There were two weeks before school started, and I couldn't have been more excited. I was never overjoyed with the fact that Xavier's School was a boarding school because it took me away from my family and friends; I missed a lot while I was gone. But, this year, I couldn't wait for the day Tony would drive me up to Westchester, and leave me there. I was ready to forget about real life for a while.

It seemed that Tony realized how much time was left before school as well, and he quickly turned into a very eager, very frustrating human being. Everything he did was some sort of attempt to act more fatherly toward me.

"Ally, do you need help packing? You want to go out to dinner? You want to watch a movie together?"

I knew that he meant well, and he knew everything he was doing was him trying to make up for the sixteen years he wasn't there. I got that. But, I didn't want it. Call me immature, but I was still mad. I still didn't like him. Everyone, especially him, was treating me like I was some fragile doll. Everyone was tip-toeing around me.

"Hey, Ally?"

I was lying on the couch in the living room, my laptop warming my legs as I constantly refreshed my email, waiting for a reply from the police station about the name of the person who drove into my parents' car. They wouldn't tell me at first, but I was still trying.

I glanced up at Tony as he approached, but quickly returned my eyes to the screen. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering…" He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you want to talk?"

I furrowed my brow and looked up at him. His own brow was wrinkled, but out of uncertainty and not confusion.

"I was thinking, you know, your parents kicked the bucket, and I know you haven't really talked about it…"

I smiled softly, and moved my computer onto the coffee table so I could criss-cross my legs.

"Tony, listen."

He stopped rambling, and his tilted his chin forward, showing I had his attention.

"I appreciate that you want to help me, and that you're trying or whatever, but I cannot have another…a new father figure. Not now, anyway. They died two weeks ago; I've barely even registered that it actually happened."

"I know, which is why I'm offering an ear if you want to talk."

"And that's fine, but can you just try to not be my father right now? Can you just be…I don't know, the cool uncle?"

"Cool uncle?" He moved around the couch so he could sit across from me.

"Yeah, you know, the cool uncle is the one that takes you to concerts and lets you stay up until two in the morning to watch R rated movies." I took a deep breath. "In two weeks, I'll be gone because of school, so can you just be the cool uncle until then? Please?"

He just stared at me for a while, and I actually got nervous about what he was going to say in return. I didn't want him to lash out, and I honestly didn't want him to feel bad. I just wanted him to not be my father. I couldn't handle it. After a good twenty seconds or so, his head dropped, eyes falling to his lap, and he folded his arms across his chest.

"Yeah." He looked up to barely smile at me before standing. "I guess I can manage that."

I just watched as he walked off toward the elevator, presumably going down to his workshop where he seemed to always go. Once the doors closed behind him, I brought my laptop back to my lap and clicked the refresh button.