyone.
"As of now you're all off duty. You stay if you like but you don't gotta come back with me when I go" He informed them all.

"Yes sir!" They all said back to him before continuing to play with Enoch.
"Higher!" Enoch joyfully called out to Kuabara.
Roth stood beside Eva and watched.
"He does look like his father" He pointed out.
Eva turned her head to him for a moment before looking back at Enoch.
"You're right...He will grow up to be strong. I can see he will have great power" She told Roth.
"A powerful bender?"
Eva smiled and shook her head.
"His spirit, he has a strong soul, one I can see taking him to great places"
She cleared her throat for a moment.
"But yes as a bender as well" She added.
Roth looked back up and Enoch and narrowed his eye's. He bet Enoch would be a dark bender.

The group from there continued to talk and mingle with each other until they all eventually left and went their separate ways. They still had to go back to the military base in Ba Sing Sae and report what happened during their mission.
Kye would work it out with Akane further later but he would visit as often as he could and spend time with Enoch. The goal for now was to just get the 3 year old used to calling Kye "Dad".

(Part 4 end)