"Lead the way," Ricky said, walking up the stairs and gesturing for Agatha to enter Lucky's office as she stormed back in.
However, before they could walk up the stairs, Alexander glanced around as if lost in thought.
"Ricky, this is where we part." Alexander said quickly, tapping his cheek in a subtle signal.
He then slipped off Ricky's shoulder, intent on checking if his godchildren were safe, while Bucephalus followed after him.
His coat had become disheveled from the battle and was in desperate need of Danielle's attention.
"Uh huh," Ricky muttered, watching Alexander scurry off to find his children before turning his gaze up the stairs.
Lucky, standing in the doorway, raised an eyebrow at Ricky, who answered with an understanding nod that made him exhale slowly.
"Aye, thanks for taking care of things while I was gone." Ricky said at the doorway, trying to keep it light, but Lucky stopped him from following Agatha into the office.
"Did you make that bastard pay for what he did to Frank?" Lucky asked, his voice more emotional than Ricky had ever heard it, his gaze locked on him.
"Tell me you got him." Lucky said, needing to hear it directly from Ricky, who grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it tightly.
"I f*cking got him."
HUFF
Lucky exhaled, the weight that had been pressing on his shoulders finally easing, and for the first time in a week, he felt like he could truly breathe.
Sniff
"Good," Lucky said, sniffing lightly before walking over to the couch where Raven sat, silently relinquishing his interim role back to the real head of the family since that was all he had needed to know.
"Hey, honey~" Raven said, giving Ricky a little wave as he strode toward the desk.
"Are you seriously going to use the fact that I missed the birth of our child to be here?" Ricky asked genuinely, watching her shamelessly shrug at his question.
"Of course," Raven said plainly, drawing a slight chuckle from Ricky before he sighed and sat in his seat at the head of the family once more.
"I know what you're gonna say, but before we start, did you thank Benny yet?" Ricky asked, leaning back in the chair and taking the same posture Lucky had, fingers interlaced.
"What?" Agatha asked, unable to process his question as she had expected him to dive right into the matter, only to suddenly change the subject.
"Did you thank the guy who had nothing but still managed to save our daughter and our son?" Ricky said, watching Agatha's lips press shut since without even speaking to Lucky beforehand, his thoughts were almost identical to his pops.
"Told you." Lucky muttered from the side, laughing softly as Agatha closed her eyes.
"I know." Agatha exhaled, steeling herself before opening them again.
"Ricky, look at me. I know," Agatha said sternly, understanding how close it was from Lucky's earlier words and seeing things clearly from her perspective.
"But this coven is all I've ever known." Agatha said, pleading her case and clutching the cloth above her heart.
"I've been with this coven since the witch hunts in the 15th century, Ricky." Agatha explained, referencing just how old she truly was as Lucky raised an eyebrow, looking her up and down as if to confirm it.
"I've grown old with this coven, shared my years with its people, my people." Agatha said, strolling her supple body closer to the desk.
"I've watched generations be born and wither away. I am still watching lineages continue from their very first start." Agatha said, almost laughing from the raspiness in her voice.
"Please don't take that away from me."
Perception shapes how we interpret the world, coloring the meaning we assign to every moment, even to this one.
To Raven, Agatha's speech was nothing more than a desperate thrashing; like someone drowning, fighting a relentless current she couldn't overcome.
To Lucky, the coven was a looming threat.
No matter the tears streaming down Agatha's cheeks, all he saw was that road where Frank had said his final goodbye.
But to Ricky, watching the woman bare her soul, he saw something different: love.
To him, something clicked.
Almost as if he understood where Agtha's heart truly lay, even now.
Ricky was a selfish man, and the moment he realized Agatha's heart wasn't firmly in his grasp, that it belonged to the coven, something inside him twisted.
Every sacrifice, every risk, every moment up to now had been for them.
And that realization twisted something inside him, a sharp pang of jealousy.
Ricky was used to being the center of everyone's world, the gravity pulling others in.
But here, in this moment, he saw that Agatha's universe revolved around something else, something greater than him.
It somewhat felt as if she loved her coven more than she loved him.
And once that thought settled in, it made him all but secure his standpoint.
"The coven's going to have four options," Ricky said, raising his gaze to the tears she shed for another.
"Ricky, please~" Agatha cried, shaking her head at the exact answer she never wanted to come true.
"They either stay and live on that island."
"They join the Luciano family."
"They join Lucky Incorporated."
"Or they get the f*ck out of my city."
"My city." Ricky emphasized, taking his time to say each word and as he did, Eldric finally began the operation.
"Elder, are you sure-"
From one of the streets, a warlock cautiously voiced a question to Eldric, but Eldric cut him off before it could be fully asked.
"I know all of you are hesitant, I am as well," Eldric began, scanning the crowd of witches and warlocks, each wrestling with their own internal battles over what lay ahead.
"But you've all seen what Ricky Luciano is capable of," Eldric said, his words compelling the downcast gazes to lift and meet his.
"He is ruthless; we've all witnessed that side of him firsthand," Eldric said, his tone almost downplaying it, aware that none of them truly understood just how brutal Ricky could be.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but deep down, I know this is how we protect our coven."
As Eldric spoke, Dexter raised his eyes with a fierce resolve, an unwavering commitment that none of the others could yet summon.
"Our ways, our traditions, and everything we've come to know will live on within the Luciano family," Eldric said, aiming to ease their worries and reassure them that the only change would be coming under the family's umbrella.
"They won't understand now, but they'll thank us later." Eldric said, though in truth, he was speaking to himself as he turned away.
"We'll be traitors, hell, they might even disown us once it's all said and done." Eldric said, his voice heavy with the burden they all began to settle on their shoulders as their expressions hardened, matching the fierce resolve in Dexter's.
"But I'm willing to be a marauder if it means our traditions live on." Eldric added, tapping his chest as the others slowly nodded in agreement.
Taking a deep breath, Eldric turned and slowly opened an orange portal.
One by one, a dozen more portals appeared, all leading to the underground operations the coven had built in times of crisis.
These were the places where Agatha had poured her heart and soul, working tirelessly until her sudden confinement under house arrest forced her into the very position she had found herself in.
In the two days following the disaster, she had been trying to repair the damage while fortifying the remaining hidden operations beneath the surface.
They were places that only few knew about and as an Elder, Eldric knew the exact location of each one.
"Elder Eldric?" A witch asked, rising to her feet as Eldric stepped slowly through the orange portal, his gaze meeting hers and those of four others gathered nearby.
"Oh thank the ancestors you've arrived, those people have captured Agatha-"
"I know," Eldric said, looking at them as his orange grimoire slowly began to rise above him.
"But all of you are going to slowly close your grimoires and come with me." Eldric added, staring deeply into their eyes as the four smiles immediately faded to ashen expressions.
"Y-You've taken that monster's side-"
"Please." Eldric said, his voice breaking as he raised a hand to halt whatever they were about to do.
"Please don't make me do this." Eldric pleaded genuinely, his guilty expression laying bare the weight of betrayal even as he begged them for understanding.
"SOARING WIND-"
"ICE SPEAR-"
"GREATER SHIELD-"
"GREATER DEFENSE-"
In an instant, the four began casting spells, their voices rising in unison as Eldric's body trembled while hesitating to do what needed to be done.
Then, the image of his daughter echoed sharply in his mind, forcing him to raise his gaze back at them.
"Neutralize!" Eldric's pained voice rang out above theirs, his grimoire bursting with glowing numbers and symbols.
The symbols twisted and warped, weaving themselves around the incoming spells in an instant.
Breaking them apart and dissolving them into nothingness as Eldric held up his hand, commanding the power.
His body shook slightly as he watched the four coven members fight desperately to keep one of the last bastions of the coven alive, tears trickling down his cheeks.
"N-N-Neutralize." Eldric whispered, orange flashes casting harsh light across his face as one by one, bodies crumpled to the ground.
The roots of their power were being forcefully torn out as these former coven members knew every weak spot and attacked with heart-wrenching brutality.
All while Ricky broke the news to Agatha.
"This is my city," Ricky said, fighting to keep his selfishness buried.
But with every tear she shed, he couldn't shake the weight of that earlier realization
"Y-Y-" Agatha stuttered, her eyes glistening with more tears as her helplessness twisted into anger.
