It had been hours since she'd seen anyone, including her 3 year old son. But, then, terrorism was taken very seriously these days.

Maya rolled the styrofoam cup between her hands just for something to do. She was a bit too used to being alone. Her time spent in Faust Pharmaceutical company's tender care had taught her immense patience. If the police (or FBI or whoever it was this time) wanted to break her by waiting her out, she was confident that she could win that wait.

"I should file that restraining order." If for no other reason than to show the police that Maya had nothing to do with whatever Sebastian was up to now. Maya's sigh slithered through the room.

She knew she wouldn't, though. Part of her still held out hope that this was all one big misunderstanding.

"Why didn't you?" The door opened quietly on well oiled hinges.

"You are at least feeding Rowan, right? Did you call his Grandfather to come pick him up?"

"He's got donuts and Angry Birds. I'm impressed. Your boy's real polite."

Maya sagged a bit in relief. She didn't want to believe they'd mistreat a three year old. Maybe they were trying to get the kid to talk. Bribe him a bit. Sugar him up. Didn't matter, though. "What did you expect, officer?" It had taken years for Maya to loosen up enough to speak informally with the police. But they had history. "I'm not even sure he's met his real dad. Not even once." A shame, but Maya wasn't about to push it. Until Sebastian became again the Sebastian she had known, she wouldn't even trust them in the same room. She shook her head at the tragedy of it all.

"So why didn't you?"

"Hmm?"

"Go through with the paperwork. We've got a copy on file, so I know you submitted papers at least once, but didn't follow through."

Another sigh from Maya. The Japanese believed that one could sigh out all their happiness or luck. She should really try to cut back considering her track record. "I fell in love with a man. Granted he never showed that side of himself to me. The worst he did was leave me. It's almost like you guys made everything else up." She stopped the coming protest with a raised hand. "I know. Video evidence and all that. It's just... hard to reconcile the person he was toward me and the person he... actually is." Maya deflated at bit. She'd thought herself more grown up and urbane. She had matured, she'd had to considering her circumstances. But underneath it all, she was still stupidly hoping for things to go back to how they were. Happy family.

The officer seemed content to let her wallow in her discomfort.

"Arrest me or let me go, if you please. I don't have anything further to say on the matter."

"You are goddamn squeaky clean, Ms. Csendes." —"Language, officer." He continued, unperturbed.— "If it weren't for that... Well, it could be worse. Personally, I wish it wasn't going down like this, but I'm here to serve you the official papers. All of Sebastian's assets are being seized. The building, the accounts, everything. You can't go home. You can't remove anything from the premises. You can't-"

He continued, but Maya could hardly pay attention through the buzz in her ears. So. There was something more he could take from her. His very existence was making it hard for her to eek out a living.

"Full Circle?" She interrupted the officer.

"Under audit. Until they can determine it's not a front or something."

She put her face into her hands. And just like that, Maya and Rowan were homeless. "I need to make a phone call."

Sam’s phone buzzed in his pocket as he walked into the precinct normally he didn’t make an appearance here. The paperwork that he had to look over and the stories he had to confirm were always tedious, however he understood the need to check facts and double-check them. It kept some officers from spinning a story and creating glory, arresting a mutant single handedly would be impressive if they could throw buildings at you and vaporizer cars with eye beams all because they lost their temper. It was a sort of check and balance, but Sam felt better about the cops in the city if they were kept honest not just by him, but everyone. The fact that he had to do it sometimes he found ironic.

”Yellow?” Sam said without looking at the caller I.D. odds were it was a girl one that decided to try his number again after some time because other than Sveta he hadn’t really been actively looking for any new prospects between the bitter taste he had in his mouth lately and all the all nighters he had been pulling, for once he felt he was too busy for mingling with the fairer sex.

Sam smirked when he heard the voice, it had been a while since he had last heard from Ghost one of the first friends he had in the mansion. It didn’t matter what kind of mood he was in, a smile still washed over his old expression. Ghost had that ability. ”Long time no see, what’s going on? How’s the kid?" Sam asked feeling a little guilty because he hasn’t seen her in a while. Lately he had been so preoccupied with his own things lately most of his friends felt like strangers. Maybe it was better that way though. Then again, ”How are you?”

> "Yellow?"

"Sam." Maya's tone of relief came through loud and clear. She leaned her forehead against the pay phone that was wedged behind the booking desk. She'd thought that maybe he would send her to voicemail for some reason. Maybe she was self-conscious about the time she'd let lapse between her visits. Sam didn't seem perturbed in the least.

> ”Long time no see, what’s going on? How’s the kid?"

