Airyn looked up to Sara and Sam, a bright smile on her face as they both appreciated her little display of talent. She was really happy for not being scolded for doing it, as t usually happened. Mommy wasn’t happy when she was using her ice powers in front of other people. Letting out a content sigh she whispered a ‘thanks’ to them.

However, a slightly uncomfortable feeling crept up to her as Sam put a hand on her shoulder. She still saw him as a stranger even if he was a nice one. Unconsciously her small frame moved very slightly away from his touch, but nothing that could have been susceptible. His hand, however, retracted quickly enough for her to feel comfortable enough again. The four year old looked to Sara for assurance then to the boy named Sammy to see him take off in a hurry after the big Sam had told him something.

The little girl pouted in an upset manner at hearing him asking if she knew her mother’s name, a pout that always made uncle Slade tell her that she looked just like her mother. She wondered why he was asking this, of course she would know her mother’s name, it was the best mommy in the world.

“I’m four.” she said folding her arms, keeping her pout as she answered his previous question. “But I am soon going to be five.” she added with smugness, as if it was a very important detail that needed to be told. “And of course I know mommy’s name.” she continued, feeling the need to stick her tongue out at Sam for even thinking that she wouldn’t know something as important as her mother’s name. Of course, she could tell him that she also knew the address of her home, mommy, Jenny’s and uncle Slade’s phone number. She could read the clock, she knew how to read and count perfectly, she knew addition and substraction and … “It’s Alexandra Violet Leigh, the best mommy in the world. And I am Airyn Rhonda Leigh.” she added, feeling the urge to show him that she also knew her name and tell him that she had the best mommy. Unfolding her arms, the girl’s head was high up with smugness waiting to see what will Sam will say now.

Sara watched carefully as Sam placed a hand on Airyn’s shoulder. She knew he wasn’t trying to be intimidating but he didn’t have supper senses that picked up on Airyn’s heart beat. Nor was he there when she iced up the entire back seat without knowing it. So Sara’s tail, made invisible by the illusion thanks to Katrina, thumped a quick warning on Sam’s side. Though it seemed a few seconds later, nothing was going to come of Airyn being a little wary. The child looked up at Sara for encouragement and Sara nodded. A simple ‘it will be alright’ without saying a word.

Sammy darted away around to the infirmary and without thinking, Sara put a hand on Chelsea’s head, to still her as well as the dog moved to follow her boy, only to realize he was going where she couldn’t. She made a soft short whine before she plopped her rump down and settled for staring where Sammy had disappeared to.

Mean while it seemed Sam still needed his own proof about who Airyn was. Seemed her own judgment wasn’t enough. With a sigh, Sara just stood there. “What? You don’t trust my judgment and gut?”

The sound of the machine let out a low beep as Doc looked back to Sammy who was reluctantly sweeping away the glass that used to be a full door. Doc silently debated about waiting before giving Sammy his fathers test results till the glass was all picked up. But being at the mansion their was always a student that would be more than happy to repair a broken door with a wave of the hand. Writing a little extra something in the paper that had the test results Doc rubbed his temples having a feeling that the mansion was going to get a lot louder than it normally was. “Sammy, here!”

Before Doc had the time to say “here” the broom and dustpan that Sammy was holding were on there way to crashing down to the ground scattering and shattering even more glass on the infirmary floor. Sammy dropped them when he heard his name and took to the air two seconds that's all it took for Sammy to grab the paper from the Doctor and go straight through the small window that was part of Doc’s office, “Thanks!” said Sammy as glass followed him out the now broken window, ‘have to get this back to dad fast! It’s a level one!!’ thought Sammy as he shot straight up into the air seeing as he was on the other side of the mansion.

