The morning came gently to the Savage Land base.

  Sunlight filtered through the waterfall with increased intensity as dawn broke over the hidden valley, painting everything in shades of gold and amber. The distant calls of prehistoric birds mixed with the constant rumble of falling water, creating a symphony that spoke of life continuing despite everything.

  Jay's consciousness surfaced slowly as his awareness returned in stages. His body ached, suggesting his healing factor had worked overtime during the night, knitting together damage from dimensional travel and fighting the FURY....scratch that he fought Death itself. His powers felt depleted but recovering, like batteries slowly recharging after being drained to nothing.

  He reached out instinctively for Domino, seeking her familiar warmth.

  But found the space beside him empty.

  Jay's eyes snapped open, panic flooding his system before reason could catch up. His enhanced senses swept the room, cataloging everything: the empty nest where Luv had been sleeping, the missing pillows, the absence of the two people who mattered most.

  His body moved before conscious thought, rolling off the sofa with more grace than his exhausted muscles should have allowed as adrenaline spiked through his veins.

  Then he heard it.

  Laughter.

  A child's laughter, pure and filled with joy. Followed by Domino's voice, carrying amusement and affection in equal measure.

  Jay moved toward the sound, his bare feet silent on the wooden floors, toward their small kitchen area.

  What he saw made him freeze in the doorway.

  Domino stood at their stove, spatula in one hand while the other tried to manage the chaos unfolding before her. She was still in her sleep clothes, black tank top and shorts that showed the pale expanse of her skin, black and white hair pulled back in a messy bun that somehow made her look even more beautiful.

  And sitting at their small table, practically bouncing in his seat with excitement, was Luv.

  The five-year-old had somehow found one of Jay's old t-shirts, which hung on his small frame like a dress, the hem pooling around his legs as he sat cross-legged on the chair. His brown hair was mussed from sleep, sticking up in weird directions. His blue eyes were bright with hunger and happiness as he stared at the plate before him.

  Pancakes.

  A stack of them, golden brown and perfectly round, topped with what Jay assumed to be their entire supply of maple syrup. Luv was tearing into them with both hands, syrup coating his fingers as he stuffed pieces into his mouth. His cheeks bulged like a chipmunk's, and he made happy little humming sounds between bites.

  "Slow down, sweetie," Domino said, her voice carrying gentle exasperation as she flipped another pancake. "The food's not going anywhere. You're going to choke if you keep eating that fast."

  Luv looked up at her, tried to say something with his mouth full, thought better of it, and swallowed hard. A bit of pancake stuck to his cheek. "But Mom, they're so good! And I'm so hungry! Can I have more? Please please please?"

  Jay's breath caught in his throat.

  Mom.

  The child had called her Mom with such casual certainty, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

  And Domino...

  Domino's expression as she looked at Luv was something Jay had never seen before. Soft in ways that made her look younger and vulnerable in ways she never allowed herself to be in front of anyone except Jay. Her scarlet-tinted eyes were bright with moisture that was close to spill over as she smiled at the child with such pure affection that it made Jay's chest tight.

  "Of course you can have more sweetie," she said, her voice thick with emotion she was trying to hide. "But you have to promise to eat more slowly, okay? I can't keep up if you're inhaling them like you're in a competition."

  Luv nodded so enthusiastically his whole upper body bobbed with the motion, already reaching for another pancake before Domino had finished speaking. He grabbed it with both syrup-sticky hands, took a huge bite, then seemed to remember his promise and slowed down. Sort of. He chewed with exaggerated care for maybe three seconds before the next bite came just as fast.

  Jay couldn't help the smile that spread across his face.

  Watching this, seeing Domino in full domestic mode while a five-year-old demolished pancakes like his life depended on it, was so surreal that part of Jay's mind insisted he must still be asleep. This couldn't be real. This was too good to be true.

  But it was.

  Domino must have sensed his presence because she looked up, her gaze finding his across the room. Her smile transformed, becoming something just for him, intimate and carrying secrets only they shared.

  "Good morning, sleepyhead," she said, her voice carrying teasing affection. "Nice of you to finally join us."

  This caused Jay to laugh a bit. "Haha"

  Luv's head snapped up at the sound of a new voice, pancake hanging half out of his mouth. His blue eyes went wide as they landed on Jay, and for a second he just stared, chewing slowly while he tried to figure out who this strange man was.

  Jay moved into the kitchen carefully, his body still protesting the movement but recovering more with each passing moment. He made his way to Domino's side, positioning himself where he could see both her and Luv clearly.

  "Need help?" Jay asked quietly, his hand finding the small of her back in an intimate gesture. "Looks like you're fighting a losing battle against the bottomless pit over there."

