Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

A Plan is Hatched

Harry Hart was used to his mother's actions coming back to bite his hard in his arse. Repeatedly. It was just a constant in his life really, like the sun rising and falling. His mother was simply incapable of going for even a few months without landing hip deep in some sort of trouble that required her only son to come extract her for her latest mishap. And while she always promised that it would be the last time…well Harry had stopped believing those promises when he was still a boy in short pants.

And so it had been two months and three days since he'd paid off her last gold digging fiancé, and the fates had decided that it was time for Harry to deal with perhaps the greatest mess ever dumped in his lap by a family member. And this as a result of something his mother had done over three decades ago, just to add a cherry on top.

When he'd gotten the phone call asking if he was the older brother of Dean Baker Harry had blanked at first, opening his mouth to inform the young woman that no, she must have the wrong individual, when he belatedly realized to whom she was referring to.

For you see one of his mother many, many man related mistakes had been her brief marriage to Seamus Baker, a snake in the grass who'd charmed his wealthy mother into a quick marriage and bringing with him his son from a previous marriage named Dean. The younger brother he'd always wanted, his mother had assured him, nevermind that Dean was even worse than his father in Harry's opinion. His step brother had quickly proved to have a violent streak to go with his father's manipulative charms and a taste for underhanded dealings and easy living, not that the little shit had stood a chance against him. And their parents' marriage had only lasted four months, thankfully, which was why Harry had pretty much forgotten his step brother's existence long ago.

Most people wouldn't have even considered him Dean's brother given the shortness of their relation, but the woman on the line was new to her job as a social worker and therefore still full of blazing optimism and a determination to look after her charges that was admirable, though egotistical as well, he soon found out.

Dean and his wife had been killed in a car accident three and a half months prior, leaving behind a daughter of three and a son of twenty two from the wife's previous marriage. The family had been living in a very poor neighborhood, Dean having apparently become a small time drug lord since their last meeting, and it had taken a while for the government to realize there was a minor child who might potentially require their services.

According to the data Harry had read Daisy Baker had been found with her brother, well fed and cared for. Or at least to the best of their financial situation. But the boy was barely over twenty, with no job and a less than appealing juvenile record. Ergo, Dean's step son had been deemed highly unsuitable for the position of guardian over his half-sister, who was subsequently removed from her brother's custody and placed in foster care while the crusading social worker looked for someone more appropriate for the child.

And while the enterprising woman hadn't been able to reach his mother, she was currently sailing around the world with her latest beau, she had found him, and apparently considered him the perfect person to take custody of her charge. Nevermind that he was a nearly fifty year old bachelor who'd never married, was a happy workaholic, and had absolutely no experience with children. Nor had he ever particularly wanted to.

But apparently he and his mother were the only two names this woman had managed to find, and Harry was certainly not going to allow his mother to adopt the girl, than see her cast the child off on nannies, tutors, than boarding school the way he'd been.

Not that his mother didn't love him, she did, in her way, but Harry had no illusions about his mother's mothering instinct. She didn't have one. But she wasn't so cold hearted that she'd turn a blind eye to a child in need, especially when faced with a social worker who should most certainly go into sales once she got disillusioned about her chosen profession and went looking for a new career.

He couldn't turn a blind eye either, unfortunately, which the social worker had picked up on and exploited quite quickly and thoroughly. But he also wasn't prepared mentally or emotionally to become a parent at the drop of a bleeding hat, either. And given his job and lifestyle, well what choice would he have but to entrust the girl's care to paid help, just the way he'd been. Because while Harry wanted better for the girl…being a stay at home parent would drive him to homicide within a month.

And he'd had a lot of training when it came to killing and hiding bodies.

The only person who actively wanted to raise this girl was her brother, but Harry agreed with the social worker that the boy wasn't financially up to the task, especially since the boy lacked a support system or a history of sticking with things. Personally Harry had had the boy thoroughly looked into, on the chance that he could just throw money in the boy's direction to pay for the child's upkeep, but what he'd found suggested that there was no guarantee that would work out well for anyone.

Gary Unwin, who apparently went by the name Eggsy, was one of those people who seemed to have been born with multiple gifts that had never been full developed due to poverty, family pressures, and the boy's own bad choices. And while at first glance Harry had seen why the social worker had written the boy off, the report he'd commissioned himself had given him a deeper look that had made him reconsider, especially since there was the undeniable fact that according to Daisy's foster parents, the girl loved her brother dearly and was utterly despondent and depressed without him.