"Too long. Uhm. Rowan's good, he's... well, I'm maybe in a bit of trouble." Maya's eyes flicked over to the officer behind the desk who was busy twiddling his thumbs. He'd snorted like what she'd said was funny. Maya moved her back between the man and the phone as if her body would block the sound.

"It wouldn't be a big deal, would it? Uh. If we moved back to the school?" And because that sounded rather lame Maya babbled out a bit of an explanation. "I know it's been a long time. I could maybe teach or something if you needed the help. Or even X-men. I don't expect to just freeload. It's just that everything I own sort of, kind of just got seized by the government." Her voice got softer and smaller as she went until the last word 'government' was more of a breath than a word.

Sam was a good guy. He, personally, had the money for lawyers and could probably set her up if she needed it. But that wasn't what she was asking for here. She was asking to come back. To belong again. She'd left to get married. That, clearly, didn't work out. She'd struggled on her own for a long time and even that, now, was coming to an end. The Mansion and the X-men were just about all she had left. If he turned her away now...

"Please." She added. Just to be polite.

It didn’t sound like the cheery somewhat sassy Ghost he remembered. Sam hadn’t seen or heard from her in a while but he could pick up that something was wrong by her tone. When she said she was in trouble Sam remained silent for a moment as some paper work reached his free hand. He looked through the report in his hand as he listened to Ghost explain the situation.

Sam nodded his head to the officer in front of him as he was saying something but the second Ghost asked to move back to the mansion everything around him took a higher pitch whine. Sam’s smirk widened as Ghost started to offer to help out around the mansion. The inner Sam was dancing that one of his friends would be back in the mansion but then reality set in. She hadn’t been involved with a lot of things that had been happening over the last two years. His brain jacking his kidnapping some students… did she know about those? Would she think less of him… the smile on his face remained though.

Sam raised a finger to the officer and turned and took a few steps away from him. Clearing his throat and trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, ”Big deal? Hmmm….” he then started to chuckle a little bit into the phone as the ‘seized by the government’ didn’t sink in to his thick skull. ”never could say no to you, Ghosty. We can figure something out with work if need be but you’re family.” he shrugged silently as he opened the file and looked at it trying not to roll his one eye at the embellished story how something went down.

”Wait…. Seized by the government!?!? The hell did you do?!?! Where are you?”

He might have teased her a bit, but Sam was receptive to the idea. Maya was glad. He didn't seem any different at all. Her world had been turned upside-down and punched in the gut a few times. It was nice to have someone be consistent.

"Great. Uhm. I guess I don't have anything to pick up so—"

> ”Wait…. Seized by the government!?!?"

Maya cringed and then realized that she'd heard that statement through the phone receiver and echoing down the hall. She leaned back and looked around for him, but couldn't spot him. He must've been close though. Records office maybe?

She sighed into the receiver and the sound echoed around the room again.

"Not me. Sebastian." Always Sebastian. She'd actually asked them not to tell her what he was doing anymore. Oregon or Idaho or... well, she couldn't even actually remember what state they'd said he was in. "I'm not sure what he's done this time, but they were mad enough to take all his stuff and mine. Doesn't really matter. It's just stuff, but I will be really angry if they get to keep the Full Circle." They couldn't, right? That one was hers from before she'd even met him.

"I'm at the precinct in Manhattan. The big one with the filing office and FBI attachment? And judging from the echo," she chuckled, "you are too. Let me grab Rowan and then met me by the Eagle statue in the front lobby?" Oh no. Rowan. He was going to be bouncing off the walls after who knows how many doughnuts. Maya grimaced.

And, Sam? She waited a beat to be sure he was listening. "Thanks."

Maya hung up without an official goodbye and went to find her son.

Rowan was, as the officer had promised, happy as a clam. His mouth and hands were dusted with powdered sugar and caked with chocolate and sprinkles. Was that... jelly filling on his shirt?

"C'mon, kiddo. Uncle Sam's here to give us a ride." Uncle Sam. Pfft. Rowan tried to get in another level of his game, but in the end relented. He handed an equally sugar crusted phone back to the officer who's desk he'd been sitting at. Maya made note of the name and would try to remember to send a thank you note.

After a quick stop in the cramped restroom to wash face and hands (there was no saving the shirt. It was covered in donut), Maya and Rowan made their way to the eagle statue.

Rowan was still small for his age. His skin had turned a dusty, unnatural gray and, though he spoke well for his age, there was something about his facical structure that seemed just a bit... off. With his black hair, if he hadn't insisted on wearing bright colors, he would look very monochrome. Today he had on a blue shirt with a Neon yellow design of a robot on it. The words "Out of Control" were mostly obscured by his donut mess.