“I had a door!” cried out Doc as he slapped his palm to his forehead muttering something about becoming how he should have started his own hospital for the elderly where kids wouldn’t visit. “Defiantly his kid…”

Smiling to the now clearly sassy little he nodded as she spoke, “R-R-Rhonda?” Sam asked slightly surprised as Airyn lifted her head as if she just did an amazing feat that Sam could never accomplish. Loosing his footing and almost falling over Sam asked, “Why Rhonda? Airyn do you know your fathers name?” Sam asked in even more disbelief as he came to the very realization that she could in fact be his daughter.

“Daddy!!!!” Sammy cried out as he touched down next to his dad with a small gust of air flying out from under his feet kicking up dirt and grass as he handed the super important Level One Mission note to his father slightly curious to see what it said. Sammy watched as his dad opened the letter and start to read it.

Taking the note from his son Sam began to read it, “Congragulations, you're a father again! Might I suggest using name brand protection next time Sam…” Blinking as he continued to read what it said blood rushed to his head and Sam quickly toppled over his head hitting the ground.

Then Sammy watched as his dad fell backwards his head hitting the ground hard as his eyes shut. “DAD, DAD!!!” shooting over to his dads chest Sammy quickly started pressing on it in a CPR motion his dad had taught him saying that this was something every super hero needed to learn how to do. Looking to Sara Sammy’s tears started to flow as his dad wasn’t moving, “Is he dead?” sniffed Sammy as he started hitting his dad’s chest harder and harder.

Airyn was about to answer Sam’s questions. Well, question, because she wasn’t sure if the ‘why Rhonda?’ was actually a question or if she could answer. She didn’t have any idea why her mommy named her Rhonda too.

As for the actual question, if she knew her father’s name, Airyn would have said a no. Her mommy never referred to her daddy with a name. Just ‘your daddy’. And Airyn never thought of asking, she couldn’t call her parents by name. The reason why she knew her mom’s full name was that she had read it somewhere.

Yes. She would have said a ‘no’, the smugness disappearing from her face because Sam had found something she actually couldn’t answer, but she didn’t have the time. Sammy returned with a note in his hand. Airyn postponed her answer as Sam’s attention was now focused on the piece of paper the boy brought.

And then… Sam collapsed. Just collapsed. Airyn blinked again and again. Tears started to appear in her eyes as her mind registered this as her fault. Her eyes turned from the collapsed figure to Sara, the four year old girl went straight to her, and hugged her leg with all the strength she possessed. “Miss Sara, miss Sara, did I do something wrong?” She buried her face into the older female’s leg as she sobbed.

Sara sighed. Yeah. Sam needed his own proof, and just as Sara had started to dig through her shoulder bag for the real baby sitter’s cell phone, Little Sammy had returned with a note that made Sam’s heart hit this odd beat, and Sam hit the ground. Ph sure. Nerves of steal when he’s facing down lord knows what in the city streets of New York, but can’t hold his own when he finds out he’s got a kid. At least he wasn’t drooling. Sara sort of wondered how manly Sam would have acted, if he knew he had kids during the diapers stages of their lives.

Sara could hear Sam’s heart still beating so she wasn’t too concerned but the kids were. The urge to laugh quickly disappeared when she saw Sammy’s concern and the real belief that he was about to loose his father after only now, starting to know him. Then the touch of Airyn on her leg. Sara quickly knelt to her knee so that she was eye level with both children. “He’s not dead. I can still hear his heart beating.” Sara said trying to sooth Sammy as she reached to him with one hand to lift his chin, so she could look him in the eye. Her other hand pressed lightly on Airyn’s arm that had circled her leg. “And you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Sara looked down at Sam. Drool check. “Although let me show you how to do CPR.” She moved Sam’s hands to correct their position. “You’ve got a good start, but you want to put your hands here.” Sara then put her hands next to his. “And when you push down, you want to have more strength like this.” Sara’s hands weren’t over Sam’s heart, so she wouldn’t accidentally mess with it’s beat, but her hands suddenly shoved down against his chest. Added with her strength, it would probably feel a lot like she smacked Sam.

