Title : Starry Night

Author's Notes : Follows "Father and Son". It's mostly an epilogue of F & S. Alex and her son talk about the stars in the sky...until the conversation steer elsewhere.

Disclaimer : I don't own any of the recognizable characters. That honor belongs to Jeff Eastin, White Collar writers and USA Network.

Summary : Alex and Nicholas Hunter's conversation underneath the stars. Follows "Father and Son". [AU/Short Story/OOC]

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY...

Alex and Nicholas were outside at Vadzel's arboretum, in the middle of the estate's garden, orchard and vineyard. It was already night time and they just finished eating supper. They laid there on the green grass surrounded by the beautiful trees, while looking up at the night sky on that starry, starry night. Nicholas was using his mother's belly as his pillow, as she gently stroked his hair.

Alex was glad that they finally have some time to relax. Everything had been intense and hectic lately. She welcomed times such as this, when she can have some quality time with her son. It certainly didn't happen as often as she would like. The beauty of spending time with her son is that they could chat about anything, or just sit there in silence and they would still enjoy each others company.

"Mama, I think all the stars are out tonight." Nicholas said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I think so too!" Alex answered.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" he asked her. "Did you know that you can tell where you are in the world just by looking at the sky? Jack said it's called 'celestial navigation'." he told her.

"Is that what he's teaching you now?" she asked him.

"Not yet. He said I need to learn the constellations first. So I'm studying those now." he replied.

Alex smiled. It never ceases to amaze her how intelligent her six-year-old son was. "Really? Okay, let's see what you've learned so far...what are those?" she quizzed him.

Nicholas followed to where she was pointing. "That is Cassiopeia!" he answered.

"Okay...how about that?" she asked, pointing to another cluster of stars.

"That one is Andromeda!" he replied.

"That one?" she asked again as she pointed to another constellation.

"Uhm...that's Cetus." he told her.

"What about that one?" she asked again.

"Cepheus!" he answered excitedly.

"How about that?" she said, pointing again.

"That's Pegasus." he replied.

"And, that one?" she asked.

"That would be Perseus!" he answered with ease.

"Boy! You're smart!" she told her son.

"Did I get it all right?" he asked his mother.

"I wouldn't know, Moonbeam!" she replied honestly. "Fact is, astronomy was never one of my strong suits!" she confessed.

They both laughed. Alex continued. "But I do know that each and every one of them have a story behind it." she told him.

"Hmmm...really?" he asked her as he sat up to move closer to her.

"Yes. You know, Perseus, Andromeda, Pegasus, Cetus, Cepheus and Cassiopeia...they are all a part of one story. One of the best stories of Greek Mythology." she informed him, as she sat up with him as well. "Would you like to hear their story?" she asked.

"Yes, please!" he answered, as he nodded his head vigorously.

"Alright...here it goes." she began. "One of the oldest stories ever told are written in the stars. Stories of time before man and gods, when Titans ruled the earth. The Titans were powerful but their reign was ended by their own sons: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades." she looked and saw Nicholas listening intently.

"Zeus convinced his brother Hades to create a beast so strong it could defeat their parents. And from his own flesh Hades gave birth to an unspeakable horror... the Cetus. Zeus became king of the heavens. Poseidon, king of the sea. And Hades, tricked by Zeus, was left to rule the underworld in darkness and in misery." she continued.

"It was Zeus who created man and man's prayers fed the gods' immortality. But in time, mankind grew restless. They began to question the gods and, finally, rise up against them. Into this world, a child was born. A boy who would change everything..." she stopped when she realized that she no longer ave Nicholas' attention. He seemed distracted and uncharacteristically cheerless.

Alex got worried. "Nicholas? What's the matter son?" she asked him.

"It's just sad that the sons have to fight their own fathers, that's all." he replied sadly.

"Oh, Moonbeam...it's just a story." she pointed out. That didn't seem to make a difference to him, as she noticed that his blue eyes were now filled with sorrow. "What's really going on, Nicholas?" she pressed.

"Can I ask you something, Mama?" he asked.

"Of course!" she answered.

"You promise to tell me the truth?" he asked again.

"I promise. Now, what is it?" she assured him.

"Is Neal Caffrey my father?" he asked her point blank.

Alex didn't see that question coming. She was stunned and didn't know how to answer him. But she did promised to tell him the truth, and so she did. "Yes. He is your father." she replied.

He was silent for a moment. Then he spoke. "Okay." he whispered, as he managed to smile weakly.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I didn't...you just told me." he answered. "I had a feeling...but I wasn't sure." he told her.

"Did he say something to you?" she asked him.

"No...but before we left New York, he called me 'son'." he answered. "And it felt...it felt just right." he confessed to her.

There was another pause before Nicholas spoke. "Did you love him?" he asked.

"Yes...yes, I did." she replied.

"Did he love you?" he asked again.

"I'd like to believe that he did, in his own way." she answered. "That's something you're gonna have to ask him yourself." she said.

He saw the sadness in her eyes. "Did he hurt you?" he asked in a protective tone.

"Oh, Moonbeam! It's a little more complicated than that." she said. "I got hurt, yes. But that wasn't his intention." she replied. "You know what though? I would get hurt all over again if it meant that I get to have you!" she told him.

"Do you want me to hate him, Mama?" he asked. He remembered the story earlier, about the gods who hated and hurt their Titan father.

Another question that surprised Alex. "No, Moonbeam!" she said. "I would never ask you to hate him, or anyone else for that matter." she stated. "To be honest with you, I don't hate your father. I really don't! Because if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have you in my life right now! I can't hate him for that!" she admitted.

She observed her son. She wasn't sure how he was taking in all the revelation. "Are you angry with me for not telling you?" It was her turn to ask the question.

"No! I'm not!" he denied. "You must have your reasons for not telling me!" he said.

"Would you like to meet him? You know...properly, this time? Would you like to get to know your father?" she asked.

Nicholas looked at her, and thought about it for a moment. "No." he answered. "Not until we are ALL ready." he added, before hugging his mother tightly.

"Thank you for your honesty, Mama!" he said gratefully. "I love you! That hasn't changed!" he told her reassuringly.

"I love you too, Moonbeam!" she said. "With all of my heart, I love you!" she added, glad to have some of the weight lifted off of her shoulders. They remained there and went back to staring at the sky's starry night in comfortable silence.

~FINI~

Footnotes :

*I thought that the last fic needed an epilogue, and this was the best I could think of.

*The story that Alex was telling Nicholas was "The Clash of the Titans".

*I've always pictured Nicholas as an intuitive little boy, and Alex as an honest mother. Well...as honest as she could be.

*So...the truth's out. Neal knows. Now, Nicholas knows. What happens next? I don't know yet...it's a journey.

*Thank you for taking the time to read this story. If you liked it, please feel free to leave a comment.