Sam set the files down and looked to the officer and gave a sarcastically apologetic look as he listened to Ghost explain that it was Sebastian’s fault and not hers. What had Sebastian done? Had Sam really been so self involved with his things that he missed something like this. Sam chimed in, ”I’m sure they won’t take Full Circle” he said trying to cheer her up. Sam knew how much that place meant to her. Sam would try and think of something if they tried to take it. ”Heh, yeah I’m here. Small city it seems.” When she said thanks Sam just hung up the phone and looked to the officer he was with.

”More important things are happening, fix the report or I’ll speak to your supervisor about how you have an over active imagination. You’re giving the police in the city a bad name.” Sam ignored the commentary and walked out of the room.

It took a few minutes but he arrived in the main lobby shortly after Ghost and Rowan it seemed. The kid looked different from the baby he remembered. Had it really been that long? With a smile Sam greeted them both and pulled them into a one armed hug. ”Really good to see ya Ghost.” Sam then formed a little Brontosaurus out of ice and handed it to Rowan then patted his head reading his messy, ”Hey little buddy. Really growing huh? Are you out of control?”

Looking back to Ghost, ”Come on, tell me about everything on the ride back?” Sam asked rhetorically, ”When we get home we can get you guys set up in room. Not gonna be the same as your old one but I’m sure we can find something to your liking.”

Maya smoothed her hair as they approached. Was she actually nervous? It was just Sam. And of course he still called her Ghost. "Most people call me Maya these days." Not that she minded being called Ghost. It was... nostalgic.

"My momma is Maya." Rowan confirmed rather loudly.

> ”Hey little buddy. Really growing huh? Are you out of control?”

"Actuwee," The boy held up one finger, clearly imitating something or someone he had seen before. "I am a boy. I am not a outovcontwol."

"He is crazy big, huh?" Maya was in love. It was all over her face and in her eyes. She was so proud. She rumpled Rowan's shiny black hair on the way to Sam's vehicle. Funny how two pale white-haired mutants came to have such a swarthy son.

"I don't know ho much I can explain. It's completely bizarre." Maya worried at Rowan's seatbelts. He was really supposed to have a car seat or booster or something, but she didn't have a car so she'd never bought one.

"One day we were a happy family, getting ready to welcome little Rowan ("I'm not little!") into our lives and the next... well, he sorta went bonkers. Granted I spent my whole pregnancy at the medical facility." Not a lie. Just a glossing of the truth there for Rowan's sake as much as hers. "But Sebastian sort of became a whole other person. Started his own religion, even. Like. literally. I think they worship him." He's up on domestic terrorism charges, not that I think they have him in custody or anything. I didn't ask what for this time. I just think... well, maybe people aren't immortal for a good reason."

”Maya works but it’ll be hard calling you anything other than Ghost. Been calling you that since we met, ya know?” Sam said with a smirk as he looked down to Rowan, ”Well you look like a boy so that’s good.” Sam said agreeing to him being a boy and not out of control. He seemed sassy, a quality he must have gotten from his mother.

When they gotten to his vehicle, which was parked just outside, he opened the door for both of them and then apologized once he got into the vehicle for not having a car seat. Kids his age should have them but Sam didn’t have a kid at the moment so there was no need. His mind shifted to his not real kids that still haunted his dreams, they had car seats. Sammy probably would have gotten along well with Rowan.

His attention shifted back as Ghost tried to explain what had happened. Sam made sure he was extra carful driving as he started making turns towards the mansion. ”Bonkers huh?” Sam repeated after agreeing that Rowan wasn’t little, even if he was. ”Went all Charles Manson?” Sam asked knowing that wasn’t really the case it just sounded good in his head. ”Church of the Immortal?” Sam asked trying not to make too light of the situation, ”Sounds a bit dark.” then to Sam most organized religion wasn’t his thing. [

”I’m sure a lot would change in his life, wouldn’t be too hard to believe that he’d think he was trying to make it better. Prevent history from repeating itself, and all that jazz.” Sam shrugged, he could see it but still he didn’t fully believe Sebastian would do that. He seemed a lot different when Sam last threatened him at their wedding. Guess he did have to kill him now.

Turning down another street Sam looked back to Rowan through his mirror, ”How is he handling all of this? Not imagine it is easy.” Sam said directing the subject towards Rowan. Sam quickly added, ”We’ll figure it out though. We have resources if we need them. Not gonna let them do anything to you two.” Sam said with some reassurance.

"It is all a bit dark." Maya shifted in her seat. She was feeling a bit guilty for not sympathizing with Sebastian more. Surely he had his reasons, as Sam had postulated. "Whatever his motivation, it uh... no longer includes me and Rowan." That was the crux of the matter. If he'd just let her in on what he was thinking, surely they could have found a solution together.

