Things had been quiet around the mansion thre last little while. Well, as quiet as things could get in a house filled with young, and young at heart, mutants.

And thanks to that quietness, Lee had been able to get herself and Alice (though by no means the entire mansion) back on a semblance of a normal routine. A routine which included Alice's piano lession. Well, it wasn't so much a lession as a practise. Lee let her daughter choose her own music, within reason, as long as the girl put in the time and effort to actually practice. Lee wa simply there to make sure Alice actually put that time and effort in, and to help her out if she ran into any problems.

So Lee wa standing by the bookshelf, gazing at the titles, the heel of her three inch shoes tapping in time with the music.

when she heard the bell to the door ring.

Unless someone just happened to be passing by at the time, Lee knew that she was the closest to the door. With a slight sigh, Lee turned to look at Alice, who had paused, her small fingers still touching the keys.

"Keep going, sweetie," Lee said as she started toward the door. "Just because I'm not in the room doesn't mean I can't hear you."

Now that she was out in the hallway, Lee turned toward the front door. Pulling it open, Lee looked down to see a young blond boy. A boy who had to be around Alice's age, maybe only slightly older, standing there by himself. Looking very nervous and scared. And though Lee was sure she had never seen the kid before, he looked extremely familiar.

"Hi there," Lee said, trying to make her voice sound as reassurring to the boy as possible. "What can I do to help you?"

It was a sunny day as the cab reached the gates of the Sister School of the Xavier Mansion and Sammy was nervous more nervous than he had been in his life. He paid the smelly old man the money it cost to get there and stepped out of the cab and was closely followed by his best friend Chelsea, Chelsea jumped down on all fours and sniffed the air then the ground as she walked to the main gate and was followed closely by Sammy.

After his mom died Chelsea was the only friend and family member he had left well other then a person that was supposedly his father that he never met in his life. ‘Why didn’t he come save mommy’ thought Sammy as he stated to cry. Almost instantly Chelsea nudged his hand and whined as Sammy pet her head and wiped the tears from his face. “Your right Chelsea let’s go he’s waiting for us it was mom’s last wish find our dad…”

Sammy pushed open the unlocked gates and walked up the large driveway as he past a vast courtyard. Sammy saw a squirrel by a tree that was somewhat close to the drive way and he knew what was going to happen next. “Go ahead…” he said as Chelsea ran after the squirrel and chased it up a tree. Sammy continued to walk to the door as he let Chelsea finish her business by the same tree the scared squirrel was hiding in. Sammy pulled off the hood of his hooded gray sweatshirt as he looked around the campus and dropped his jaw, “it’s so big…” whispered Sammy to himself as he caught a glimpse of his Chelsea his jet black retriever lab mix he had for four years of his life. ‘She likes it so will I…” whispered Sammy to himself once more.

Sammy walked to the big intimidating doors and pushed the doorbell. As his knees started to shake a little, ‘why do I have to find him why can’t he find me?’ thought Sammy as he looked back for Chelsea who was chasing her tail farther back in the courtyard. His initial fear subsided seeing as he wasn’t alone more on one occasion Chelsea was the one to protect him for being what he was a mutant. To Sammy Chelsea was like a second mother or sister, wherever he was she wasn’t far. Which was one of the main reasons Sammy wasn’t sure if he would like it here, if Chelsea couldn’t stay he wouldn’t either even with his dad being here.

Sammy’s head turned to the door as he heard it open and saw a woman there, Sammy’s knees went stiff he felt his tail twitch nervously under his sweatshirt. He was scared and it was obvious and it didn’t help that the lady was so pretty. Sammy felt his heart drop as she spoke, meaning he was supposed to talk…

"Hi there," "What can I do to help you?"

Sammy’s tail began to twitch more and more as it seemed to pop out from under his sweatshirt and wrap around his leg nervously. Sammy looked to his bags then to the pretty lady and said in a quiet and timid voice, “ummm…I am looking for someone….and…” Sammy paused taking a breath “I need a place to stay..but..” Sammy looked to Chelsea who was now wagging her tail as she sprinted to Sammy’s side now just realizing that someone was talking to her human. Sammy finished his sentence as he put his hand on Chelsea's head that nudged it showing she was there for him, “Chelsea…needs a place too…” Sammy said as his tail twitched nervously around his leg.
Sammy looked up to the pretty lady with a sad look on his face that screamed don’t separate us. Chelsea sat down next to Sammy as she nudged his hand once more which meant ‘pet me some more’.