Watching Airyn run to Aunt Sara and hug her leg Sammy looked to his aunt as she explained that he wasn’t dead… blinking Sammy watched as Aunt Sara did CPR in a spot where Sammy thought the stomach or something else would be. It was defiantly not the area his dad told him about but when Sara pressed hard Sammy gasped as his dad shot straight up like he was punched in the gut with something hard. “DAD!!” Sammy cried as he tackle his dad around the neck.

Feeling an intense pressure in his chest Sam shot straight up coughing, and as soon as he sat up his son who was tightly grabbing forced him back down around his neck making it difficult for him to breath. Patting his son on the head and then pulling his son off of him Sam looked to Sara and handed her the note, “Call up Alex, we need to have a sit down.” He said his eyes still slightly watery from his son chocking him.

Looking over to his now sure daughter he asked, “Would you like to play with Sammy till your mother gets here?” Sam nodded to his son and said, “Play time,” Sam watched as his son shot up into the air and then whistled as Chelsea took after Sammy barking. Looking to Airyn Sam said, “Why don’t you go play your mom will be her soon…” picking up the note Sam re-read it several times and sighed at the fact this was kid number two that the mother didn’t feel the need to tell him about.

Although it didn't calmed her down completely, Airyn certainly felt better when Sara assured her that she didn't do anything wrong. The girl removed herself from Sara's leg, tears still running on her face and she looked back at the collapsed Sam. "I want mommy..." she whispered, as Sara and Sammy were doing something... hopefully something that would get Sam up.

When the man shot up, Airyn felt even better. She wasn't convinced whose fault was for Sam's collapsing but his return was calming. He seemed okay, although he certainly wasn't acting the same as before. He had about the same face as mommy when she was worried and Airyn was curious what the cause of this sudden concern was.

She nodded at Sam's proposal for her to play with Sammy until mommy would be here. She was happy that mommy would come soon. That meant two things. One, Sara had kept her pinky promise and there wasn't anything fishy with the change of babysitters, and second, she would certainly feel better after hugging her mother. "Oo-okay." She said, wiping her tears from her face with her sleeve.

Yup. CPR seemed to do the trick. Sara flashed her illusionary human teeth as she grinned now that Sam was getting up. “I’ll call her right away.” Sara said returning her attention to her purse. It took her another couple of minutes to locate the phone and then the phone number for Alexandra.

Sara waited for the kids to start playing before she readdressed Sam. Careful to be sure they couldn’t see her lips and her words were so quiet, only Sam would hear them when she leaned closer to his face. “There’s a bounty on your head and you’re discovering kids.” Sara said hoping she didn’t sound too critical. “I showed you Airyn because I know what it’s like to wonder, about your parents, but I this puts more expectations on you.” Sara didn’t have to say the fact she wouldn’t forgive herself if something bad had happened thanks to the family links.

Ok so cell phone. Sara hit the call button and waited for Alexandra to pick up. “Hello Alexandra. This is Sara. You and I met up yesterday at the café with Slade. I picked up Airyn from school today. She’s here with Sam, an I, at the mansion, and she’s playing with her half brother. See you when you get here.” Sara disconnected before Alexandra could protest, and what ever Alexandra did say back to Sara, Sara simply ignored. It was irrelevant to giving information.

“Airyn. Your mom will be here shortly.”

Alexandra barely managed to get herself out of the nightmare that was haunting almost all her nights for the past weeks. She was certainly happy that the alarm was loud enough to wake her up. Every time she had the nightmare the pain was more intense, Airyn’s screams were much more heart breaking and the feeling that she was unable to help her daughter was shattering into a million pieces, not only virtually but in reality as well. She kept her eyes closed for a few seconds just laying in the bed until the effects of the fear she felt wore off. Finally, she got up from the bed with a sigh and headed to the mechanism that pulled the drapes open. Pushing the button and enjoying the warm and light feeling of the spring sun she moved further into the bathroom with a yawn and a stretch of arms.

