And now we get to see what Mike thinks of this arrangement...something tells me this will fly as well as a lead balloon...

Chapter 2

No Way

"You're sure this is the place?" Mike asked softly, tugging on the sleeves of her coat as the wind whipped her copper colored hair around her face from under her cap.

"Very," Emily nodded, "Robby said he saw Kayle entering the house earlier today,"

"That doesn't exactly mean that they still all live together," came the slightly more metallic voice from a young woman that looked exactly like Mike…

Except for the fact that her eyes shone as if lit from within.

"They do, Gold," Mike replied, still looking at the house instead of her other half, "Ashe and Kayle wouldn't break that promise and I doubt Jeremy would to,"

Gold rolled her eyes, rubbing her arm. The Spring Suit wasn't visible to anyone but Mike, Emily, Spring, and Scott…but that didn't mean that she wasn't as tied to the physical plane as her 'lighter' half was.

"You ready, Mike?" Emily asked, looking up at the younger spirit.

Mike gave a small nod and started forwards…right as a dark-haired young man walked up to the door.

"Is that…?" Gold started, a flicker of memory going between both halves.

"You…" Mike snarled, clenching her fists as she started forwards only for Gold and Emily both to catch her, "CHARLIE!"

"Take him?" Jeremy asked as Robby's little hands tightened their grip around his neck, "Why?"

"I heard about Mike," Charlie admitted, "I…I'm sorry, she was a great person…"

"So why'd you leave her?" Kayle snarled, taking Robby off Jeremy's shoulder and holding him away from Charlie, much to Robby's joy.

"I admit, I was stupid," Charlie replied, "I wasn't ready for this and when Mike said she was taking the job at that place…I panicked. I've worked the nightshift at the old place, never been so scared in my life,"

"It's not that bad," Jeremy replied, taking Robby back from Kayle and having the little boy nuzzle into his shoulder, an icy glare being sent towards his biological father.

The little boy was so not going with him. And they'd be hard pressed to change that.

"All the same, the fact is that Mike's gone and as Robby's father, I have to take him home,"

"Don't wanna go," Robby mumbled, his hands nearly choking Jeremy with how hard he was holding on.

"Now, Robby," Charlie started, "You'd like the house. Mary is anxious to meet you, so are Danny and Lauren,"

"Who dose?" Robby asked suspiciously.

"Your step-mom and half siblings," Charlie said, reaching for the boy only for Robby to give a soft growl and Jeremy to back away…still with the boy.

"You remarried?" Kayle growled, "And had two kids!? You heartless son of a…"

She started forwards only for Jeremy to catch her and put a hand over her mouth.

"Ears like a fox," he hissed into her ear, his grey eyes flicking towards the gold ones of the little boy.

"I wanna stay with Daddy," Robby growled firmly.

Charlie gave a smile and reached for the boy only for Robby's little hand to slap at him.

"Not you!" he cried, grabbing Jeremy even tighter, "He my Daddy,"

"Out of the mouths of babes," Kayle smirked, "Better get your butt outta here, Charlie Brown…else I'll have to arrest you for trespassing,"

Charlie leveled an icy blue glare at the police officer before shaking a finger at her.

"Kayle, you know it's state law that he goes to me," he growled.

"Only if the court deems you worthy of having him," she retorted, "Mike stated in her last will and testament that she wanted Robby's care to go to me, Ashe, and Jeremy. Because you left them on the street. Don't assume that I don't know the law, Charlie…because I do. Now, scram! Or I'm taking you in for harassment and trespassing!"

He took a step off the porch, still glaring at the little group.

"I'll be back, Kayle, mark my words!"

Emily and Gold had to hold Mike back from attacking Charlie as he left. They'd heard the conversation and to say Mike wasn't happy about it…would be a major understatement.

"Emily, Gold, let me go," Mike ordered.

"Not a chance!" Gold growled, "Not until you calm down!"

"I'm calm, I'm calm, I'm perfectly calm!" Mike hissed through gritted teeth.

After a few minutes of Mike lunging and trying to get at Charlie, the spirit and the Spring Suit both looked at her as she started calming down.