“ummm…I am looking for someone….and…I need a place to stay..but..”

Lee looked down at the dog that was now at the blond boy's side as he spoke, then back up at the boy's sad looking face.

“Chelsea…needs a place too…”

"Chelsea, eh?" Lee asked, a smile curling one side of her mouth as she looked down at the pair. "Well, it depends on a few things, I think. Is she your dog?" Lee asked the boy, one eyebrow raising as the words came out. "Is she a good dog?

"Eyes on your fingers, not the door, Alice dear," Lee called over her shoulder without missing a beat. "Try that part again, sweetie!" Turning back to the boy in front of her, Lee continued asking about the dog as if she hadn't interrupted herself. "And are you going to take care of her?"

Pausing slightly to wait for an answer as well as to take a breath, Lee let her eyes drift a little lower again as she saw something moving down by the boy's leg. And blinked when she saw what looked like a tail curling around his leg. Not that she wasn't more than used to seeing things like that after living at the mansion for so many years, but this kid was so young still.

"How about we come inside to talk?" Lee then suggested before reaching out to grab the kid's bag for him. "It's a little chilly out here. So who are you looking for?" Lee asked as she waited for the boy to step into the house. "Oh, and I'm Lee, what's your name dear?"

"Well, it depends on a few things, I think. Is she your dog?"

Sammy nodded as his tail twitched slightly again. “…yea..” Said Sammy as he petted his dog who obediently sat by the masters side. Sammy looked at the woman at the face but then looked back down slightly blushing, ‘pretty’ thought Sammy, as he was ready to answer the next question.

"Is she a good dog?’

Sammy nodded as his scared face lightened slightly, “…She’s the best…” said Sammy as he knelt down and hugged his dog, “…She won’t hurt anyone unless they hurt me…” he paused for a second standing up and then continued, “…It’s been like that since mommy got her for me…” as he said this his eyes started to water ‘mommy’ thought Sammy, ‘why did you have to leave me…’ Sammy’s attention was immediately drawn to Chelsea as she whined and stood on two legs as her front paws were on Sammy’s shoulders. “Stop that tickles…” said Sammy laughing as Chelsea was licking his face. Sammy nudged Chelsea a little as she took the hint and returned to a sitting position facing Lee and the entrance to the Mansion. Sammy looked to the lady and smiled, “See Chelsea is real good.” Sammy put his hand down on his dog and scratched behind her left ear.

"Eyes on your fingers, not the door, Alice dear," "Try that part again, sweetie!" "And are you going to take care of her?"

Sammy’s tail tightened around his leg as she was talking to someone else… ‘There is more people?’ questioned Sammy o himself ‘well it makes sense… this is a school and Daddy is here somewhere..’ Sammy was a bit surprised at her next question. Chelsea barked as Sammy let out a small laugh, “Yeah, that’s what’s in the bag her food…” Sammy pointed to the large paper bag off to the side where he put his small bag of clothes. “…I promise to take care of her…” Sammy said as his tail slightly loosened around his leg.

"How about we come inside to talk?" It's a little chilly out here. So who are you looking for?" "Oh, and I'm Lee, what's your name dear?"

Sammy nodded slightly when she offered for him to come in it was a bit cold outside, ”Chelsea fetch…” said Sammy as he pointed to the small bag of clothes as he grabbed the larger bag of dog food. Chelsea grabbed the smaller bag in her mouth and waited patiently till her boy walked inside. Sammy followed the lady in and set his bag down as Chelsea put the bag down right next to the one Sammy was caring. Sammy’s tail twitched as it came loose from Sammy’s leg only to be caught by the young boys hand. Sammy held on to it as it wrapped around his hand, “I am looking for my Dad…Mom told me he lived here…” Sammy fidgeted with his tail as he looked up to Lee and smiled, “…It’s nice to meet you Miss Lee… My name’s Sammy…Sammy Johnson” Sammy was always taught by his mother to mind his manners when talking to an adult, and he wasn’t going to go against what she once said now. Chelsea let out a loud bark, Sammy nodded and said, “and this is Chelsea!”

The boy reacted much the way Lee had expected to her questions about the dog, though she hadn't exactly noticed the bag of food sitting there on the step near them. It also answered something much more important for Lee, how much the boy cared about the dog, and Lee at least wasn't about to try and split them up.

"I don't see any reason why Chelsea can't stay here too, then," Lee said as she saw the boy reached for his own bags. So grown up at such a young age. It was sad, it really was.

But into the house they went, setting the bags down. Then the boy told her who he was looking for, and Lee blinked. Followed by his name, and all Lee could do at the moment was blink at him again. Sammy Johnson? Wow.

That would explain why the boy had looked lo familiar, and now that it was out in the open, Lee could clearly see the similarities, but she never would have thought....

Lee knew she and Sam weren't extremely close, but really, especially with Alice there, Lee would have thought this would be something Sam would have shared.

Unless Sam didn't know.

“I am looking for my Dad…Mom told me he lived here…”

The words ran through Lee's mind again. Whether he knew and hadn't said anything or not, Lee needed to talk to Sam. Now.

"Uh, how 'bout we come in here and talk?" Lee asked as she gently placed her hand on Sammy's shoulder and guided him toward the room just off the main entrance, where the sound of the piano could still be heard.

"Alice," Lee said as she stepped into the room. "Come say hi to Sammy and Chelsea."

Almost at once, Lee saw her daughter hop off the piano bench and almost run over to where the boy and dog were standing. It wasn't as though she didn't like the piano, Lee knew, but she also knew her daughter's stubborn nature and how she didn't like to be forced to play. Plus, this was something new.

As soon as the kids had occupied themselves, Lee pulled her cell phone out and dialled quickly. Lee's foot was already tapping with impatience, even though only two quick rings had sounded before the phone was answered.

"Uh, Sam," Lee said softly into the phone, trying to keep her voice from attracting the kids' attentions. "I, uh, I need to talk to you. Can you meet me? I'm giving Alice her piano lesson." Pause. "Ok, good. See you soon."

Hanging up and tucking away her cell phone, Lee started pacing slightly, then realized something. If Sam didn't already know about this kid, it would probably be best to not find out simply by walking into a room with him. So Lee took a breath and stood still beside the door, focusing more of her attention on her siphoning than on the children so she could quickly slip out of the room as soon as she felt someone approaching the door.

"Uh, how 'bout we come in here and talk?"

Sammy’s tail immediately tensed up in his hand when Lee touched his shoulder. Sammy didn’t mind Lee but he still wasn’t used to many people touching him… “Okay…” said Sammy timidly as Chelsea closely followed Sammy and Lee. Sammy’s mind darted to when his mom used to try and teach him the piano with no luck, Sammy actually picked up the harmonica when he was six years old and it had become quite an obsession of his since that was the only thing his mother wanted to listen to as she was in the hospital.

Sammy’s eyes started to water as he thought of his mom again but of course Chelsea was there to check him. Chelsea again started to whine as she wagged her tail ever so eagerly as Sam started to pet her. Sammy’s tail shot back up to his hand as he fidgeted with it once more. When he heard Lee speak to someone else.

“Alice," "Come say hi to Sammy and Chelsea."

Sammy’s legs started to shake a little as the girl approached him as Sammy turned to Chelsea. Sammy spoke to the girl very nervously, “Um…..Hello… My name’s Sammy…. And this is Chelsea….” Chelsea walked up to the girl and nudged her hands signaling the girl that Chelsea would love nothing more to be petted.
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Sam walked to his phone as he deactivated his ice power and all the ice in the Danger room shattered to the ground. “Who’s calling me now?” asked Sam to himself as he picked up the phone. He flipped the phone open and said, “Hello?” it was Lee, and she wanted to meet during Alice’s piano lessons, “this is either super bad news or super good news.” Said Sam as he walked out the door and walked his way back to where he had seen Alice practice the piano before.

Sam was now feet from the door as he said, “Lee what’s up?’

Finally, or was it simply just a couple of minutes later, Lee felt someone approaching. She had no clue for sure who it was, she simply felt the energy growing stronger from the other side of the door.

Silently, Lee slipped from the room, closing the door behind her, and looked down the hallway to see Sam approaching. Asking her what was up.

"Well, someone showed up a few minutes ago," Lee said, taking a couple steps closer to Sam, but looking over her shoulder toward the door she had just left through. "I think he's looking for you."

Taking a small breath, Lee tried to smile - she didn't want to freak Sam out more than she thought this news already would - but it was hard to look reassuring with how her brow was creased. "I know it's really none of my business, but what were you doing...seven...eight years ago?

"His name's Sammy Johnson."

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After her mother told her to come say hi to Sammy and Chelsea, Alice ran over, a smile on her face, glad to be free from having to play the piano. She liked the piano, liked the looks on their faces when she played for both her mummy and daddy, but didn't like all this practicing over and over again.

"Hi Sammy!" Alice said excitedly as she came to a stop in front of a boy she had never seen before. And then she saw the black dog at his side. An even wider, happier smile suddenly appearing on her face, Alice was almost bouncing when she looked back at the boy. And then she saw the tail in his hands.

"Is this your dog?" Alice asked, the excitement obvious. It wasn't every day you had a boy come to the mansion who had both a dog and a tail of his own, after all. "You're so lucky! Mummy and daddy won't let me get a dog. They won't even let me get a tattoo, and they have lots."

"Well, someone showed up a few minutes ago,"

Lee stopped Sam in the hallway and something was on her mind. He could tell by the look on her face. Sam was curious now someone is here that worried Lee, then why did she stand outside the door while Alice was inside with that someone. Sam tilted his head slightly you want me to show him around?” Sam hadn’t played tour guide for a while and figured that he should start up soon seeing as he was working that much in the mansion.

"I think he's looking for you."

Then why don’t I meet him then? Who is he?” questioned Sam as he walked closer to Lee who was in his way of the door. Sam was curious now to see who this mystery person was. ‘Someone looking for me?’ thought Sam. ‘couldn’t be anyone from prison because there is no way Lee would leave her kid with one of my old inmates, couldn’t be T.A.T. haven’t heard anything from them since Amanda…’ Sam paused and sighed and looked to Lee who seemed like she had more to say.

"I know it's really none of my business, but what were you doing...seven...eight years ago?

Sam thought about the question for a bit…what had he been doing seven years ago…”Ummm, I think I was…” it hit him like a ton of bricks he was living with a old girlfriend a very old girlfriend. “Haley…” muttered Sam. “I moved in with a girlfriend back then, why?” Sam’s eyes darted from Lee to the door worried Sam asked, “Is Haley here? I haven’t seen her since she kissed that other guy…” Sam wondered what she would look like after so long and why now did she decide to come here to see him…

"His name's Sammy Johnson."

Sam’s brain didn’t register it at first but when he did Sam stumbled back a few feet and then fell backwards landing his head on the ground. Sam started at the ceiling in a daze… “This has to be a joke…” Sam said as he contemplated who would do this to him, ‘seven years ago I dated her… there is no way I have a kid… no way…’

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"Hi Sammy!"

Chelsea wagged her tail excitedly at Alice as she bounded over to the two of them and said hello. Sammy however was a little more reserved he had already said hello but the fact was Sammy was afraid of girls somewhat seeing as the last ones he talked to in his old class called him a freak. Which wasn’t nice at all and he didn’t have Chelsea there to comfort him. But this situation was slightly different, Chelsea was there, he really hoped the girl wouldn’t make fun f his tail.

"Is this your dog?" "You're so lucky! Mummy and daddy won't let me get a dog. They won't even let me get a tattoo, and they have lots."

Sammy nodded to her and said, “..yeah…she’s really nice.” Sammy turned to Chelsea and nodded as the dog ran over to other side of Alice and started licking her hand and whining. Sammy laughed at Chelsea who seemed to like the girl enough so Sammy dropped the tail from his hand and swayed from left to right behind him. ‘if some one was good enough for Chelsea they are good enough for me!’ Sammy nodded to Alice and said, “My mom only had one… it was on her arm and it was a heart! And had letters in it there was a C and a S but they were mashed together it looked really cool!”

Sammy wasn’t tearing up this time, it might have been because how happy Chelsea was or because of Alice either way he was happy he didn’t cry in front of her. Sammy then asked Alice, “… you like the piano?” then added, “…you were really good…” Sammy’s tail started to twitch slightly as it continued to sway from left to right.

Sam's reaction to what she was saying really wasn't all that surprising to Lee. At least not considering the fact that she had figured he didn't know about the kid standing on the other side of the door with Alice.

