Emery didn't like Barty, fine. Nevaeh understood and wasn't going to push her.

She would make Quill see that Bartholomew wasn't a bad guy, and then convince Emery as much.

So that was what she was trying to do, one warm summer day in her backyard, sitting next to her best friend and across from Barty.

"Barty is a write-" Nevaeh started to say, gazing up as her younger brother came through the back door and scooped Noel up.

The teenager stared at Bart for a moment. "Oh. So you're the dad? Huh.. not as cool as the alien theory."