Patrick already had the cigarette poised between his lips. One hand was intertwined with the much smaller hand of his niece as the other impatiently thumbed at the lighter in his pocket. He had been on edge ever since he'd checked the mail on his way out.

"I see it, Patty, I see it!" Daisy beamed, her fingers squeezing and her tiny legs picking up pace. She was Sam in every way. Well, in every way that a four-year-old could be. Patrick smiled down at the excited little orb.

"I think you're old enough to call me Patrick," he said with a smile in his voice. They arrived at the nearest vacant park bench as she errupted in giggles.

"Nooope!" she exclaimed, and he let go of her hand to ruffle her dirty-blond curls. Her eyes were attatched to the newly renovated playground. The wonder they held simultaneously amazed and terrified her uncle. "Can I play? CanIcanIcanIca-"

"Off with you, demon child!" Patrick grinned while waving her off. The instant she was on the playground he pulled the lighter from his worn leather jacket. He sparked the light, brought it to the cigarette, and both proceeded to fall to his lap. His mouth hung open for a moment before he felt a sharp pain at his knee.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed, child-friendly filter gone as he slapped the small flame. It died out, leaving him with a red hand and a burn hole in his jeans. He kept his eyes on the burnt denim as he returned the cigarette to his lips and lit it successfully, and he took a long, deep drag.

He knew he should keep an eye on Daisy, but he couldn't look back up into the face that had been there moments before. The face that had been carved into his brain and that invaded his dreams a decade ago. The face of Brad.

...

"Fuck!"

Brad took his eyes from his son Noah to look in the direction the faintly heard expletive had come from. He followed the wide-eyed mothers' gaze until he saw a man lighting a cigarette. His chest tightened as he studied the figure. The black shaggy hair, the jacket, the lanky frame that held less than desirable posture...

"Dad, I'm thirsty!"

Brad nearly jumped out of his seat as Noah's fingers grabbed at the water bottle in his hands. He passed it over and tuned his focus to the boy.

"Having fun out there? Made any friends?"

"I'm working on it," the shaggy-haired boy said and winked one of his enormous brown eyes. Brad laughed and patted his son's shoulder before the boy burst back onto the playground. He cleared his throat and casually looked around the park. His eyes slowly made their way straight ahead and landed upon the face of Patrick.

A version ten years younger had been burning behind his eyes since he'd recieved his High School Reunion invitation in the mail earlier that morning. Patrick's gaze was upon the children so Brad dared to study him. The years hadn't changed him much, he still had the same pale skin, the same faint darkening beneath his eyes, the same shaggy hair, hell, even the same wardrobe by the looks of it. One difference Brad could see was the shadow of stubble across his face. Stubble only popped up here and there on the baby-soft face back when Brad was acquainted with it. He couldn't help thinking this was a good look for him.

He pulled his gaze away and instead turned his thoughts to the man. What was he doing at a children's park? He could hardly imagine Patrick with a child. Where would it have come from? To his surprise a jealous fire ignited in his gut, but just for a moment before he heard an earth-shattering (and extremely familiar) shriek.

...

Patrick heard screaming and was instantly on his feet. He had been looking for Daisy with no luck, and although he was sure the wailing voice wasn't hers, he was full of worry. He ran across the large spanse of playground, dodging children and searching frantically. Right as he made it to the source of the screaming, he collided with a body his own size.

"Noah!"

"Shit!"

Both frantic men landed on their asses. The man who ran into Patrick was scrambling for the little boy crying a flood of tears, but Patrick hardly noticed for he could now hear a much more familiar sob. His vision shot straight up.

"Daisy!" He was on his feet in an instant, staring up in horror at his niece perched high atop the structure. "What the shit are you doing up there? Are you crazy?!" She only sobbed harder, but he was paralized in fear.

"Hey, that's no way to talk to your..." The man at Patrick's feet stood, crying boy in his arms, and raised his voice in protest, snapping Patrick out of it. He turned his head and they were eye to eye. "...kid," Brad feebly completed his interjection.

"I.. erm, I... uh," Patrick's words were stuck in his throat. He was pulled back to Daisy as her sobbing became ragged and even louder. "Fuck," he breathed. "Daisy, baby, take deep breaths! I've got you... I'll get you!" The girl was hiccupping breaths, trying her hardest to control them but still hysterical.

"I'll stay here and watch her if you want to try to climb up there?" Brad's voice was accompanied by a hand on Patrick's shoulder. He froze for a moment before nodding. He glanced back to Brad and his breath hitched at how close they were. In lieu of words, he took off to the nearest enterance to the fixture.

He had a thin build which allowed him to fit, albeit narrowly, through all of the obstacles on the way up to Daisy. She was seated on the hood of a slide, and was nearly slipping as Patrick found her. She sobbed as his long arms found her and pulled her close to him. They stood there for a while as both breathed unevenly and the girl continued to cry.

"Is she okay?" Brad called.

