This is a tag of sorts to the Psycho Cycle episode of Team Galaxy. Watching Team Galaxy and Martin Mystery again gave me a bit of inspiration and after seeing the number of fics in the TG fandom I just had to. Also inspired by A bit of a family moment by Potterhead2739 and by the pictures in TG ep 24 (Josh's mother totally looks like M.O.M).
He didn't like calling her and he knew she disliked receiving his calls just as much. As such he refrained from doing so unless absolutely necessary. It wasn't like she minded hearing about her son. In fact every time she did it seemed to soften her impassive expression, mellow her biting tone and put a glow in her eyes. It was just that even after so many years since the divorce there was still a considerable amount of bitterness between them. Of course, given the circumstances, there was also the fact that when she did receive a call she always feared the worse. And this time, as much as he didn't want to, he would have to call her and give her the kind of news no parent should ever get. He would have to man up and present her with a possibility that he didn't even want to consider, with a possibility that he didn't think he could ever accept.
He sighed deeply and started the call. She answered quickly her face displayed on his screen. She was as beautiful as ever, her face emotionless to everyone else but him as he recognized the concern swirling beneath the surface.
"What is it?" she demanded, her voice not betraying a thing. He hoped he could keep his calm, too.
"I am afraid I have some bad news." Yes, he could already tell he wasn't doing as good a job as she did. She widened her eyes slightly.
"What happened?" Her voice even colder and more biting than before. "How is he?"
"I-I don't know." she looked ready to blow up so he hastened to explain. "He was on a mission and he was kidnapped. I have no idea where he is."
"What do you mean he was kidnapped?!" So much for her not blowing up in his face. He expected as much. "Where was he? Was he alone? What kind of... "
He decided to cut in before she started insulting his school... again.
"He decided it was a good idea to use himself as bait." She quit her rambling and the smallest trace of amusement and exasperation crossed her face. He honestly understood. Their son was a brave reckless idiot. It was gone quickly replaced by a bigger amount of concern.
"How long?"
"Not very. He disappeared this morning but I've had people looking for him and have gone out there myself, but... No trace of him..." He swallowed hard to keep his emotions in check and he saw her breathing deeply in order to done the same. "We'll keep looking, of course. But I thought you should know." Just in case. He couldn't voice that one. He didn't even want to let his mind go there.
"Thank you." she answered softly. "But I trust that you will find him." she went on regaining the cold quality to her voice. He thought he could even detect a bit of a threatening edge to it. He felt like shaking his head but nodded instead. "Good. Call me as soon as you find out anything new."
"I will." He replied and she promptly ended the call. He massaged his temples and his mind strayed to the bottle of scotch in his room. After his son was home. He got up and prepared to go out again looking for his son.
He sighed in relief and leaned back in his chair. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his chest. He sat like that for a few moments before remembering that Olivia must have still been worrying like crazy. He barely started the call that it was answered.
He could see the way she was studying his face trying to see if it was good or bad news that she was going to receive.
"We found him." She gave an audible sigh of relief just like he had only a few minutes ago. But quickly she went cold again, concern taking over her features again.
"How is he?"
"I have talked to him only briefly but he seemed to be in good shape. He is on his way home. Then I am going to get the full details of what happened."
"Good." It was said in a trembling exhale. "Good." She repeated her voice regaing her usual quality, a bit softer, though, as it usually got when her son was concerned.
"Have him call me when he gets back."
"Of course." She closed the call again and he went back to his thoughts. He couldn't wait to have his son in front of him, to check for himself if he was as "fine" as he claimed to be.
He was glad he had some time to get used to the idea of his son returning home to him. Otherwise he might have just jumped up to grab him in a hug as soon as he saw him. As it was he managed to restrain himself and keep a hold of his emotions. Brett and Josh were both about to leave his office when he asked his son to stay behind. He heard a muttered "dammit" but was too caught up in his feelings to berate him for his language.
