"Mr. Dunphy. How are you feeling?"
"I'm doing better, thanks for asking."
Phil said. "Just Phil is fine, Harvey. I think we're past that."
Harvey smiled at the older man and nodded; following Phil inside, Harvey saw the house was empty. "Where's everyone?"
"Claire's still at the grocery store. She's picking up some ingredients she forgot." Phil motioned for Harvey to sit down. "The kids are in their rooms, I think."
"How's everyone holding up?"
"We're doing better. It was tough at first, but Alex has been so strong." Phil said with a sigh. "She's been having nightmares, but Haley's been there for her."
"I see… I can't imagine she'll recover from this immediately." Harvey held his hands in his lap. "But with you all supporting her like you have, she'll come out of this stronger than before. Trust me."
Phil nodded and smiled. Harvey got up and sat beside Phil, grabbing the older man's shoulder. Harvey squeezed it in reassurance. Phil smiled and thanked Harvey.
"I don't think I ever thanked you for what you did that day for Alex." Phil said, looking down. "I'm grateful."
"I failed. I couldn't get her back."
"Don't say that!" Phil yelled. "You did more than anyone else! More than… me."
Harvey looked at Phil and realized he wasn't doing as well as he said. He must've felt powerless through it all. Harvey could see where he was coming from, but ultimately, it was out of his control.
"No, Phil, you held your family together. It was you who stood strong when everyone started falling to pieces." Harvey stood up and walked in front of Phil. "I know Luke and Haley were grateful for having such a strong father. I'm sure Mrs. Dunphy appreciates you for being so strong for the family."
"So please… hold your head up and continue being yourself. It's what your family needs, now more than ever."
Phil looked at him with a sad frown. Standing up, he hugged Harvey and thanked him for what he said. Harvey hugged him back and told him not to worry about it.
"I'm here whenever you feel like talking, Phil. I know it can be hard being the man of the house." Harvey smiled. "But sometimes, it's good to talk. Your son taught me that."
Phil smiled proudly at that. After the two men's heart-to-heart conversation, they sat down and talked about minor subjects. Like what sports they like to watch or what movies they enjoy. They were utterly clueless that Haley was around the corner listening to their conversation, her hand covering her mouth.
•••
"Alex."
"Harvey."
Harvey smiled at his friend; getting up, he hugged her. Alex jolted a little in his arms, but she immediately hugged him back. After a few seconds, Harvey let her go, but Alex held on for a while longer. Realizing the hug was over, she backed up with a squeak.
"How are you?"
"I'm doing better. Just happy to be home."
Harvey nodded. After all, today was the second day the Dunphy's were finally staying in their own home after they finished their stay at Mr. Pritchett's home. Jay told the Dunphys they would stay with him for a few days. That way, they would get all the support they needed after the events of the kidnapping happened. Harvey saw that Mrs. Dunphy was about to decline but ultimately agreed; she hugged her father and cried silently into his chest.
The night Harvey rescued Alex, he planned to head home to give the family their privacy. That was until Alex refused to let him leave. Harvey looked at her scared and teary eyes and found himself unable to say no. Harvey then saw Mr. Pritchett say it was no issue for him to stay the night. Thanking the man, he took the couch and slept at his house. When he woke up the following day, he saw Alex sleeping nearby by him on the next couch.
She must've come down to be near him sometime during the night. Harvey frowned and saw Alex shake and whimper as she slept. Walking over, he sat on the ground next to the couch and held her hand. That seemed to have worked because she slept more peacefully. At some point, he saw Haley and Mrs. Dunphy standing nearby. They watched as he held Alex's hand. After he explained what happened, they understood the situation. Haley switched with him, holding Alex's hand so he could use the restroom.
During the Dunphy family's stay at the Pritchett home, Mitchell, Cameron, and their daughter visited daily to check on Alex. The supportive uncles ensured that anything the family needed was brought to them. Harvey made sure not to overstay his welcome but also visited every day. He was always welcomed with open arms, much to his surprise.
After four days of staying with her father, Mrs. Dunphy said it was time for them to go home. Mr. Pritchett tried to get them to stay longer, but she was adamant that it was time for them to go home. Harvey smiled as he saw the Dunphy matriarch finally regain a little of her headstrong attitude. The family hugged as they departed, not before the Pritchett family promised to visit soon.
It was then that Harvey gave the family space; while they told him he was always welcome, he said it was vital that they spend time with each other. Alex didn't like the idea but accepted after she got him to promise to come over for dinner today. He happily accepted.
"I'm sure you are." Harvey held her shoulder. "Where's your brother? I think it's time we talk about 'you know what' now."
"Ah, yes! I think he's in his room." Alex's eyes shined. "Come on!"
Alex then grabbed his hand and led him upstairs. Harvey turned to look at Phil and saw the man smile and nod. It was good to see Alex act like her old self. Phil turned to the front door; it appeared his wife was finally back and was calling out his name. He got up with a smile and opened the door to help his wife.
•••
"…and that's about it."
Harvey said as he leaned against Luke's desk. Looking at Alex and Luke's expressions, he found what he expected. After all, he just finished recounting the events from when he 'died' until today. He left out the part where he's technically two people mashed into one. Alex's face was confused and in disbelief; on the other hand, Luke had his mouth wide open in awe. Suddenly, Luke stood up and looked excited.
"Harvey, that's amazing! You ARE like a superhero then!"
"Luke! Keep it down, you gnome!" Alex whispered as she grabbed her brother's shoulders. "It's supposed to be a secret, remember!"
"Oh. Right, sorry." Luke replied as he rubbed his head.
"Funny you should say that." Harvey said.
"I'm sorry! You two spend a lot of time together, I thought he knew!"
"Haah… it's fine. He would have found out eventually." Harvey said as he sat down next to Luke in his bed. "Do you two have any questions?"
Alex got up and gave him a 'Are you stupid?' expression. She then grabbed a chair and sat it before him and Luke. Alex sat down and crossed her arms. With a deep breath, she asked her question.
"Does it hurt? You know… when your head ignites on fire?"
"Hm, not really. I mean, It sort of stings; it hurt like hell the first time, though." Harvey said.
"Can you do it, like on command?" Luke asked with an excited look. Alex, too, looked intrigued and stared at him. "Can you show us?"
"I can do it on command, but doing it right now isn't a good idea." Harvey told them. "It's not a toy for me to use. Zarathos and I virtually become one, so using it when I don't have to isn't the right use of my abilities."
"Zarathos. You called him your partner. He lives inside this 'soul space' between you two, but what is he? Or her? Does it have a gender?" Alex asked, a hand on her chin. "What exactly is it?"
'Hmph. I currently require no real gender, but I was a male Demon back before I was sent into the in-between realm.' Zarathos said. 'But I am ultimately a Demon.'
'Really? I really should have asked beforehand.' Harvey mentally said to his partner, feeling very silly for not asking an obvious question. 'I've been referring to you as 'it' in my head this entire time.'
'I never bothered to correct you. It doesn't matter what I used to be.' Zarathos told his partner. 'If it makes it easier for you, you can refer me as a male. Like I used to be.'
"Harvey?" Alex asked as she saw him stare out into nothing.
"Sorry, I was talking to Zarathos in my mind." Harvey responded. "He's a Demon."
"Wow, really? That's so cool!" Luke said in awe. "Wait, so you two can talk to each other in your mind?"
"Pretty much. We are, after all, one being now. So communicating like that is normal for us." Harvey said as he got up and walked around.
"I have a hundred different questions, but I'll ask one more for now." Alex turned to look at him, a severe expression on her face. "Why do you do it? Why go out and put yourself in danger like that?"
Luke looked at his sister and saw her grab her hands tightly. She was starting to shake. He grew concerned and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You… could have died that night. I thought you died." Alex said softly. "I don't want to lose you. I can't see you like that again… Can you… Just stop?"
Harvey's eyes grow wide at her question. It seems his dying in front of her affected her deeply. Of course, it did. Who wouldn't be troubled after seeing their friend shot down right before them like that? Harvey walked over, kneeled in front of Alex, and held her hands.
"Because someone has to." Harvey said seriously. "I have this power now. I need to use it to help people, and if I can't, I have to seek true justice for all the lost souls that suffered."
Alex and Luke looked at him with complex expressions. Harvey nodded and smiled at them both. Grabbing them both into a hug, he held them close to him.
"I'm the spirit of vengeance, The Ghost Rider. I need to help those who can't help themselves." Harvey started saying in a whisper. "You two and everyone else I've come to care about mean the world to me. I will protect you all, and I'll be sure to come right back. No matter what. I promise."
The two Dunphy siblings nodded and hugged him back. They stayed like that for a while until their mother's voice called them down for dinner. Harvey stood up and pulled them both up.
