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Jarvis said nothing to protest the young master's decision. He had been through a lot and the last thing he needed was someone nagging on him. It would only cause more distress.

"As you wish young master." He spoke respectfully before turning about and heading back up to Mr. Whitebane's room to attend to his condition.

There would be no sign of Nicodemus' arrival. If he had know he would have immediately dropped whatever experiment they were conducting, but the head scientists knew this and still kept word of his mother's death from him. They even halted any out-going mail to insure focus.

Mr. Whitebane remained in his chair looking over the gardens. The soup sitting on a small table next to him had already cooled and became inedible with the passing of time. Jarvis had been unsuccessful in getting Mr. Whitebane to do anything, muchless talk.

Any and all form of message was purposefully blocked before it had reached the Fox labs. The Dr. had specifically asked that he not be distracted from his tests, his experiments. And because of this Nicodemus was none the wiser about what had befell his family, that he was severely needed at home. Instead he focused on his training and occasionally thought of which base he should request to be moved to. One that Riot would enjoy his first years in the military.
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Jarvis rushed through the mansion halls upon hearing Riot's determined scream. The faithful butler had been between caring for Riot's father, Riot where he could and sending more letters for Nicodemus' return. He must have sent more than twenty by now. Unknowing that they had been burned soon after leaving the home.

"Young master!" He called as he tapped on the door to the room. "Young master, please... Might I suggest that you take a moment of your time to visit Mr. Whitebane." He offered with a hesitated tone.

Since loosing his wife Mr. Whitebane had deteriorated considerably. He had yet to remove himself from his balcony where he continued to stare out over the gardens and refuse any form of sustenance. Jarvis had done everything he could with no success to pull the heart-broken man out of his depressive state.

Oh his own formalities would be his undoing one of these days. Jarvis drew a deep breath and leaned closer to the door.

"Forgive me if I step out of line here Young Master. Your father... I do not believe he will last much longer himself if he should carry on as he does now. I cannot get him to move, to eat.. It would be my recommendation to at least try to talk to him. He does blame himself for the loss of his beloved, I have heard him rambling at night when his body would not allow him to remain awake any longer. Try as I have, he will not listen to a word I have said. I can only hope he will listen to you young Master. He needs you now more than ever."

Jarvis straightened his posture and took a step away from the door. He had said all he could.

Out of duty Jarvis lead the young master to his father's room, but halted at the door. He still had some food to prepare in hopes of getting the father to eat something.

Within the parental's room it was practically untouched. The bed was made as if no one had slept in it in ages while the floors remained spotless. A small breeze blew in from the open balcony door where a single chair sat overlooking their garden. Within the chair was a husk of a man slumped from his own fatigue. The elder whitebane's eyes had remained glazed over from tears that would no longer flow from his eyes. His skin had grown pale and his gaze distant. He remained oblivious to anything and everything as he wallowed in his guilt.

Jarvis parted after Riot’s hollow threat of taking his own father’s life. His eyes had widened slightly, but he did well to keep his surprise to a minimum. Nothing could be held against the littlest Whitebane, his mother’s words must have been fresh on his mind still. The family butler resolved himself to keep his mind occupied with preparing the food.

The elder Whitebane looked from the ‘endless’ garden to his son. Though the words were harsh he took no offense to them. His eyes looked back to the garden.

“I have lost my better half…” He croaked as if quoting scripture. “Whole no more. I was her cover, and failed to do my job… I failed her.”

Colorless eyes shifted as he looked back to Riot. So much sorrow filled the man’s heart it had begun to overflow through his eyes in small trickles. One could not comprehend how much ache was felt within this man’s heart.

“Failed you… what right do I have to press on when I failed my love.”

Each word of his son's was a new coal atop his head. He slumped further in his chair taking each word for what it was, the truth.

"A good father.. doesn't forget those things. A good husband, a good cover... doesn't forget." He mourned and turned his attention past Riot to the garden for a moment as thoughts of his departed wife pulled at his mind once more. "I... I will never hold anything against you... my Elanor was right."

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he could picture her face perfectly in his mind. Her smile, her laugh, the joy she carried when she looked upon their children. All of that he had lost.

Eyes somberly looked upon Riot once more. "Just... promise me this and only this my son, when you find your other half... be a better cover for her... a protector for her... don't be like me. My son.. don't ever be like me and forget what you are to do... don't loose your way.. don't loose your other half.... Don't be like me..."

His voice begun to trail along with his stare. Once again he looked past Riot and out to his beloved's gardens. Eyes lost to a nightmare he was doomed to re-live over and over.

His father only listened as more and more coals were heaped upon his head. Every word was another dagger to his already broken heart. Once again black fog had seeped into his mind and opened up ever memory of each birthday, each event, each time he had neglected his youngest son. He loved him dearly, but it was never showed. Rudolf never knew of the love his parents had for him.

“No… I will never look better…” The words my son stuck on his tongue. No, he did not deserve to claim anyone as his son. “I was no father to you. And I was never ashamed of you… only myself. My failures… failure to be proud of his own son… No… at this point I will not look better. Not for her… I failed… her…”

Focus continued to be in another time, another place as he continued to look out over the gardens. A small breath passed his lips. “I am so sorry my beloved Elise…”