"This must be the stupidest thing you've ever done!" He mentally scolded himself when he heard his son wince slightly. He meant to be calm, but when his concern dulled from seeing his son safe and sound, anger started boiling inside at Josh's idiotic actions. He ended up yelling at him and his son stood there looking like he was waiting for more. Josh took the pause as his que to start trying to talk his father down from blowing up at him again.
"Look, I just thought it was a good idea for catching this guy. I figured it would be faster and more efficient. Granted it didn't go according to plan." he grumbled. "But nothing bad happened." All his efforts at keeping his calm vanished with Josh's words.
"Nothing bad happened?!" he bellowed standing up. "You were kidnapped and mind-controled... "
"Yeah. Into playing some stupid racing game. But that honestly doesn't seem so bad in my book."
"Well, using yourself as bait doesn't seem so bad in your book." he moved around his desk and towards where his son was standing in the middle of the room, his voice raising with each word. "We didn't know where you were, we had no clue where to find you..."
"Yeah, but you did and nothing happened." Josh chipped in raising his voice a bit himself to be heard over his father's shouting.
"I thought you were hurt!" he could see his son opening his mouth to interrupt again. "You could've died!" he hollered. The young Kirkpatrick was a bit wide-eyed, stunned into silence for once in his life while his father stood a few steps from him, looking furious and breathing heavily. He could feel his anger dissipating, regret taking its place. This wasn't how he'd wanted this to go. He'd wished to have talked this through calmly. He took in Josh, who seemed fidgety and unsure of what he should do. He remembered the past days, filled with worry and fear and he closed the distance between him and his son grabbing him in a hug. The boy was surprised at first but quickly wrapped his arms around his dad, too. The older man reveled in the feel of his kid in his arms, in his scent and put a hand on the back of his neck, running his fingers through the short hair at the base of his head.
"I'm sorry." he heard Josh mumble into his shoulder. He tightened his grip on him and he started talking again, this time softly, an undercurrent of fear noticeable in his voice.
"I was out of my mind with worry. The scenarios running through my head... You were lucky this time... Really lucky." His son must have heard the tremble in his voice because he apologized again, holding him tighter.
"Promise me you won't do something this reckless again."
"Okay." The mumbled reply wasn't enough for him. He grabbed him by his shoulders and pushed him back a little so he could look into his eyes.
"Promise me, Josh."
"Okay, dad. I promise." he said genuinely. Kirkpatrick embraced him again whispering a soft "I love you" into his hair. After receiving a "Love you, too" as a reply, he finally let go of his child.
"So, can I go now?" Josh asked in his usual fashion, once he knew things were good with his dad.
"Not yet. You need to call your mom and let her see for herself that you are safe and sound."
"You called mom? You didn't have... "
"I don't want to hear it. She had the right to know that her son was kidnapped, lost somewhere in the Universe and might've never been found." The principal replied sternly. Shutting his son up twice in the same day proved not to be possible, though.
"Let's call her, stop her from worrying and have her chew me out too." he whined as he went to sit in his father's chair. PK smiled at his son and ruffled his hair. He chuckled a bit at his cry, watching him work his hands through his hair in order to undo the damage.
"I'm gonna leave you two to talk, okay?" his son nodded and pressed to make the call.
"See you later, kid."
"Sure." he saw a smile make his way onto Josh's face as he greeted his mother.
"Hey there, Punky. How is my boy doing?" he heard Olivia's particular tone of voice, that she only saved for her son and he started making his way to the door.
"I'm fine, mom. How are you? You seem a bit... "
"Oh, I am fine. Martin just managed to ruin another one of my experiments. Now don't change the subject. I want you to tell me what happened and what is this I hear about using yourself as bait?"
He didn't get to hear his son's answer as he closed the door behind him and made his way around Galaxy High's halls. He was glad to have his kid back with him and he resolved that he would keep him and his team with only minor assignments for at least a month. He really didn't want to go through something like that again.