Sam’s phone rang and he slapped the thing off the nightstand trying to get it to shut off he grumbled tiredly then pushed himself up from the bed his head splitting. Was he hung over? No that couldn’t be right it had been a almost a year of sobriety now he still had moments where he wished he had a drink but he had been pretty good about not drinking.

Sam reached over to grab his eye patch only to realize it was missing. Did he knock the thing over with his phone? No he usually pretty good about putting it within reach. The icemancer looked around then realized that his room was different. There were posters of music bands he had never heard of including a few rap groups. He didn’t listen to rap.

Cammie greeted him as usual and so did Bruno so he was in his room. Looking down at his hands he noticed soot everywhere on his person he was still wearing pants so that was good but what had he been doing?

It was then his stomach sank, he had time missing. It felt like he was hung over either he started drinking again or something even worse happened. He was controlled again. Hoping out of bed he made a straight shot to Gawain’s room. He’d have information and Sam needed all the information he could get. Someone needed to tell him he wasn't controlled again.

When he got to the door he banged loudly he didn’t exactly have time to be polite. He was more concerned about what he had done who did he hurt. Maybe it was time he left the mansion. He was doing so well with his paranoia, maybe he got too comfortable. Maybe that was all she needed. Sam didn’t think of her name he didn’t want to give her a reason to think of him. Would he ever be over this? Maybe if he had a drink to sit down and think this over. No… he was done with that. His stomach churned at the thought of drinking and being alone.

They weren’t answering fast enough. He knocked louder. Sam’s first thought was to Becca. He didn’t want her to get upset with him. His second thought was ‘why am I thinking about upsetting her. I never think about that.’ Next thought was ‘Gawain/Maya better answer the door before I kick it down.’

It was way to early for anyone to be banging on the door. Really, way early. Mirror had never been great with waking up after shifting awake, and now that it was an everyday occurrence to go to bed way after midnight, it kept leaving the mirrorwalker groggy in the morning.

The banging, however, continued. Gawain groaned, rolling out of bed half-blind, grabbing for underpants. It was a bad idea at a school to be opening any doors without at least underwear on. The mirrorwalker managed to get halfway decent, combing hair out of his face - haircut, right, need to do that - before heading to the door.

Lord, the banging.

"Alright, alright, cool it!" he grumbled, opening the door. "I swear, if you wake Becca up..."

Behind Door No. 1, there was Sam.

Real Sam.

Gawain was suddenly very much awake.

"Sam?..." he stared for a moment, trying to make sure he was not dreaming. "Holy shit, you're back?!"

If he did that he’d feel bad. She didn’t deserve that. ”If that happens I’ll deal with it.” Sam said really wanting to punch Gawain for some reason… maybe it was the look he was getting from him. Of course he was back where had he gone?

Sam raised an eyebrow. ”Back?” The air around him got colder the more worried he got. The icemancer shifted uncomfortably when he noticed he activated his powers without realizing it. He felt like **** he shifted his gaze from one side of the hallway to the other then back to Gawain more terrified than he wanted to lead on.

”Where the hell was I?!?” he said almost demanding something other than ‘you were mind controlled’ he kind of wished he broke his sobriety so he’d have a more favorable answer.

Sam’s hand reached down to his leg to the spot where he had taught himself to ‘wake up’ if he had ever thought he wasn’t in control again. He tried to take a breath but lost it when panic started to kick in. He didn’t feel in control. He was scared. ”What did I do…” he said having no idea what had happened.

Gawain was so shocked to see actual, adult Sam in the doorway that he didn't even register his comment about waking up Becca. The pregnant lady had goat legs today, so the danger was real, even if Sam didn't know it. He looked confused, and a little bit... scared?

>>”Back? Where the hell was I?!? What did I do…”

Gawain could feel the air cooling down around them, especially since he was still only wearing his boxers and nothing else. That was a panic reaction. Did... Sam not remember any of...

"Oh, shit. You don't remember. It's okay, I got you." Gawain grabbed a hoodie from the shelf next to the door and stepped out, pulling the door closed behind him. Then, because he could't hold himself back from it, he hugged Sam; for a moment, he was overjoyed. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

Typically Sam didn’t do hugs. In fact he wasn’t sure if he ever recalled hugging Gawain/Maya before. Sam shifted his weight back when Gawain returned and hugged him taken aback he blinked with his one eye. ”Why are we hugging?” Sam asked. His clothes still covered in soot.

Gawain was happy to see him? He saw him yesterday. Unless he really did get mind controlled. Sam not willing to admit he appreciated the hug gave Gawain a half armed hug back with a few pats. ”You’re in your underwear still.” he said before giving Gawain a final pat and pulled away.

The look of panic was starting to resume when Sam asked again, ”You can tell me, along with what the **** did I do.” Sam asked again his eye locking On Gawain, ”She didn’t… take control again did she?” he said his voice broke without him wanting it to.

>>”Why are we hugging?”