"YOU'RE INCORRIGIBLE, RICKY, SELFISH TO YOUR CORE!" Agatha screeched, rising slowly as her mascara-streaked tears ran down her cheeks in black lines, only sharpening the fury etched across her face.
"AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE FOR YOU, AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE SACRIFICED-"
"AND I REPAID THAT BY GIVING YOU STATEN ISLAND!" Ricky yelled, standing and meeting her hateful gaze head-on.
"I GAVE IT TO YOU, AGATHA, WITH NO F*CKING STRINGS ATTACHED!" Ricky yelled, gesturing toward her as if he could hardly believe it himself.
"YOU TOOK MY SIDE AND BACKED ME WHEN I CAME BACK TO THIS CITY-" Ricky began, only to interrupt himself with a bitter laugh.
"THE CITY THAT EXILED ME, THAT KICKED ME OUT, AND THE CITY THAT DIDN'T WANT ME!" Ricky listed off, making it clear to Agatha since
"I MADE THIS CITY MINE, AND I GAVE YOU A PIECE FOR FREE!" Ricky proclaimed, slicking his hand through his hair before shaking his head.
"Ask Lucky, hell, even ask Raven!" Ricky said, stepping to the side and pointing at the two spectators, using them as proof.
"Ask them if I, in all my selfishness, ever gave something like that to anyone else!" Ricky laughed, spreading his hands toward them both as if handing her the floor.
"ASK THEM!" Ricky roared, his voice echoing through the room.
Agatha stared hatefully at the ground, refusing to meet Ricky's gaze, knowing even Raven hadn't been granted a borough.
"BECAUSE I HAVEN'T, AGATHA. I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANTED BECAUSE I F*CKING LOVE YOU!" Ricky yelled, laughing bitterly at how absurd it sounded when spoken aloud, then took a step forward.
"And what did your coven do, huh?" Ricky demanded, locking eyes with her as Agatha stared back into his green gaze.
"They stabbed you in the back, Agatha." Ricky's voice softened, but his anger didn't fade as he stared at her. Her hateful eyes welled with tears once more.
"And then they stabbed me in the back," Ricky's voice seethed as he stepped right in front of Agatha, staring down at her while she refused to meet his gaze.
"Your coven betrayed you," Ricky said, grabbing her chin and lifting it, forcing her to meet his eyes as he spoke his next words.
"But most of all, they betrayed me."
"And I will never let that slide," Ricky said resolutely, locking his determined green eyes with hers.
"Especially after what they almost did to my kids, our kids," Ricky said, emphasizing that last part as she wiped her nose.
"I know I've been sh*tty to you, and yet you always find a way to love me." Ricky said, grabbing her hands as they tried to push him away.
"But I can't let this go. I just can't." Ricky added, trying to hold her gaze with his sincere expression, but Agatha turned away.
"I gave your coven everything, Agatha," Ricky said, repeating the tired line to make it clear that nothing was going to change no matter how much she pleaded.
"And what did I get?" Ricky asked, his voice nearly breaking as he thought about how close his kids had come to falling into Merlyn's hands.
The sheer dread Ricky felt when Merlyn showed him that projection was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
But that projection went hand in hand with that vision, of him standing before the graves of everyone he loved, hovering dangerously close to becoming reality.
It terrified him so deeply that his ruthlessness began to consume his anxiety, driving him to root out every threat before it could ever touch him again.
"What did I get, Agatha?"
"Sorry-"
"I got stabbed in the back and it f*cking hurts." Ricky said, showing real vulnerability to Agatha who couldn't even find the words to retort.
Lucky simply closed his eyes to the side, looking away. Though he felt the same as Ricky, hearing it was still hard for him as a man.
Meanwhile, Raven's eyes stayed fixed on Ricky, watching him confront another woman.
But all she saw reflected back was the genuine pain etched across his face, not even sparing a glance towards the crying Agatha.
"Rigth now, Eldric is taking control of all your operations, everything."
The words made Agatha's sorrowful face snap back toward him, incredulous at what he had just said.
"Y-"
"My guys died, Agatha." Ricky stopped her, releasing her wrists as he slowly walked toward the table.
"They died because of you." Ricky revealed, knowing it wasn't truly her fault, but as their leader, the responsibility fell on her.
That's the worst part about being a leader: every victory might not be yours, but every failure is.
And the hardest part is living with that failure, sometimes without ever tasting another victory.
"It's your fault," Ricky said simply, turning his back to her as he walked back toward the desk.
"I could say it's not your fault, that you couldn't have known." Ricky sighed, sitting down and turning to face her shocked expression.
"But dammit, Agatha, you f*cking should've," Ricky said, scanning the drawers of Lucky's desk for a cigar or cigarette, only to find none.
"I should've known." Ricky added, closing the drawer and pinching the bridge of his nose.
"We both should've known and now, we gotta live with that." Ricky revealed the hard truth, leaning back in his chair as Agatha rubbed her shoulder.
"We gotta live with the fact that we f*cked up, that we're the reason this happened, and if we were better, all this could've been prevented." Ricky said, staring off towards the side before shaking his head at all these what if's.
"We could've prevented Chores from losing his leg, Johnny getting shot to hell, Vito being torn apart, and Frank's death," Ricky said with finality, returning his gaze to Agatha.
"And now, we gotta do something about it, both of us."
"And if you can't make that decision then I have to, this is happening." Ricky said, pressing his finger on the desk to highlight that fact.
"The coven, or what's left of it, is under my official control." Ricky said, stating it firmly rather than asking. Agatha could only wait for him to finish.
"There is no longer the coven, there's only the Luciano family."
"From this point forward, there will be no independent states in my f*cking kingdom," Ricky said, tapping sharply on the desk.
This was what Ricky had truly always been circling around, the weight of being king.
Before, he'd joke or claim he didn't want the crown, but deep down, he was like Julius Caesar standing before the crowd in Rome.
And now, with the crown finally resting in his hands, he knew he couldn't give it up.
"You are all under my umbrella from now on. The coven will continue to exist, but only as an extension of the Luciano family," Ricky said, making it clear to Agatha how things would move forward.
"They're going to do me proud. Hell, even now, I've got my eyes on a couple of them," Ricky said, trying to ease her worries, promising he would take care of them in her absence.
"And you know I'm gonna look after everyone who wasn't involved in this. You know me." Ricky added, holding his hand to his heart, the ring of Profaci glinting in the light.
"Ricky, I've been alive longer than you have," Agatha finally said, her fists tightening with every word.
"Long enough to look away from certain things, like that." Agatha added, nodding toward Raven, who was currently nestlingThrawn.
"But don't talk down to me, I deserve better." Agatha demanded, watching Ricky's expression soften before looking over to the side.
"No, our kids deserved better-"
"Stop bringing them into this!" Agatha snapped, her anger flaring with every word Ricky said that wasn't what she wanted to hear.
"They were already brought into-"
"You know, sometimes, I wish I never got into bed with you that night!" Agatha screamed, the words escaping before she could stop herself, her words as vicious as they were cruel.
"....."
For a full minute, the room fell deathly silent.
Agatha slowly began to realize what she had just said, opening her mouth to speak again, but the words faltered as her gaze met Ricky's.
"Wow." Ricky said, reeling from her sudden outburst as it was the only word he could manage, and the only one that fit.
From the side, Raven reeled in from the shock, a hand pressed against her mouth to hold back her laugh.
But Raven let a small chuckle still escape, earning her a sharp side-eye from Agatha.
"I-I didn't mean that-"
"It didn't seem that way-"
"This is between us!" Agatha snapped, whipping her head toward Raven, who raised a hand in mock surrender.
"Ricky, listen to me-"
"No, I get it. You got into bed with me because I was powerful. It's alright." Ricky laughed lightly, pretending the words hadn't affected him at all as Agatha shook her head.
"That's not how it is. Not anymore-"
"So it was at first?" Raven cut in, deliberately pulling the conversation back before it could move on.
Agatha's eyes darted between them, the pressure in the room closing in like the walls themselves were leaning over her.
The stares of the three intensified, making Ricky, Raven, and Lucky feel like towering figures looming over her, until she finally broke.
"I-I want to leave." Agatha said, trying to hold onto her dignity as she kept her head high despite their stares.