After the morning shower, she headed straight for Airyn’s room. It was a ritual that was sacred to her and was interrupted only when she was out of town. Smiling at her daughter’s angelic sleeping figure she kissed the top of her head tucked her in. She hoped that Jenny, the babysitter, would show up in time. The meeting she was about to attend was important but wouldn’t let her daughter alone home, not even for a minute. Not after the repeating dreams of having Airyn taken away from her.

Returning to her bedroom, Alexandra walked into the wardrobe to find clothes for the meeting. She finally chose a simple black dress, professionally looking but still comfortable enough. As she was getting out, the reflection in the full length mirror caught her attention. She stopped there, watching the silhouette clad in a fluffy bathing robe and with a set of clothes in her hands. But no, it weren’t the clothes that were catching her attention; it was something on her face. She carefully analyzed her features. She looked older but there was something else too. It took her a while to figure out that it were her eyes. They were no longer cold and uncaring, she realized. Not since she had Airyn.

The change there it scared her a bit. Her face actually looked warm and kindly without her summoning her acting skills. That made her wonder if she was suited for the kind of mission she had signed up for. There was too much remorse from her part and everytime she did something wrong she was afraid she would be a bad example for Airyn. No, she never wanted her daughter to repeat her history. For a moment she thought resigning, after all, she had enough money to last a life time.

Shaking her head and seriously thinking of quitting her villain life after this mission, Alexandra left the wardrobe in a hurry. She needed to get ready for the meeting her newest employers.

~~~

It was noon when Alexandra walked back into her apartment. Throwing a glance at her hand watch, she felt uncomfortable when silence greeted her. Airyn and Jenny should have been home 15 minutes ago. The nightmare came back to her mind for a second before pushing it away and shaking her head slightly. There were only 15 minutes late. Maybe Jenny got stuck in traffic or something happened to the car. Dropping her keys on an end table, Alexandra pulled her cell phone from her bag and dialed Jenny’s number. She would scold the girl for not letting her know that she and Airyn were going to be late.

~~~
Alexandra was now at the point where she couldn’t take it any longer. Time had passed and Jenny and Airyn weren’t showing up. The numerous phone calls to Jenny’s phone were all left unanswered. Alexandra had practically called everywhere where Airyn could have been, including her school, and her daughter’s whereabouts were still left unknown. The school said that her daughter had been picked up from school like usual by someone that seemed like Jenny, from what the security video cams showed. But then again, if Airyn would have been picked up by Jenny she should have been home long time ago.

All she felt now was anguish. Tears were falling on her face, ruining her perfect make up. What could she do and where she could turn? Who could help her locate her daughter? Just like in that stupid nightmare, she felt useless, and unable to do something to find her daughter. She could almost hear Airyn’s screams in her mind, calling out to her.

Her mind was working restlessly, her phone still to her ear, as she called every acquaintance that could help her. When she was finally decided to use the last of her hopes, the police, the phone rang. Alexandra had answered the phone and put it to her ear in less than one second.

“Hello Alexandra. This is Sara. You and I met up yesterday at the café with Slade. I picked up Airyn from school today. She’s here with Sam, an I, at the mansion, and she’s playing with her half brother. See you when you get here.”

Before she could actually say something, the call was ended. Alexandra was frozen into place for a few moments, eyes widened, mouth opened and everything started to make sense to her. Every moment of her life that involved Sam and Airyn passed in front of her eyes. She closed her eyes, letting the last of her tears to fall down. Her daughter was with Sam. With her father. The father she had been trying to hide for years. The realization that she could actually lose her daughter made her move again. Turning around swiftly, she grabbed her keys and hurried to her car.

She wasn’t exactly aware on how she got to the mansion when her attention was 5% at the act of driving and the rest at all the possible scenarios that could unfold once she got to her destination. All she knew was that, trusting her watch, she got there quickly. Getting out of her car, she found herself unable to breath. She certainly wasn’t ready to face whatever was coming.

