Sam stifled a yawn into a mug of coffee hoping that the caffeine would kick him the kick in the pants he needed to wake up. Ever since he got back to the city he was looking for an excuse not to sleep, extra lessons with Alex, training with Mirror or Jorge and any reason to go on patrol. He liked working with the police less and less for personal reasons but he didn’t let it affect his work, only his sleep schedule.

The attempt to confront and try to kill Amanda again was another failure in trying to rid himself of the constant nightmares that waited for him while he slept, so when a bartender called off at the bar he owned (long story, one that Sam doesn’t remember) Sam was more than eager to take the shift. Sure he wouldn’t really be paying himself to tend the bar but it kept him away from his bed or his desk. In truth Sam was still afraid to sleep.

The station on the television changed quickly as Sam had grown tired of the same news, he wasn’t expecting a lot of patrons seeing as it was still pretty early but the few regulars he noticed already had their usual orders. So, when he landed on a nature channel discussing the hunting habits of Orca’s he decided he’d wipe the bar top down again for the third time that morning then clean out the drink wear cleaner.

Lee was… Lee wasn't really sure how she was. But Lee wanted to have a drink. And she wanted to forget about certain things, at least for the moment. And to do that, she couldn't exactly be around people she knew, so that meant that the bar was out, not that it was even open yet, as was having a beer at home, even in her room. If Rachel were to come home to see that...

Which meant that she needed to find somewhere else for a drink. So walking down the street wearing just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt under her jacket, Lee came across a small bar, pretty empty because of the time of day. Stepping up to the door, Lee walked in and made her way to the bar without really looking around.

Slipping her jacket off as she came up to an empty stool, Lee draped it over the back and say down to wait for the bartender.

With Sam’s back turned to the door he felt the change in temperature as another body, a female one walked into the bar. Sam sniffed as he tossed the rag he was using to wipe down the glass cleaner into a bucket. ”Kitchen isn’t open yet.” he said his voice gruffer than he intended. Sam sniffed and pushed himself up and watched the television as a pod of Orca’s toyed with a kill.

”Sorry,” Sam said as he sipped his coffee, ”That sounded a little worse than I wanted. Sam reached up and rubbed the scruff on his face then turned to the new comer. ”Should be another hour before the cook is ready. Recommend the fish tacos, need to start off with something to drink?” Sam said as he grabbed a glass and filled it with some water then willed some ice to form in the glass.

The icemancer’s lone eye shifted from the glass to the patron. If she had died before in front of him he might have tried to ‘wake’ himself up but it wasn’t the case. Sam smirked, ”Damn, still looking good. Didn’t know you were back in town.”

As Lee sat down, Lee heard someone talk and turned her head to see a man standing behind the bar. Saying that the kitchen wasn't open yet. That was fine, Lee thought, she wasn't there for food anyway.

But by the time he had turned to face her, Lee's eyes had drifted over to the tv, not actually watching it, but acting like she was. ”I'll just have a beer, Lee said.

Lee thought that was the end of that, and didn't notice the over being formed in the glass because of ‘watching’ the tv.

Because of that, the last words she heard were shocking, and Lee eyes darted back to the man quick. ”Sam?” Lee asked, though she knew it was him. ”What are you doing here? And yeah, I just came back recently.”

His arms folded with the mug still in hand. He sipped his black liquid and raised his only eyebrow in confirmation. ”Lee.” the next question he was about to answer but one of the regulars chimed in before he could. “I ask him the same damn question every time I see them.” Yup. He said them. The man then demonstrated by pointing to both Sam’s.

Sam then nodded his head, ”And I tell you the same thing. I don’t care whose your brother. You keep coming into ‘my bar’ while ‘I’m’ sober and covering his shift.” Sam then straighten up… ”Now behave before I call your daughter.” his threat was sincere enough to shut the regular up.

Sam then crouched down and grabbed two beers and set them in front of Lee. ”I own a bar now it seems.” Sam said setting his coffee down. ”Think I could be asking you the same question. Last I checked it was still pretty early and…. Tarin?” Sam asked hoping he wasn’t prying too much.

Looking at the second beer he reached out for his coffee and stuck to that for the time being. He was in fact trying to stay at least somewhat sober. Even if the occasional drink made working with some of the regulars more bareable.

Apparently San owned a bar now. That was quite the coincidence, though it was a much different atmosphere than Matt's bar she was working at. But, despite Sam's comment about it being early, he had set a beer down in front of her. So Lee took it in her hand and took a long sip.