Haley...If Sam had been living with that woman at that time, a time not that long before Lee figured that little Sammy had to have been born, she would have to be the mother; Lee couldn't picture Sam messing around like that, not if he was actually with someone.

Then she said the boy's name, and it seemed to take a few seconds for it to really sink in. But then Sam was backing up, a strange look on his face.

And then he was on his back on the floor before Lee could even blink. And this would be why I told him out here, Lee thought as she rushed the few feet between them and knelt beside Sam's head. "Are you alright?" She asked, concerned. He had hit rather hard, after all.

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Alice giggled a bit when she felt the dog licking her hand, then looked up at Sammy as he started speaking. "Mum has a heart too!" She exclaimed. How cool was that?! "It's on her wrist," Alice went on to explain, pausing both her speaking and petting Chelsea as she looked down at her hands, first one, then the other, a slight frown crossing her face. "I can't remember which hand, but it's right there." Alice finished, holding her left arm out as her right hand pointed to the inside of her wrist.

"What about your dad?" Alice asked as she started petting the insistent dog again. "Mine has tons and tons. His arms and legs are covered in tattoos." The way Alice was talking about her parents' tattoos, it was as if it were something to be proud of, something to brag about. But really, in her mind, it was. Her mummy's and daddy's tattoos were awesome, and no at school, either there at the mansion or at PAX, had parents, or anyone, with as many tattoos as her dad.

“… you like the piano? …you were really good…”

When she heard that, Alice shrugged as she looked up at Sammy again. "Sometimes," she said, then laughed at how Chelsea reacted to her scratching the dog's ears. "Mum can be really picky, but playing for my dad is fun."

"Are you alright?"

Sam just stared at the ceiling for a few more seconds and then finally he blinked and put his hands over his eyes. “I have a kid?” asked Sam still in disbelief, ‘why didn’t Haley tell me?’ wondered Sam as he felt the realization that he had no idea what to do. ‘Maybe it was because I walked out when I saw her kiss that guy? What was his name?’ Sam breathed in and rubbed his eyes holding back from the break down that he felt coming. ‘If it wasn’t for that guy, I could have raised…him been there for them…’ Sam felt his emotions rising as he iced over his eyes to stop tears from falling. He couldn’t cry not now, he had to be strong; he had to meet…his son.

Sam’s hands along with the eyes moved from his now calm and tearless eyes and sighed as he sat up looking to Lee and then back at the ground, “I can’t go in there…” Sam had no idea how to respond to Lee and try to explain the situation. He hadn’t had a father he hadn’t had a mother or a family, his childhood was full of violence and murder, how would he raise a kid. The saying ‘Learn by doing’ was something Sam always said but in this case he couldn’t apply it. There was no way he could look the kid in the face.

“Lee, the kid is going to hate me…” Sam looked at the ceiling and laid back down no longer feeling everything, “I can’t be his father, and I would make a terrible one…” Sam’s eyes started to water little by little as he didn’t know how to handle the situation. Sam sat up wiping the tears from his face, “what’s he look like?” asked Sam looking Lee in the eyes.
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"Mum has a heart too!" "It's on her wrist," "I can't remember which hand, but it's right there."

Sammy nodded excitedly his initial fear of the girl slipping away his tail twitched as it excitedly swayed as it mimicked Chelsea’s fast moving tail wag. “I think I saw that...” Sammy smiled as he looked at Chelsea as she was running from side to side of Alice and then Sammy waiting to be petted and loved. Sammy continued to look at Alice then the Chelsea happy he finally found someone who seemed ice other than his mom and his dog.

"What about your dad?" "Mine has tons and tons. His arms and legs are covered in tattoos."

Sammy’s smile faded into a frown as he thought about it…”I don’t know…never met my dad…” he looked down to the ground sadly as Chelsea rushed to his side and started to nudge his hand. Sammy didn’t pet her but smiled to her and said, “…Good girl…” Sammy then looked to up to Alice and said, ”but my mom told me stories about him! And how they met! He’s a real superhero!” Sammy felt good after he said it, it may not be a tattoo but how many people could say that their father was a real superhero? Sammy then petted Chelsea as she licked his hands and moved back to Alice. Sammy’s face changed from sad to serious, ‘finally gonna met him…my dad… the super hero!’

