He turned on his side on the canvas bed, a sigh escaped his lips. Raiden, or Jack, did not know if he was tired or just plain bored. Once again he looked at his hand, the flesh looked real, it felt real and to the naked eye, it was. But he knew better, it was only artificial skin, nothing but a temporary replacement for his other hand. that was the same with the rest of his body, all cyborg except for his head, with only an artificial covering that resembled skin.

Deep in his thoughts, the door to his hospital room knocked. It snapped him back into reality, Jack turned his body and sat up. The door opened and to his shock and anger, Rose walked in, holding flowers. She held the door open for two small children before closing it, a boy and a girl, the boy wore a sailor shirt with beige shorts and the girl wore almost the exact same shirt except she wore a skirt. Both children each held a toy katanas. Jack just sat there, he did not know what to say; instead he sank back down and turned away. Undeterred by the cold shoulder, Rose walked up to him.

"Jack? How are you feeling," She asked.

A grunt was her answer.

She then noticed a chair, " Do you mind if I sit down?"

Still the cyborg did not answer her. What was she doing here anyway?

Rose placed the flowers she had been holding on a table, she then sat down on the metal chair. The two children stepped closer to her.

Jack finally turned to see the woman who left him and then looked at the two runt she brought with her before turning his head.

"Jack," Rose called to him, getting ignored once again. She stood up and walked to the hospital bed, "Don't shut me out. I need you to listen to me."

The cyborg sighed and turned his head to glare at her, "What do you want? Come to laugh at me?"

Rose shook her head, " No."

To make him listen, she motioned the children to her, " Look. Look at them."

Jack looked at them through a mirror that was by his bed, the small boy had ash blonde hair in spikes and brown eyes while the girl had short platinum hair and blue eyes.

"Cute. Campbell's kids?"

"No," The woman denied, a small silence filled the room until Rose, with her head down finally confessed, " They're yours."

"I don't have any kids."

Rose's eyebrows knitted upward, she grabbed the cyborgs shoulder and forced him to look at her.

"Jack listen to me please," She begged, " They're your children, your son and daughter."

Jack's eyes slightly widened, "But... you said miscarriage."

Rose shook her head, years of guilt finally showing, "I lied. I had healthy baby twins."

Hearing those words stung him, " Wha-?"

The woman slowly backed away and gently held the two children, " Roy pretended to be my husband. To protect me and our children."

The little ones looked at the cyborg with great curiosity, too young to understand what was happening, he in turn looked back at them.

"Only until you completed your mission, to shield us from patriot eyes."

Jack, still in shock, finally spoke, " What?"

He slowly sat up. Rose explained even further.

"He didn't even tell Meryl, he sacrificed everything, even his family. To protect us."

The shock finally left the cyborg's body, " I don't believe it."

He sat up and once again looked at the two children, they were really his?

"I'm sorry Jack," Rose said choked up, " I wanted to tell you."

Jack continued to stare at the children, " So they're really?"

Rose made a quick nod before placing a hand on each of the two children's shoulders.

"John, Samantha, aren't you two going to say hello?" She asked with the soft gentle nature only a mother could have.

The two children were silent, blinking at the man who was their father. Rose then kneeled down and gently nudged the two towards Jack, John's chestnut eyes and Samantha's clear water eyes each gleamed with a child's curiosity.

"My kids," Jack whispered, keeping back the emotions that deeply wanted to overwhelm him, " Little John, Sam."

He slowly raised his hand and slowly reached for them but just before he could the two children backed away. Rose was shocked at the behavior her children had just displayed she turned to Jack who moved his legs until he sat at the edge of the bed.

"Scared of me huh?" He asked.

They did not answer only blinked.

Jack sighed, "I don't blame you two."

Rose looked at him with deep concern in her eyes, was it a mistake for her to bring their children to meet him?

The cyborg sensed this and turned his head to her, " It's okay."

This made the woman bow her head, until John opened his mouth.

"Uh-uh, we're not scared."

The two parents slowly raised their heads, the twins smiled at their father.

"We think your cool, kinda like a comic book superhero," John piped with Samantha nodding in agreement.

John turned to his sister and raised his toy sword preparing to strike only for Samantha to block it with hers, she held her toy in reverse. It was obvious they were imitating an action scene, the small boy made childish strikes while the little girl made clumsy slices. They both then pointed their plastic blades at their father, john held his blade the almost exact same way Jack would hold his while Samantha had her knees bent as if she was ready to pounce.

The cyborg stood up slowly while Rose ran to her children and hugged them, the sudden jolt made them drop their toys until they were once again nudged towards Jack. This time, he held them close, refusing to let them go.

"Rose," He looked up at Rose and spoke, " I'm done running."

All she could do was stand and watch as Jack held his children, he let go of them briefly to look at them. Gently he picked up his son and placed him on his left leg doing the same with his daughter, they were both small enough to fit.

Finally finding her words, Rose spoke with a tear falling from her eyes, "I'm no longer afraid."

Hearing those words the love Jack had for Rose slowly came back, " I'll never leave you alone again."

There was a brief silence in the room save for the soft sniffles from Rose, the twins reached for their father and hugged him. Their mother tearfully doing the same; placing a hand on John's head gently, Jack wrapped his arms around his family, taking in a few trembling breathes.

Jack turned his head and saw their reflection in the mirror, " It's like a scene from, Beauty And The Beast."

Rose softly shook her head, " Don't say that. You're no beast, you're my husband." She then looked at her two children, placing a hand on John's head and then Samantha's, " And their father."

Hearing those words, the cyborg turned his head to face her.

With a small smile she spoke once more, " And me. I'm going to do my best, to be the wife and mother this family deserves."

All he could was look at her in brief shock before once again hugging his family, refusing to let them all go.

"J-jack?" They all heard Samantha speak for the first time, Jack had his hand on the little girl's shoulder to keep her from falling. She looked at him with big curious eyes until she spoke again.

"Can I call you daddy?"

That question surprised him so all Jack could do was nod softly.