Gordon had left Alan at home - despite the fact that he really, really didn't want too - while he went with Jeff. Jeff was on the phone with the social worker, who, Gordon noted, was up way past her bedtime. She had told Gordon a few times she wasn't a night owl, and yet here they were.

He was absolutely exhausted, but he was glad that he was going to get Fermat out of there - hopefully, anyway. Fermat had skipped work today, at Gordon's instructions, claiming to be sick. He was staying with the Head Council right now of the small Appalachia unit where Gordon had used to live, and they were racing there right now.

The plan was to get as close as possible and use a helicopter to get the rest of the way. They'd briefly discussed using a helicopter the whole way but the time it took to refuel the helicopter and get it past the checks again and again made it difficult.

"The social worker just got it approved that Fermat was in my custody, she's meeting us there," Jeff said, "Does the high council have a phone?"

"No," Gordon said. "Only Fermat, Sarah and I did, and Sarah moved three weeks ago out of there since she was 18."

"Can you let Fermat know to pack up his things and be ready? Should we warn him about Brains?"

"No... It's better to surprise him. He'll get anxious and possibly say something. It's better if 'Mr. Hood' doesn't get wind that we're coming anyway."

"We are getting the cops ready to arrest Mr. Hood," Jeff said, nodding. Gordon was sitting in the back and Brains was sitting up front. "They're getting the swat team ready. They have enough evidence now."

"They didn't before?" Gordon muttered darkly, looking away.

"H-h-how is Mrs. P-P- your friend going to take it?" Brains asked, looking at Jeff.

Jeff sighed, "Doesn't matter, she's just going to have to deal. I tried to give her the heads up at least. This isn't a pissant contest over leader - nobody hurts the ones who I love. I've already submitted our resignation, and I will only join again if he steps down."

"G-good, put your b-boys first," Brains said approvingly. "H-how much further?"

Jeff smiled at him. "About another twenty minutes to where we can rent the helicopter, then about another twenty until we get to where we can get Fermat. As soon as we give the all clear, SWAT is going in. They want to make sure there's no hostages so they're working on getting all the neighbors out first, if possible. But before they even give the heads up they're giving us the opportunity to get Fermat." He leaned back against the seat as he watched the leaves of the trees.

"Thank you," Gordon said.

"T-thank you," Brains corrected. "W-we have been looking for y-you both for y-years."

Gordon allowed himself to believe that it was true for the first time. My father didn't give me up, and your father isn't dead, Fermat. We're coming, Fermat. We're coming.

It was late that night when they got in and talked to Fermat. They were able to find him easily. Jeff asked Gordon if they could trust the High Council. Upon Gordon's assurance that he could, he'd warned the High Council of what was about to happen. They made a mandatory meeting for children and evacuated everyone while the Hood was arrested.

It was the most satisfying moment of Gordon's life to see 'Mr. Hood' walk out in handcuffs.


Jeff was expecting the phone call from Penelope early that morning. He was surprised when it came at 8:00 - she must have actually gone to sleep. "Hello, Penelope," he said.

"Jeff, what happened?" she asked.

"He's been holding Brains' child. He confessed and admitted to kidnapping Alan and Gordon. You can see the written confession and the videotaped confession clearly at your desk."

She sighed and leaned back against her chair, taking a moment to bury her face in her fingertips.

"To be fair," Jeff remarked, "I did give you a heads up."

She exhaled and there was silence over the video phone for like twenty minutes. "I'm sorry for not doing more, Jeff."

He shrugged, looking at her, "Why, Penny? You're just doing your job. You were right to question me. If you absolutely believed everything about the hood, it'd be bad too. Don't blame yourself."

She sighed, "We need a new leader. And the process for selecting it, thank God, is not the same."

Jeff smiled, "Who are you thinking of choosing?"

"I don't do names - you know that," she said. Jeff rolled his eyes. "But of course we'll have to figure it out. You were nominated before -"

"I just resigned," Jeff reminded her. "I don't think now is the right time, Penny. I need to focus on my boys."

She sighed and leaned forward, "Jeff, I know. But -"

"My answer is still no, Penny. Maybe at some point but not right now."

She nodded, "Okay. Well, keep the idea in your mind. I'll consider the others but I'd still like you to run it."

"You realize if I do it there will be major choices?" Jeff asked as he looked at there.

"That's what I'd hope," she said as she signed off.


Gordon was sitting next to Fermat, who was telling Alan about the time where a customer had tried to order a cheeseburger and ended up getting parts of the cheeseburger half stuck in his nose. Gordon noticed that Alan seemed more relaxed.

Brains had temporarily moved into the spare room with Fermat, and Jeff was talking about buying an island. Surprisingly, Gordon was okay moving onto the island with the man. He slipped away, excusing himself as he saw Jeff in his study.

"Hey," he said, sitting down.

Jeff smiled at him, "Hey, Gordon. How are you feeling? Are you doing any better?"

"A little better," Gordon said as he sat down and tried to stretch his leg. It wasn't comfortable so he moved it again. "I wanted to say thanks - for everything. For bailing out Alan, for rescuing us... I wanted to say I'm sorry about all the grief I gave you when you first took us in."

"It's alright, Gordon. You've been through a lot and for that I'm very sorry." Jeff lightly gave him a hug and Gordon found himself crying in his father's arms.

"I'm s-sorry I t-thought you g-gave us up. It's just that's what we were t-told for years and w-what we had thought we had evidence to believe," Gordon said as he sobbed onto Jeff's yellow shirt, which would never be the same. Jeff really didn't care; he'd give up a ferrari to have his sons home again - and to have his sons trust him again.

"I'm so sorry for how you were treated, Gordon. We never stopped looking for you - ever," Jeff said as he lifted Gordon's face up. It was why he'd never declared his sons as dead. "I'm just sorry it took us so long to find you."

Gordon shrugged and settled into his father's lap. "I just... I didn't even try to get away after awhile."

"You did what you needed to keep you and Alan safe, and for that, I'm proud of you, Gordon. Don't doubt or question what you or Alan did. It kept you alive."

Gordon could finally say he felt happy to be home. "Thank you Sir - I mean - Dad."


a/N: please review!