Author's notes- Imagine Dr. Sydney is Patrick Bauchau

We Love the Water

Chapter 21

After Cohen was taken away, the other officers began taking statements from everyone involved. Korra tried her best to convince the officer taking her statement that the CPS worker had badgered her despite Korra repeatedly telling her she didn't want to comment and that she had chosen the worst time possible to question her. She had been panicked, worrying about Sura and trying to find Norah's inhaler, who at the time had looked close to death, and that under normal circumstances she wouldn't have said anything like that. It had been nothing more than a blowing off of steam and frustration. As the officer listened to her, he seemed understanding despite the circumstances.

Once the police were through talking to Korra, she went and sat warily beside Tahno on the couch, expecting him to be furious with her. Because of her big fat mouth, his father would be spending at least one night in jail, and while she and Cohen had never gotten along for obvious reasons no one wanted to talk about, she knew he wasn't abusive to Sura. Granted, he may be a bit neglectful, because for the life of her she couldn't remember a single instance in which she had seen him interact with Sura. But still, she felt horrible about everything.

She looked at Tahno, ready to be met with a harsh gaze, but instead his eyes were on his mom on the other side of the room as she held Sura, her longtime friend Tom sitting next to her and talking to her quietly. Naga was sitting next to them too. She had been inching toward Sura after all the police officers and rescue workers had left, and now her big head was laid very carefully on Sura's lap. Her gentle eyes blinked up at the little girl as Sura petted her softly, just as Senna and Norah had instructed her to do. After, of course, she had inspected Naga's ears, hair growth pattern, and collar. Naga had simply let Sura do as she pleased with her, never giving much of a reaction except trying to lick at Sura's hands occasionally.

After about another hour, everyone besides Korra's family seemed to have left, and Tonraq came up to Korra to tell her that they should get home. Korra nodded in agreement and got up off the couch as Tahno stood up as well and shook Tonraq's hand, thanking him for helping with the search and for bringing Naga. Then he walked them to the door, but Korra hesitated before crossing the threshold. She wanted to apologize to Tahno in private for what she had done, but before she could say anything, Tahno stepped forward and spoke first.

"Do you really have to go?" He asked quietly as he looked at her with saddened eyes and reached to grasp her hand.

Korra had a difficult time meeting his gaze, feeling like the lowest life form in existence. "You actually want me to stay? After what I said to that lady and they almost took Sura away after you just got her back?"

"You were just being honest," he replied sedately, surprising her.

She couldn't understand why he didn't seem upset with her or why she didn't hear any judgment in his tone. "I am so sorry. I shouldn't have opened my big mouth," she pressed on, trying to remind him of why he should be angry. Truthfully, she didn't feel like staying. All she wanted was to slink off into a hole where no one could see her.

Tahno tilted her chin to look up at him, and his silvery eyes penetrated hers in sincerity. "It doesn't matter anymore. She's safe and she's not going anywhere."

"But your dad-"

"He'll be fine. He has enough lawyers to get him out of the seventh circle of Hell, and none of us are going press charges or testify against him or anything. He's never hurt Sura. Not that he definitely doesn't need to work on his parenting skills, but he doesn't deserve to be in jail, and he won't be there long once the police realize that too," Tahno reasoned.

"I just can't believe I ruined everything right as it was finally getting better," Korra continued to complain in self-loathing.

"I told you it's going to be okay. You didn't ruin anything. But if it makes you feel any better, you're forgiven," he worded resolutely as his hand inched a little higher to graze his knuckles against her cheek. "Please don't leave me. I need you. However, if you really want to go home, I'll understand."

His words eased her feelings of guilt and stinging regret, and she even found herself managing a smile at his tender pleading. "It feels strange now to think of going home as leaving you. I want you to be my home," she whispered as her eyes softened.

"You're already my home. Why do you think I don't want you to go?" Tahno responded simply.

Korra's heart melted, and she knew she couldn't deny him anything. "Wait here," she requested quickly before rushing out into the chilly air to ask her mother if she could stay to help out in any way she could. Consent was given easily enough, and Korra said goodbye and then stood back as she watched them drive away.

Upon walking back into the living room, they found Norah carrying a very sleepy Sura back to her room.

"You need any help?" Tahno asked.

"No, that's okay. Just make sure you get some rest. I think I'll sleep with Sura tonight actually," Norah answered as she held her daughter closer to her and made her way to Sura's room.

"Sounds like a good idea. Good night, Mom," Tahno said as he and Korra began to turn off all the lights.