Just in time to hear him ask about Tarin. Lee shook her head as she set the bottle back on the bar. ”Tarin?” Lee repeated, looking over at Sam. ”No, not him. I mean, things aren't exactly easy there, but the paperwork was finalized a few years ago.

“And the clock may say it's early, but I've been awake for two days…” Lee let that thought trail off as she lifted her beer to her lips again.

Sam sipped his coffee and tried not to comment on her comment about paperwork and Tarin. It seemed things weren’t all too well between them, unless paperwork meant something else. Divorce was something Sam wasn’t familiar with. Dead ‘not-real’ wives and teammate ex-girlfriends was something he understood more. If having a ex-husband was anything like having an ex-girlfriends you have to see regularly he understood what she was going through, at least in his mind. That and Sam and Tarin never got along too well. Only thing they had in common was Lee.

”Sounds like you could use a coffee more than a beer then… however it’s five o’clock somewhere.” Sam asked as he reached under the bar produced another beer and sent it down to the older regular who was interjecting in their conversation earlier. ”I make a good cup. One of the perks with being the owner. I get to choose the coffee.” Sam said with a smirk as he eyed the second beer in front of Lee and then reached for the pot of coffee and refilling his cup.

”I personally,” Sam started turning back towards Lee and then pointing to a bottle that looked like there was rocket blasting off on it ”found whiskey to get me to go to sleep quickly if sleep isn’t coming naturally.” he joked but there was many a bender with that bottle.

”Double shifts?” Sam asked as he took a swig of his coffee and opening the ice-box behind the bar. It was currently unplugged but luckily the icemaker was on the clock. Pointing his hand in the direction of the icemaker he started to will some cubes to form. ”You do look great for being up for two days straight.” Sam smirked and raised his mug in a cheers.

”Well, maybe after a few beers, I’ll take you up on the coffee,” Lee said before taking another sip of said beer. But then Sam said that he found personally that whiskey helped him fall asleep. Lee just shook her head. ”Not sure how well that’ll work for me. Plus, I don’t really like whiskey.

“And no, not double shifts,” Lee said, then paused in thought a moment. ”Well, I guess I kind of am. But that’s not why. I’m helping a friend by managing his bar. By the time my energy drops enough to try sleeping, I have to get Kevin ready for school.” Lee shrugged. There really wasn’t much else to it than that. What was she supposed to do?

She looked good after two days with no sleep, did she? Lee lifted her bottle to clink against Sam’s mug. ”You should see me after five,” Lee said with a wink at Sam. ”Day six, not so hot. I tend to crash and pass out.”

Whiskey was indeed an acquired taste.

”Kevin….” Sam said recalling Lee was pregnant, though he could remember if it was in this reality or one of his many nightmares that he often relived when he laid his head down. ”Son.” Sam said more of a reminder to himself.

”More power to ya.” Sam said recalling everything his ‘not-real’ wife did for their kids. ”Don’t know how you ladies do it but mom’s keep going.”

Sam laughed and then rubbed his chin thinking about the kiss he once stole, ”Almost forgot about your power.” he raised his mug, ”You probably won’t need it.” Sam said with a laugh. ”How’s it going by the way, eh your powers and Kevin.” he thought for a second, ”Don’t think I met him.”

Sam seemed confused when she mentioned Kevin, and Lee paused for a moment. Sam had known that she had a kid, hadn’t he? Thinking back, Lee wasn’t sure. She had spent so much time at the mansion, checkups with DocProf, and then heading there when she had actually gone into labour. Lee had just figured that Sam would know.

Luckily, Sam either figured it out or remembered. ”Gotta do what you gotta do,” Lee said with a shrug.

Then Sam asked how things were going with Kevin and her powers. ”Well, other than my current sleeplessness, there really aren’t any issues,” Lee said with another shrug. ”I mean, I’ve figured out about as much control as I’m probably ever going to have. And aren’t all kids essentially just balls of endless energy?”

Had Sam met Kevin before? ”Honestly, I can’t remember if you’ve met him before. But I’m sure we can arrange that at some point. He does keep begging me to take him to the zoo.”

”Kid’s or boys?” Sam asked with a smirk as a teacher he had noticed some kids have more energy than others but when it came to punching or kicking something he noticed the boys were more eager to follow along. Then again, he did have students like Victoria.

Sam smirked, ”Careful there Lee your gonna make me start thinking about our one and only date.” Sam smirked into the coffee mug as his thermal sense and his lone eye darted towards the door to see some people entering and grabbing a table. Sam then nodded to the waitress to greet them.