Sam was clearly not prepared for the hug. He was not much of a hugger, usually, in his old days, but for now, Gawain was willing to risk it. It felt like a family member had just come back, and he sorely needed one of those these days. Even if he just got an awkward half-hug and some pats in return. It was a start.

>>”You’re in your underwear still.”

"Yeah. I know." Gawain peeled away, slipping the hoodie over his head. Now he was in hoodie and boxers, but oh well. Not like most of the Mansion had not seen worse.

Sam, on the other hand, looked like he'd seen a ghost.

>>”You can tell me, along with what the **** did I do. She didn’t… take control again did she?”

"What? Who?" it took Gawain a moment to realize what Sam was asking. He didn't know what happened. He didn't know about Young Sam. He thought he was missing time again. "Oh. Oh. No, god no, Sam, no one controlled you. You were a teenager. For, like, more than five freaking months."

Truth be told he wasn’t expecting that answer, grateful that he wasn’t mind controlled again and kidnapped another group of kids at the mansion he was supposed to protect but he wouldn’t have guessed in a million years he would have turned back into a teenager.

The adrenaline subsided a little and his legs started to shake a little, was he just dehydrated? Why was his body so sore? Was this growing pains? He then was hit with the notion of him as a teenager again, in the school… full of women just down the hall from where he lived. ”Awww ****” Sam said as scratched the back of his head trying not to think about all the trouble he caused. If anyone else told him he was a teenager for five months he probably would have doubted the person telling him but it was Gawain.

”How’d it happen?” the icemancer asked at first but then decided to follow it up with the more important question. ”Who did I piss off?” he tried to flash a smirk.

>> ”Awww ****”

"Yeah. That was my reaction too. Breakfast?" Gawain asked, nodding in the direction of the kitchen. It was early enough that most people were still asleep, so they could eat and talk in peace.

>>”How’d it happen?... Who did I piss off?”

"Not sure about the how" Gawain admitted with a shrug. No one was sure yet about how the de-aging happened, or how it ended (he was just glad it did), or what people would remember before and after. In this case, Sam seemed to be missing time. A lot of time. "And yeah, you did. Sam, no offense, but you were an unbelievable brat as a teenager. Like, talking about pissing people off: You owe me. A lot."

Glad that he didn’t kill anyone or kidnap anyone he managed a smirk when Gawain said that was his same reaction. He knew that he was difficult as an adult. Sam also knew that he was impossible when he was younger. The ego alone was enough to make anyone’s head spin. Years of be forced to train made it so when he was out an on his own no one could tell him anything. Sam never liked being talked down to. Teenage Sam knew everything.

”Yeah, stomach is still in knots but I should eat something… feels like I’ve been drinking… a lot.” he said kind of wishing he knew that wasn’t the case. Teen Sam probably raided Gawain’s fridge.

”None taken, probably why we got along so well when we first met.” he said trying to downplay his antics and up-play Gawain’s. ”I was asking more mansion staff.” he tried to grin as an ice formed on his chest so he wasn’t topless when they went to the kitchen.

”I’ll cook.” Sam offered needing to keep his head and hands busy knowing Gawain was going to drop some cringe worthy stories about his time as a kid. He just hoped he didn’t get into too much trouble with the women of the mansion. He had a feeling he was going to be apologizing to a lot more people than just Gawain.

”I take teen Sam stayed here?” he asked hopeful as they entered the kitchen.

Sam did not look as upset now that he knew he had been a teenager, rather than mind controlled. Gawain had a lot to tell him, but he thought it would all go down better with some food.

>>”Yeah, stomach is still in knots but I should eat something… feels like I’ve been drinking… a lot.”

"You have." Gawain noted with a smirk. And that was not the half of it.

”None taken, probably why we got along so well when we first met. I was asking more mansion staff.”

"I am Mansion staff, Sam. One of the few adults left around here." Gawain noted as the made it to the kitchen. He had been right: no students up yet. Not even Mrs. Taylor-C.

>>”I’ll cook. I take teen Sam stayed here?”

"Oh, he did." Gawain sighed, taking a seat the the table to watch Sam making breakfast "I had to take your annoying ass on missions and everything. And you slept with most of the single ladies at the Mansion. I think you're kinda dating one of them, but hell if I know which one." he chuckled "Also, you stole the jet. You incredible bastard. Took it to Hawaii, you and a bunch of kids... I guess karma's a bitch, huh?" Once upon a time, Sam had to deal with Gawain being a brat. The tables had turned, if only for a few months...

Sam reluctantly thought of his six month and soon to be year sobriety chip flying away. It might of not been him doing the drinking when his younger self engaged in it but he still didn’t think it he had earned those chips. He was looking forward to go back to meetings seeing as his first thought after finding out what happened was to drink.

”Oh? You get a job recently.” Sam said trying to laugh but then just felt bad about it. Gawain defiantly had to be dealing with a lot if he kept an eye out for his younger self. One way or another he’d thank him.