  Domino laughed, the sound carrying genuine amusement mixed with affectionate exasperation. "You have no idea. He reminds me of you too much. Same appetite, same single-minded focus when there's food involved. I swear, watching him eat is like watching a tiny Jay demolish everything in reach."

  Jay felt his chest warm at the comparison, at being linked to this child in even such a small way. He moved to help her cook, his hands finding the familiar rhythm of preparing breakfast. Waffles this time, and some boiled vegetables because the kid needed more than just sugar and carbs, even if he didn't know it yet.

  "So," Jay said quietly, keeping his voice low enough that Luv hopefully couldn't hear over his enthusiastic eating. "How did he react when he first woke up? I was worried he'd panic seeing unknown faces."

  Domino's expression shifted, becoming thoughtful as she flipped another pancake. "You know, that's the weird thing. I expected the same. I was prepared for his crying and having to calm him down."

  She paused as she remembered. "But he was the one who woke me up. I felt this small hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently, and when I opened my eyes, he was just... there. Looking at me with those big blue eyes, and he said in the sweetest voice..." Her voice cracked slightly with emotion. "'Mom, I'm hungry. Can we have breakfast?'"

  Jay stilled, his hands pausing mid-motion as he processed that information.

  "Just like that?" His voice came out barely above a whisper. "No confusion or fear? He just called you Mom?"

  Domino nodded, her hand moving to wipe at her eye before tears could escape. "Just like that. And then he started asking what I was making, if we had syrup, and if he could help cook. He was so sweet, Jay. So, trusting and innocent. I got lost in his cuteness, in feeding him and watching him smile. I completely forgot we were supposed to be strangers to him."

  Jay's mind raced through possibilities as a suspicion was forming, growing stronger with each piece of information.

  They worked in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds the sizzle of cooking food and Luv's continued assault on the waffle mountain. Jay boiled vegetables, as his muscle memory guided his hands while his mind worked through theories.

  Finally, Luv's eating slowed.

  The stack of food had been demolished, reduced to a plate covered in syrup residue and a few untouched veggies. The child sat back in his chair with a satisfied sigh that sounded impossibly adult coming from such a small body, his hand moving to rest on his slightly distended stomach. Syrup covered his hands, his face, and even somehow got in his hair.

  "That was so good," Luv said, his voice carrying contentment. "Thank you, Mom."

  Then his blue eyes lifted, scanning the room with curiosity that hadn't been present before. He looked around the cave base, taking in the advanced technology mixed with natural rock formations, the waterfall entrance visible in the distance, and the comfortable furniture arranged throughout the space.

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  Finally, his gaze landed on Jay.

  The child's expression shifted, becoming confused as he studied this new person. His small brow furrowed, and his head tilted to one side in a gesture that was so similar to how Franklin looked that Jay's breath caught.

  Domino noticed the change immediately. She set down her spatula, wiped her hands on a towel, and moved to sit beside Luv at the table. Jay followed, his movements careful as he took the chair on the child's other side.

  Domino's expression transformed into a gentle smile, her eyes softened as she looked at Luv. When she spoke, her voice carried warmth that made even Jay relax slightly.

  "Hey, little guy," she said, her hand moving to rest on the table near Luv's but not touching, giving him space. "Now that you're all fed up, aren't you weirded out about being with strangers?"

  Luv's confusion deepened. He looked at Domino like she'd just said something incomprehensible, his small face scrunching up with the effort of processing her words.

  "What do you mean?" His voice came out genuinely puzzled, carrying innocent certainty that made both adults' hearts clench. "Mom is Mom."

  The words hit Domino like an arrow to the heart.

  Jay watched her expression crumble, watched her carefully constructed emotional walls collapse as moisture filled her eyes again and spilled over before she could stop it. Her hand flew to her mouth, muffling the sound that wanted to escape, something between a laugh and a sob.

  Jay's own throat tightened, but he forced himself to remain functional. He needed to understand what was happening to this child's memories and why.

  He shifted in his chair, leaning forward slightly to get closer to Luv's eye level. When he spoke, his voice came out barely above a whisper.

  "Buddy, what was the last thing you remember? Before waking up here?"

  Luv's small face scrunched up with concentration. His blue eyes went distant as he searched his memories, his small hands fidgeting with the hem of Jay's oversized t-shirt. Getting syrup on it.

  When he spoke, his voice was small and uncertain, like recounting a nightmare he didn't fully understand.

  "I remember... I was in a bad dream. A really, really bad dream." His voice wavered, becoming smaller. "Everything hurt. And it was dark and scary and I was alone and..."

