AN: Wow has it been a while since I've uploaded anything! ya wanna know why? 1st my computer broke then I went to Cali then my computer was still broken then finals and then my computer got fixed. but guess what? I've got a new story for you!

Everyone I love is missing and have been for a year now the only thing I have left is Noah. A child Hoodie and I had picked up off the side of the road. He can't talk but he can hear he only communicates in sign. We have no idea where he came from, he won't tell me, he never would but after a year? I don't care anymore. I've become so attached to him I refer to him as my son, because as far as I'm concerned he is.

I've given up a lot to take better care of him on my own. I've given up smoking and given up my old job. Though being a part time hit man pays well it's too risky and of course, I can't keep working for slender. I've gotten a job as an accountant. Boring to most I know but it's predictable and as long as I keep from doing work for major companies, I'll be fine. I can afford a nice apartment while still putting food on the table and in Noah's collage fund.

Yeah, that's right Noah's going to collage if I have anything to say about it. His grades will get him there, he's very smart but I supposed first grade math isn't a good judge since I've been teaching him math, basically since we picked him up.

We are now sitting on the floor with me leaned up against the couch him in my lap. We were watching one of his favorite movies "The Amazing Spiderman." Why he like this so much escapes me but maybe it's just the fact that this is my fifth time watching it this month and it's only the 20th of October.

Noah strengthened and scrambled up running out of the room. "Noah? You alright?" I asked and two thuds came back in response telling me he was fine and he ran back in with a piece of paper and a pen. He handed them too me and began signing furiously so fast I couldn't read it. "Whoa slow down I can't read when you're signing so fast, what?"

"My class is having a choir concert and since I can't sing I asked if I could interpret! They said yes but I need your permission. So can I do it?"

"I don't see why not, get me a book so I can sign the paper." He nodded and ran out of the room and returned with a book. I signed the paper and he tackled me into a hug.

After I put Noah to bed, I read over the details of the event. Well thanks Noah for not coming to me about this till today. I thought to myself reading the date of the event, October 21st.

The next morning, I woke to Noah shoving me awake. Why do I bother setting an alarm clock? I rolled over to see Noah's bright orange hair and seemingly constant sunny disposition. "Yeah, yeah, yeah I'm getting up." I said groaning and stretching. I stepped out of bed and he pulled me to kitchen barley giving me time to put on my pants. "I'm coming alright?" he ran to the kitchen and sat at his seat waiting patiently for me to get the cereal.

As he ate breakfast, I nursed a cup of black coffee trying my hardest not to fall asleep standing up. I smiled at him, things are better now, better than when we first started out on our own. For the first few months, every day he would ask "is Hoodie coming back? Are any of them coming back?" and every day I gave him the same answer. "I don't know." The operator is still alive that's all I know but…it's something right?

We pulled up to the school and I walked him inside which for some reason he likes me to do every day. I don't mind, I like to make sure he's getting to another responsible adult before I leave. His teacher stopped me before I could leave. "Mr. Wright!" I turned to the small blonde woman and she smiled at me. "Will you be joining us today?"

"For the concert? Wouldn't miss it."

"Not for bring you parent to school day?" I raised a brow and looked around; I should have noticed the abnormal amount of parents with their children. "You didn't know?" I shook my head and called to Noah once he looked my way I began signing to him. "Did you want me to stay today?" he shrugged. "I thought you'd be bored." I laughed. "It's fine if you want me to stay I will." He smiled and nodded before turning back to his friend. "May I ask what's so funny?" the teacher asked with a smile. "He thought I'd be bored." She laughed and I nodded to her before stepping out of the classroom to call into work telling them I would be taking the day off.

Noah was right I was bored because the parents would sit quietly next to their kids helping them with their work or talking to them but Noah and I don't talk much and he doesn't need help with his work, none at all. So I just sat their quietly watching him, thankfully I'd been able to change clothes so I now wore a t-shirt, jeans and my usual hoodless jacket. He sat in my lap during music when the music teacher turned to us. "Noah? Would you like to play the guitar for us?" he nodded running to get the tiny guitar before running back and sitting in my lap.

Yeah he loves the guitar he's got one at home to he's really good too, it was a lot of fun teaching him how to play even if it was short lived on how fast he picked it up and got better than me.

After music was recess, which was basically parent break because while he was off playing with his friends the parents hung out at the tables and chatted. I just hung out with the other parents from Noah's class and just sat quietly, silently begging for the bell to ring so that I could end this human interaction when another parent turned to me. "You're Noah's dad right?" I actually had to pause at the fact that they were actually talking to me. "Uh…y-yeah."

"What's up with him?"

"What do you mean?"

"He can hear but he never talks, he just signs or writes."

"Yeah he can't talk he was born without vocal cords." They all gave me a sad look before one of the moms spoke. "Oh I'm so sorry." I raised a brow. "What?"

"That must be so hard for you, I don't know what I would do if Maryanne was mute." I felt my brow go even higher. "It's not hard at all he's got a normal life there are slight differences but nothing major."

"But what if he's in danger? he can't call for help."