They didn't know it yet, but today was the start of an unbreakable friendship that would take them to roads they never could have believed possible.
•••
"Harvey, you don't have to do that."
Claire said as she looked at the young man as he continued washing tonight's dinner dishes. Harvey turned his head and smiled at her.
"It's no problem, Mrs. Dunphy. It's the least I can do."
Claire smiled at the young man as he continued to scrub the dishes clean. Secretly, she was grateful for the help. If she was being honest with herself, she still hadn't completely recovered from… the incident. She still isn't feeling like herself completely.
"Here, I'll help!"
"Thanks, roof girl."
Claire saw Haley smack Harvey lightly on the shoulder as she stood beside him. They then washed the dishes together while Haley was talking to the young man about his horrible sense of fashion. Harvey laughed and said he didn't care much about his appearance. Haley then looked like she had just heard the worst news imaginable; she then started talking about taking Harvey shopping and teaching him all about how not to dress like a homeless bum.
"Hahaha!"
Claire chuckled at them both. Harvey's laugh was infectious. She looked around and saw Alex and Luke arguing about a superhero name. It was probably something they watched on TV. Claire turned to look at her husband; he was on the phone with one of his clients. He apologized for not being in contact with them for a few days. He then promised he'd take them on a walk-through tomorrow.
"…I missed this."
Claire said as she closed her eyes and smiled. They all just went through a horrible crisis, which caused them to be tested as a family. But as she looked around at her family and guest, she knew they would get back on their feet stronger and better than before.
•••
"Hey, Dad. Are there any good movies playing?" Luke asked as he and Harvey walked up and looked at the TV.
Alex saw her brother sit in the single chair beside her dad, leaving Harvey to look at the spot beside her. Smiling, she patted the area next to her. Harvey thanked her and sat next to her.
"Let's find out." Her father said. "Let's see what's playing."
Alex saw her father start channel surfing, but she turned slightly and looked at Harvey. She slowly inched closer to him as he paid attention to the fast-moving channels. Alex thought back to that night unconsciously. Alex still had nightmares about that day, being thrown into a van and watching Harvey run after her. Only to be shot down like a wild animal.
It wasn't until the part when Harvey was shot repeatedly right in front of her that her nightmare caused her to wake up screaming and crying. Haley always got up immediately and joined her in bed, hugging and consoling her. She stayed with her until she fell asleep. These days, Haley always made sure to watch her and take care of her. It made her happy that her older sister cared about her so much. It hurt a little that it only took her being kidnapped for it to happen, but she decided not to focus on that. It's the thought that counts.
"Not that movie. We've seen it already."
"Really? I wouldn't mind watching it again."
"I'm with Luke on this one. We could do better than this one."
Alex smiled at them as they talked about what movie to watch. It was moments like these that helped her not think about what happened. Times when her family acted like they used to before the incident, the familiar chaos gave her a sense of comfort. Alex saw Haley walk up behind her and placed her hands on her shoulders.
"Oh, what about that one! You can't go wrong with this one!"
"We've watched Legally Blonde at least a hundred times, Haley."
Alex laughed at Haley's pout. She had to agree with her mother there. That movie was banned from being played in the house at one point due to how many times her sister played it. Watching her father keep switching channels, she saw something that interested her.
"Wait! Dad, go back two channels!"
"Sure, you saw something you liked?"
Once her father clicked the back button twice, the TV landed on a news report. Alex read the scrolling headline, and her mouth opened in surprise. Luke was about to say something when the news anchor started speaking.
[ ...Yes, it's just been confirmed. In breaking news, the CEO of Stark Industries, Tony Stark, has been reported to have gone missing during a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan. ] The reporter says to the camera. [ A search party is currently being conducted. It's unknown how long it's been- ]
Alex looked on in shock as one of history's greatest technological geniuses has been reported missing. The man is one of her icons! Alex always hoped she would one day be accepted for an internship at one of Stark Industries California-based research laboratories! So, to hear that something happened to him was a shocking piece of news.
Finally snapping out of her shock, Alex turned to look at her family. Luke was scratching his head as he continued looking at the news; a quick montage of Tony Stark's accomplishments and pieces of technology scrolled by the screen. Her father, who knew the man, also stared at the screen in shock. He uttered a silent 'Oh no'. Looking at her mom and her sister, they looked at the TV with confusion. This was most likely the first time they heard about the man. Alex finally turned to Harvey; he looked at the screen and turned to her with a raised eyebrow.
"Who's that guy?"