"Can you let me go now?" Mike snarked.

"Are you going to attack him?" Emily asked, her strings keeping a tight hold around Mike's waist while Gold had her hands locked around Mike's arms.

"…No…" Mike growled.

Emily warily let go of Mike, wrapping the seemingly fragile threads around her wrists and fingers while Gold reluctantly let go of Mike. Mike glared at the rapidly retreating figure of Charlie as he drove off in the car.

"That lowlife, thieving deadbeat," Mike growled, eyes flashing black as the wind blew off her hat, "I ought to give him a piece of my mind…dip him in meat sauce and throw him into a lions' den…that sounds about right…"

"And here I thought I was the morbid and dark one," Gold snickered.

"Shut up," Mike growled, her ears flattening as she glared heatedly at the dark-haired man, "He's not going to take my little boy…that's for sure!"

Her fury died down a bit when she saw Jeremy walk out of the house with a little boy dressed in a snowsuit and letting him play in the snow.

"Robby," she whispered, the hurt and longing clear in her voice as she watched her son playing around.

Jeremy's phone rang and the man turned around, talking to someone before frowning and picking up Robby, taking the boy into the house.

Later that night, Robby lay in his bed, hugging his little fox close to his chest as he tried to sleep. He didn't want to go with Charlie…he wanted to stay with his aunts and Jeremy. His Mama had said she wanted Jeremy to be his daddy.

A cool hand gently brushed his bangs away from his forehead and Robby's golden eyes fluttered open…just to meet a matching golden gaze above him.

"MAMA!" Robby gasped, eyes wide as he leaped into Mike's arms, nuzzling her shoulder and crying heavily.

"Hello, lil' Capt'n," Mike murmured, kissing her son's red head, dark tears streaming from her golden eyes, "I've missed you,"

"I miss you too Mama," Robby mumbled as his mother sat down in the rocking chair next to his bed, "Mama…were you been? Daddy say dat you killed dead…dat you burned up in da fire,"

"Unfortunately not," Mike sighed, "We're still here. Still trapped,"

"Wha' you mean?"

Mike gave a sad smile and pulled off the cap on her head, revealing the soft, golden ears that poked from her copper hair. Robby's golden eyes widened and he reached for the ears. Mike bowed her head so that he could get to them easier and let him pet them. She gave a soft laugh as her ears flicked under her son's hand…now she saw why her brother always laughed when someone petted his ears, that tickled!

"You like Unca Wobby," Robby stated, settling back on his knees and pulling out the silver locket around his neck, letting its song pour forth as he opened it.

Mike gave a nod, humming the song as Robby nuzzled into her chest. Oh how she had missed this!

"Mama…he came back today," Robby said.

"I know," Mike told him, "I saw. And you know what…he will not take you away from Jeremy, Ashe and Kayle. I swear,"

"Wha' you gonna do?"

"I don't know yet," she told him, holding him close as he drifted off to sleep, "But trust me…he won't want to take you away from them after I'm through with him,"

As soon as she felt he was asleep, Mike got out of the chair and carried her boy back to his bed. Gold materialized behind her, looking at the boy with her light honey gaze.

"You have a plan?" she asked, "I know he's not my son…but I don't want him in the hands of someone who just left you at the drop of a hat,"

"Not yet," Mike said, kissing her son's forehead one last time before the clock struck midnight and she gave a cry of pain, hugging her body as it burst into smoke.

The silver stream of smoke whisked away from the boy's bedside and across town into the new attraction, streaming into the remains of the spring suit and making it jerk wildly as a pained shriek came from it. Two gold pinpoints flared to life in black pools and Mike sat up, rubbing her head.

"I might not have a plan…yet…" she murmured, "But I'm going to soon,"

As to what this plan is exactly...I'm not exactly sure, but I know that Mike's going to be messing with Charlie's head quite a bit. If there's any shenanigans that you want them all to pull on him...let me know (but there will be no killing!)

I hope you guys liked it, if you did send in the reviews! (Along with ideas because I will need them eventually!) :)

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Elhini Prime signing off.