"You don't need vocal cords to whistle." They looked at me like I was insane, which I probably am but that wasn't the point. I shook my head and called Noah over. "Noah? What do you do if you ever feel you're in danger?" he put his pinkies in his mouth and I covered my ears just in time for him to whistle deafeningly loud. I had to keep from laughing as I watched the other parent's wince. Noah looked up at me before signing. "Can I go play now?"

"Yeah go play." I sat back down and spoke. "Just because he can't speak doesn't mean it's a tragedy. He's perfect how he is."

"Is that how your wife feels?" oh, my fucking god I don't need to be married or even in a relationship to be a father! "I don't have a wife."

"Oh sorry husband?" up, up, up goes the eyebrow "what? No, I'm not married or gay. Is it so weird that I'm a single dad?" one of the other moms jumped into the conversation. "No its just usually single dads don't do stuff like this."

"Be involved in my son's life?"

"Well, yeah I've heard of lots of single dads who just work all the time and don't do anything to even try to be in their children's lives."

"Well I'm better than that, Noah and I spend as much time together as possible while he still has time to spend with his friends." I felt and arm thrown over my shoulder and a voice go. "Yeah single dads unite! Screw ex-wives!" I looked at the man. "I've never been married Noah's adopted." I said removing the man's arm from my shoulder. Christ what's wrong with these people. "Oh does he know?" I wanted to scream "duh! He remembers me picking him off the side of the road and even if he didn't I wouldn't lie to him about his past!" but instead I just said. "Yeah of course." And in response I got "why?" I held back an annoyed sigh. "He remembers me adopting him."

"Would you want him to know?"

"Of course."

"Why?" what the absolute fuck!? "I wouldn't want to lie to him about his past."

"Well he's only 7 how much past can there be?"

"a lot can happen in 7 years you only need six years to start middle school and finish high school." They all gave slight understanding nods. The bell rang and I stood stretching, Noah ran over and I picked him up placing him on my hip before walking away. "You're right I should'a gone to work." He chuckled and signed back. "Bored?"

"No just being driven crazy by the other adults."

Near the end of the day the teacher decided to put on a movie to help the kids relax before the concert, Noah and I relaxed a bit too much, thankfully we didn't snore. I woke to a tap on my shoulder I jumped and reached for my gun but stopped before I could reach it. "Time to wake up." I looked around to find the teacher; Noah and I were the only ones around. "Sorry guess I got more relaxed than intended." She chuckled "you and Noah both." I looked down to see him hunched over in my lap. "Well isn't that adorable?" I said picking him up and standing. "I assume its set up time?"

"It is, come on." I nodded and began following her out of the classroom into the cafeteria, which held the stage and found a few parents helping set up. I set Noah down and hopped up on stage to help with the risers. One of the other dads was struggling to lift one on his own and I grabbed the other end lifting it with ease. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"So you're Noah's dad right?"

"Yeah."

"I hear he's a good kid, how'd you get him to trust you so well?" Saved his life from a demon on more than one occasion. "Took him in when no one else would." He nodded. "Must be nice I don't think my daughter trusts me."

"Why?"

"Well I'm her stepdad she doesn't remember he bio-dad but I think deep down she remembers his abuse. So she thinks I'm going to hurt her and her mother even after a year of us being married."

"It's hard for kids to trust after being hurt for so long." I said as we set the riser down and unfolded it making the steps. "So what happened to her bio-dad?"

"murdered, Melody my wife said two men in masks broke the door down right in the middle of a beating and one choked the life out of him while the other shielded her and her daughter." Well fuck I remember doing something like that…a lot, I mean it was part of my job description. "w-whoa, she was there? Is she showing any signs of trauma?"

"No she wasn't in the room just her mom, but she did hear it." I nodded understanding. "It takes time for kids to trust you, just keep doing stuff that interests her, she'll come around, it's easier when they're younger after a while she won't remember the time you weren't around and to her you will be her dad." He smiled and nodded when I heard a whistle. My head whipped to Noah who waved me over with a smile. "That's my cue."

That night I walked carrying Noah in my arms walking to my truck. I set Noah down inside draping a blanket over him. He was fast asleep, seems the nap from earlier wasn't enough. I was about to get into the truck when I heard my name called and Casey, Noah's teacher walked over. "I just wanted to thank you for helping out today."

"I should thank you, Noah seems to really like school and he talks about you a lot." She giggled, "What does he say?" she asked taking a half a step closer. "That you're really nice and that you help students that most teachers would've given up on." Smirking I took a step closer causing us to be inches apart. "And he tells me you're beautiful." She chuckled "oh really? He said that?" she said smiling at me. "I might be paraphrasing a little." I said leaning closer hesitantly. "I think you might be paraphrasing a lot." She said standing on her toes to reach my height. "maybe." I placed my hand on her hip while placing my lips on hers.

Stupid I know falling for my son's teacher who wouldn't hurt a fly but I can't stop myself, I don't know that I want to be able to stop myself, what's holding me back?

She pulled away and smiled at me shoving a piece of paper with her number on it into my hand before walking away. Smiling to myself I climbed into the truck and spotted Noah who was now awake and smiling at my slyly. "What?" he bounced his eyebrows at me nodding towards Casey. "…shut up." He crossed his arms smiling before scooting into the middle seat and pulling his seat belt on. He pulled the blanket over himself before leaning against me. I rolled my eyes starting the truck pulling him close and driving away.