Once in Tahno's room, Korra felt like her limbs weighed a thousand pounds as she simply stripped down to her underwear and put on one of Tahno's shirts before collapsing with him into his bed. But despite how completely drained she felt, her brain was still whirling and she could tell Tahno was in the same state she was in. She knew he must still have been in a lot of pain considering he took a large amount of painkillers. His knee must have been killing him. But somehow she still found herself tucked into him, her face in his chest while his bad knee came up to rest on her hip so she could massage it and try to lessen the stress and pain while he draped one arm around her waist, the other acting like a pillow for her neck. They spent a long time simply whispering sweet nothings to each other until they soothed themselves to sleep, tangled up in the sheets and in each other.

The next day, which happened to thankfully be Saturday, Korra found herself slowly waking up to the smell of pancakes and other breakfast foods that had her stomach growling. She reached out to the bedside table and grabbed her phone to check the time. It was already almost noon, but she wasn't really surprised she had slept that long. She wondered if she was the last one still in bed as she got up and got dressed. Upon entering the kitchen, she found Tahno by himself, cleaning up with plates stacked with pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Tahno greeted, casting her a look over his shoulder.

"Good morning," Korra replied as she came up to wrap her arms around his middle and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Did you sleep okay?" he inquired as he settled his arm over hers on his waist.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yes, especially since you were here," he answered with a grin.

"How's Sura and your mom?" Korra asked.

"They're fine. Mom hasn't left Sura's side since last night, and I don't expect her to for a few days. I heard from my dad..." Tahno began and felt Korra instantly tense behind him. "It's okay," he soothed. "He never even set foot in a jail cell. His lawyers were there at the police station to greet him, and after the police questioned him and reviewed everyone's statements, they found him innocent. There won't be any charges against him or a court case or anything like that. His lawyers called into question that CPS worker's ethics and techniques for getting statements, so if anything, she's the one in hot water," Tahno explained. "So see? Everything is okay."

"Except your dad has a whole new set of reasons to hate me," Korra muttered.

"And he can go fuck himself for all I care. His approval isn't anything to strive for," Tahno said resolutely, his bitterness palpable.

Korra wondered if he still really felt as hostile toward his father as he seemed, given the events of the last 24 hours. But she didn't say anything and chose instead to hug him tighter and bury her head into his back, breathing him in and letting him ground her. He turned in her arms and held her close to him, tucking her head under his chin.

"I love you," Tahno murmured softly as he moved his chin down to nuzzle her neck and shoulder.

"I love you too," she whispered back, a slight giggle in her voice as he nuzzled her neck with the tip of his nose, causing shivers and gooseflesh to rise.

A few weeks after the incident with Sura had occured, Cohen found himself in the waiting room of the best psychiatrist in the tri-state area. The judge in his divorce was made aware of Sura's escape attempt and ordered for all the members of the family to undergo therapy to determine the stability of the family dynamics.

"Mr. Malek, Dr. Sydney," Dr. Sydney politely introduced himself, extending his hand as he came into the waiting room.

Cohen stood and shook the man's hand, then followed him into his office and sat down on the comfortable couch as Dr. Sydney sat in his own chair and pulled out a note pad, pen, and reading glasses.

"So, Mr. Malek, I understand you are here because you have a court order to get an evaluation, as well as to see if joint custody of your daughter is in her best interests," Dr. Sydney began as he looked over the court papers again.

"Yes," Cohen answered rather tightly. He understood why he had to be here, it made sense given the circumstances, but it made no difference in his feelings of reluctance.

"It says here that Judge Phillips has concerns that you may be unstable as a parent. Do you feel unstable in your parenting ability or in any part of the dynamics between you and your children?" Doctor Sydney asked as he put the papers down and looked expectantly at Cohen.

"No," Cohen clipped.

"Would you like to explain why you feel that way?" Dr. Sydney further inquired.

"By asking that question are you implying that I am unstable?" Cohen countered defensively, his frame instantly tensing as his eyes narrowed.

Dr. Sydney didn't answer as he wrote down some notes, adding to Cohen's discomfort. "Mr. Malek, I am not here to imply anything. I'm simply trying to assess you and your family's mental and emotional state, but I can't do that if you deflect my questions and argue with me," he calmly explained, watching as Cohen seemed to hesitate then sigh in defeat. "So let's try again. Why do you feel your family life and dynamic is stable?" Dr. Sydney repeated.