"After I get word from Eldric, you can go," Ricky replied, resting his head against his hand, his expression bored and Agatha's face crumpled at the sight.
"I-" Her voice wavered, thick with emotion, but she couldn't finish when she saw Ricky smile at her as if nothing was wrong.
Because she saw it.
She saw the truth beneath the smile, the quiet wound that showcased just how deep her words had cut.
It was true they had used each other when they first met.
And it had taken time, battles, and betrayals before their love finally bloomed between them.
What they had now was real.
That was what made her regret hurt all the more.
Everything felt like it was spiraling in the worst possible direction as Agatha turned to leave the office, hastily wiping her tears away while rushing through the doors.
When the doors opened, Agatha stepped into the hall and felt herself sink to her lowest.
On the second story, every Luciano man assigned to watch her stood at their post, eyes tracking her every move.
Her heels clicked sharply against the floor, each step echoing beneath the weight of their stares.
It was tempting, so very tempting, to unanimously agree with Ricky.
But that didn't erase the truth: Agatha was still a victim.
Yes, it was her fault.
Yes, she bore responsibility.
But all she had ever wanted was a safe haven for witches and warlocks.
She had grown up in an age of witch-hunts, where a woman could be burned alive for nothing more than saying God wasn't real.
It was a ruthless time, an age of finger-pointing and accusations that fed on fear.
She remembered hiding with her mother during those years, the terror thick as smoke in their lungs.
But what she remembered most, the memory that never let her sleep, was her mother's voice.
Screaming.
Burning.
All Agatha had ever wanted was to protect her people from that gruesome fate.
And Merlyn had taken that kindness and twisted it for his own ends.
Now it felt as if she had followed in her mother's footsteps only this time, she had let her own children down.
She had wanted to pass the coven down to them, to see it cherished as much as she had cherished it.
She had wanted it to be their inheritance, their sanctuary.
But all of it had gone up in smoke.
And now, she was left with nothing but the sound of her own screaming.
Right now, all she wanted was to be with her children, and as she opened a particular door, she unveiled where Lucky had put every one of his grandkids.
All of Ricky's known children were there minus Augustine who was still in the vatican.
Moxie was counting his nickels and dimes, Carmine watched him from the side, keeping to himself in a corner.
Bob danced quietly to a tune only he could hear, while Danielle calmly brushed Bucephalus, a gentle smile on her face.
"No, you have to strike with a force like this," Alexander instructed, trying to teach Johnny how to properly swing the wooden sword, while the infant's attention was drawn to the gerbil.
Meanwhile, Zatanna giggled as she chased Sarah around, playing a lighthearted game of tag across the wide expanse of the room.
But instead of searching for her children, her eyes unknowingly locked onto the small gerbil, Alexander.
One of Ricky's closest confidants and the godfather of her two children.
"Children, come here," Agatha said, wiping her eyes as she bent down as Zatanna's head jerked to the side.
"Mommy!" Zatanna giggled, toddling toward her mother before barreling into her arms.
Agatha clutched her tightly, burying her face in her beautiful daughter's black hair before glancing over at Alexander, who slowly grasped what had happened.
"Go be with your mother, young Johnny," Alexander said quietly, tapping the infant's cheek before turning to Agatha, his face lighting up with joy.
The momma's boy crawled over, only to be scooped up by his mother's other arm as she gazed down at the gerbil.
"I know it was you," Agatha said, shifting the blame to the only person she could think of who held such influence over Ricky.
The one Ricky listened to with undivided attention besides Lucky, the man who prioritized conquest above all else.
Agatha turned her scornful gaze toward Alexander the Great.
"I know it was you who turned my Ricky into what he is now," Agatha said hoarsely, her gaze piercing as she glared down at Alexander, who remained silent.
Bucephalus opened one of his eyes, moving his tail so that Danielle couldn't look as he squinted at the woman.
Alexander, however, didn't deny the accusation in the slightest.
He agreed with Ricky's words and had been one of the few from the beginning who opposed the coven having full sovereignty.
But instead of speaking of conquest or repeating some spiel about survival of the strongest, Alexander looked at Agatha, not as Alexander the Great.
But as her children's godfather.
"You and your conquering," Agatha hissed, scowling at Alexander as she pinned this relentless ambition on the gerbil above all others.
"Is that all you do?" Agatha asked, wondering if conquering was truly all Alexander ever thought about, since it seemed to be all he ever talked about.
"Do you ever take a second to think about all the people you conquer?" Agatha pressed, probing deeper into the horrors his ambition had likely unearthed.
"How did they suffer because of your conquests?" Agatha asked, tilting her head toward Alexander as Bucephalus's squint deepened into a fierce, maddening glare.
"How many women and children like me were crushed by your ambitions?" Agatha heaved, knowing it was wrong but casting all the blame on the only one within her reach, as if it might ease her pain.
"Too many." Alexander simply replied, his voice breaking since he had never been proud of that fact.
"How can you even sleep at night-"
"I don't," Alexander revealed, staring up at Agatha with an expression that conveyed the deepest regret and sorrow.
"Every time I close my eyes, I see the faces of all the innocent people I've wronged," Alexander said, shutting his eyes as if to show her.
But his words were no act, for behind those closed lids, Alexander truly saw the screams and cries of everyone who had suffered in pursuit of his ambitions.
"You speak as if I don't know the tragedies of my conquests," Alexander said, opening his eyes and locking them onto Agatha with a clarity that cut through her false anger.
"I know the horrors of what I've done more than anyone because I wear it like armor." Alexander whispered the last part, every word weighted with meaning.
"Because unlike you, I never cowered from my failures," Alexander said, fully aware she was using him as a scapegoat for everything that had happened.
"I wear them like the scars on my body."
"And you can blame me for what has happened, I do not mind." Alexander said grimly, unflinching under her blame, then raising his next words as a question.
"But I must ask, not as Alexander The Great, but as your children's godfather." Alexander said clearly, setting aside the man he once boasted to be and embracing the title Ricky had entrusted to him.
"How could you let your coven fall into that state?"
At those words, Agatha's fury skyrocketed, feeling as if she were hearing the same message secondhand from both Ricky and Lucky.
It was as though her entire world had turned against her, a sting that never dulled no matter how far she ran.
The words were the same, though packaged differently because while Lucky, Ricky, and Alexander were all different, they were united in their shared judgment of what Agatha had allowed to happen.
"Ricky entrusted me with them, to protect them, to mentor them, to be there to guide them." Alexander said, his voice breaking with every syllable he mustered.
"I saw it too," Alexander said, holding his fur as his paw clenched over his heart.
"I was there, just like Ricky, when Merlyn revealed the horrors unfolding in New York," Alexander's voice cracked as he relived the memory he refused to forget.
"I saw the very things happen to them that Ricky asked me to protect them from," Alexander said, stopping himself mid-sentence as his head dropped toward the ground.
"And all I could do was watch."
When Alexander accepted the role of godfather, it was more than just a title to him.
It was an unbreakable oath.
Something he vowed to uphold with every fiber of his being.
Though his emotions remained carefully guarded during the battle, his heart shattered at the terrible vision Merlyn revealed.
Even when Ricky lost consciousness, masking his turmoil behind a calm exterior, Alexander felt his own heart pounding fiercely in his chest.
The anxiety clawing at him was something he hadn't experienced in years, a restless torment that stayed with him even as he rode Bucephalus back to New York.
Yet, even then, he refused to find peace.
That week, in the quiet darkness of night, Alexander obtained the orb containing the full record of those catastrophic events.
He watched it relentlessly, unable to tear his eyes away.
Sleep became a stranger to him, his tiny eyes glued near Ricky's bedside as Alexander's nights were consumed by the orb's haunting images, each replay a fresh wound, a self-inflicted torment.
For all his legendary feats and glory, for all his experience with his life, and for everything he had gone through to get where he was today.
He was convinced he should have seen what was coming.
He had failed to protect, failed to foresee.
"I should have seen it."
Those words echoed endlessly in his mind as he watched the recordings again and again.
And, like Lucky before him, there was only one thing Alexander could summon in response:
"I should've seen it, and now I'll have to live with that," Alexander revealed, accepting his share of the blame, convinced he didn't deserve any innocence.
"But so will you."
