A/N: I watched "100" again for the first time in a while, and as I was watching my muse plopped down on the couch beside me, fresh from his way-too-long vacation, and tapped me right in the plot bunny. And thus, this was born. This takes place 14-15 years after the events of "100".

Mentions specific moments from 4x18 "Onmivore", 5x1 "Nameless, Faceless", 5x3 "Reckoner", 5x8 "Outfoxed", and 5x9 "100".

Truths of the Father

And exhausted eighteen year old Jack Hotchner flopped down onto his bed and stared at his ceiling fan spinning in time with the thoughts and images of the day floating through his mind...

The auditorium was filled to capacity with the families and friends of the Potomac High School class of 2024. His friends Michael and Sarah gave the Valedictorian's and Salutatorian's speech. The band played "Pomp and Circumstance" as the 372 graduates walked across the stage, shaking hands with the school principal and superintendent and receiving their diplomas. Most were in a navy blue cover - one of the school's official colors. Those of the National Honor Society members were covered in gold. The families in attendance cheered and took pictures and waved as their graduates' names were called.

In the fifth row sat his very proud father, his crying aunt, his grandparents, and his pseudo-family of wacky aunts and uncles and cousins. All of the important people in his life. The people who helped raise him, taught him to play soccer, helped him with his math homework and countless science projects, taught him everything he knew (and some things he shouldn't know) about computers, gave him advice on girls.

He chuckled at the memory of Garcia teaching him how to hack as and eighth grader, and of Reid helping him set up a volcanic eruption of epic proportions for the sixth grade science fair. He could never thank Uncle Dave and JJ enough for the tips they gave he and Henry on getting around some pesky defenders on the soccer pitch during the high school soccer state championship game just weeks ago. Henry was the only freshman on the team and it was the only year they'd gotten to play together. They became champions together. And Derek provided the perfect "guys night" of football and hot wings shortly after his first broken heart. Emily, Alex, and Kate had all shown him about the strength and bravery of women. Emily also gave him an appreciation for snarkiness and sarcasm, much to his father's chagrin.

And his Dad... Good Lord, how much had his father done for him throughout his life. He couldn't possibly count high enough the number of things his father taught him, how much he'd helped him. The amount of love and support he'd always given, regardless of circumstance. The amount of love and admiration he felt for his dad was astronomical. They were closer than any father and son he knew. His dad was his best friend, his mentor. His hero.

He looked around his room. His newly acquired gold covered high school diploma sat in its new home atop his bookcase, between his soccer state championship plaque and a picture of he and his dad taken just hours ago. He was in his blue cap and gown and his father was in his favorite navy blue suit. They now stood eye to eye with each other and aside from the hair color and eye color, he was the spitting image of his dad. Garcia had printed the picture for them during the party she'd thrown immediately following the graduation ceremony. The acceptance letter from Georgetown University sat on his desk next to his computer. He would begin his quest for his degree this coming fall - a double major in Pre-Law and Criminal Justice. He'd cried when he received that acceptance letter. So had his dad.

"Your mom would be so proud of you."

His dad had said that a lot lately. He reached over to his nightstand and picked up the picture that had sat there for the last 14 years. The picture of he and his mom. He was three years old in the picture. And his mom was beautiful. She looked so happy. Clearly they had both been laughing when the picture was taken. He gently touched his fingers to his mom's face as tears welled his eyes. God, he missed her. He didn't have very many memories of her, but the ones he did have he held onto with everything he had. The birthday parties, the tickle fights, playing soccer in the backyard, and the bedtime stories. And the hugs. She gave the best hugs.

He still remembered vividly the last time he saw her. He was four. And there was a bad man in the house. He remembered hearing his dad on the phone. He remembered his mom crying. He remembered a too-tight hug, then running off to "work the case". And he remembered the loud bangs. To this day, loud unexpected noises still made him jumpy.

Many times over the years he'd wanted to ask his dad about the bad man who'd taken his mother from him. He wanted to know the whole story. He needed to know. But every time he thought about broaching the subject he chickened out. He was afraid of what he'd learn. And he knew how much telling the story would hurt his dad. He knew it would be one of the toughest conversations they'd ever have, if not the toughest. He knew it would be hard. For both of them. But the older he got, the more he needed to know what really happened to his mom. He had so many questions and he needed those answers.

He looked at the clock on his nightstand. 2:36am. His dad would be long asleep by now.

Tomorrow. He'd have to ask tomorrow. Before he lost his nerve. Again.