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Two weeks Sam has been back in the states and sober, the last drink he had was on the plane back from New Zealand after losing Amanda and searching for her he thought it best to let someone else take over with the investigation. Zeta promised to keep him informed and notify him if anything changes. She told him it was important to try and keep himself busy. Sam reluctantly agreed but he was a tad homesick. The mansion was pretty much the same and while he did have one or two students happy to see him his classes still remained empty. It probably didn’t help that he was gone for a few months.

Sam poured a stiff drink of whiskey and set it next to the little poker chip which read ‘two weeks sober’ it wasn’t really an official coin but his sponsor thought it was important to celebrate the ‘small victories’ they were working towards a month now and while everything around him seemed to be alcohol he thought it best to continue with his old life and try to stay busy. He was sleeping better and working out more, his last encounter with Amanda seemed to give him at least a little closure with his ‘not-real’ family. In fact since he had seen her last he hadn’t seen them in his dreams. In fact that’s all they were dreams. His friends, his brother there was even a pleasant dream about his mother and his father. A forgotten memory of a Christmas long past. Every time he woke from the dreams the first thing he wanted was a drink. Though it was easy to stay sober when things were going great.

Sam pushed the whisky on the bar in front of him and then touched the chip as if he was going to pick up a drink then stopped. The door opened, ”You’re late.” he pointed to the whisky, ”Been back two weeks and you don’t even call, write, knock on my door?” Sam said joking. He spent most of his time alone, working out by himself or hiding on the mansion grounds. If anything it was Sam’s fault he hadn’t seen the mirror walker.

He had heard that a lot. ‘I’m, here for you.’ Sure some meant it but when he was jumping awake in the middle of the night because his ‘not real’ kids were brutally murdered or set on fire in front of him no one was there for him then. Just the bottle. Sam welcomed the touch from Lee with a stare at her hand and he smirked slightly. ”I appreciate it, Lee.” he gave her a little squeeze back then took a sip of his beer when the contact ended.

”That’s fair.” Sam mentioned nodding his head. ”Robotic officers, riots, the mansion catching fire almost every day.” he waved his hand in the ‘on-and-on’ motion. ”I get it.” safety was a luxury that many didn’t understand. He did. ”So…” Sam egged her on with another sip of his beer.

”Safe now? Or you less worried about stuff?” he asked looking at his drink ignoring Elle as she walked back behind the bar.

Sam shrugged, she was right. It was his bar and he wanted to jump the bar so he did. ”and have someone ask for another drink when they see me walking out from behind the bar?” Sam shook his head. ”I can always jump back over if I need to.” he’s done it before.

Sam grabbed a beer and took a swig. The door opened to the entrance of the bar and he could feel his manager enter the room. Sam waited to respond to Lee for a second to address his manager. ”How is it you’re always ten minutes late?” Sam said joking, ”I just ended my shift.” Sam said jokingly.

“Oh, does that mean you’ll finally pay for a drink?” Elle, Sam’s bartender walked past them and then gave Lee a nod hello before waving to everyone else on the way to behind the bar. Sam shrugged and then looked back to Lee. ”Great isn’t she?”

Sipping his beer he finally responded to Lee, ”Well I’m glad someone could talk you into coming back. The city needs more friendly faces.” he leaned forward resting his arms on the bar. ”Well congrats on the job.” Sam said raising the glass and then adding, ”and welcome home.”

Sam shifted his attention back to his manager, ”Think your dad is out back smoking again.” Elle walked over to Sam and Lee and put another two beers on the counter in front of them. “He only smokes here because Mom would kick his butt.” Elle shifted her attention to Lee. “If he’s bothering you, let me know. His charm fades fast.” She smirked and then gave a little head nod and walked away from the bar her blue highlights trailing her.

”Yet she’s always happy to see me.” he said more to his drink than to Lee. ”Things have been better. Been worse too.” Sam said trying to be vague as he stared at the bottle. ”Talking doesn’t help though Lee. Tried it. So drinking and avoiding the mansion is what’s in the cards for now.” Sam said joking trying to change the subject.

”I’m the owner.” Sam said shrugging as he walked back to behind the bar and grabbed another beer and set it next to the one that was already on deck for Lee. He intended to drink one of them. ”Kind of hard to run a bar if I drink on the clock right? I’ll end up drinking my entire stock out.” Sam said not really divulging the main reason. In truth he had been suffer from alcohol dependency in fact it was one of the few things that could help him get a good night sleep and it had been going unnoticed for a while. Since his most recent breakup people were voicing their concern.

”Besides,” Sam said as he leaned onto the bar, ”My manager whose coming in… she scares me.” Sam said with a faint smirk. She didn’t actually scare him but she was good at making Sam feel guilty for drinking as much as he did. The way Jules did and Ghost still does.

”Now I mentioned I’m not so good at following the rules but that doesn’t mean I’m trying.” Sam smirked, ”Besides, your a mother now. You are supposed to encourage the rules.” Sam said attempting to wink with his single eye. he smirked. ”Sides, only get three drinks on the house per shift as owner, your already drinking two of them.

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

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

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

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

Whiskey was indeed an acquired taste.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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