(OOC: Feel free to Gmod Sammy, or Chelsea and if anything needs to be fixed let me know I tried to Gmod Airyn as little as possible)

A warm sensation came over Sam as he smiled at his to kids and Chelsea running around and playing. Sam was contempt watching the three play together as if nothing else in the world mattered. Sadly he knew that this sensation couldn’t last, Alexandra kept Airyn from him for a reason and even if he wanted to be in his little girls life it would be especially difficult for him to be in it with a stubborn mother like Alex. Her stubborn attitude was one of the qualities that attracted him to her in the first place. ‘Wish this would be easier,’ thought Sam as he waved of Sara’s comment about a bounty on his head, “They can send whoever they want and they would all fail, no way in hell these two kids are going o grow up without a father…” Sam said as he smiled to Sara and ran off after his kids to play with them.

“Airyn. Your mom will be here shortly.”

“Why don’t we give your mother a nice surprise?” Sam asked as he crouched down allowing Airyn to climb on his back, “You ever fly before?” Sam asked his daughter curiously as the small girl reluctantly climbed on his back not sure if this was the best idea. “Sammy, Up Up!” Bending down into a horse stance Sam braced his leg as his son ran and jumped off his dads leg and took off high into the air Sam grinning and crouching down farther down Sam said, “Hold on tight princess!” activating his steam powers in his feet Sam jumped into the air as his powers over Steam propelled him higher and higher.

Some would worry about a small girl holding onto a flying mutant so high in the air but the death grip around Sam’s neck was proof enough that she was still holding tight, worst case scenario she lets go of Sam and Sammy saves the day. Life was full of fun and even if he only had one day with his daughter he wanted her to remember this day forever.

It wasn’t long before a car sped into the drive and the exit of Alexandra with an expression he couldn’t quite make out as she stepped away from the car. Sam’s ears rang slightly as his and Al’s daughter let out a shrill scream of laughter and called out for her mother.

Choosing his landing strip as best he could Sam landed on the hood of the car that Alex just arrived in. leaving a huge dent Sam heard a louder crash as he looked over to his son who was exiting from the inside of the car seeing as he crated a nice sky roof for Alex. “Can you believe that? He made you a sun roof!” Sam knew that Sammy could tell something was wrong because as he exited the car his tail wrapped around the leg as he jumped into the air and floated over towards Sara only to hide behind her his eyes peering out at Alex and his father.

“I found something interesting today!” Sam said as he crouched down letting go of Airyn’s legs allowing her to hop of his back, “I found a nice little ice princess!” he patted Airyn on her head and looked up into the worried eyes of Alex the mother of his only daughter.

Sara stayed off to the side as she watched the two children play with Chelsea. Sam went to join them and Sara couldn’t help be realize yet again, that she’d been robbed of this years ago. From the point of view of the child, and possibly from the point of few of the parent. Because with everything they did to her back then, Sara wasn’t sure that she could conceive. Maybe that was another reason why Sara took this situation so personally. Sam wasn’t just a good thing for Airyn. Something Alexandra may not want to admit. Also Airyn was a good thing for Sam.

Sara was content to lean back against the baby sitter’s car, as she watched. Then she heard the car coming, long before it angled into the drive of the mansion. Sara pushed off of the car and started walking towards Circe just before there were two large crashes. Sara flinched at the sounds from Sam’s feet slamming down on the hood, and then Sammy crashing right through the cars roof.

“Can you believe that? He made you a sun roof!”

Sammy darte around to behind Sara, and she set a hand on his shoulder giving him a reassuring squeeze. “you know Sam, I when I planned today, I didn’t think you would Mock Alexandra with sarcasm about accidents.” Sara turned her attention to Alexandra. “I see you were able to find this old place easy enough, Alexandra. Airyn is just fine.”

“I found something interesting today! I found a nice little ice princess!”