Agatha immediately stormed out after hearing this, her footsteps heavy as she left the room.
Alexander watched silently as a single droplet of water fell to the floor, his gaze fixed on it.
SNIFF
Agatha began to cry again, this time without holding up any pretense as she let down her walls as she entered her room with Johnny and Zatanna.
"Mommy?" Zatanna asked softly, her voice trembling as tears began to well in her eyes at the sight of her mother crying.
SNIFF
Johnny said nothing but gently wiped the tears from Zatanna's cheeks as Agatha sniffled, forcing a smile.
"Mommy's alright, now that I have my beautiful babies," Agatha said, hugging them both tightly as they wrapped their little arms around her neck, holding her close.
"Mommy's going to be alright," Agatha whispered, more to herself than to the two of them. But Johnny and Zatanna simply held her, offering quiet comfort in the moment their mother needed it most.
Meanwhile In Lucky's Office,
"First of all, that was too far, Raven," Ricky said, turning his gaze toward her as she held Thrawn and gently caressed the infant's cheek.
"I missed you too, honey." Raven chuckled, making a joke of his words but as she looked up, she saw his serious expression.
SIGH
Ricky could only let out a long sigh, already knowing it hadn't been a good idea to have Raven in the room with Agatha.
Part of him kept her there out of guilt for missing baby Thrawn's birth, and the other part out of curiosity about why Lucky had wanted her here in the first place.
"What's it gonna take, Raven? Just tell me," Ricky said plainly, getting straight to the point as he leaned on the desk.
"I don't know what your talking about-"
"Oh, come on, doll, we both know you weren't here for moral support," Lucky laughed, shaking his head at Raven, who simply closed her eyes and smiled.
"Fine, I do want something," Raven said, and as she did, that fierce look swirled in her yellow eyes.
"First of all, I have a fundraiser coming up, one with a lot of important people who I told you would be there." Raven said, watching Ricky rub his face in exhaustion, knowing this was probably more than just one simple request.
"Ricky, I need you to be there. Promise me," Raven said, staring him dead in the eye as she stood and slowly swayed her hips toward him.
"Okay, I promise-"
"Good, now, the next thing." Raven said, plopping down in Ricky's lap with their child still in her arms.
"I'm really not in the mood right now Raven, could we-"
"I want a piece in the Luciano family," Raven said, watching Ricky's words come to a halt as he slowly turned his gaze to her.
"You want to officially join the family?" Lucky asked from the side, surprise in his voice. He hadn't expected a girl like Raven to want to get so deeply involved, at least, not yet.
"I want a real nest egg for Thrawn, not some trafficking charity," Raven said, her yellow eyes locking onto Ricky's, who slowly smiled.
Rubbing his face, Ricky realized what she was doing and glanced over at Lucky.
"What do you think, Lucky?"
"Oh, I don't know, Slick, she does run a pretty good operation as it is, and I don't think we want to mess with that." Lucky said with a playful tone, not meaning a word of it.
In reality, Lucky was genuinely proud that one of his daughters-in-law was trying to get even deeper into the family.
He hadn't built any real connections with the women Ricky had been involved with before.
It wasn't that he disliked Ricky, far from it, but the principle was that none of them truly wanted to become Lucianos.
But the more Raven associated herself with Ricky and the family, the more Lucky found himself warming up to her.
She wasn't just another outsider; she was becoming someone he could almost think of as his own daughter.
"Very funny, but I'm serious," Raven said, laughing along, though her eyes stayed locked on Ricky's.
"I'm guessing you already have something in mind?" Ricky mused, watching her glance to the side.
"I want the nightclubs-"
"Nope," Ricky cackled, holding his face and leaning back in his chair since it was something he wasn't about to give up.
Although the nightclubs were undeniably profitable, and served as a convenient way to launder the Luciano family's money, Ricky's attachment to them went deeper than just business.
The clubs held sentimental value; they were the very first things Ricky and his friends had been trusted to run, the foundation of their rise within the family.
And Raven understood that all too well.
Raven knew those clubs weren't just assets to Ricky, they were a symbol of his beginnings, a piece of his legacy.
That was exactly why she wanted them set aside for Thrawn, so when he came of age, he'd inherit not just wealth, but a meaningful part of his father's history.
"Two-"
"You can have one, but only the ones we just opened." Ricky said, referring to the underperforming Mystique Lounge or the Velvet Veil.
"I want the Mystique Lounge." Raven decided, liking the name as she stood up from his lap, satisfied now that she'd gotten what she wanted.
Ricky chuckled softly as Raven kissed his cheek, but before she could pull away, he gently grabbed her hand.
"I'm not in the mood-"
"I wish it was about that," Ricky joked, raising his eyebrows in a teasing way as Raven playfully rolled her eyes.
"Hey, I'm sorry," Ricky suddenly added, not the best with these kinds of words, but Raven smiled warmly at what felt like a genuine apology.
"Here," Ricky said, pulling something seemingly from thin air and placing it in Raven's hand as she raised an eyebrow at the unexpected item.
(Epic Item) Dolly Parton's Masters: A magical vinyl record that contains all of Dolly Parton's songs, from her early hits to her most iconic anthems.
"It's for that pretty voice of yours," Ricky said with a toothy smile, remembering how he'd heard Raven singing to her belly when she was pregnant with Thrawn.
"What is it exactly?" Raven asked curiously, inspecting the object that clearly looked like a regular vinyl.
"The Citadel back in Other can go to like, other worlds and sh*t, which is where I found this while I was snooping around." Ricky lied, knowing it wasn't entirely true but controlled literally anyone who could say something against it.
"I don't know if she exists in this world, but I think you'll use it better than I would." Ricky said, tapping the vinyl while holding out his cheek for some sugar.
"Thank you, honey," Raven said, grabbing his cheek and pressing her lips not onto it, but his.
For a painfully long moment, Lucky stood to the side, trying not to watch as Raven stuck her tongue down Ricky's throat before finally releasing her grip on him.
"Lucky." Raven smiled at Lucky, unashamed and swaying her hips all the way out of the door before stopping.
"Also, about loaning Chester to me-"
"No," Ricky said simply, shaking his head as she put on a playful, fake frown.
"So rude~" Raven pouted, winking at him before closing the door behind her.
The moment she left, the atmosphere shifted completely.
Any warmth that had remained vanished as the room filled with men.
Their masks and fake expressions dropped away, leaving only cold, hard looks on Lucky and Ricky's faces, expressions sharp enough to send chills through anyone who saw them.
"I know-"
"How the f*ck could you almost let that happen, Slick?" Lucky demanded, his hands clenched into fists as he fixed a hard glare on Ricky.
"I know-"
"HOW COULD YOU ALMOST LET THAT F*CKING HAPPEN, SLICK!" Lucky roared, finally unleashing his anger on the person he held responsible, while Ricky simply remained seated.
"DAMMIT, SLICK!" Lucky shouted, standing up and pacing the room while Ricky stayed calm.
"You saw it, I know you did, cause Alexander told me about the f*cked-up situation that Merlyn put you through." Lucky revealed, having had a talk with Alexander when he came to check if his godchildren were alright.
"And so you brought back a bunch of jewels," Lucky laughed, shaking his head as if it were the worst thing.
"It's just money, it's made up!" Lucky yelled, his face flushing red as he slowly walked toward the desk.
"Pieces of paper with pictures on them so we don't kill each other just to get something to eat." Lucky laughed, seeing material wealth as little more than an excuse to convince others that things had value.
"None of that means sh*t," Lucky said, swiping his hand through the air toward Ricky, who simply replied with the same calm.
"I know."
"THEN STOP F*CKING AROUND!" Lucky roared, slamming his hands on the desk and locking eyes with Ricky.
"YOU'RE THE F*CKING BOSS!" Lucky continued, jabbing his finger directly at Ricky.
"YOU'RE THE HEAD OF THE LUCIANO FAMILY, YOU'RE THE HEAD OF THIS FAMILY, YOU!" Lucky continued, driving the point home with every exaggerated word so Ricky couldn't mistake his meaning.
"SO START ACTING LIKE IT, GODDAMMIT!" Lucky screamed, slamming his hand on the desk to emphasize his point before bringing it back up.
"BECAUSE I SWEAR TO GOD, SLICK!" Lucky roared, shaking as he jabbed a trembling finger into his own chest.
