A/N - I am still alive and breathing! I have not had two minutes to rub together to get anything written. RL keeps throwing me curveballs and I have to deal with the fall out. Life seems on track now and maybe the multitude of stories screaming in my head will be able to get out. This story is not yet finished however I hope that I make sure I get it finished.

Abby and Tim had spent many hours discussing their sons' education. It started years before when Lucas was ready to enter kindergarten and continued through Sam's kindergarten year. It was likely something that would be a topic of conversation for years to come.

Through Sam's first year of school they had been called in on a regular basis. Concerns ranging from behavior to social conformity and even academic performance were the topics of parent teacher conferences. Both Tim and Abby felt that although Sam's school was geared to the gifted child it wasn't lining up as a good "fit" for their family or Sam. Which left them with the question "what was a good school for Sam?"

In the end it was decided that although they had had concerns in the past with St. John's Catholic Elementary school, Lucas' school, it was likely to be the best choice. Not only was it in the neighborhood but Lucas would be there for another year so he could walk Sam to and from school. Abby was also very happy because Sam would be able to participate in the sacraments with his class. Tim was happy because they were able to have Sam enrolled in Miss Carmichael's grade 1, 2 split, just as Luc had been.

XXX

On the first day of school the whole family walked to St. John's. The family Scuito-McGee was quite the site coming down the road. Abby was dressed in such a manner she may have been mistaken for someone attending a funeral dressed from head to toe in black including her elbow length gloves and black parasol to keep off the late August sun. Tim in his crime scene 'uniform' ready to head to a new scene as soon as drop off occurred. Luc ahead of the family unit as much as Abby would allow before calling ahead for him to wait, as he had no interest in being seen with his parents on the first day of 8th grade. And last but not least was Sam dragging behind hoping that if he took long enough he wouldn't have to go to school again this year. As far as he was concerned there was very few positives about attending school; he had very little hope that this new location would provide him with anything that he would appreciate.

When they finally reached the gate into the school yard Lucas said a speedy goodbye to both his parents, acknowledging them only enough to not have to hear a lecture that night on being rude. He did however take a few seconds and whisper something in Sam's ear only taking off to find Sean after he got a nod from his younger sibling.

Abby looked to Tim to see if he understood the brotherly exchange. The shrug of his shoulders and questioning look meant he was in the dark as well. Abby and Tim escorted Sam to the gym and with a kiss to the top of his head they sent him in alone with many encouragements to buoy his spirits.

Neither parent spoke as they made their way back home to their cars. Both were apprehensive about Sam's first day. He had not enjoyed his school or learning experience the previous year and was not swayed that this year would be different. Sam had proven time and time again that when he wasn't happy about something he would make it well known and take as many people as possible into his misery.

Sam sat in the gym playing with the lace on his shoe paying little attention to the principal's welcome speech. He was miserable. He hated school. He hated the classroom, the teachers, the schedule well everything really. You had to put up with the rules, the noise and for what. Nothing, that's what! He had tried to explain this to his parents, they just didn't get it. He didn't bother listening to the list of students each teacher called to the front and only glanced at the door when he heard Luc's name. He had been told whose class he was going to be in so he waited for Miss Carmichael to approach the microphone and without waiting for his name to be read aloud. Due to the busyness of the gym no one paid attention to the large 6 year old standing by the door waiting to be lead to what he thought was a sanctioned torture chamber.

The class assembled behind Sam and they were all led by Miss Carmichael to the class and asked to sit in a desk labeled with the appropriate grade. Sam stood at the back of the class frozen. This was not at all what Luc had said. Sam stood going through Luc's instructions one by one in his mind. He had said Miss Carmichael would assign seating and when he was placed in grade 1 he was to tell her there had been an error and he was to be with the grade 2's instead. He had told him how things would go, just like when he was in grade 1. But this was different and that meant Sam was unsure of how to proceed. By the time he decided to simply sit in a grade 2 labeled desk there were none left and he stood in the middle of the desks looking just like a lost puppy.

Sam, could get into trouble easily, it was almost second nature. However he had learned very early on in his young life that lying was just not acceptable and that it always got him into more trouble. So he had become the most honest trouble maker anyone had met. So when Luc had instructed him to tell Miss Carmichael is was in grade 2 he had a hard time agreeing to do it. His big brother rarely steered him wrong and in the end he had promised Luc he would do it. Sam's inner turmoil had been building over the past week as this day approached and now that he was standing in the classroom with the situation different than Luc's explanation he was worried that his ruse wouldn't get him what he had gotten his elder sibling. His lack of movement towards a desk, his lack of a decision meant he was still standing in the middle of the desks when Miss Carmichael was finished refereeing a disagreement. As she took her place at the front of the room, she looked out to begin her well-rehearsed welcome and noticed Sam staring at the floor tapping the toe of shoe against the closest desk leg for the first time. "Please take your seat" she instructed kindly. Sam looked around, swallowed hard gathering a little more courage he would need to say what Luc had told him to say. Closing his eyes tightly, swallowing the lump that had lodge itself in his throat he blurted out "There isn't a spot for me".

Surprised at the forcefulness that the little boy's statement was made Miss Carmichael hesitated before saying "I believe there is an open desk directly behind you" gesturing for the boy to turn around. Sam turned to look at the desk but made no motion to head in that direction, instead he turned back to the teacher and whispered "But it has a number 1 on it".

Miss Carmichael realized that she was not going to be able to solve this quickly and approached the boy in hopes of leading him along. "Pardon me" she asks when she is closer. "It has a number 1 on it" Sam repeats slightly louder this time.

"And that is a problem?" she asked respectfully.

"Yes. I need a desk with a 2." Sam answered feeling good that he wasn't lying but simply making a statement about his needs.

Confused the teacher returned to her desk and retrieved her attendance while asking "What is your name?"

"Sam."

Scanning her list she finds the only Sam and sees a familiar surname "Scuito-McGee" and a smile immediately crosses her face as she recalls an August 6 years prior where a boy much smaller yet more confidently suggested the same thing. Having been through this once before she quickly moved the empty desk into a grade 2 grouping, took the grade 1 label from the table top and instructed Sam to take his seat.

Sam sat, taking a deep breath of relief. So far. So good.