So much for being respectful. Sara knew Sam wasn’t happy about not being told he had a daughter, but was he pushing buttons? Sara couldn’t tell that. “Alexandra. I had to do this.”

A scream of laughter got her attention as Alexandra could recognize that distinctive voice in a million. Her stare went up to see her daughter. At first, there wasn’t much to see, only the loose shapes of two floating figures as the sun was shining directly into her eyes. However, as they approached, her eyes picked up the familiar figure of Sam Johnson holding her… and his daughter on his back and another boy, certainly older than Airyn… and with a tail. The irony, Alexandra thought to herself as they landed on her car… well landed was an easy word as she certainly wouldn’t use this car anymore, but that was the less important thing that was going on.

Alexandra was certain that this was another dream… no, she wasn’t the one living this, it was like she was watching a movie unfold in front of her eyes, a scenario of what could happen if Sam found out about his daughter but there was no way… Her thoughts were interrupted as the reality came crashing on her. She wasn’t waking up from this nightmare.

A disoriented look appeared on her face. The first thing she saw was the boy with his tail wrapped around his leg as he walked from the debris of her former car to Sara… probably afraid. However, she didn’t care about the damn car. She wondered who this boy was as her eyes continued to scan his figure. His son, was the first idea that came into her mind and somewhere in the back of her mind she told herself with bitterness that this was another reason for not telling Sam about Airyn. She half expected for some woman to appear pretending to be his wife, or girlfriend or something. No she didn’t want Airyn to be torn between two families, forced to spend her life visiting her parents. She had her mother, fully and unconditionally… But… but what if this boy wasn’t his son?-

Her eyes drifted to Sara. She heard her talking and she wished she could throw her a look of full of hatred, one that could show the woman exactly how she felt and what she had done to her. Who the heck this woman thought she was, interfering and breaking her almost perfect life into a million pieces? Everything she had worked on so hard, especially when it came to Airyn, ruined by this nosy female that now thought that if she was scolding Sam for using sarcasm and assuring her that Airyn was fine everything would be fixed. Wrong. However, her look remained disoriented and she delayed the worst moment of her life by watching the dog’s playful mood and its attempts to get the kid behind Sara to play.

But she couldn’t postpone the moment forever. Her eyes took in the image of Sam and Airyn… together, not separated how she had always pictured them. She felt… pain at first, when she saw Airyn getting off Sam. Then the worst betrayal ever as she saw her happy with him. Her eyes turned teary again, just as Sam called his daughter ice princess with a pat on her head. Again she heard Sara reasoning her actions with a ‘I had to do this.’ No, you didn’t, was the first reply that came into her mind but it was left unspoken again. She wondered if they had already told her that Sam was her father. And if they did… what did they say to her? That her mother was a liar all this time, that she deprived Sam of the knowledge of the existence of his 4 year old daughter or they stuck with her lie? She finally managed to throw Sara a look that didn’t seem disoriented. She wasn’t sure if hatred was there in her eyes but reproach certainly was.

Her eyes moved again and she analyzed her daughter’s face, trying to see there any trace of hatred and disappointment but her figure was one of pure joy and happiness. “Mommy! I’m so happy you got here!” Airyn practically yelled, only a second after Sam had patted her and started running toward her mother. Alexandra crouched down to meet her daughter’s hug. It didn’t look like Airyn knew something… or at least she didn’t know something bad. “Airyn…” she said without breath as she let her face to hide behind her daughter’s hair. She hugged her daughter with an iron grip and closed her eyes. She still had to do something.

Her bright blue eyes opened and it didn’t take long to meet Sam’s. Of course she only guessed what she could find there and she never thought that it would be something good. Hatred, disapproval, disappointment… Her eyes locked with his as she was trying to decipher the feelings hidden in the icy blue.

