AN: I would like to thank SnowyIce for prompting me to continue this story on, and for somehow returning my plot bunnies to me, and for playing beta to this story. Oh and I definitely don't own Prince of Tennis

Looking at the boy was like looking at a ghost. One he had thought he had exorcised a long time ago, in a vastly different place than where they currently were. Distantly he heard the introduction," Atobe Keigo." Suddenly, reality seemed to catch up with him and he slumped into his seat careful to shift his eyes from the boy. Atobe Keigo. An Atobe, of course, the distinctively toned grey hair was unmistakably Atobe. However, the name anchored him, reminding him that this was not a ghost, but a boy. A boy who simply looked remarkably like his father at the same age. From that moment on, Nanjirou was careful to avoid letting his eyes linger on the boy for more than a second. He knew that if he looked any longer he wouldn't be able to tear them away.

He briefly reached out and squeezed Rinko's hand reminding himself, as she smiled at him, this was his wife. The woman who had stayed by him as he had risen to the top. The woman who, despite a certain mistake, had forgiven him anyway. Unlike Rinko and Nanako, he knew where this dinner was leading and he dreaded it.

Trying to stay the eventual revelation Nanjirou teased his brat of a son," So brat, is he a good tennis player? If he is, we should play a few rounds before he goes."

Ryoma's eyes widened, "why would we play a match? You don't take it seriously anyway."

Nanako on the other hand entertained Atobe asking polite questions about his family. Rinko glared briefly at Nanjirou but otherwise said nothing. Her husband was incorrigible. In one of the rare seconds of eye contact, the boy looked confused but Nanjiro chalked it up to something else. Unfortunately, Ryoma took the break from defending against his father's barbs to state," Atobe's my boyfriend." , The air in the room seemed to vanished. Shock froze his blood, and despite knowing the confession was coming Nanjirou still, didn't know what to think. Rinko spoke, he only knew because he saw her lips move and Nanjirou's heart beat again forcing him out of his silence. He looked at his son, hopeful and nervous all at once and nodded. Words were failing him and he doubted anything he could say would be pleasing.

This boy was going to break his son's heart and Najirou couldn't do anything about it. Ryoma was just as stubborn as he was. To listen to him say such a thing would destroy the relationship they had. Dinner from then on was passed in a blur of polite conversation and more curiosity about Atobe and all Nanjirou could think about was how much his son was going to get hurt.

Finally, he stood excusing himself with words he barely remembered. Everything seemed muffled. He was deep underwater and the shore was so very, very distant. Rinko looked at him questioning but shrugged. It was rare for her husband to stay the entire dinner anyway.

Nanjirou stepped up the stairs and to his room rifling through his various possessions until he came to a card, faded yellow, the black numbers still clear as day to him. Picking up his cellphone he stared at the card and fingers trembling dialed the number. Despite how long it had been, his fingers still hadn't forgotten the number and his heart beat wildly as it rang.

On the other end, a tired voice answered," Hello?"

"We need to talk," Nanjirou forced out. He loved his son far too much and if protecting him meant resurrecting some ghosts then he would.