It took a second but he was staring back at Lee, ”I might of at one point but, feels like I’ve had a few lifetimes to sort through.” Sam said not exaggerating at all. When he was being controlled he actually went through a few lifetimes with his family. All of them eventually ended like his coffee. Black.

Sam sipped from his mug, ”I’m also a teacher, so if Kevin needs an outlet I hear running around practicing punches is a good outlet.” Sam said,
”But, never could turn down a trip to the zoo.” he paused for a second not to think but to drink his coffee. ”Now does Kevin take after you or… ummm…. Does he see dead people?” it was none of his business but he was curious and once upon a time he and Lee were great friends.

”Have you ever really seen a kid sit still?” Lee asked Sam. And, even though Sam brought up their quasi-date from so many years ago, and that these mentions never seemed to go over well, Lee was feeling much better than she had been when she walked into the bar.

When Sam said that he was a teacher, Lee tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at him. ”I’m guessing at the Mansion?” she asked. Because really, Lee couldn’t see Sam actually teaching at a traditional school. Even more so with him owning a bar like he did. But with mentioning throwing punches, Lee shook her head. ”He’s still too young to be throwing punches, Sam. And as far as powers, it’s still a wait and see. He is still only 6.”

”Often enough,” Sam said gesturing with his coffee, ”Discipline is one of the cornerstones of my lesson plans… though…” Sam looked around, ”
Maybe I should practice what I teach huh?” Sam asked as he walked towards register as he heard an order for drinks.

Sam hated making Long Island Ice Teas there was no craft in it just a mixture of liquors hoping that it would taste good. Then again Sam hated drinking them so he was a little biased. Pulling the glasses out he started to whip up the drinks. ”You think anyone would let a guy with one eye that looks like me teach anywhere else?” Sam asked laughing. ”
I mean eye patch screams self-defense teacher. Or pirate. Last I checked the pirate class didn’t start back up yet so… think I’m just sticking to one.”

”Pfffttt too young. Never too young to learn the basics.” Sam offered up the drinks to the waitress then got back to his spot opposite Lee on the bar with his coffee mug. ”Had my powers when I was that young.” Sam shrugged, ”Guess I’m a special case then.” Sam smirked back into his mug.

”Really though, I do have some classes with some kids his age. Not many but just the ones living in the mansion, mostly I just try to keep there attention for an hour or so, they seem to have fun with it. At least they burn some energy and if he’s your kid I’m sure he has plenty.” Sam said raising an eyebrow.

Sam had actually managed to get kids to sit still? Despite herself, Lee was impressed. ”You're going to have to teach me your secret,” Lee said with a slight laugh. ”Some nights, is all I can do to get him to sit to eat supper.”

As Sam brought up that the only people other than at the Mansion that would let him teach were pirates, Lee had to laugh with him. ”I don't know, Sam. If you could keep a straight face, you might do well teaching a safety class,” Lee teased. ”You know, like not running with scissors.”

Sam had had his powers at Kevin's age? Lee blinked in shock. How could he have had his powers that young? Lee was sure, knew that Kevin was most likely going to develop his own powers, but they had to still have had years before that, right? At least Lee hoped so. She may know that Kevin would get powers, but that didn't mean she was ready for that to happen.

Taking a large sip of her beer, Lee listened to what else Sam was saying. Maybe he did have a bit of a point there. And they were back in New York, after all. Plus, Kevin was always fascinated by people's powers. ”I'll think about it,” was all Lee would allow at the moment.

”It’s all about burning that extra energy till you can get them to pay attention. Sometimes it’s running and some times it’s kicking and things. Eventually all kids focus enough. You’re more than welcome to sit in on the class.” Sam walked up to the bar and received another order this one was one of the specials.

”Couldn’t teach a safety class. It means I’d have to follow my own rules and let’s face it. Not too good at following them.” Sam said as he raised his hand over a small glass and willed a figure of ice to form. It looked like a little frozen man and when it was added with the hot coffee and Irish cream it looked like a man in a hot tub. He made three more of the drinks and then looked back to Lee.

”You sticking around long enough for another round. My relief gets here in a bit. Might be able to join you for a beer, kind of found upon if I drink on the clock.” the old man at the end of the bar said something loud enough for Sam to make out a few words. ”You’re daughter is the one who will be in today.” the old man gasped and quickly slammed his drink and then pushed himself up. “See you tomorrow, frosty.”

Sam smirked and collected the glass and threw it in the dishwasher.