Sam reached into the fridge and pulled out eggs and bacon glad that the rest of the mansion seemed to be sleeping still. He wasn’t ready to see anyone else yet not till he knew what he had done. ”Missions?” Sam asked cracking an egg and opening the shell with one hand before moving to the next pan and dropping the bacon. The sizzle made his stomach growl.

”And that was what I was afraid of.” he said finally ignoring the chuckle. He just hoped he used protection. He had been pretty good so far in life last thing he wanted was someone coming to the mansion door because his younger self was a ****head. ”I’m dating one of them!?!?” Sam asked his head snapping to Mirror. Not surprised he stole the jet and took some to Hawaii. He was pretty sure someone goaded him into it by saying, ‘bet you can’t’ or ‘don’t touch the jet’.

”….. ****” he repeated again thinking about it.

>>”Oh? You get a job recently.”

"Screw you, Sam" Gawain gave him a look, but smiled when he turned away. He was happy that Old Sam was back. It would take him a while to get back to normal, but at least he was back.

>>”And that was what I was afraid of... I’m dating one of them!?!?….. ****”

He was. Gawain really didn't know which one. Maybe the Atlantean princess?... Who could keep track? The women probably did. He'd have to ask Becca if she'd heard any girl talk. Or if anyone had videos on the Internet yet.

"Hey, don't look at me, I tried to chaperone your ass but I kinda have a lot going on." Gawain raised his hands. A thought occurred to him "So... you kinda missed some big news."

The more he thought about it maybe mind control would have been easier to deal with. No, he took that back. It wouldn’t have. His head still felt a little too cloudy to think about him having to break up with someone because they were dating his younger self. Whoever the woman was she didn’t sign on to deal with him an older version of whatever they saw in his younger self. It wasn’t fair to them. Sam just hoped it wasn’t serious.

Iced over hands Sam reached into the pan and turned the bacon, another loud sizzle every time he flipped a slice. He then flipped the eggs still in the pan and let it sit before he turned to Gawain. ”I imagine that was as effective of me trying to chaperone your ass.” he gave a little grin and folded his arms. ”Thank you for keeping an eye out.” he said finally apologizing for his younger self.

Last time someone started a conversation like that there was a rift in dimensions. Yeah he missed a lot then too. Sam debated sitting down for the information but the food was almost cooked. His thermal vision could feel the heat coming from the bacon. ”They hand the keys to the mansion over to you?” he half joked. ”Should I start calling you boss?” Sam said trying to guess.

>>”I imagine that was as effective of me trying to chaperone your ass. Thank you for keeping an eye out.”

"Karma. Told you." Gawain smirked, walking over to the fridge to get some orange juice. If Sam had not been like a brother to him, teenage or otherwise, he would still have owed him for getting him into shape back when he was a teenager. And a wild one at that. Even if less... promiscuous than Sam.

But that was not the biggest thing Sam had missed.

>>”They hand the keys to the mansion over to you? Should I start calling you boss?”

"They might as well." Gawain grinned, filling his glass "Half the team is de-aged, and... Becca's gonna be off the field for a while." He looked over at Sam, waiting to see his reaction. It was bound to be priceless. "I'm gonna be a dad... mom... um. Parent."

The icemancer watched as Gawain grabbed the juice and a glass. A glass of ice formed next to Gawain’s implying that Sam was asking for some as well. He was too busy working on the coffee now to pour himself some. Two plates found their way next to the food Sam was cooking making it easy for the transfer.

Deaged and an injured Becca. Sam didn’t know what Becca did to get herself off the team but Sam sighed and shrugged not looking forward to pulling double duty on the team. Before he would help out when he could but now he might actually put himself ‘on the clock’. Maybe he should just stay at the bar so he’d be closer to the city. Sam quickly dismissed the idea.

The grin didn’t tip him off why was he grinning that Becca was injured? Did they break up? Was that what he missed? If he was drinking anything he would have spat it out instead his jaw dropped as he tried to process what Gawain was saying. ”You’re gonna be a parent… great guess I’m gonna have to do even…” he stopped and looked at Gawain.

He didn’t look pregnant. That’s when everything clicked. While he felt like he was hung over and beaten up his mouth shut and he started to laugh, ”HOLY @@@@” Sam practically yelled and then scooped his buddy up in a bear hug.

Normally he wasn’t a hugger, normally he didn’t congratulate until he found out that was what they wanted but considering his best bud was pregnant he couldn’t help but contain himself. Sam remembered the joy he felt when his not real wife told him she was pregnant with the third child he never got a chance to meet. His eye welled up a bit but quickly he masked the phantom memory of sadness with a grin. He gave him an extra squeeze then set him down.

”Dude! That’s awesome!” Sam said as he stopped and thought for a second. ”Wait you’re pregnant or is Becca pregnant?” Sam asked not sure how that would work for the gender shifters powers.