It was when her daughter pulled away when she took her eyes of him. She reluctantly let go to her daughter’s petite frame, feeling that she would be completely lost to her if she did that. “Mommy, it’s so cool here! I played with Chelsea and Sammy all the time but then again I got scared when Sam fell down and I thought he was dead but Sara and Sammy did something and he- Mommy… why are you crying?”

Alexandra had watched Airyn happy figure as she had told her about her day and surprisingly many of the things she had wondered before were cleared up. The first thing… the name of the boy, Sammy… it practically convinced her that he was Sam’s son. Then her daughter calling her father by name… so she didn’t know anything yet. She wished she could feel amused when Airyn told her that Sam fainted and Alexandra guessed that that was the moment when he had found out about the existence of a daughter. Just about the same reaction she had when she found out she was pregnant, she noticed with irony. But she couldn’t feel anything like amusement, if Sam had reacted to the news that bad then it certainly meant that things wouldn’t turn out to be easy now. She had this slight instinct to grab her daughter and run, and that was precisely what she was thinking when the crystal clear and now worried voice had asked her why she was crying.

Her blue eyes focused back on the angelic face in front of her with a bit of a surprised look. Her hand went up and touched her own check only to prove herself Airyn was right. She wasn’t even aware she was crying… a smile was forced on her lips as she smiled to the concerned look on Airyn’s face. “I’m not crying, baby.” she said in a convincing tone but her eyes continued to glister with tears as she caressed her daughter’s hair “It’s the dust. It got into my eyes.” she further explained wiping off the tears. Airyn wasn’t convinced by this act but she knew that it was better not to insist if she ever saw her mommy crying or worried so she kept herself silent. Like she always said, everything went away sooner or later.

Alexandra got up, her hand still playing with her daughter’s hair as she went back to watching Sara. She didn’t spoke but her eyes did all the talking. A ‘You didn’t get away with this and we’ll talk later’ look was everything she did. This was not the time to talk with Sara, not with Airyn there and not when a more important situation was continuing to develop. Her eyes locked back on Sam’s, trying to resume the deciphering of his feelings. She already knew that things won’t be easy but she wanted to know just how hard everything could turn. “I guess we need to talk.” Of course, she wished her voice to come out clear and firm, instead it sounded a bit shaky and unsure. Like that even mattered now, she thought bitterly, her eyes never leaving the ice cold blue.

‘Where to start…’ thought Sam as he looked upon a girl he had once dated for several weeks, or was it several months… Time was elusive, memories forgotten, pushed out by newer and happier ones or sadder and darker ones. Sam had no say in what he remembered or what he had forgotten over the long years. Things like discovering a long lost daughter was one of the few things he would never forget, her face over time maybe but the feelings, the feelings he had now were a spectrum of emotions; Love, Hate, Longing, disappointment, and the list could continue for hours if he decided to recite them then and there to make those around him understand how he was feeling.

It was obvious that Alexandra was trying to gauge the emotions he was feeling, that long list that he would never recite wasn’t going to be in his eyes. All that could be seen in them is disappointment concealed by his icy blue eyes. No hatred could be seen for he didn’t hate Alex or Airyn what he hated was this general situation. This had happened twice now and he couldn’t understand why. Sure there was a two-year period he was locked up but that ended quick enough, and there was other families visiting the inmates he was housed with. Hell even Neena and Sara even came to visit him once or twice so why couldn’t Alex or Sammy’s mother come to visit him with his kids. Was he really that bad of an influence?

The fear in Alex’s eyes was clear when he said he had found an ice princess, she was in Sam’s opinion afraid of being discovered that she lied to their daughter for all these years. He didn’t even know what Alex told Airyn about her father, most likely something about him being a dead beat… the thought stung Sam’s heart the way a Hornet jabs its stinger into the flesh.

The look Alex was giving him was somewhat unnerving, he wanted to hate her but couldn’t he wanted to scream at her but with Airyn there he couldn’t bring himself to do it. The kids, his kids were the only reason he didn’t snap. Taking a deep breath and using his ice powers to chill his throat Sam exhaled his breath becoming fully visible in the warm weather.