"Our family dynamic had been fine until my son started dating this girl who is chaos personified. Suddenly, overnight, my son, Tahno, who has always been a bit rebellious, became a hundred times worse and not only started questioning my authority but outright did everything in his power to revolt against me," Cohen explained gruffly, slightly surprised at how fast all those words had suddenly poured out of his mouth.

"So how old is Tahno?" Dr. Sydney continued in his questions.

"Eighteen."

"What was your relationship with him like when he was younger?"

"Typical I suppose," Cohen answered offhandedly, trying to regain his appearance of nonchalance.

Dr. Sydney peered up at him from over the rim of his glasses. "You know, Mr. Malek, we're not going to make much progress if you aren't willing to be open with me."

Cohen leaned forward slightly and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "This is harder than it seems like it should be," he let out tensely.

The psychiatrist set down his pen and paper and softened his face towards Cohen kindly. "It can be unsettling to discuss one's life in such detail when you're not accustomed to it. Why don't we try just talking about Tahno for now? Could you tell me more about what he was like when he was younger?"

"There's not much to say, he was the perfect child. He couldn't wait to grow up to be just like me. I caught him several times putting on my suits and ties and stomping around the house in my shoes when he was really young. When he got a little older, we would go sailing together most weekends after his homework was done; Norah didn't come with us because she always got seasick, so she spent the weekends with her family and friends instead. And that isn't to say we didn't do things together as a family, because we did. We had the perfect family." At some point in his recollections, a smile had formed on his face without him even realizing it, but then it fell away again as he returned to the present.

"What changed?"

"Kids grow up," he said simply with a shrug. "Work became more demanding when I was made a board member with my company, Norah had her own career take off, and we just got busy living our individual lives."

"I see. So what is your relationship with Tahno like right now?"

"Strained, obviously," Cohen huffed in annoyance.

"Care to elaborate as to why?" Dr. Sydney inquired.

"Like I said, he has gotten rebellious, obstinate, defiant, and he just won't listen to reason. He is insistent on working in music as a career, which will not end well for him. I have done everything in my power to set him up for success, but he throws it back into my face. It's as if he is determined to spite me." As Cohen continued to talk, he felt a sense of ease slowly spreading through him, and he found himself leaning back into the couch. "He has always been an extraordinarily gifted athlete; he was the fastest swimmer at his academy and the fastest skier until he lost his knee in a skiing accident back in December. He had to have the whole thing replaced, and he's still recovering. Now he has no chance of getting any kind of scholarship, not that he would use it anyway."

"What kind of scholastic student is he?"

"An excellent one actually. I don't think that he's gotten anything less than an A since middle school. He's very intelligent, which only adds to my frustration that he wants to go into such a fickle industry as a career," Cohen answered, his bitterness clear.

"Is there a tradition in your family to go into your line of work?"

"Yes, for at least the last five generations."

"So he's disappointing you by not following in your footsteps..." Dr. Sydney concluded.

"Yes."

"Did he start to want to get into the music career since he started dating...?" Dr. Sydney paused as he looked over his notes for the name of his girlfriend.

"Korra," Cohen supplied, her very name causing his heart to twist uncomfortably for more reasons than he would ever admit. "No. He was into music long before they were ever together. But since they got together, he's been more involved in it than ever before."

Dr. Sydney nodded again before taking down more notes.

"Okay, let's change the focus from your son to your daughter. I have a note on your court papers that a Child Protective Services agent demanded that Sura be taken from the home on the basis for child abuse, for which you and your wife were found innocent of."

"Yes," Cohen confirmed, feeling himself bristle at the memory.

"So why did you admit to child abuse and allow yourself to get arrested and wrongly accused?" Dr. Sydney asked.

"Because Child Protective Services were going to take my daughter away, and I would rather go to jail then have her taken away from home. Sura had already been traumatized by being lost in the woods, and she needed her mother and her brother to calm her down. I realized that it had come down to either her being taken away or me, so I chose myself because it didn't seem like they were going to leave without someone," Cohen answered adamantly.

"I see. So you must love your daughter very much if you're willing to make such a great sacrifice for her," Dr. Sydney noted.

Cohen took a deep breath as the doctor's words sunk in. "I do," he confirmed, his eyes dropping to the floor.

"So tell me about your daughter Sura," Dr. Sydney invited.

His head still lowered, Cohen let his eyes close as he saw her face in his mind. "She's five years old – six in June. Adorable. And she's… autistic." It was strange saying those words. He could count on one hand the number of people he had told about her condition. But then, the doctor certainly already knew about her autism. "She can barely speak and doesn't communicate well, but she's a musical prodigy. She's already mastered the piano. It's incredible, how… gifted she is," Cohen proudly admitted, a small smile gracing his lips for the second time.