"Mum can be really picky, but playing for my dad is fun."

Sammy nodded and said, “My mom was picky to but she loved the piano…I wasn’t very good but…” Sammy pulled a old looking harmonica out of his pocket, “..I can play this!” Sammy felt really cool showing his favorite thing in the whole world to someone else. The only other people in the world that new about it were his mom, a nurse and Chelsea.

“I have a kid?”

Lee nodded to Sam's question, but that didn't really help much, he had covered his eyes with his hands as he kept laying there on the hallway floor. He was really freaked out by this, Lee realized. But he did have a reason, right? Lee herself had been freaked out by the idea of having a child, possibly even more so that Sam currently was, and she had known about it from the start, not seven years later.

Finally, Sam was sitting back up. Not getting all the way up, back to his feet, but at least he was sitting rather than laying flat on his back now. "Yes, you can, Sam," Lee told the man sitting beside her. "The kid came here on his own looking for you. At least you can walk through a door and see him."

“Lee, the kid is going to hate me…”

Lee rolled her eyes at Sam, but again this had no effect since he had laid back down. So much for making progress. "He is not going to hate you, Sam," Lee said gently as she reached out to grab behind Sam's shoulders, to help him up once again. "And you won't make a terrible one, not if you actually try."

“what’s he look like?”

At this, Lee smiled slightly. "Honestly, like you," she said softly. "Though I've never seen you look so scared and nervous until today.

"So, are we going in to see him?" Lee asked. "I can't have Alice in there entertaining him all day."

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Alice grinned when Sammy said he thought he had seen her mummy's heart tattoo. That meant he had seen her name there. Maybe not well enough to know it was her name, but that didn't matter. Alice knew her name was there, knew it was there because she was that special, and that's what mattered.

But when she asked about his dad, Alice saw the happy smile disappear from Sammy's face, and she frowned as well in thought. Why did asking about his dad do that? she wondered. Don't he have a dad? But he has a mummy, he said he did, so he's not like some kids at school who live with other families...

Yes, Alice was a little confused. She understood the basics of fostering, where you don't live with your parents, but you have parents. And she understood divorce, one of the boys in her class told her about how his parents weren't living together any more, and he had to go visit his dad on weekends and stuff like that. Buy you always had parents, one way or another, right?

”I don’t know…never met my dad…” ”but my mom told me stories about him! And how they met! He’s a real superhero!”

Again, Alice didn't quite understand how Sammy had never met his father. Her daddy was always around. Uncle Rupert was there too, maybe not as much as she wanted him to be sometimes, but he was there. And even the boy from school who had divorced parents saw both of them.

But then Alice's eyes lit up when Sammy said his dad was a real superhero. "Really??" She asked, fully bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement now. "Is he here, do you think? Cause there's some real superheroes here! Mummy tells me not to bother them, but they're here."

Glancing around the room, Alice only then noticed that her mother wasn't there. An even wider grin coming to her face, she turned back to Sammy as a plan formed in her head. They weren't going to have much time, after all. "Did you want to go look?" Alice asked in a very excited whisper. "See if we can find him?"

"Yes, you can, Sam," "The kid came here on his own looking for you. At least you can walk through a door and see him."

Sam didn’t move he slowed breathed but that was it. Sam was to enveloped in his thoughts as Lee spoke, the words reached him but it to a few seconds for Sam to think about what Lee said. ‘She’s tight she did come to see me… the least I can do is go see my son’ thought Sam as he started to breath heavily, his legs were shaking to much for him to get up so he just continued to breath as he thought what he would say to his son.

"He is not going to hate you, Sam," "And you won't make a terrible one, not if you actually try."

Sam tossed out a nervous laugh, “Lee, if he is my kid and Haley was the mother it would have been a little more than seven years I haven’t been there for him… I can’t imagine the kid excited to see me.” Sam sighed and then looked to the ground, “I didn’t have a normal child hood far from it as far as you can possibly be from normal, I didn’t grow up having a father, how the hell am I going to know what to do…” Sam clenched a fist and then let it go thinking, ‘if only Haley told me….’

"Honestly, like you," "Though I've never seen you look so scared and nervous until today.