"I swear to god." Lucky's voice lowered, the thought swirling in his mind forcing his tone to its lowest.
"If I ever have to bury one of my grandbabies, I will never forgive you," Lucky said, his eyes conveying the deep emotion that was reflected in Ricky's.
"Never." Lucky hissed, watching Ricky stare back, locked in a silent, intense gaze.
"I'll handle it."
SIGH
"Good, good."
Then, as if his anger had been for show, Lucky let out a heavy sigh, allowing the weight that had long burdened his shoulders to finally loosen.
"I know you will, but someone needed to say it," Lucky said, tapping the desk before walking back over to the couch lounging at the side.
"I swear to God, Lucky, I won't ever let it get that close again. I swear," Ricky said, trying to quell any lingering doubts in Lucky's mind.
"You know the kind of guy I am, and you know I won't let it happen twice." Ricky said, thumping his chest as if to highlight the insanity lacing his words.
"I trust you, and I know you'll come through, cause you always do," Lucky said, waving his hand as if brushing off the tension.
"So, what are we gonna do about Frank's funeral?" Lucky asked, settling onto the couch and rubbing his mouth to shake off the sadness.
"First, I'm gonna go give my condolences to his ma." Ricky said, his head collapsing into his hands at the mere thought.
"Y'know she's been crying for days?" Lucky added, trying to keep his voice steady while masking the pain with a laugh.
"Going to the church and asking Jesus's statue why her baby needed to be sacrificed," Lucky said, shaking his head since he had to even ask the priest to notify him whenever she came to plead before the statue.
"I'll handle it, Lucky," Ricky said, his words brief but carrying everything Lucky needed to hear as he nodded in response.
And Franky Jr.?" Lucky asked, watching Ricky glance to the side before returning his gaze.
"I'm gonna give him an out, let him walk away." Ricky said, knowing the Costello family had done enough for the Lucianos.
"Thank you," Lucky said, knowing he wouldn't be able to live with himself if Frank's only kid died, leaving his mother the sole survivor.
"F*ck, Lucky~" Ricky heaved, his head crumpling further into his hands as Lucky closed his eyes.
"How the hell am I gonna be able to look Bianca Costello in the eyes?" Ricky wondered, knowing she would forgive him, but not wanting to face her for that very reason.
"You do it as a Luciano and you take it on the chin."
SIGH
"Alright, fill me in on the situation." Ricky said, nodding his head to Lucky's words and raising his gaze to what had happened while he was gone.
"Firs toff-"
After Lucky gathered all his grandchildren and made sure the gold cloaks were dealt with, he began planning his next move.
At first, he wasn't sure how to overpower Agatha, until the anti-barrier field came back online when she arrived to make peace with him.
Once he placed her and the coven members who accompanied her under house arrest, Lucky made his move.
Essentially, he had rounded up all the coven members and was holding them at the Giant's stadium.
But not before grilling the members who came with Agatha about the whereabouts of the anti-magical devices they had commandeered after Lady Angela arrived and activated them, turning the stadium into an internment camp for the coven members.
This was why the coven members were so apprehensive about following Eldric, they were the last remnants of the coven that hadn't yet fallen under Lucky's control.
"You rounded them up? Jesus, Lucky." Ricky sighed, rubbing his forehead but Lucky didn't even flinch.
"I couldn't trust a single one of them, and I won't apologize for doing what I thought was necessary," Lucky said simply, shrugging as he refused to feel bad for that rat hole of a coven.
"But I am sorry about the mess you're gonna have to clean up if you still want to convince them to join." Lucky added with a smirk, watching Ricky face the reality of cleaning up the mess he created instead of the other way around.
"So this is what it feels like having to clean up after someone-"
Knock
Knock
"Whoever that is, It better be f*cking important!" Ricky yelled from across the room after hearing the knock on the door.
"It's done," Eldric said from the other side, letting Ricky know he had complete control over the coven.
"Good, come in."
Eldric walked in, causing Lucky's eyebrow to raise, until he realized how Ricky had pulled it off.
"Everythign is under your control, the coven, and everything that makes it up." Eldric informed Ricky, summarizing everything quickly and concisely.
"Good, 'cause we've got a situation," Ricky said, leaning forward and locking his fingers together.
"I need you on cleanup duty when it comes to explaining the mess with the coven," Ricky said, side-eyeing Lucky, who just shrugged in response.
"I've already been made aware."
"Then go release them-wait." Ricky suddenly stopped, falling silent as if lost in thought.
A few minutes later, an undead hovered into the room, and Lucky's eyes grew bloodshot.
"You called-"
BAM
Before Merlyn could finish, Lucky slammed his fist into the undead's face as it hovered nearby, forcing it to regain control of itself.
"I take it your Lucky?" Merlyn simply said, finally getting to meet the man behind the myth.
"You piece of sh*t!" Lucky scowled, cussing out Merlyn while grabbing his collar.
"If it makes you feel better, this is now my current state-"
"It doesn't," Lucky said, hucking a loogie at his face before turning back to the couch.
"Go with Eldric and take care of all the rats that might be there." Ricky notified Eldric, having called Merlyn here for that exact reason.
"Even the children?" Merlyn wondered, watching Eldric's face pale at the very thought.
"I'm kidding." Merlyn joked, his amusement as dark as his antics which made everyone scoff.
"Take care of anyone who has ties to you, anyone." Ricky said firmly, making it clear it didn't matter. Merlyn simply nodded in response.
"And Eldric." Ricky said, turning over to Eldric who gulped at the sudden light flickering in his green eyes.
"Convince them to stay."
"Boss, you held them in-"
"Convince them to stay." Ricky repeated, shaking his head as if Eldric's words didn't matter to him in the least.
"I don't want them leaving, I want them under me-"
"But you said-"
"I lied." Ricky revealed, having kept the second part of the last option hidden for a reason.
"The fourth option wasn't just leaving New York, it was leaving without their life."
The words that echoed from Ricky's mouth made Eldric freeze stiff, the weight of the order forcing his head down as he shook it.
"Please-"
"I won't ask you again, Eldric." Ricky's voice was low and firm as he pointed at Eldric, making it clear he wasn't asking but demanding.
"You're my hound. Now be a good dog and get it done," Ricky said, pointing at the orange portal he hadn't yet stepped through.
Ricky simply stared at Eldric, his deadpan expression making the old man lower his head and step into the portal, with Merlyn watching behind him, amusement flickering on his face.
"How'd you get him on the leash?" Lucky asked the second they left, raising an eyebrow to Ricky.
"His daughter." Ricky revealed, watching Lucky cackle outwards and then clap his hands together.
"Oof, you're a heartless bastard," Lucky chuckled, though he didn't argue with the decision.
"I took after my pops," Ricky said, watching Lucky spit out his remaining chuckles and slowly stand up.
"Well, these old bones are tired." Lucky said, grabbing his cane and rubbing his tired eyes that hadn't slept in two days.
"I'll see ya tomorrow-"
"Do you see it?" Ricky asked, needing to be sure as Lucky paused just before reaching the doorknob.
"Do you finally see what I'm trying to do?" Ricky pressed, staring at the back of his pops, who slowly turned back around.
"Yeah, I do."
It took Lucky a while to see it, but now that he had, he made his stance clear and Ricky was finally relieved to see him fully on board.
Before, Lucky had only been supporting Ricky.
But now, he truly believed in the vision.
If he had doubts before, they were erased after seeing what Louis and even Jeremiah could accomplish given enough time.
Though it was a little hard for Lucky to accept non-Sicilians into the family, the fact that they were learning the culture and embracing their ways eased his worries.
Lucky truly believed in tradition and family values, and it was those principles that made the Luciano family what it is today.
As long as the family stayed true to those ideals while building on them, Lucky could only say one thing.
"It's gonna be f*cking huge," Lucky smirked, his words making Ricky's excitement grow as he leaned forward.
"I'm getting ready to do something big, Lucky, something that's gonna make or break this family." Ricky revealed, watching Lucky's smile grow with every word he uttered.
"I'm ready for more, for everything." Ricky said, clenching his fist before Lucky to emphasize his resolve.
"I want to start sinking our claws into the world," Ricky finally said, his gaze fixed not on Lucky, but on the distant horizons ripe for the taking.
