Disclaimer: Not mine. All the characters belong to the creator of Burn Notice.
A/N: This is a plotless little story about Michael and Nate, because I love Michael and Nate. :)
Like Father, Like Son?
"See you in hell, boy."
What sort of father would say that to his eldest son, wondered Michael. Oh wait, his father would. Actually, his father did say those words. Those words were Frank Westen's last words to Michael.
Frank Westen was a violent man who was perpetually bad-tempered. He would abuse his two sons and his wife most of the time, both physically and emotionally. Little wonder, then, that Michael ran away from home and enlisted in the army at the age of seventeen.
Michael had never known what a proper father was like. He was completely unacquainted with the kind of fathers who took their children to ball games; fathers who played catch with their children; and fathers who gave their children big bear hugs. These were utterly foreign to Michael and Nate Westen.
Michael was aware of the fact that Nate constantly worried about Charlie. He knew that Nate was afraid of being a lousy father. Nate was afraid of following in Frank Westen's footsteps.
Michael knew, though, that Nate did not need to worry. Nate would be an amazing dad. Nate would probably be much better at parenting than Michael himself, if Michael were to have children someday. Nate would leave Charlie a better legacy than what Frank Westen left Michael. Nate Westen would leave Charlie something far better than unpleasant, painful memories and a 1973 Dodge Charger bereft of spark plugs.
Michael and Nate might be the sons of Frank Westen, but they were certainly not chips off the old block. The proverb 'like father, like son' meant absolutely nothing to the Westens. Because nobody has to live in the shadow of their parents. Because everybody has a choice to become whomever they want to be.
Because Michael Westen was nothing like his father and never would be.