  His lower lip started to tremble. His small hands clenched into fists in the t-shirt fabric.

  "I kept calling for Mom because I was scared and I wanted her to make it stop..."

  Then something happened.

  The air around Luv began to shimmer. Subtle at first, like heat waves rising from pavement. The light bent strangely around his small form, and for just a fraction of a second, Jay saw something terrifying. Reality itself seemed to ripple outward from the child in concentric waves, responding to his emotional distress.

  Jay's null field flared instinctively, as a sphere of pure negation expanding from his position to encompass Luv before the kid could even blink. The reality distortion collapsed like a popped soap bubble before it could manifest fully enough for the child to notice.

  Jay felt Domino's sharp intake of breath. Her eyes met his across the table, wide with understanding and relief. They'd both seen it and understood what almost happened.

  But Luv noticed nothing. The moment passed so quickly and was suppressed so completely by Jay's power that the child's distress never peaked.

  His expression brightened suddenly, transforming from fear to joy so quickly it gave both adults whiplash.

  "And then Mom came!" Luv's voice rose with excitement, his small body practically bouncing in his seat as he turned to look at Domino with absolute adoration. "She found me in the dark and she held my hand and she made the bad dream go away! She said I was safe now and I didn't have to be scared anymore and then I woke up here and I was hungry!"

  He threw himself at Domino without warning, small arms wrapping around her waist in a fierce hug that made her gasp. His syrup-sticky hands left marks on her tank top, but she didn't seem to care.

  Domino's arms came up automatically, pulling the child close against her chest. Her eyes were streaming now, tears falling freely as she held Luv like he was the most precious thing in the universe.

  Jay's suspicion crystallized into certainty.

  The resurrection had affected Luv's memories. When Domino pulled his soul from the spiritual plane, something had imprinted. Her presence in that moment of transition, her voice promising safety, and her comfort during his most terrifying experience, all of it had become foundational to his new consciousness.

  Jay swallowed hard against the emotion threatening to overwhelm him. This child, this innocent boy who'd been created by villains and nearly killed, had been given a second chance. A clean slate and a life free from whatever coding the Cabal had intended.

  But he needed to be certain and to confirm one more thing.

  Jay stood carefully, moving around the table to crouch beside Luv, still in Domino's embrace. He positioned himself at the child's eye level, his expression open and gentle despite the fear clenching his chest. His null field still hummed quietly, a protective buffer he wouldn't drop until he was certain the kid was stable.

  "Hey buddy," he said softly, waiting until Luv's blue eyes focused on him. "Do you remember me?"

  Luv pulled back from Domino slightly, wiping his nose with the back of one syrup-sticky hand. He turned to study Jay with intense concentration, tilting his head first one way, then the other. His small face scrunched up again as he searched his memories, looking for any familiarity.

  He stared at Jay's face for a long moment. Then he reached out with one small hand, as if to touch Jay's cheek, but stopped halfway. His fingers curled back uncertainly.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity compressed into seconds, Luv spoke.

  "No." The word came out with absolute certainty, no hesitation or doubt. "I don't remember you." His voice got smaller, almost apologetic. "I'm sorry."

  Then he turned to look at Domino, his small hand tugging on her tank top to get her attention.

  "Mommy, who is this guy?"

  Domino's expression was complicated, a mix of heartbreak for Jay and fierce protective love for this child. She pulled Luv back against her chest, one hand moving to stroke his brown hair with infinite gentleness.

  "It's okay, sweetie," she said, her voice shaking but determined to remain calm for Luv's sake. "This is... this is someone very important. Someone you should remember but..."

  Jay raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. His smile was gentle despite the ache in his chest, understanding and acceptance mixing with determination to make this right.

  "No need to worry about it, buddy," he said, his voice carrying warmth and reassurance. "Maybe you just slept a little too hard. It happens sometimes."

  He laughed, the sound deliberately light to ease the tension building in the room.

  Luv's expression relaxed slightly at Jay's easy acceptance, but his small brow remained furrowed with confusion and worry.

  Jay's mind worked quickly, processing information and making decisions.

  He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what came next.

  "Buddy, do you remember your name?"

  Luv's small face scrunched up with concentration again. His blue eyes went distant as he searched his memories, looking for that fundamental piece of identity.

  Seconds stretched into what felt like minutes. Luv's expression shifted from concentration to confusion to growing distress.

  "I..." His voice came out small and scared. "I don't... I can't..."

  His breath hitched and small shoulders started to shake.

  Water filled his eyes, building at the corners before spilling over. His small hands clenched into fists against Domino's tank top, and his breathing hitched with the precursor to full crying.

  Jay moved faster than he thought.

  His hands coming up to gently cup the child's small face. His thumbs brushed away tears that continued to fall despite his efforts.

  "Hey, hey, it's okay," Jay's voice was soft and soothing, carrying absolute certainty. "Don't cry, buddy. I know your name. Do you want me to tell you?"

  Luv nodded frantically, his small body trembling with emotion he didn't understand. His blue eyes fixed on Jay with desperate hope. "Yes please," he whispered.

  "Your name is Luv," Jay said clearly, letting each syllable carry weight and meaning. "That's what you're called. Luv."

  The child's trembling began to slow as he processed the information. He repeated the name quietly, testing how it felt in his mouth.

  "Luv," he whispered. "Luv. Luv." He said it a few more times, like he was trying to memorize it. "My name is Luv."

  Then his small voice rose with a question that made both adults' hearts clench.

  "Why is that my name?"

  Jay and Domino exchanged a look across the small space. So much passed between them in that single glance: understanding, agreement, shared commitment to this child and his future. Love compressed into a moment of perfect unity.

  They smiled at each other, and then both turned to Luv.

  Domino spoke first, her voice thick with emotion but carrying absolute certainty. "Your name means you're proof of our love."

  Jay continued seamlessly, his words flowing into hers like they'd rehearsed this moment despite never discussing it. "It means you're precious to us. That you're wanted and cherished."

  Domino's hand moved to stroke Luv's hair again, her touch infinitely gentle. "It means no matter what happens, no matter what challenges come, you'll always have a home with us."

  Jay's thumb traced across Luv's cheek, wiping away the last traces of tears and some syrup. "It means you're ours. Our son. Our family."

  They'd finished each other's sentences naturally, creating a complete explanation that was greater than the sum of its parts. Speaking with one voice, making one promise, offering one certainty to this child who'd lost everything but found them in the darkness.

  Luv's small face transformed.

  The fear and confusion drained away, replaced by understanding that went deeper than words. His blue eyes brightened with joy that looked almost painful in its intensity. His trembling stopped completely as certainty settled over him like a warm blanket.

  He looked at Domino, his expression carrying absolute trust. "You're my Mom."

  Then he turned to Jay, and his small voice carried wonder mixed with hope. "Are you my Dad?"

  Jay's breath caught in his throat.

  The question was so simple, so innocent, carrying no weight of expectation or demand. Just a child seeking confirmation of what his heart already knew, looking for permission to claim this connection.

  Jay's vision blurred as moisture built behind his eyes. He blinked rapidly, trying to maintain composure, but it was useless. Tears fell freely as he nodded, unable to speak around the emotion clogging his throat.

  Finally, he managed to force words past the constriction.

  "Yeah, buddy," his voice came out rough and broken but carrying absolute truth. "Yeah, I'm your Dad."

  Luv's entire face lit up like someone had turned on a light from inside.

  He threw himself at Jay without warning, small arms wrapping around his neck in a hug that carried all the force his five-year-old body could manage. Jay caught him automatically, pulling the child close against his chest, one hand cradling the back of Luv's head while the other supported his small body. Getting syrup all over himself in the process, but Jay didn't care.

  "Dad!" Luv's voice was muffled against Jay's shoulder but carrying such pure joy that it made Jay's chest ache. "I have a Mom. Now, I also have a Dad!"

  Domino stood from her chair, her own vision blurred with tears as she wrapped her arms around both of them. Creating a cocoon of warmth and safety and love around this child who'd survived death and found new life in their arms.

  They stayed like that for long minutes, three people forming a unit that was greater than the sum of its parts. A family built not from blood or fate but from choice and the deliberate decision to love despite every reason not to.

  Eventually, Luv pulled back slightly. His small face was flushed from crying and excitement, blue eyes bright with happiness. He looked between Domino and Jay with an expression of such contentment that it made both adults' hearts clench.

  "Can we have more breakfast?" he asked, his voice carrying the innocent certainty that food solved all problems. "Dad can make some more! And then can we go outside? I want to see where we live! Can we? Please?"

  Jay and Domino laughed through their tears.

  "Yeah, buddy," Jay said, his voice still rough but steadier now. "We can do all of that. But first, how about we prepare you a bath and get you some actual clothes instead of wearing my shirt like a dress?"

  Luv looked down at himself, noticing for the first time how the oversized t-shirt hung on his small frame. And how much syrup he'd gotten on it. He giggled, the sound pure and filled with such uncomplicated joy that it made the entire cave seem brighter.

  "Okay, Dad!"

  And just like that, their new life began.