Sam couldn’t tell if Lee was talking about him or his kid but he was almost positive she was talking about him. ‘He was raised by Haley no way the kid is the nervous type…’ thought Sam as Lee lifted him up. Sam’s legs started to cooperate as they found their footing and held the rest of his body up.

"So, are we going in to see him?" "I can't have Alice in there entertaining him all day."

Sam sighed and nodded slowly, “Yeah been out of his life to long…” said Sam quietly as he was deep in thought about his childhood and lack of a father. ‘Don’t want the kid to end up like me…at least Haley is there for him.’
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"Really??" "Is he here, do you think? Cause there's some real superheroes here! Mummy tells me not to bother them, but they're here."

Sammy nodded excitedly, ”Yeah, I hope he is here this was where mom told me and Chelsea to go when she left…” Sammy looked down as Chelsea rushed to hi side and jumped up putting her two front paws on him licking his face in a preemptive strike before the tears fell. Sammy laughed slightly and continued, “She said he was the greatest hero ever! My dad! She said he could control ice,” Sammy snapped his fingers to show what his mother said, “just like this!” he smiled again feeling proud that he could say that about his father even if he never had met him before.

Sammy’s thought began racing like crazy, ‘If he is a super hero why didn’t he save mommy?’ Sammy looked down and then looking around for Lee seeing if she had any idea if his dad was a real superhero. Sammy however didn’t see Lee any where in the room.

"Did you want to go look?" "See if we can find him?"

Sammy was hesitant at first but she did have a good idea. “Shouldn’t we wait for your mom?” asked Sammy sheepishly as he grabbed his tail and started to fidget with it. He didn’t know where Lee was so he shook his head to Alice and said, “Yeah let’s go find him!” he then looked around and realized he had no idea where to start, “but…” Sammy let go of his tail and continued, “you have to lead cause I don’t know where anything is…” he then looked to Chelsea who was still on two legs hile the other two were on his shoulders, “Chelsea can come to right?”

Lee just looked at Sam, a serious expression on her face, as he spoke. "He might not be exactly excited," Lee replied slowly. "But he's here, he wants to see you. That's gotta count for something, right?

"And there's no such thing as a 'normal childhood'," Lee pointed out gently. "I know some people have it worse than others, but you do what you can."

"how the hell am I going to know what to do…”

At this, Lee couldn't stop the laugh from escaping. "You're not going to know what to do," Lee finally managed to spit out. "I think that's the whole point of parenthood. You think I knew what to do with Alice? And, I was scared to touch her half the time because I worried what my siphoning was doing to her."

Taking a small breath, Lee helped Sam get back to his feet. He didn't look the sturdiest, but at least he was back up. "You'll be fine, Sam. No one's perfect, but I'm sure you'll be great."

Making sure that Sam would be fine on his own, Lee closed the distance back to the door, reaching her hand out to the handle but not opening it yet. "Ready?"

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Alice nodded as Sammy explained how he thought his dad would be there, since this is where his mother had told him to come. "Ice?" Alice asked, a look of concentration crossing her features for a moment before she smiled again. She couldn't think of anyone who could control ice, but then again Alice didn't know everyone's powers, she just knew the people for the most part. But they could ask, right? That would be part of the fun of looking.

“Shouldn’t we wait for your mom?”

Alice shook her head vehemently. "No," Alice said, her voice still a whisper. She didn't want her mother to hear her and come back, after all.

Sammy agreed with her idea to go looking for his dad after that question, saying she'd have to lead since he didn't know the mansion. Nodding, the playful, planning smile still on her face, Alice quietly walked over to the door. Nodding at Sammy's question about Chelsea, Alice waved her hand for Sammy to follow, then reached for the door knob, pulling it open slowly.

Then saw her mother standing there.

"Oh," Alice said in shock and disappointment. Then she plastered a smile on her face. "Hi mummy!"

"He might not be exactly excited," "But he's here, he wants to see you. That's gotta count for something, right?”

Sam nodded slightly, “Yeah he obviously wants to see me then but Haley wouldn’t be the type to let her child come here on their own…unless she changed a lot…” memories of the good times and the significantly worse times ran through his mind when he thought of Haley. He was happy with in fact she could have been the one but there was that incident with that guy and Sam’s reaction to it. He didn’t know to respond so instead of talking about it after it happened he just left and came back home to the mansion.