> ”How is he handling all of this? Not imagine it is easy.”

"Good. Mostly." Maya squirmed some more. "He went through a phase where he would ask any male over, oh let's say 13, if he was his daddy. He knows better now. Mostly."

"My dad's a unicorn! Neigh! Neigh! You're not my dad." Rowan paused a beat. "Have you seen my dad? I lost him."

Maya threw up her hands. "He's not lost, hun. He's just..." She didn't have the heart to tell him that Sebastian had abandoned them both. That he didn't want them anymore. "We have each other. Maybe someday I'll find you a better daddy."

Her eyes got rather wet looking, but she never actually cried. Maya had toughened up in the last few years. "Why don't you count all the stop signs we pass?" She turned back to face the front window when Rowan shouted an enthusiastic YEAH! That wouldn't last long, but for now he started by belting out the number one as they rolled to a stop.

"Yeah. We'll figure it out." Her smile didn't feel 100% sincere, but at least she was smiling. "Thanks, Sam."

A kid needs a dad. That much Sam knew but if he was willing to just walk out it seemed it was better for the pair who were riding along with him in his car anyways. It was sad but Sam knew Ghost was strong and the looks she have been giving while talking or looking about Rowan, the ice creator had no doubt the kid wouldn’t be short of love and care. Sam didn’t respond to Rowan when he asked about his father Sam wasn’t sure how he should handle it. A smirk touched Sam’s lips when Ghost suggested a better one.

”No prob.” he responded to her his voice trying to sound as reassuring as he could. ”What family is for right?” Sam smirked, ”If your worried about him not learning how to throw a football I’m sure I can help out.” a sad nostalgic look came over him as he remembered teaching his not-real kids how to throw while his not-real wife was recording everything. Sam turned down another street and headed up the main road towards the mansion.

”You ever tell Rowan about how you used to save people?” Sam asked trying to change the subject as they came upon the large gates to the mansion’s driveway hoping for a cheerier subject. ”Your mom is super tough!”

Sam seemed a bit introspective. Maya hoped he wasn't distressed at what he was seeing. She was trying her best. Trying to do right by her son. There were things she couldn't teach him. Football being the least important of those.

"Well, yes, throwing a football. Sure. But who's gonna teach him to throw a punch?" Not that she hoped he'd have to, but with how Rowan looked, he was going to need to know how to defend himself. Unless the world got remarkably kinder, that was. She could always hope for that.

"Momma don't save people!" He was grinning ear to ear and looking between Sam and Maya now. "My momma is too nice! That guy sayed it at his store."

"Her store. I'm a girl so I'm a her." Maya corrected him out of habit before actually responding. "Heeey. I'm super tough!" Maya flexed her arms. They were sorely lacking in muscle, but that was what people did when they were tough. "I used to go with uncle Sam and help at emergencies. Like the ambulances. Uncle Sam is waaaay tougher than even me, though. What happened to that ice dinosaur, Uncle Sam made you?"

"It's too cold. I throwed it on the ground."

"Rowan! That was a gift. Uncle Sam makes ice."

"Ice?"

"Like in drinks or like the snow in the winter?"

"Uncle Elsa! He is a magical princess like in Fwozen!"

Well? Maya turned to Sam with barely contained laughter. He wasn't exactly wrong...

”I thought that went without saying?” Sam said to ghost surprised she had to ask that at all. ”You go to anyone else I’ll be offended. Not like I have a ton of students at the moment anyhow so Rowan will get a ton of practice.” Sam said matter as a matter of fact ignoring what it could be taken as. Ghost wouldn’t know why his class attendance was pretty much non-existent.

Sam smirked when Ghost tried to defend something that he made for Rowan, ”Would have melted soon anyways.” Sam said shrugging not taking it personally. What he did take personally was the comparison to a Disney princess with a watered down power set. ”Alright!” Sam was already pretty close to the mansion entrance however he stopped his vehicle. If Rowan was a bit older Sam would have slammed on his breaks. ”Out of the car!” Sam said unbuckling and turning the car off. Sick of being compared to a third rate ice-mancer even if she had the pipes it was still insulting.

”Not a word!” Sam pointed to Ghost knowing she had a smirk on her face. He didn’t need to look at her to see. ”You want to see someone really let it go?” Sam got out of the car and waited for the others to exit the vehicle before he started. Raising his hand the moisture in ground started to freeze and bend to his will. A point at first then a castle started to form out of the snow it wasn’t as extravagate as the one in frozen not that he knew what that was like but it had a lot of details and was perfect for someone of Rowan’s size. A little hide out.

