A/N: Wow, everyone! Thank you so much for the reviews on my last 17 Again story!! I had a couple of requests to write more, so I figured I'd switch gears from Mike and Maggie's relationship to Mike and Alex's. I had a hard time deciding if this should be a second chapter to that story, but since it was seemingly unrelated, I decided to give it it's own page. I feel like this story is particularly formulaic and pretty similar to the last one, so if you hate me for that, constructive criticism is always openly accepted.

So I wrote this because I have a fever of 103 today and needed to distract myself from the massive headache. When I write when I'm sick, my characters tend to channel my misery :P So I hope I didn't make anyone too overdramatic here.

Enjoy!

Dicslaimer: I don't own 17 Again

Family had always been the single most important thing in Mike O'Donnell's life.

It was the reason he would do anything for his children.

It was the reason he'd handed a new-born Maggie over to Ned the day she came home and said "I want you to be her uncle..."

It was the reason he once peppered Scarlett's face with kisses and gave her gentle, loving hugs. And every night before they went to sleep, he'd give her the single most affectionate and devoted smile and whisper that he loved her more than anything else in the world.

Why had all that suddenly gone out the window?

Where could he have possibly gone wrong?

He mentally slapped his 17-year-old-self and hung his head in shame. He knew the answer to that. He didn't want to admit it, be he full well knew the answer.

He'd simply given up on them.

He had no one to blame but himself.

He ignored his children simply because it was the easiest thing to do. He complained constantly about being married to Scarlett because he spent too much time living in the past and thinking on what could have been. The only thing he still did was stand in the doorway, giving his Scarlett that passionate smile. Every night before going home, he'd secretly mutter that he loved Alex as he made his way back up the stairs. He would discretely blow a kiss to Maggie. Then he'd stand in that doorway, smiling as though he were on top of the world.

Further inspection, however, would reveal a trace of sadness on his face. He was so close to her and yet so far... He closed his eyes, imagining himself walking into the kitchen right that instant and wrapping his arms around her waist; leaning forward, brushing a strand of hair from her ear as he whispered that she was the world to him.

"Mark?"

Mike nearly jumped out of his skin. He took a frantic step back, not sure what to do. He'd never been caught before and wasn't prepared for it.

"Sweetie, it's really late, won't your father be worried?"

Mike rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Right... bye, Mrs. O'Donnell..." Seemingly losing all self control, he eyed Scarlett up and down and sighed quietly.

Scarlett clearly looked uncomfortable. "Right, well... Sleep well, dear." She gave him a sweet smile before hurrying out of the room. Mike couldn't help closing his eyes and giving a soft chuckle. Everything she did, even a simple smile, sent shivers up his spine. He liked it, though.

Whistling to himself, Mike thrust his hands into his pockets and strolled outside. He stopped abruptly at the sound of sniffles, the source of the noise obviously trying to cover them up. He felt his heart nearly stop, and his body's reaction told him everything he needed to know; it was that fatherly instinct that hadn't left him, even when he started to ignore his kids; he instantly knew it was Alex.

He dashed to the front of the house to find he was correct. Alex sat quietly on the curb, a basketball tucked loosely under his arm, and sniffled faintly. Mike's smile dropped to a worried frown. He rushed over and sat down next to him, rubbing his back gently.

"Hey buddy... It's kinda late; Erm... Aren't you tired?"

Alex frantically wiped his eyes and sighed. "No... I'm just... thinking." Mike made a face.

"Is something bothering you?"

"No," he answered, barely giving Mike time to finish his question. "What makes you say that?"

Mike continued patting his back. "Because you were crying..."

"I wasn't crying," he snapped. "Guys don't cry..."

"Buddy, sometimes that's just what you need--"

"I wasn't crying!!" he snapped. Mike sighed. Stubborn Alex. He definitely got that from his father.

An awkward pause followed.

"I hate him anyway."

"Pardon me?" Mike's head snapped up as his son spoke.

"I hate him." He clutched his fists tightly. "He never loved us... All I wanted was a dad... Someone to talk basketball with and to tell about my problems at school and to ask for help with homework... He only tried to save his relationship once and it was only because Mom was threatening to take us away and he wanted sympathy for losing his stupid job..." He buried his face in his arms, apparently abandoning his attempts at concealing his tears. His sobs and chokes broke Mike's heart.

"Oh, my sweet Alex..." he muttered, pulling him into a tight, fathering hug. Alex wiped his eyes.

"Excuse me?"

Mike began to panic. "W-What? I-I just said that sucks..."

Alex shrugged, easily accepting his lie. "Sorry... Me and Mags... We tend to see dad everywhere lately. We want him to never come back and at the same time... We need him. We miss him so much..." he shook his head, his eyes welling with tears once again. Mike shut his eyes tight, pained beyond reason in knowing that he was the one who put those tears on his son's face. Mike placed his hands on either side of his head, massaging his temples, trying desperately to ignore the heart-shattering sound of his only son crying.

"Hey, hey... it's okay..." Mike put an arm around his shoulder. "Listen, I have a feeling your dad still cares a lot about you." Alex scoffed in disbelief. "I mean it. I bet he just... lost his head and left for a little bit so he could sort things out. And if I know Uncle Mike, he'll come back in time for the court date... He won't give you guys up to your mom so easily," he concluded, chuckling slightly. He beamed as a small smile tugged at the side of Alex's mouth.

"That's true... Even if it is just because he's too stubborn to. It's a start."

Mike smiled, standing up and reaching out an arm to help Alex up. "You're a great kid." Alex laughed a little.

"And you're the first senior who doesn't wanna give me a swirly. Thanks, man..."

Mike smiled and watched as his son entered the house.

"Later," Alex called over his shoulder.

"Love you, son..." Mike whispered, as he did every night.