The foxes meet uncle Stuart. Maybe he needs Neil’s help with something? Because let’s face it, before he started making ‘mistakes’ and sacrificing everything to stay he was pretty damn good at what he did.

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Andrew was staring at him, his arms crossed, ready to kick him out the second he made any move that even suggested he was going to take Neil away. He had wanted to kick him out before he even got his foot in the door but Neil had insisted on hearing what he had to say. So now, Neil, Stuart, Kevin, Nicky, and Andrew were in their living room in awkward silence, waiting.

Finally, Stuart cleared his throat.

“I need your help, Nathaniel.”

“It’s Neil now.”Andrew’s fingers dug into his bicep, needing to stop himself from taking a swing at this guy.

Stuart nodded. “Right, Neil.”

Neil regarded him cautiously. He was family, the only family who had been able to save him from his father, but he was still a member of the mob and he didn’t know how far he could trust.

“You’re calling in your favor, right?”

“Favor?” Nicky sounded horrified. “From what, saving your life? You’re family! What is this, the Godfather?”

“Be quiet, Nicky.” Neil didn’t take his eyes off Stuart. “What do you need me to do?”

“I need one of your aliases. I’ve got someone looking to disappear, and I want to give him an identity that’s already been established so he’s not coming in out of nowhere.”

Neil nodded. “I can give you my German one, I’ve still got the passport and birth certificate for it.”

Andrew stiffened at this. He didn’t like the idea that Neil had some contingency plan hidden away at the back of his closet in case he needed to run again. On the other hand, if he was giving it away he hadn’t been thinking about using it. Of course, there were still so many more…

“What did you look like then?”

“Blonde, with green contacts.”

Stuart nodded, writing this down in a small notebook. “Anyone you knew that could verify his identity? Old contacts you could call in?”

“An ex bodyguard we had there, I’ll see what he can do. If not, I’m sure the Moriyamas have someone there they can put up to it.”

It was strange seeing Neil like this. Andrew had seen him backed into a corner, wild eyed with fear and willing to do anything to survive. He had imagined that was how Neil had always been while on the run, but now he could see that wasn’t true. Here Neil was calm and pragmatic, recalling all the necessary information from the old days on a second’s notice. Andrew wondered if he’d always be like that; instinctually ready to run, knowing exactly where to go and who to be.

Stuart continued to pepper Neil with questions on how best for this person to take on this German persona. His fake background, where he could have been all this time, fake family, what his mother’s persona had been. The whole time Nicky looked sick and Kevin looked horrified, truly realizing the life he’d almost had. He’d been beaten and tortured by Riko, he’d had to run after his hand was all but destroyed. But he hadn’t run like this. He hadn’t been Neil. He hadn’t known the spray of bullets after him, the feel of them cracking through muscle and bone, and saw of a knife over his skin. Andrew hated the thought, and hated more that it was all being brought back for Neil in this place that was supposed to be safe.

“Alright, that’s all I should need for now.” Stuart tucked away the notebook as Neil went to get the paperwork he would need for whoever this was to take up Neil’s old identity. “If I need anything else-”

“You can call,” Andrew finished for him. He didn’t want any more mob bosses from Neil’s past popping in and out like they belonged here. They weren’t part of Neil’s life anymore.

When he came back and handed over what Stuart needed, Andrew took stock of him. Face neutral and composed, hands still and firm, but shoulders trembling ever so slightly. It would take him a while to come down from this later tonight. If Kevin tried to get him to go to their midnight training session, Andrew would threaten to break his other hand.

“That should be all. I’ll stay out of touch unless I need you.”

Neil nodded. “Alright. And… Thank you, Stuart.”

He cocked his head to the side. “For what?”

“For whoever this is you’re helping run away.”

Stuart lowered his head a little, the formality going away ever so slightly. “It’s what I would have done for you and your mother, had I known.”

“I know. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Neil Josten. I hope it is a very long time before we hear from each other again.”

“So do I.” Neil walked him out, closing the door firmly behind him and locking it. He took a deep breath in, and Andrew waited, ready in case Neil needed him, needed to break after that harsh call from the past. But instead he just let the breath out slowly, relaxing his shoulders.

“You alright, Abram?”

“Yes, Andrew. I’m alright.”