”Uncle Sam is better.” Sam said as he raised his other ahnd forming several other small castles of ice and snow. The air around them got a little colder, not enough to get anyone sick but know it cold. Snow started to fall as the ground started to coat over in ice. Sam also started to form a dinosaur out of ice to try and impress Rowan. It wasn’t the friendly leaf eating kind like before but more of the sharp point teeth kind. The T-Rex stood taller than Sam but once was fully formed crouched down with a smile and wagged his big tail pushing his face towards Sam. ”Better right?”

She thought he might be angry at first, but there was a definite twinkle in Sam's eye. Rowan froze in the backseat, horror written all over his misshapen face. Sam was already long gone from the car by the time Maya spoke up.

"Go on. Let's go see what he's up to." Her smile was just reassuring enough to get Rowan moving.

> ”Not a word!”

Maya put her hand over her mouth and ducked while Uncle Princess Sam went to work.

He really was a good man.

Impetuous, at times. A womanizer at most other times. But, underneath all that crusty ice were good intentions and a heart of gold.

"This is UH-MAZING! Woo!" Rowan tossed handfuls of snow in the air and went little kid bonkers over his new, personal wonderland.

Maya shoved her hands into the mostly useless girl pockets of her khakis as she took a moment to admire Sam's work and Rowan's response. "Couldn't wait until we got home, could you?" Must not chuckle. Must not chuckle. The aeromancer leaned back against the still warm hood of Sam's vehicle. She could see the Mansion from here, but wasn't too impatient to get there. It was a hardly-used street and the ice would melt soon in this heat anyway.

Rowan slid down a fireman's pole with another whoop of glee. "C'mon, dinosaur! Let's climb to the top!"

Sam smirked in Ghost’s direction while Rowan was distracted with how better Sam was than Elsa from the Disney movie. The T-Rex nodded his head and followed Rowan up to the castle but only managed to stick his head in the base of the door. The castle was a little too small for the Dinosaur but perfect for Rowan. Sam also took care to make the castle as safe a possible. It was made of ice sure but most of the stairs were covered in some densely packed snow to avoid slipping. The only open room where he could escape from once he entered was the tallest tower that had a balcony. The T-rex pulled his head from castle door and hopped leaned into the balcony window.

”Why would I wait?” Sam asked with a smirk directed towards ghost as he kept his eye on Rowan, both the real and thermal ones. He’d act if anything happened Rowan kind of reminded him of Sammy. Maybe less of a trouble-maker but still reminded him of his not real kid. ”I had to prove that I was superior to the make believe ice-mancer. All the CGI in the world couldn’t help her, even if she is a babe.”

Sam took a few steps closer to the car still focused on Rowan. In a lower voice Sam asked her, ”You never did tell me how you’re doing” Sam said with some concern. ”Can’t imagine what’s going through your head right now.”

She never stopped smiling, but Maya did have to shake her head at Sam's "babe" comment. It was Sam. Totally, irrevocably Sam.

As was the concern for a friend. "I'm not sure it's all sunk in just yet." Maya sort of sank into herself, arms folded across her stomach and shoulders rolling forward in a hunch like she felt the need to be smaller or to hide. "I tried real hard not to touch anything that was his, you know. The accounts. The ring. Anything that was his before or during... I thought he might want it back or hold it against me like a tab. I also wanted to prove that I could stand on my own."

It was true. Maya wasn't wearing her wedding ring. She'd only ever had one, but now there wasn't even a tan line.

Maya drew her legs up now too so she was fully sitting on the vehicle. The change in the way she supported herself didn't even make the car bob with her weight. "It's just proof that I was deluding myself. I was in his building. Using the income from that to keep it going and even supplement the bookstore those few times we hit rough patches." Oh no. What about the other residents? She would have to give them a call once they got to the Mansion and warn them off. Surely the police wouldn't hold strangers' things. Would they? Did she even have their numbers now that the police had her cell?

"We're fine. It's just stuff and the police will release it once they go through it and realize underwear's not going to be helping Sebastian wage war on the midwest. I don't think they'll release the Iris building since it's a potential source of revenue, but... It's just stuff." Maya shrugged. It had been her home for at least 5 years now, but if she stopped to get all nostalgic, she would cry. She didn't want to cry right now. Not in front of Rowan.

Rowan, for his part, made it to the top and leaned out the balcony window to pet his ice dinosaur and wave to his mother. Maya waved back and even mustered a bit of a smile. "You're good with kids." He had to be, being the head of a Mansion full of them, but it was more than that. "I seem to remember you had a few. In the future." The unspoken question being, did he have any now?