"Through this."
Then Ricky finally set the stacks of papers down on the desk as Lucky's previously desperate figure slowly approached.
"The Veil Method?" Lucky read aloud, staring at the title page before flipping through the contents.
But as he turned the pages, instead of giving Ricky the usual reaction, his response was different, something deeper, more thoughtful.
"Good, GOOD!" Lucky said, clapping his hands, excited not only that Ricky was thinking ahead, but that he was doing so on such a grand scale.
"So, what's gonna be the veil?" Lucky asked, placing the title page on top of the others and tapping it with a toothy grin.
"Lucky Incorporated, that's how we're going to spread." Ricky said, hinting at some of the parts of his so-called veil method.
"I want to use business expansion into different countries to establish our foothold before we really dig our claws in." Ricky said, rocking the chair back and forth, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Well, I gotta ask at this point," Lucky said, managing to muster only one question after glancing over the plan.
"What's the first target?"
throughout the world.
At the sound of Lucky's question, a flood of possibilities swirled through Ricky's mind.
Last night, he had spent hours weighing where to begin.
Carefully considering countless approaches while following the outline he'd painstakingly written across these twenty-five pages.
But with the world in turmoil, hostility rising, and fear creeping into politics, there was only one place where Ricky wanted to make his mark known.
"The Olympics."
No one really knew about Lucky Incorporated or its revolutionary products because of constant delays.
With setbacks at the factory and everything else always pulling Ricky away, he could never get the company off the ground.
But now, with his focus fully returned, Ricky was determined to force his company into the spotlight.
Leveraging the most media-driven event in the world to announce their arrival.
"Now, I just gotta figure out how I'm gonna weasel my way in there," Ricky said, knowing there were plenty of ways to grab some of that press, but he needed to choose the right one.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," Lucky said, tapping the desk with a spark of excitement in his step as he made his way toward the door.
"And can you-"
"Yeah, I soft ball it in with the other high ranking members but you're gonna-"
"Tomorrow, I'm holding a meeting with every high-ranking member of the Luciano family." Ricky informed Lucky, watching the retired mobster nod in approval.
"I'm all in, Lucky." Ricky added just before Lucky reached for the doorknob again.
A ruthless smile bloomed on his face as the old man chuckled softly and slowly exited the office.
"Took you long enough."
SIGH
As the door closed behind Lucky, Ricky sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair and staring up at the ceiling.
But instead of kicking up his feet to relax, he stood abruptly.
This wasn't a time for rest, it was a time for action.
Frustration crossed his face as he moved through the door, knowing he needed to do something.
He needed to see his kids.
That's why Ricky opened the door to the playroom, where he found everyone.
"RAAAAAAAAAAA!" Sarah screamed, pretending to be a dragon as she chased Moxie around the room, nickels scattering everywhere.
"My money!" Moxie yelled, scrambling to gather the coins, only to see Sarah still hot on his heels.
"There's my little furball!" Ricky laughed, scooping Sarah up from her chase and hugging her tightly.
"DADDY!" Sarah exclaimed, her red curly hair puffed out as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him with all her might.
Danielle looked up from brushing Bucephalus, who scoffed but gave her the go-ahead.
Without hesitation, she bolted forward, lunging onto his leg and holding on for dear life as Ricky bent down to scoop her into his other arm.
"I missed you," Danielle said quietly, looking up at Ricky as he kissed her on the cheek.
"I missed my little angel-"
"I WANNA BE AN ANGEL!" Sarah shouted excitedly, her little hands reaching up to cover Ricky's smile as he chuckled warmly.
"I missed both my angels-"
"I'M AN ANGEL, I'M AN ANGEL!" Sarah laughed heartily, rocking back and forth in Ricky's arms while hugging Danielle, who smiled and congratulated her.
"I want to go home~" Carmine whined, tugging at Ricky's pant leg as he looked down at him.
"I missed you too, buddy," Ricky joked, watching his son scrunch his brows and cross his arms.
"I wanna go home~" Carmine whined again, stomping his foot as Ricky set the girls down, who immediately hugged his legs and rubbed his hair.
"Alright, go tell your mommy I said it's fine," Ricky said, smiling at Carmine as he pinched his cheek. Carmine swatted his hand away and bolted out of the room.
"Father, I would like to have a sleepover with Gus," Henry said, walking over with Gus, who nodded in agreement.
"I would like that as well."
Over the week they spent together, Gus and Henry's friendship blossomed into something inseparable.
Unlike Ricky's other kids who were eager to play and run wild, these two preferred the quiet comfort of books.
Both geniuses in their own right, they found solace in each other's company, a rare space where they never had to pretend or put on a facade.
Their bond deepened as they shared late-night conversations, often diving into the statistical intricacies of baseball, dissecting numbers and probabilities with a passion that went beyond the game itself.
"Not today, next week, cause Gus has to go home," Ricky said, shrugging at Henry as he knew Rosa and Juan were probably worried sick.
Although Rosa had come to New York to check in, Lucky had firmly insisted, much to Juan's fury, that Gus stay at his house, assuring them it was the safest place for him.
"Go find your mother," Ricky said, ruffling Henry's hair before patting his shoulder.
Henry nodded at his father's choice, then glanced over at Gus and smiled.
"I will miss you, Gus."
"And I you."
Instead of hugging, they shook hands as their firm grip conveyed everything that was left unsaid.
Only then did Henry walk toward the door without any regret, while Gus nodded quietly at his departure.
"Did you have fun?" Ricky asked Gus, bending down to his eye level and brushing something off his cheek as the boy stood still.
"I did, Father," Gus replied, nodding softly as Ricky smiled warmly at these words, returning the gesture with a quiet nod of his own.
"Good, let's get you home-"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sarah yelled dramatically, suddenly going limp as she clung tightly to her father's foot.
Sniff
"Y-You just got here~" Danielle sniffled, her teary eyes looking up at Ricky, who froze stiff.
"Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay~" Sarah whined, sniffling as she rolled around Ricky's foot, throwing a full-on tantrum.
"I-I-I-"
For all that Ricky was, his soft spot was undoubtedly his princesses as he seemed utterly unable to say no in moments like this, much to Gus's quiet shake of the head.
"Father will come back, he's just dropping me off," Gus said simply, watching as his sisters rubbed their sleepy eyes.
"Okay!" Sarah chirped, holding out her hands and then running around pretending to be an airplane, while Danielle quietly walked over to Gus with a gentle smile.
"Come and visit, I really loved playing with you," Danielle whispered, wrapping her arms around Gus in a soft hug.
Gus smiled warmly, touched by his sister's gentle kindness before returning the hug.
"Ok," Gus said softly, watching Danielle break the hug with a smile before he walked back over to brush Bucephalus.
Ricky gave Gus a thumbs up, his eyes scanning the room briefly before discreetly slipping a hundred-dollar bill into the boy's hand.
Gus accepted it without hesitation, calmly tucking the money into his front pocket as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
Sniff
Moxie suddenly sat up, his nose twitching as he caught a faint scent.
His eyes locked onto Ricky's golden money clip, gleaming with stacks of hundred-dollar bills.
"Money, give." Moxie demanded, darting in front of Ricky and holding out his hands eagerly.
"What are you, a bloodhound?" Ricky asked, amusement flickering in his eyes as he watched Moxie give him the unmistakable 'gimme' gesture with his fingers.
"Fine, but it ain't for free." Ricky said, shaking his head with a smirk as he flicked Moxie's nose.
"It's for being a big boy when things got rough." Ricky said, pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and gently laid it in Moxie's palm.
"Hehehehehehe~" Moxie giggled wildly, darting to the nearby corner where he carefully stacked his growing pile of wealth, guarding it fiercely like a treasure hoard.
"C'mon, buddy, let's get you home," Ricky said, knowing Gus didn't like being held. He held out his hand, and the boy took it as they strode out of the room.
"So, what did you guys end up doing while I was gone?" Ricky asked, watching Gus nod silently, his eyes fixed straight ahead.
"Gus?" Ricky asked, noticing the sudden quiet from the boy as his gaze shifted forward and there, Agatha stood holding both Zatanna and Johnny.
"Daddy!" Zatanna called out excitedly, reaching her hands toward him, while Johnny quietly fiddled with a lock of Agatha's hair.
