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Sergeant Greg Parker

When the flight attendant came to my seat I thought it was a mistake. When she addressed me as Sergeant Gregory Parker I knew there was no mistake. I barely made this flight on time and now I was asked to exit the plane. She said it would be explained to me when I exited. I was torn. I made up my mind to see my son. Ed was right. I had to see him face to face, even if all it would accomplish was letting him yell at me for everything I did wrong. At least face to face I could see how my son turned out. The other half of me knew that the only way I would be tracked down on a plane was if something major was going on with my team. I couldn't stay in my seat. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to my team that I could prevent.

When I exited the plane and the attendant told me I had a call from the SRU, it was as if I was on autopilot. I expected to hear the worst news a Sergeant could possibly hear – that one of my team member's was badly injured, or more horrifying, that a team member was dead. I took the phone from the attendant hesitantly. I needed to make sure my team was safe.

"Sergeant Parker", I said into the phone.

"Boss, you need to come back to the Station."

It was Eddie. His voice seemed fine. A little agitated, but boarding on normal. That was a good sign. "Everyone okay Ed? The team okay?"

"What? Yes, yes. We're all good Greg. It's not that kind of call. You just…look, get a cab, okay, and get your ass back here. It's important."

I worked with Eddie for a long time now and knew when he was excited. Something was up. "I'll get a cab. Do I get to know what I got off the plane for now?"

"It's about Dean. He's-"

"Is he alright?"

"He's fine boss." Ed paused and I held my breath waiting for him to continue. "He's here."

The flight attendant who was patiently waiting for the call to be over, was the one who picked the phone off the floor and hung up for me. At least I think she hung up. I might have accidently hung up on Ed on my own.

How ridiculous was this situation? I'm trained not to get frazzled. I'm trained to remain calm. I'm trained to handle high levels of stress. Yet, when I heard Ed's response, I can't even remember dropping the phone. I mean, I must have. How else would it have ended up on the floor?

I looked at the flight attendant. "I need a cab!"

I saw her mouth move, but I can't recall the words that came out. I simply followed her as she set out walking.

Ed met me at the door.

"He's here and he's safe boss".

I nodded. Safe was good. "How'd he get here?"

"Spike says he came through customs 3 days ago with his school. He used a fake id to board a bus. Get this – he used the name Peter, with the ultimate last name of Parker! Can you imagine if you had actually named him that? I'm lucky we had a boy, cuz Sophie's mother's name was Lois, and there's no way I'd name my kid Lois Lane!"

Ed was trying to get me to calm down. It was working. "Ed…he's here. I mean, he's actually here." I stopped walking. I couldn't deal with all of this being a misunderstanding. Not after booking the flight, packing hastily, and barely making the flight on time.

"He's here boss. I've seen him with my own eyes. He even has your swagger when he walks. It's real alright. And he's taking this better than you. He's a lot more calmer than you right now."

"He's my son!"

Ed just looked at me. "Don't, Ed. I'm fine. I'm not nervous ". I resumed walking to the briefing room.

"I didn't say anything boss."

"He's my son, Ed!"

"I know."

"No you don't!" I was suddenly so angry. Angry with myself for letting 7 full years go by without actually doing something to remedy the situation. "He's my son! 7 years I've waited to see him. I lost him and now he's here. The day I almost give up is the day he walks through the doors of the SRU on his own? It's just too much of a coincidence."

"Hey, he came by himself. He's ready to listen. There's no ex-wife to run interference. This is the chance you've wanted for a long time. Are you going to let nerves stand in your way?"

"What if he doesn't understand?" I didn't actually mean to say that out loud. It just sort of happened. Another flag that was telling me that I was not in control of the situation and that I had better get a hold on it.

"Then you'll make him. This is what you do Greg. You love him. Right now he's confused, angry, and desperately wants to connect with his Dad. Just talk."

"I can do that." I stopped just short of the wall closest to the briefing room. I could see Sam and Jules, talking to one another. It looked like they were making sure Dean had no way of getting by them. "Two snipers Ed?"

"What? The way your kid looked at Jules, I figured he wouldn't hit on her with the Rookie around."

I laughed as Ed shrugged his shoulders. Only my lead sniper would feel it necessary to box in a 16 year old boy and post snipers, albeit out of uniform but still with their weapon, in front of the only exit the briefing room has.

"But Jules is too old for him."

"Hey, I'm just calling it as I see it! Stop procrastinating and get in there."

He was right, and I knew it. I walked up to the where Sam and Jules were. They saw me coming and stood up.

"Thanks guys."

"No problem Sergeant. Let's go Sam."

"What? Now? But I want to see what's going to happen!"

That's what's great about Sam. He's totally honest and calls things as they happen. Sometimes I think he should, or more accurately, could, censor some of what comes out of his mouth, but this time, he managed to put me at ease with his offhand sense of propriety. I silently thanked Jules as she grabbed him by the sleeve and yanked him away from the briefing room.

Now there was just a piece of glass between my son and me. We both stared at each other. He no longer looked like the 10 year old boy I remembered. He was taller, stockier, and looked like me. More hair, but he looked like me. A thousand questions were running though my head: what's your favourite colour? Do you love hockey? Is there someone special in your life? What do you want to do with your life? Is there still a chance that you might still love me?

Dean had already taken the first step by coming to me, so I took the second step by going into the briefing room with the expectation that everything would work itself out. Maybe not right away, and maybe not in a simple fashion, but it would work out. I will not allow myself to fail my son again.