And Eggsy loved his sister, as much as she seemed to loved him.

In the end he'd explained his dilemma to some of his fellow agents over a pint a few days ago, hoping that someone had a suggestion he could live with, and it was Percival who had suggested a plan that was either brilliant or utterly mad.

It all depended on the boy.

)

Thinking it best to meet on neutral ground, as it were, Harry had arranged to meet the boy in question at a park that was a couple blocks from his home a couple days after Percival's brainstorm. A good place to bring the girl to play, Harry imagined as he looked at the park with new eyes, as that wasn't something he'd really ever had to consider before. But recently he'd found himself evaluating his home and neighborhood in terms of child friendliness, and frankly he winced every time he imagined the work involved child proofing his home alone. But it was something he was bracing himself for, having spent considerable time resigning himself to the fact that his moral code and sense of honor forbid him from ignoring a child in need of his help.

Blast it.

The path he was on led right past the bench that was his destination, Harry spotting its lone occupant as he approached it. It would seem Eggsy had beaten him there.

And it was automatic to look the boy over and evaluate him, Harry's training ingrained in that regard. He'd seen pictures of course, only the boy's military portrait doing anything for the youth since the boy apparently had no fashion sense whatsoever. Or it was buried deeply under the boy's desire to fit in with his social peers, Harry supposed, but that was likely wishful thinking on his part. Though the clothes the boy was currently wearing weren't utterly horrid, the jeans and polo clean and somewhat fitted. And no ball cap, which recent pictures would suggest the boy was rarely without. Wanting to make a good impression, Harry assumed.

Physically the boy was in good shape, and handsome in a boyish sort of way. The light brown hair was neatly combed, and when the boy sensed him watching Eggsy bounced up to his feet, Harry treated to the sight of lovely green eyes that suggested a sharp intelligence as he was evaluated in turn.

"Mr. Hart?"

"Yes. Hello, Eggsy. Thank you for coming."

A beat passed before the boy took the hand Harry offered him, Eggsy's handshake firm and surprisingly professional considering the boy had never had a real job. And when he motioned for the boy to retake his seat with his other hand Eggsy nodded and did his best to look cool as he sat down, though Harry could sense the nerves the boy was trying to hide from him as he took a seat beside him.

"So ya-you said on the phone, you wanted to talk to me about Daisy. About you becoming her guardian and all. The social worker really likes you. Said you'd do right by Daisy."

Harry could tell that Eggsy was doing his best to hide his accent and way of speaking, again to impress him, no doubt. And was also very bitter where the social worker was concerned.

"I will do my best to do so, yes. But there are….reasons why I'm not an ideal candidate to become her legal guardian, just as there are legitimate reasons why you shouldn't be allowed to raise her yourself. That's why I wanted to speak with you, to discuss a possible way that you and I can work together to do what is best for your sister."

"What you mean?"

"I don't know how to be a parent, Eggsy. Or at least not a very good one. And I work long hours and travel frequently. I would have to hire people to look after your sister if I took guardianship of her, and being raised by staff is no way for anyone to grow up. Believe me, I know. And I can provide her with all the comforts and necessities, and see that she's properly educated and prepared for the future, but that does not negate the fact that there are things I can't do. Don't know how to do."

"You'll let me see her? That what you's is sayin? So that she's got someone ta look in on her, make sure she's doin okay and shit with whoever you hire ta watch er?" Forgetting himself in his confusion and surprise, Eggsy's accent was out in full force as he stared at him with wary, hopeful eyes.

"You love your sister." Harry could see that plainly now, as it was all but written all over the boy's face. "What you lack is maturity and the resources to provide for her."

Holding up a hand to silence the boy's no doubt impressive rant in his defense, Harry appreciated when the boy remained silent, though obviously mentally stewing over the lack of maturity comment. Which really just proved his point, not that Harry was going to say so.

"I know that while she was in your sole care you did your best to take care and provide for Daisy, and that you submitted a plan to the social worker to show your seriousness when it comes to your desire to become your sister's guardian. I saw the plan and was impressed, even as I saw the same flawed logic that I would imagine influenced the social worker to reject it."