"Just fine, thank Christ," Patrick replied. He sat at the mouth of the slide and positioned Daisy on his lap, not wanting to wriggle his way back through the jungle gym. They came out at the bottom and Patrick stood, lifting the girl into his arms. She instantly started sniffling again.

"Are you okay, Noah?" she asked with teary eyes. Temporarily confused, Patrick realized Noah was the boy now in Brad's arms. He had stopped his wailing, and he nodded.

"What happened, buddy?" Brad asked him, fatherly concern etched all over his face. It was a surreal look to Patrick.

"We were just playing," he replied in a whisper.

"'Just playing' on top of the slide? That is so dangerous, what were you thinking?"

"It w-was my f-fa-fault!" Daisy cried, bursting into fresh tears, "I-I said it would b-be fun! I-I'm s-sorry!" Patrick shushed her and held her close.

"I'm so sorry," he started to Brad, who shook his head.

"Kids are kids," he sighed, "I just hoped this one would have had better judgment." The look he gave to the young boy repulsively resembled that of Brad's own father. Disappointment was the only expression Patrick had ever seen on the old man.

"That was a... giant fall. Is he alright?" Patrick glanced from the slide to the small boy. His gaze fell back to Brad, who hadn't looked away. The man quickly looked down at his son.

"He says his arm is hurting him, I was going to take him to get checked out. Just wanted to make sure you guys were okay. We should really get going..." Patrick gave a slight nod.

"I want Daisy to come with me!" Noah sniffed. Daisy began to nod her head rapidly. Brad looked from child to child, then to Patrick for his guidance.

"Well we walked here, so I don't think we can, little man," he said with a frown, "I'm sorry."

"Ride with us! Please please please, Daddy," his eyes pleaded as a tear rolled down his cheeks.

"Oh, of course," Brad said with a hint of a welcoming smile. Patrick looked at the still nodding Daisy. He couldn't help but chuckle as he too nodded.

"Well then we're there!"

...

The drive to the hospital was silent, aside from occasional sniffles and whimpers when a bump in the road aggrivated Noah's arm. Brad had trouble taking his eyes off his son and directing them to the road, and every so often Patrick would steady the wheel.

Once they arrived at the hospital, the waiting room for the E.R. was a zoo. Silence was becoming much more difficult as their surroundings frightened Noah. He began to breath heavily and it was plain to see he was holding back tears. Daisy looked up at Patrick with worried eyes.

"Make him laugh," he whispered in her ear. She wrinkled her nose in thought, and Patrick was reminded that she could just as evenly resemble Charlie. She suddenly sat up straight, face to face with her new friend. She flared her nostrils, puffed out her cheeks, and fanned her fingers out around her face. Noah began to steady his breathing and before long was in a fit of giggles. Daisy hummed and blew raspberries and stuck her tounge out at the boy.

"You're good with her," Brad murmured above Noah's head. When Patrick looked up they were eye to eye.

"Thanks," he stated simply with a smile as he watched the children.

"I mean, except for somehow bringing her to believe that climbing fifteen feet off the ground was a good idea." Patrick was shocked until Brad's lips broke into a grin. "Giving you shit," he whispered. Upon seeing Brad smile, a laugh escaped his throat.

"In my defense, I'm only doing about ten percent of her raising and that's generous." Brad's face twisted into a look of confusion, so Patrick elaborated, "She's Sam's and Charlie's." Brad's lips formed into an 'o' and he nodded.

"The reckless behavior still makes sense. And the ability to attract male attention so easily," he chuckled and patted his son's head.

"I like to attribute that to my ten percent," Patrick jested, and Brad laughed again. Patrick looked at the giggling Noah and saw the face that stared back at him in every childhood picture of Brad he'd seen. Their resemblance was almost eerie.

"So, no offspring of your own?" Patrick was drawn back to Brad's gaze.

"None," he replied easily. He almost smirked, "The last thing I need is another human's dependance."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But then-"

"Noah Majors!"

Brad lept to his feet and searched for the voice. A hefty, terrifying nurse stood at the double doors, and all traces of laughter were gone from Noah's face. Brad stood with the boy and called out "Here, on our way!"

"Wait!" Daisy yelped. "Wait, I need to say something to Noah!" She impatiently tugged on Patrick's jacket until he lifted her up.

"Hey, uh, Brad?" he called, following the slightly shorter man. Brad quickly turned and Patrick had to steady his steps before they collided for a second time. Daisy flung herself forward and kissed Noah's tear-stained cheek.

"Pick a good color if you get to get a cast," she said with a grin. Patrick smiled as he watched the children. Brad only watched Patrick.

"On your way from where, Florida? Keep it moving!" Brad snapped out of it and he and Noah quickly found the nurse. They disappeared and Patrick was left wondering just what it was he'd gotten himself into.

I always find the jumping off point to be the most difficult. I have lots of ideas for these two! Also, sorry not sorry for the shameless Rocky Horror reference. Also, the rating is subject to change with the flow of the story. Please review, I'd love to know what you think! (: