( Author's note: This fic's based on the 2001 anime series of Cyborg 009 and is a continuation based on episode 19: The Hero. If you haven't watched that episode, I'd suggest you do, in order to understand the background of this fic more clearly. )

He hung out of his apartment window with his left arm leaning on the edge of the window, while munching on a basic cheese sandwich, observing the city from above as he noticed the city's sky was bright blue, and the sun was shining as well. 'Hmm...didn't expect the weather to turn out so exceptionally sunny.' The red-haired young man munched down the last remains of his sandwich as he closed the window, his hands reaching out for the blue jacket he wears frequently when going outdoors intending to get some fresh air, and to check up on how his friend was doing...

'Where is he? I thought we agreed on doing some practice here...' A young boy with freckles and a blonde haircut sporting bright blue eyes darted his eyes around the large park not far from downtown Brooklyn, hoping to spot someone, but his hopeful eyes diminished slightly as he started to bounce the soccer ball around a bit with his feet, thinking to himself. 'Maybe he's just late...'

'Hey there, sport!' He heard a voice calling out to him from behind, and turned around, his frown turning to a bright smile instantly. 'Jet! I knew you wouldn't be late!' The pointy-nosed man scuffled his hand through the boy's hair, grinning slightly. 'Hehe, I can't be late for my number one fan now, can I?' Removing his hand, he walked towards the open grass field with the boy, spotting very few people on the field so far, it being a ideal place for soccer practice.

'Oh, before I forget, how'd school go, Jimmy?' Jet looked down to the kid, him responding fairly optimistic as he juggled the ball with his hands. 'It went pretty well today, actually. I've got a really helpful teacher who took some time off past school time to help me with some math problems, and there's this kid called Tim, who's-'

Heh...' Jet listened on as Jimmy rambled on, making him feel more at ease somewhat himself. (That lil' kid sure's doing better since last time I saw him.)
'Huh? Did you say something, Jet?'

'Eh? Ah! Never mind, I was just thinking about something, but it's great to hear you're doing well at school, Jim.' He smiled faintly to him as they arrived at the center of the field, looking around to make sure no one's in the vicinity of their practice so they wouldn't get a ball hurled in their faces, and ran in opposite directions of each other, Jimmy eagerly waiting for Jet to kick the ball towards him. 'Come on, give me your best shot right away, Jet!"

'Heheh, easy there, Jim.' He bounced the ball skillfully with his knees, noticing that Jimmy's eyes are glued to the ball's position. 'In order to get a good kick in, you gotta warm up first with some dribbling to get your legs in shape...and then, hiyaa!' Letting the ball hit the ground before kicking it with the side of his feet, the ball soaring through the air, but Jimmy did an impressive jump and kicked the ball back towards Jet's direction, though it flew to the side and landed on the far left near the walkway pavement where a man was looking at a scribbled note as he was looking around for something, and noticed the ball.

'Huh? A soccer ball?' He picked it up prior to noticing a lanky guy and a kid running towards him.
'Hey, mister! Can we please have our ball back?' Jimmy shouted to the man holding it, but suddenly stopped in his tracks when he got closer and realized who it was.

'Yeah, what he said.' Jet approached the man, him handing over the ball. 'Sure, nothing wrong with playing some soccer out in the open field, right?' Jet chuckling slightly. 'Heh, it is pretty great weather today for it. Right, Jim—huh?' Jet grew worried when he turned his head around and noticed Jimmy trembling slightly, his facial expression giving off a uncertain vibe, though clearly uneasy, and Jet walked towards him. 'Hey Jimmy, what's wrong?'

The man stepped forward as well, his face also uncertain, looking at the young boy. 'Hold on...Jimmy, right? Are you—'
'Hrngh!' Closing his eyes to avoid eye contact with the man as Jimmy suddenly turned around and ran, Jet reaching his hand out to Jimmy in concern. 'Jimmy?!' Jet wanted to chase after him, but he heard the man call out to him. 'Excuse me, but can I ask you something?' Jet turned around, though in a haste. 'What is it? I need to check up on what's bothering my friend.'

'Yeah, that's exactly why...' The man whispered out, looking somewhat ashamed to the ground, his expression clearly being a guilt-filled one, piquing Jet's curiosity. 'Huh? Whaddya mean?'
The man decided to confront Jet with the truth, and addressed his issue directly. 'Look my apologies for scaring off your friend, but...we knew each other in the past, and I think that's why he ran away.'

Jet looked slightly aggravated to the man, not wanting to be beaten around the bush with this mystery. 'Look pal, I dunno what your deal is with that kid, but if you're up to something, I'll—'

'I'm Jimmy's father, George.'

'Wha...?' Jet's eyes widened as he took a closer look to the black-haired man, his eyes seeming the same color as Jimmy's now that he mentioned it and he backed off slightly. '...Really now...' His eyes however, remained stern and he folded his arms, wanting to know for sure. 'If you're his dad, then what's his mother's name?'

'Catherine, or Cathy as she's more known to her friends.' Jet was surprised to see him actually guess it correctly right away without having had to think about it, which to him was proof enough for now that he was telling the truth, and eased up slightly towards him. 'That's right...what are you doing here?'

The man named George explained it to him as they walked in the direction Jimmy ran to, him explaining the situation to him. '...and I just couldn't handle both the responsibilities of my work and my role as a father while under heavy pressure from my finances, so in order to get it all sorted out and to prevent myself from going nuts, I...I had to leave my wife and son behind and move out of town because of my work.' Jet just listened on, noticing he was starting to sniff, tears forming from his eyes. 'I...I couldn't stop thinking about them for the last few months, and with all the horrible stuff that happened recently around the world, I just...I'm determined to find my family and apologize to them for doing something so horrible! That's why I finally got around to get a few days off from work and visit Brooklyn again to find my wife and son, and when I saw Jimmy's face after so long...I just...I want to talk to him, as a father to his son...and apologize.'

Jet felt sympathetic for the man, but he still clearly remembers Jimmy's word on how his dad just practically abandoned him, and wasn't so easily persuaded to just lead him to Jimmy's place. 'Look, George, was it? Your story might be true and all, but that doesn't change the fact you just ditched your family and left them to fend for themselves, according to what Jimmy told me. And I care for his well-being, you know?' He glared towards the man with a intimidating look, the man swallowing his breath, seemingly determined to carry out his mission of making up with his family no matter what, and steeled himself.

'I know all too well how you feel and you're completely in the right for distrusting me, though who are you exactly that you seem to know Jimmy and his mother so well then, if I might ask?'

'Oh, I'm just some average guy who encountered Jimmy in a rough spot with some other kids in some street alley and I backed him up. That's how I got to know him and his mother and he's a close friend of mine that I look after, that's all.' Jet explained, not wanting to bring up any more unnecessary info about him, though he extended his hand out to George. 'Oh, and the name's Jet by the way.'

'Well, nice to make your acquaintance, Jet.' George shook his hand, though he did insist on wanting to visit Jimmy's place, and pulled out a cellphone, showing him a digital picture of him and Cathy standing in a room with Jimmy in between them. 'Here, in case you still had any doubts...I really do wish to talk to my son, if just once. I have a feeling they still live in the Bronze Bull street apartment, if you could confirm that for me?'

After thinking about it for a few seconds, having the option in his hands to lie to him and tell him they moved to another place, or confirm it to him, Jet decided to tell him the truth, deciding that it would be for the best to allow Jimmy's apparent real father to talk to him one more time and see from there. '...Alright then. They still live in the same apartment. As far as I'm concerned, you're free to pay a visit to your family and I'm ultimately not one to deny you doing that.' He turned around to walk away towards his own apartment but after taking a few steps, he stopped to tilt his head towards George, still looking at him suspiciously. '...But I'm warning you, don't you dare make Jimmy go through another hell, or you'll have to deal with me.'

'I understand all too well, Mr. Jet.' The man still thanked him genuinely even after that hard meeting, and wandered off on his own, Jet looking to the sides of the main traffic road before crossing it, sighing to himself. 'Hope I made the right choice for ya, Jim..'