Title: Last Gift
Author: The Goddess Bastet

Category: Dark Angel

Summary: A ficlet containing Alec's thoughts as he gazes upon the face of someone he loves. Non-ship story. Standalone.

Rating: All

Disclaimer: I disclaim all ownership of Dark Angel and/or its characters. Rafe, however is a creation of my imagination.

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Terminal City 2023
Alec ruffled his son's dark brown hair as the four-year old slept. Rafe was still a miracle child to his father. He had arrived with a bang when the transgenics' morale was its lowest. But the new arrival had lifted the spirits of all of Terminal City's occupants. The boy's innocent charm, and the smile that was so like his proud Dad's, endeared him to even the most dour characters within the perimeter fence.

Amazing, wasn't it? That this child could bring out such a force of love and possessiveness in him. . . this paternal worship that Rafe had awakened in him had stunned not only Alec, but also everyone who had known him. Nobody would've known that the untamable Alec could be domesticated by the antics of an innocent child. Max least of all.

Rafe's eyes were hidden now. Hidden in slumber, but underneath the delicate lids, they were his father's: The same gold-speckled green that often flared with temper or smirked in victory or grew large innocently when in trouble. Already the child was learning about the powers of charm. Alec could see the long brown eyelashes - a tribute to his mother. Despite his penchant for Blondes, it was Brunettes that seemed to reel him in. They turned out to be his ultimate weaknesses.

Kissing the soft and chubby cheek, Alec finally stood up from his son's bedside and silently exited the room. He made his way up to the top of the building and breathed deeply: inhaling the fresh evening breeze. He looked up at the darkening sky and closed his eyes sadly. He remembered the time when Rafe was not in his life, when his own son had been denied him. . .when Alec had not even known that he existed. But he had found out, and he had brought his son home. As for his mother. . . Alec opened his eyes again. The stars were out now, and one seemed to shine brighter than the rest. He smiled.

"Thank You Rachel."