"Thinks we're scum." The boy muttered, explaining himself when Harry gave him a questioning look. "The social worker. Comes into our neighborhood with her nose in the air, actin like she's so much better than us. Just cause I'm a chav, that don't mean I can't take care of er. Can't raise her right. I was doin just fine till she came and took Daisy away from me."

Harry watched as the boy looked away, obviously blinking back tears. And that settled it for him as Harry deciding to, as always, go with his gut when he wasn't sure what else to do.

"I want you to be her nanny."

Heading whipping back so that they were eye to eye again, Eggsy blinked his eyes rapidly. "Wot?"

"I want you to be Daisy's nanny. To take care of her for me in my home. I propose that I hire you as her live in nanny, and I'll pay you the wage I would have paid someone else. Once she's old enough to be in school you can use that free time to go back to school or get a job, whatever suits you, while caring for her when she's home. If you're willing, that is."

"Are you fucking serious?"

"Quite. That means no drugs, limited alcohol, and I'll expect you to show common sense when it comes to bringing friends and whoever you might date to the house. I'll also expect you to be a proper nanny, by which I mean that I expect you to teach her things like the alphabet and take her outside to play, not just stick her in front of the television or in her room to play by herself." Again Harry held up a hand to keep Eggsy from defending himself. "I'm not saying that's something you'd do; I don't know you well enough to say either way. I'm just making my expectations clear. According to the report you gave the social worker you know how to cook, I'll expect you to make her meals and insure her toys and such don't end up everywhere. I have a housekeeper that comes in twice a week, but I'll still expect you both not to add too much to her workload. You'll be in charge of taking her to appointments, the shops, and such, and while I will of course arrange for you to have time off, you will be, in many ways, acting as a single parent. I will do what I can, but as stated I work a lot and know nothing about raising children."

Opening and closing his mouth as he struggled to process, Eggsy was visibly at a loss for words.

"I'm told approximately four hundred pounds is a reasonable amount per week. Does that work for you?"

Now the boy's eyes were all but bulging out of his head. Not a good look for him, Harry noted in amusement.

"I'll take that as a yes." Reaching into his coat pocket Harry withdrew the envelope containing the paperwork he'd had his solicitor draw up. "Here is your proposed employment contract if you're willing to take on the job. Read it over and we can discuss any changes you might want to make. Make no mistake that I will kick you out if you fail to take proper care of her, or break the rules outlined in that contract, but for the moment I am trusting that she means as much to you as you've said she does."

As wary as a feral animal approaching an unknown human offering it food, Eggsy reached over to take the envelope from him. "Why you doing this? There are better people you could hire ta look after her. Ones who do it for a living, and can teach her stuff like different languages and shit before she even starts school. Why me?"

"Because she loves you. And she should grow up in a home with someone who loves her as much as you do. That, I believe, is more important than her getting a huge head start when it comes to her education. And tutors can be hired if necessary."

Seeing that his words were sinking in Harry changed the subject a little, thought it was still related to what they were talking about. Insofar that he had no intention of hiding his nature in his own home, when he already had to hide what he was in public enough as it was. Not to mention the fact that the boy wasn't an idiot, or the sort raised to know but not speak or ask of it, like the spouses and children of his fellow agents.

"Eggsy, if you have a problem with shifters, I need to know now."

Gaze rising up from the papers he'd started to read over, Eggsy stared at him for a long, considering minute, before smirking at him knowingly. "If I did I wouldn't be sittin here with ya, now would I? Though I admit I figured ya for a Water Gifted, not a water shifter as well. Selkie?"

Blinking in surprise, Harry didn't know what to say to that. The boy's file had indicated that the boy's maternal grandfather had had a minor Air Gift, but there had been nothing to suggest that gift had continued down the line to Eggsy. And even then, how would Eggsy have known to even guess his gifts were connected to water?

"Your scent, Bruv."

"My what?"

The boy's face was beautiful when it lit up with amusement as the boy grinned at him like he was the funniest thing ever. "I ain't got much magic meself, a little Air Gift from me granddad, but I always know when someone Gifted is near me, special when that someone's as powerful as you's. And you, well it wasn't hard ta tell what elemental gift ya have, seein as I can smell the sea on ya. So was I right about ya bein a selkie?"

"I smell like the ocean?"

"Under the fancy cologne and hair stuff, yeah. It's nice."