Before the rope could even be tied, there was a feral screech as a flash of sharp teeth and fiery hair descended on them from seemingly out of nowhere. Randy VIII had been drawn to the sound of conflict, and for a moment he had turned his back. Kurt wanted no part of him; he had nothing to gain by getting involved. But as soon as he had sensed real trouble, he'd dropped all of his reservations and come running without a second thought.

The crowd dispersed, leaving a bloody and broken, disconcertingly still Kurt behind....

Randy quickly inspected him. He was badly beaten, but alive--if only barely. The human hospital was not too far away, and so he lifted Kurt over his shoulders and ran there.

When Kurt was given to the doctors and taken to the emergency room the nurse told Randy that Kurt's injuries were severe but not life threatening and that he was expected to recover.

Randy nodded, visibly relieved by the news. He knew then that he could never completely leave Kurt...

Kurt was released from the hospital, he assumed that someone had come to help him but had no idea who. When he returned home he went back to his life as usual, not once considering that it might have been Randy VIII who helped him.

Randy made no move to tell Kurt that it had been him, or even to come and check on him after he'd been sent home. He'd watch from a distance as he always had, but this time there would be no fights. It left him with a sense of emptiness, worsened by the understanding that it wasn't the fights he missed. As Summer approached, he decided to clear his mind with a trip to the beach. He packed a few things and headed down to his sandcastle.

At the beach he met a young woman who called herself Baby...

Similarly as with Kurt, he had an unusually strong sense of connection to her. This time, though, there was no negative history clouding his feelings. Randy VIII was quite taken with her, and questions about Kurt were soon moved aside in favor of thoughts about Baby. He'd given her his number and address in hopes that they might meet again, and sure enough, she showed up at his door several months later--with an unexpected surprise.

As Randy's new family became a fixed and permanent addition to his life Baby began asking about Randy's history...

Not wanting to frighten her away, he had avoided the discussion for several weeks. At last, though, he decided to tell her everything. If he was going to keep her, she was going to have to know him for who and what he was. He told her about his species, his class, his violent tendencies, and how the three were connected. He told her about Kurt, and the teenage son they shared as a result of their past encounter.

Baby listened to all of it and while she openly admitted to being very uncomfortable she accepted Randy, "If I'm going to have you...I guess that means I have to take all of you," she said.

These words resonated with Randy in a very big way. Without warning he grabbed her in his arms, hugging her tightly against him.

Baby held him back, "I do...I do have one concern though...if you and Kurt fight again and something does happen to you, jail or death...what will happen to me and our baby?"

Randy pulled back to look at her. Was this what Kurt had felt? "I'll... do what I can to see that it doesn't happen," he promised.

Baby frowned, "D...don't do anything stupid, Little Randy and I need you," she said.

Randy shook his head and pressed her close again. The fact of the matter was, he needed them, too. Now he had a much less painful reason to avoid fighting with Kurt...

It wasn't long before Kurt encountered Randy VIII again, as usual he was determined not to acknowledge him...

Though Randy did acknowledge Kurt, it was with little more than a grunt and a nod this time as he headed to work. This wasn't optimal for Randy, but he was no more interested in picking a fight than Kurt was now that there was nothing to be gained from it. He frowned as he passed by, wanting very much to at least stop him and question him, but after their last encounter, even that had lost much of its appeal.

Kurt was surprised and a it unnerved to find that Randy wasn't instigating anything, he stopped in his tracks, "No threats? No harassment?" he questioned.

"No," Randy paused long enough to reply. "No more fights."

Kurt raised his eyebrow, "What made you decide that?" he asked.

"Don't do nobody no good," Randy muttered before continuing on his way. This now applied to both Kurt and himself.

Kurt was very curious as to what exactly that meant but he let Randy go, perhaps things would be clearer later.

"Later" came when Randy VIII was out in the park with Baby and little Randy that Spring. He sat in the grass and called to little Randy as she stood a few feet away, gripping her stroller for balance...

Kurt paused to watch, Randy with a family? He wouldn't have thought it, he watched as the little girl hesitantly let go of her stroller and took her first, wobbling steps towards her father...

Randy VIII cheered her on until she was within reach, then scooped her up proudly and coated her with kisses. It was one of the most joyous moments in his life, and it showed on his face.

Kurt couldn't help but smile, he remembered the days when his own children had learned to walk and how happy he'd felt, it seemed that Randy had taken to having a family, something Kurt had never before pictured.

Randy nuzzled the baby and finally glanced up to notice Kurt in the distance. He gave him a brief wave with his fingers...

Kurt returned the wave and gave him a smile, for the first time in their years as enemies, Kurt didn't have the heart to hate Randy VIII...

Randy smiled back at him, strangely not startled by the gesture, then turned his attention back to Baby and little Randy. For that instant, he felt very much at peace.

.....

Time wore on an Kurt found himself crossing paths with Randy again, "...H..How are you doing?" he asked hesitantly.

"Good." Randy fidgeted awkwardly for a moment. "You?"

"Good," replied Kurt as he chewed his lip, "I....I see you have a family now,"

Randy visibly relaxed at the mention of his new family. "Yeah, who'da thought? They great, though. I guess I see where you comin' from now."

Kurt nodded, "They become very important in a very short time..."

"It's a big change," Randy murmured, "but I wouldn't trade it for nothin'."

"Neither would I...so...so you're happy then?" asked Kurt.

Randy smiled and nodded. "More so'n I have been in a long time. I... I hope it stays that way."

"I...I hope so too and...I think it's time we put the past behind us," Kurt held out his hand for Randy to shake, "Do we have a truce?"