"Are you serious?" Ricky asked genuinely, his eyes narrowing as he took in Agatha holding their children like a bargaining chip, using them to claim a moment of his attention.
Agatha opened her mouth to speak, but the moment her eyes landed on Gus, calmly holding Ricky's hand, a surge of jealousy welled up inside her.
Before she could stop it, the bitterness slipped out, sharp and unexpected.
"Look at them-"
"You cannot be f*cking serious right now, Agatha," Ricky scoffed, his voice heavy with frustration.
Without waiting for a response, he scooped Gus into his arms, who didn't resist, and strode past her, leaving the tension thick in the air.
"It was always for them-"
"Don't say another word." Ricky immediately turned around, his finger sharply pointed at Agatha. The sudden intensity made Zatanna shrink back, her eyes wide with fear.
"Daddy?" Zatanna asked softly, reaching out to grasp Ricky's pointed finger.
Ricky's stern expression softened, melting into a warm smile that immediately put Zatanna at ease.
"Sorry, baby. Me and Mommy just can't decide where to put your special present," Ricky chuckled, poking her nose gently as her fear completely melted away.
"Present!?" Zatanna gasped, eyes sparkling with excitement as Ricky leaned down to kiss her cheek.
"Of course, I got you and your sisters something really special, but I just don't know where to put it," Ricky said, glancing around playfully as if searching for the perfect spot.
"In my hands!" Zatanna giggled, reaching out and spreading her fingers wide as Ricky kissed her palm lightly, making her pull back with a delighted laugh.
"Present?" Johnny asked quietly, side-eyeing Ricky with a hint of skepticism, trying to play it cool.
"You and your brothers are gonna get something too, don't worry." Ricky assured him, ruffling his blond hair before shifting his gaze back to Agatha.
"Hey Gus, can you play with your brother and sister for a bit while I talk to Agatha?" Ricky asked, more stating than requesting as Gus actually seemed to catch the social cue and nodded quietly.
"Yes, father." Gus said, gently taking Zatanna's and Johnny's hands as he led them back into the playroom.
Grabbing Agatha's arm, Ricky pulled her into a secluded hallway of the house.
The made men trailing behind immediately fell silent at the sight of his furious expression and bolted off to the sides to occupy themselves while their boss handled things.
BAM
Ricky kicked open a vacant room and shoved Agatha inside, closing the door swiftly behind them.
"Are you f*cking serious?!" Ricky yelled, his voice raw with anger as he stared at Agatha.
But she just laughed, a sharp, bitter sound like she'd lost all control while holding her head.
"You don't ever, EVER, use my kids against me like that again, you got that?" Ricky snapped, stepping forward, his eyes blazing with fury.
"That was mine, Ricky!" Agatha lashed out, tears spilling down her face as the floodgates opened at last.
Her voice cracked under the weight of everything she'd been holding inside, emotions raw and wild now that they were finally alone.
"No, you don't get to play the victim, not after that-"
"Do you think I like being in this situation, do you?" Agatha hissed, stepping closer and grabbing Ricky's collar with trembling hands.
"With all those women?" Agatha's voice dropped to a harsh whisper, laced with pain and accusation.
"This was mine," Agatha said, placing a trembling hand over her heart, her voice cracking with the weight of her loss.
"Something I had for myself. Something I didn't have to share with you, and still, you took that away from me." Agatha laughed bitterly, shaking her head as she pushed herself away, turning her back to the curtains.
"All I have left is my children, and even then, I have to share that with those other women." Agatha said, biting her lips before making one last desperate bid as she turned back around.
"Please, Ricky, just please." Agatha insisted, pressing her body against his chest, her fingers clutching his shirt tightly.
"Give me one more chance-"
"We'll talk about this more later-"
"Ricky~" Agatha cried, sinking to her knees and wrapping her arms around his legs, desperation bleeding from every tear.
"Agatha-"
"I'm begging you, please don't take it away from me, please~" Agatha sobbed, her forehead dropping toward the floor.
Until Ricky gently caught it against his shoulder, steadying her trembling form.
Kneeling down beside her, Ricky wrapped his arms around Agatha as her trembling form curled tightly against him.
"You don't ever have to beg me, ever," Ricky whispered softly, his hand gently stroking her back while her quiet sobs echoed against his shoulder.
"And I wish I were a better man, because I would be that for you." Ricky murmured, his eyes closing as he searched for the right words to ease her pain.
"I promise to give our children everything they could ever want. I'll make that my mission," Ricky swore to Agatha, his voice steady with determination.
He was resolved to give his children the best life this world could offer, no matter the cost.
"But I just can't give you the coven."
SNIFF
"Just go." Agatha sniffled, rubbing her eyes as she stood up.
"Agatha-"
"I don't want to see you, please go!" Agatah snapped, storming off to the far ends of the room with her hands holding her face.
Seemingly unable to process what she'd done, Agatha realized she had weaponized her own children against Ricky to get what she wanted.
Unable to bring herself to even look him in the face, she walked to the far end of the room, her steps heavy with regret.
"Agatha, I know you didn't-"
"GO, GET OUT!" Agatha screamed, her voice cracking with desperation as she grabbed a vase and hurled it at Ricky.
He barely dodged it, ducking as the shattered ceramic crashed against the wall behind him.
"AGATHA!" Ricky shouted, eyes locked on her wild, fractured emotions as another vase flew toward him as he ducked again.
"GET OUT, JUST GET OUT!"
CRASH
CRASH
On the other side of the door, Raven peeked through the keyhole, her eyes wide with concern. Without hesitation, she slipped away and rounded the corner out of sight.
"Okay-STOP THROWING SH*T!" Ricky barked as he swung the door open, only to quickly duck again at another vase hurled straight at him.
Ricky slammed the door shut just in time as another vase came flying, shattering loudly against the wood.
He stood there, steady and silent on the other side, the sharp crash echoing through the tense air.
SIGH
Ricky sighed deeply, pressing his forehead against the door as if trying to steady himself since this wasn't how he wanted things to end with her.
"I love you," Ricky murmured softly from his side, standing there without moving until he got his response.
For a moment, there was only silence until light footsteps approached the door.
"I love you too." Agatha whispered back, her voice fragile and barely audible but loud enough for him to hear every word.
Ricky closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, the weight of everything settling heavy on him.
"We'll talk later, I promise," Ricky assured her quietly, respecting the space she needed as he slowly walked down the hall, the weight of their shared pain lingering in the air behind him.
SNIFF
SNIFF
Agatha sniffled, her back sliding down the door as she cradled her stomach, tears tracing silent paths down her cheeks.
Agatha never intended on using Ricky's children against him and in fact, she was going to offer him an olive branch.
Because she was pregnant.
A secret she'd discovered just days ago, something that she wanted to share to mend this sudden wound between them.
She had brought their children along, imagining a small celebration, a moment of peace between their conflict.
But when she saw Ricky emerge holding Gus in his arms, that fragile hope shattered.
The anger bubbling beneath her skin erupted uncontrollably, fueled by raging hormones and the weight of a heart already bruised.
Today, her emotions spilled far beyond the usual calm, the composed, dominantly protective mother she normally was.
SNIFF
"Ha~" Agatha laughed at herself, her head collapsing in her hands.
"Way to go Agatha, way to act like a raging b*tch."
Turning the corner, Ricky approached Gus with a shake of his head, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Nearby, Zatanna and Johnny sat cross-legged on the floor, absorbed in a game of twenty questions, their laughter and chatter filling the room with a rare lightness.
"Is it a chair?"
"No."
"Is it a car?"
"No."
"Is it a flying car?"
"You mean a plane?"
"No." Zatanna shook her head, watching Gus simply shake his head as well, confirming she was wrong.
"Is it-DADDY!" Zatanna scrambled to her feet, rushing past Gus who simply nodded.
"It was, Zatanna wins." Gus said with a grin, while Johnny, frustrated by his loss, tossed his wooden sword to the side.
"There's my princess!" Ricky said, bending down as she jumped into his arms and he spun her around.
"Where's mommy?" Zatanna asked immediately, looking around before feeling Ricky's forehead press gently against hers.
"She's getting your present ready." Ricky smiled, watching Zatanna bubble with excitement while wriggling in his arms.