"And there's no such thing as a 'normal childhood', "I know some people have it worse than others, but you do what you can."

Sam just nodded and clenched his teeth slightly, ‘Well getting kidnapped and raised as a child assassin wasn’t normal far from it’ but he just nodded with Lee. Still feeling at a slight disadvantage he took a breath and nodded again, “Okay!”

"You're not going to know what to do," "I think that's the whole point of parenthood. You think I knew what to do with Alice? And, I was scared to touch her half the time because I worried what my siphoning was doing to her."

Sam was a little surprised y her laugh but soon enough he was nervously laughing as well…” Guess the siphoning is one last thing I need to worry about then…” shortly after he stopped laughing and said, “well you do it so well, from what I hear Tarin as well…” Sam actually hadn’t seen Tarin since he got back from his two-year vacation but stories were spread around the mansion how ‘Tarin did this and that with Alice and how great it was!’

"Ready?"

Sam nodded his head as Lee put her hand on the door. ‘Ready!’ thought Sam as the door opened. Sam felt a feeling of vertigo, as blood rushed to his head and timed seemed to slow. Sam braced himself as he heard Alice’s voice and then a jet-black dog maneuvered its way through Alice and Lee only to jump up and land on Sam knocking him over.

Sam looked up as the dog was licking his face, “Lee please tell me this isn’t my kid,” said Sam jokingly as he petted the dog. Sam sat up pushing the dog away from him as he looked up Sam was face to face with a young boy… ”…Hey…” Sam felt another tackle as he blinked and saw the young boy hugging him…Sam looked from the boy then up to Lee.
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"Hi mummy!"

Sammy smiled and was ready to go when Alice opened the door. Sammy was a little surprised as he saw Lee waiting by the door almost as she expected them to sneak out on there own. Sammy grabbed his tail and tried to play innocent like Alice seemed to be doing quite well. Sammy’s tail twitched as Chelsea continued to be crouching; she was in tracking mode something out in the hallway was getting her excited. Sammy wondered what it could have been. Sammy tiptoed behind Chelsea as she took off running between Lee and Alice and out the door.

Sammy had a hunch what set Chelsea in tracking mode but he didn’t want it to be him because if it was him he would know how It would end. Sammy’s heart leapt as he heard Chelsea let out a bark and then a crash. She found someone could it be….

“Lee please tell me this isn’t my kid,”

Sammy’s heat stopped for a second as he maneuvered between Alice and Lee to see a man under Chelsea…”…….Dad?!?....” asked Sammy tearing trying to wipe the tears before they fell, he had to look tough for his dad! Sammy started to cry hysterically when he saw his face, his fathers face it was almost identical. He finally found him… “…Dad…”

”…Hey…”

Sammy’s tears continued to fly as he did a full out tackle hug to the man, his father. Sammy pulled Chelsea with one hand and buried his head in his Dad’s shirt as Sammy’s other arm wrapped around his dad, “Daddy…” cried Sammy as he held on tight to his father and his dog savoring the moment for as long as he could, ‘I found him mom, I found Dad’ thought Sammy as he refused to let go of either his dog or his dad. Sammy looked to Chelsea and said, “We aren’t alone any more…”

Sam was ready to go in, or at least as ready as he was going to be to meet his son like this. But just as Lee was turning her attention to the door to go back into the room, the door opened on its own and Alice was standing there.

"Hi mummy!"

Lee raised her eyebrows at her daughter's act of innocence standing there. "And what were you trying to do?" Lee asked, though based on the fact that she and Sammy had had quite a few minutes in there alone to talk and plot, Lee could guess what the plan had been.

But before she could get an answer, the black dog had squeezed out the door between her and Alice and had jumped on Sam. Followed much more tentatively by Sammy, who also tackled Sam.

Letting the two, well the three including the dog, have their moment, Lee turned her eyes on Alice, who had a pout on her face.

"You already found Sammy's daddy?" Alice asked, and Lee could hear the pout in her voice. "We were going to go looking for him.

"Why didn't you tell me he was a real super hero? I know a real super hero? How cool is that, mummy?"

"Yes, it's very cool, sweetie," Lee said as she pulled Alice against her in a one armed hug. Then Lee looked over at Sam again, who was still being hugged by the boy. "Why don't we go sit down?" she suggested. "I'm sure the chairs would be more comfortable than the floor is."