Shifting his gaze quickly to Sara he breathed in calming himself, “Five years… she had been keeping this from me for almost five years now!” his attention turned back to Alex who was now standing up, “Yeah I think this talk was long overdue…” he paused and looked at Airyn one last time as he motioned Alex inside, “My office…”

Walking to the mansion he sorted out his thoughts and with little luck decided the questions that were deemed appropriate. Looking to his son on the way in he said, “Sammy, keep busy for a while me and, Mrs. Leigh need to have a private talk okay?” with that he looked to Sara and nodded his thanks to her and then walked to his office, which just happened to be refurbished.

Sara’s eyes locked with Alexandra’s and Sara, being the feline that she was, returned the stare. One hand reassuring Sammy all the while, she stood tall and firm. Sara never intended not to get away with this. She knew that technically what she did was wrong, but there was no way she was backing down. Sara held the eye contact even after Alexandra’s eyes had gone back to Sam’s who’s face she could see, but based on his heart rate, and his voice, she could only imagine his eyes. Sara watched as they made their way to the school.

Ok Distraction time. Sara waited till the pair were about half way to the doors before she turned to Sammy and Airyn. “So. Who wants to help me cook some lunch?” Sara asked to two kids as she started approaching the school. “If I remember right the kitchen isn’t half bad here.” Sara said it hopefully loud enough the other adults were paying attention. If not, well Sam could track where then went on the security monitors.

She wished she could have seen something in his eyes, no matter what but there wasn't anything visible there. Alexandra sighed as she continued to caress her daughter's hair and glanced for a second at her wondering how this was going to end. She doubted that Sam would ever let things to be like they were before Sara interfered. Things didn't look easy and she didn't have any hope for them to be.

Sam looked away from her, turning to Sara. The words he said stung her head like a sharp knife as he wasn't even telling these to her. She gulped down with unease and her eyes lowered on the ground. She knew he was right and an amount of guilt began to invade her heart and mind, breaking trough the wall of reasons and excuses that she had spent almost five years to build.

Alexandra looked back at him when he had spoken again and nodded when he told her that the discussion should continue in his office. She was convinced Sam had questions for her, she was even trying to imagine what those would be and prepare an answer for him. Unfortunately, now when she was face to face with him, all her reasons seemed hazy.

She was unsure about leaving Airyn alone again but she couldn't discuss anything with Sam while her daughter was being there. Alexandra knew that she had to talk with Airyn too, and it was yet another discussion that she didn't have any idea where to start. It was, maybe, even a harder talk that the one she was about to have. Alexandra crouched down again to be on eye level with Airyn and pushed her daughter's hair behind her ear. "Honey, I need you to stay with miss Sara while I talk with-" Alexandra paused. Should she imitate him and say Mr. Johnson like they were some strangers? "Sam." It was his daughter she was speaking with and even if she tried to forget about his existence, she knew that she was just deluding herself.

Airyn blinked confused at her mother. The girl was unsure on what to think about everything what happened since her mother arrived. She had many question but on the other hand she knew that if mommy had something to say to her then she would have done it. "Okay, mommy."She gave a reluctant nod to her mother. Alexandra faked a smile and kissed the top of Airyn's head then got up and looked at Sara, giving her a warning look.

Alexandra followed Sam's lead as they were walking to his office. She was looking into the ground rather than at him, as she was already having a hard time organizing ideas in her head. Looking at him would just have left her blank minded. She heard Sara telling that she was taking the kids to the kitchen. At least she wasn't worried about what her daughter was doing while the whole future was being decided.

As they got to his office, an absent glance was on her face. She stopped somewhere in the middle of the room and her eyes turned to Sam. She doubted that this discussion would be calm and mundane enough to be carried from comfortable chairs. "I uhmm-" The idea disappeared from her head as soon as she opened her mouth.