"Is it a plane?" Zatanna asked, seemingly still in the same guessing mindset when playing her game with Gus.
"Do you want a plane?" Ricky countered, watching the little girl think about it before she shook her head.
"No."
"Well, then it's not a plane."
"Okay!" Zatanna happily said, shrugging as Ricky slowly put her back down.
"Go on and bring your brother to play with your other siblings," Ricky said, gesturing toward the playroom as Zatanna immediately bolted in that direction.
"I play Alexander!" Johnny whined, firm in his words to play with a certain gerbil, who slowly peeked his furry head out of the room.
"Has the mighty Johnny called for me?" Alexander inquired, watching as Johnny immediately lit up and crawled over to him.
"War, war, war!" Johnny chanted, crawling toward Alexander as Ricky raised an eyebrow.
"War is suited for all ages," Alexander said simply, unashamed, as Johnny tackled the gerbil into the room.
"Uh huh," Ricky frowned, watching Zatanna slam the door behind them as cheers echoed from the other side.
"All right, now are you ready?" Ricky asked, grabbing Gus's hand as the boy nodded.
"Sorry about that kiddo-"
"It's fine, Uncle does the same thing," Gus said, looking straight ahead as they walked down the stairs.
"Listen, I want to make it up to you. Just ask for what you want, and I'll give it to you," Ricky said, smiling as they stepped outside the house.
"I want to see Lucky more," Gus said softly, turning back to his father, only to see that Ricky was completely surprised.
"Where did that come from?"
"Left field."
"HA!" Ricky laughed, watching Gus smirk at the joke before grabbing and picking him up.
"Nice one," Ricky said, complimenting him as Gus bowed his head to the applause.
"Thank you," Gus said, showing his affection for his father in the only way his mother had taught him, with a gentle pat on the cheek.
The affection Rosa taught him was physical rather than with words, and Ricky smiled at this, gently patting Gus's cheek in return.
"I'm guessing this means you want to go to more games with him and Henry, right?" Ricky said, walking through the portal with Gus, who nodded.
"If I wouldn't be bothering-"
"No way. Lucky's probably just happy you even spent a little time with him, let alone all of it," Ricky chuckled as they arrived at the mansion where Juan and Rosa lived.
At his father's words, Gus smiled genuinely while staring up at his father's smile but before he could speak, the door ahead swung open.
"Uh oh," Ricky whispered to Gus, both of them eyeing the door where a furious Juan stood.
"Ricky, is that you?" Rosa asked, her face lighting up as she peeked out from behind Juan's shoulder.
"Rosa, take Gus inside," Juan said simply, pinching the bridge of his nose at the sight of his unpredictable brother-in-law.
"But-"
"It's fine," Ricky said, setting Gus down as he hurried toward his mother, just as Juan closed the door behind him.
"Really, Slick?" Juan asked, spreading his arms in disbelief as Ricky looked away.
"Can we do this over some horchata-"
"No, we can't," Juan said, crossing his arms as his accusatory gaze made Ricky rub the back of his neck.
"It was supposed to be one day, not one week!" Juan yelled, clearly angry that Ricky had broken his word.
"And Lucky wouldn't even let us take him home-"
"Juan-"
"I don't have much left in this world aside from Rosa and Gus, nothing else," Juan interrupted Ricky, sweeping his hand through the air to emphasize just how much those two meant to him.
"Family means more to me than the cartel. I made that clear to you and to anyone who asks, because I am not like my father," Juan said, stepping directly up to Ricky and staring him dead in the eye.
"Juan, look at me. I promised I would never do anything to put Gus in danger, but I didn't come here for him," Ricky said, guilt etched across his face though this wasn't about him at all.
Ricky had a reason for bringing Gus himself: he wanted to talk to this man right here, Juan Nepomuceno Guerra.
"I came here to talk to you."
After Ricky's words hung in the air, Juan stared him down for a long moment before cursing under his breath in his native tongue and opening the door.
"Okay." Juan said, walking inside as Ricky followed him into the incredibly spacious living room.
"If this is about the cocaine, it will take longer-"
"I want to start selling narcotics," Ricky said without hesitation, getting straight to the point as he stepped into Juan's home.
"What?" Juan yelped, caught off guard and wondering if he'd heard wrong.
"I want to start dealing harder drugs." Ricky repeated, staring Juan down directly as the man became visibly uncomfortable.
"Is the cocaine not enough?" Juan wondered, watching Ricky nod since he wanted to go bigger, to make more profit.
"I want to sell opioids; opium, morphine, and heroin-"
"Woah, woah!" Juan interrupted, shaking his head as he plopped down on a nearby bench meant for decoration.
"Even my father did not touch heroin-"
"Neither did mine." Ricky said, plopping down right next to him.
Even though Juan should have been incredibly angry at Ricky at that moment, he couldn't help but feel deeply uncomfortable instead.
"This is the future, Juan, a future we need to be part of." Ricky said, making it clear this was inevitable and they needed to get on board now.
"Listen, I'm just gonna rip the bandaid off and tell you how it is." Ricky didn't bother easing into his next words; he just said it straight.
"I want your cartel to come under the Luciano family."
The words shook Juan to his core, his entire body stiffening at the ambition that seemed to engulf him as he met Ricky's unwavering gaze.
"On top of obvious protection, I'm offering you a seat at the table and control over your operations as they are." Ricky said, inching closer to Juan who scooted away until they reached the end of the bench.
"But for this to happen, I need you to come under me."
"The Luciano family needs to be in charge of all facets, from production and shipment to dealing," Ricky said, making it clear he wanted control over the entire supply line rather than outsourcing it to guys like Juan.
"Will I get time-"
"No, I need the decision now," Ricky said, locking eyes with Juan as he pondered the offer.
"What about the other cartels? Will-"
"No, only you," Ricky interrupted, effectively offering Juan a complete monopoly over Mexico without saying it outright.
"And if any of the cartels try to stop me?" Juan asked, raising an eyebrow while twirling his mustache at the attractive proposal.
"I'll crush them," Ricky said, his eyes glowing green as Juan briefly looked away before meeting his gaze again.
"I want a real seat-"
"Juan, you're gonna get a seat at my table," Ricky assured him, promising entry into his inner circle as Juan pondered the offer for a long moment.
"I want you to join the family, Juan, my family." Ricky said, gripping Juan's shoulder and shaking it lightly.
"I'm trying to build something, for my family, for Gus." Ricky's passion spilled out, and Juan felt as if he was infected by it.
"And I want you to be a part of it."
"So, are you in?" Ricky asked, gazing at Juan who remained quiet for a long time.
Juan Nepomuceno Guerra was the heir to his father's operations and the founder of the Gulf Cartel.
In truth, Juan's life mirrored Lucky's in many ways, but with one crucial difference: while Lucky had left his homeland behind, crossing borders and oceans to build a new life in America, Juan remained rooted in Mexico.
He never made the journey north; instead, he carved out his empire right where he was born.
Say what you will about Juan, but he turned dusty border towns into secretive desert routes, creating underground networks that stretched far beyond what most could see.
He was a master at smuggling, orchestrating an intricate web of his operations that funneled vast quantities of drugs into the United States.
His cartel wasn't just another player unlike how everyone portrayed him.
Juan would single-handedly grow his cartel until it became a titan in the world of narcotics, feared and respected in equal measure.
Like Lucky, his ambition knew no bounds.
But unlike Lucky's rise in a new land, Juan's legacy was forged in the brutal terrain of Mexico, where survival was as much about ruthless strategy as it was about strength.
And now, that same brutality extended its hand across the border, reaching out to join one of the most notorious operations within America.
Together, they would flood the United States with so many opioids it would accelerate the crisis by forty years.
And it all started with just two words.
"I'm in."
Meanwhile At The Continental,
Atop the highest penthouse within its accommodations sat a single chessboard, the pieces, white and black, arranged neatly before two players.
"How long has it been, Mephisto?" Selene asked, sipping on what was presumed to be wine as the flickering city lights cast shifting shadows across her face.
"Let's skip the pleasantries, Selene," Mephisto chuckled, crossing one leg over the other and leaning back in his chair.
"Then you know this is about Ricky Luciano."
Author's Note: I was gonna break it up into three parts but it felt dirty. So here's just one big clump.