Not the Same Man

By: SilverLunarStar

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Tin Man. No, not even .5% of it.

Author's Note: I have no clue why I'm typing this at this hour, but I am. This is a sequel to "Unexpected," "Taken," and "What to Do?" but can be read as a standalone.

If seeing his father tied up to a log, alive, was a surprise, it was nothing to the shock Jeb Cain received when the man who looked (exactly the same as he did all those annuals ago) like his father actually embraced him. He looked at the blonde man, allowing annuals of anger, hurt, and even indifference show on his face.

"Hey, you alright?" this so-called Wyatt Cain questioned as he parted from the hug. Really, he was the only one who had moved since initiating it.

He stared at his father awkwardly. "Sure," he answered, leaving to accompany his second-in-command. He had risked a lot, following the Longcoats' activities and getting caught, but it worked out, in the end. With the Eclipse tomorrow, there was little else they could do but give it their all to overthrow the Sorceress. Jeb found he could not concentrate on what the Sergeant was saying. 'He's proud of me?' Did his father not know how many lives he had to sacrifice to get where they were? How many he had to take away? Even then, after everything, he couldn't protect his mother, and his father was saying he was proud of him. Internally shaking his head, he told the Sergeant just what they were going to do with Zero. At least that was something he could finally lift off his back.

He knew how much it hurt his father to see him like this. Wyatt Cain was a Tin Man through and through. Tin Men never set out for revenge; everything they did was in the name of justice. It was a mantra he knew well. As a small boy, he had revered his dad and all his comrades, knowing one day, he'd be just like them. He'd fight for the protection of all the O.Z.'s citizens; it was his dream, even if he had never spoken it aloud. Now, he was glad he didn't. Sure, he now fought to save the O.Z., but he never thought it would play out like this.

When his father stopped him from slitting Zero's throat after their interrogation, anger threatened to burst through. "This is the guy that killed mother. He destroyed your life and mine and you're gonna let him get away with that?"

"He deserves to die," he replied.

"Yeah!" Of course he did!

"I won't deny that."

"Then what?" He was angry and confused now.

"Killing him won't bring back your mother and it won't honor her memory either."

This was the man he remembered; the one who knew right from wrong, who protected the innocent, helped the helpless, and put the bad guys away. Why wasn't he insane and full of hatred? As a child, he'd always dreamed of having his father back, even after many annuals had gone by. He had even resigned himself to knowing that he wouldn't be the same man. However, this man was not who he'd expected.

A small semblance of peace surrounded Jeb when he saw Zero inside the metal suit. This was revenge and justice wrapped up into one; it was something his mother would definitely have approved of and even though it wasn't what he had in mind, he was glad his father did it. He was tired of fighting, tired of the bloodshed, tired of the lives he had to see lost, and tired of the lives he had to take.

"Hey."

"Hey," Wyatt said after hydrating.

"Are you sure you trying to find DG is the right thing?" He should stay, prepare with them. For all he knew, the girl was dead and-

"She's alive, I know she is." The surety of his tone unnerved Jeb a bit. "Someone in the Realm has to know how to find the Seeker. DG is the key to bringing the Witch down."

He had heard his father tell him before, but how could he tell him of his doubt of pitting sister against sister (albeit a possessed sister) when his dad was so certain of DG's capabilities? Suddenly, he remembered what Wyatt had said before they left Zero in his imprisonment: "If you don't have heart, you have nothing." The tone of his voice back then ricocheted in him. Giving into the urge he had suppressed since seeing his father, he hugged him, eyes teary. Leaving him to it, he urged his men to hurry. They were almost done packing when his father came back with his two traveling companions and a man he had never seen before.

"Jeb, I'm sorry to ask this, but may we borrow three horses? We know where DG is and it's a good distance away."

The hint of desperation in his tone that he knew no one else would have been able to hear made him agree without hesitation.

In a few hours, his father was back, riding the white horse he had borrowed with a small girl, barely a few annuals older than himself, clinging behind him.

"Jeb." His father's relieved tone made him smile, but before he could say anything, the girl interrupted.

"Jeb? As in your son Jeb?" Startled, he saw her wide, blue eyes look at him in fascination and…elation?

"Yes. Jeb, this is DG, DG, this is my son, Jeb," Wyatt's voice responded, amusement and pride wrapped into one.

"It's nice to meet you." Before he could stick out his hand, he was suddenly embraced. "Wha-?"

"DG, we talked about attacking strangers with hugs." Again, amusement laced his voice, but exasperation was the main attraction.

"He is not a stranger, he's your son! Your son's alive, Cain, and you expect me to take it calmly? I can only imagine how you two took it." Indignation and glee laced through her words. "Sorry if I startled you." She smiled sheepishly. "I'm just glad you and your dad found each other."

Jeb smiled one of the few honest smiles he had since his father had been taken from him. "Don't worry about it and thank you. My dad told me how you saved him."

"And he's returned the favor numerous times. Just take care of yourself today while I bring the Witch down so you two can get to know each other again and we'll call it even, okay?" She stuck her hand out.

Shaking it firmly, he nodded in agreement.

"Come on, kid, you need to get some rest. I need to talk with the other men and-"

"No way, Cain. I need to know what's going to happen too."

"DG."

"Cain."

Looking back and forth between his father and this slip of a girl (who, really was older than him, but she was so small!), Jeb suddenly realized why his father wasn't a frigid man. Maybe he had come out of the suit that way (he'd have to ask later), but this long-lost princess had melted the icy exterior and had slowly crept into him, giving him something to fight for, someone to care for. Jeb might not be looking at the same man he called father all those annuals ago, but his caring nature was still there; his capability to love was slowly resurfacing. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it, but it was something to examine for another day; first, they had to live through this.

Whether Wyatt Cain knew how much she affected him or not, was an entirely different matter.

Yay! It took me a while to get this one-shot down, but I finally did it! I so wanted to get into Jeb's mind a bit. I hope you guys approve.

Thanks for reading! Happy Love and Friendship Day!

~*Eli