"Hmm, you're very proud of her accomplishments," Dr. Sydney worded in observation. "It is my understanding that autistic patients, especially children, need to have a structured schedule. Does Sura have a set schedule that she's kept on every day?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what her schedule is?"

"Of course I do. Norah usually wakes Sura up at 8 am, brushes her hair, and helps her get ready in the morning before she goes to work. Then Sura's nanny takes over and makes sure she gets breakfast, lunch, and dinner, naps, playtime, and music practice at very specific times. Tahno usually then makes sure she gets to bed on time and reads her a story before she falls asleep."

"And where do you fit into her schedule?"

"I usually work very long hours, but that does not mean I neglect her. I make sure she is surrounded by people who care for her and that all of her needs are filled. I make sure she has the best of everything and is always happy," Cohen explained.

Dr. Sydney nodded in understanding. "Most parents who have children with special needs have problems connecting with their children. Would you say that this is the case with you as well?"

"It's not that I haven't tried, because I have, repeatedly, but..." Cohen started before he ran his hands through his hair and blew out a shaky breath. "But it's like there's nothing there for me to connect with. She looks at me like I'm a stranger, or worse, like I'm not even there. Even as a baby she was more interested in playing with her toys than interacting with either her mother or me, and while I understand now that that was a part of her autism, it still always bothered me. No matter what I do, she doesn't want anything to do with me," he finished, frowning sadly.

"Autistic children can be very hard to read and understand. The key is to keep trying and not give up, especially while they are young," Dr. Sydney encouraged before glancing at the clock.

"Well it seems our time is up; however, I will need to see you back at your earliest convenience to discuss things further. But overall, I think this has been a very successful session."

"Thank you for your time," Cohen said graciously as he stood and shook Dr. Sydney's hand.

"My pleasure, Mr. Malek," Dr. Sydney replied genuinely before showing Cohen to his receptionist to make a further appointment.

A week later, Cohen returned to Dr. Sydney's office, this time carrying a folded up piece of paper in his hand as he entered the room, the shadow of a smile on his features.

"Looks like you've had a good week," Dr. Sydney commented as Cohen sat down.

"I'll admit it went better than I thought it would," he confirmed with a nod.

"So what's on the paper?" Dr. Sydney asked.

"A picture Sura drew at her therapist's office. It's of me pulling her out of the sink hole she fell into when she ran away," Cohen answered as he reverently unfolded it and showed it to Dr. Sydney, who smiled at the drawing before handing it back with equal care in which it was passed to him.

"I see that she wrote the word 'Daddy' at the bottom. Must mean she recognizes you as the one that saved her," Dr. Sydney noted with warm smile. "I'm guessing that has to feel quite rewarding."

"It does," Cohen confirmed with a smile of his own and a nod.

"So last time we talked, we discussed your children, so for this session let's change our focus to Norah," Dr. Sydney suggested, catching how Cohen's face immediately fell. "Where did the two of you meet?"

"We met in college," Cohen replied simply.

"Ah, a typical beginning to many marriages. And now just describe her to me. What are some of her traits?"

Cohen thought carefully before responding, "She's musically gifted, which is where our children get their talents from. She currently sits as a board member for the Chamber of Commerce, and she holds several degrees and is very successful. She's been an excellent mother to our children, especially to Sura, and for most of our marriage she's been the picture perfect wife."

"It sounds like you admire her, despite the divorce."

"Because I do," Cohen admitted. "I'm the reason we are getting a divorce," he further disclosed after awkwardly clearing his throat.

Dr. Sydney looked at him expectantly to continue to which Cohen obliged.

"We are getting divorced because she found out the truth about me; that I never really loved her the way I should have," he muttered regretfully.

"Why would you marry a woman you didn't love? Was it something that your parents wanted for you to do?"

"My parents did approve of Norah, very much so, and they strongly encouraged me to marry her, especially since the woman I did love had gotten married to someone else," Cohen related, still a bit sour even after all this time.

"What was her name?"

"Senna," Cohen answered, her name still rolling off his tongue like a sacred prayer all these years later.

"What happened?" Dr. Sydney prodded.

"Senna was Norah's best friend in college, and while Norah was quiet and demure, Senna was a fire cracker. She and I had a love-hate relationship that completely consumed us both. I was going to ask her to marry me, but she found the relationship unhealthy and couldn't take it anymore so she left me. She boarded a plane and just left. She never looked back," Cohen recalled as the memory of her leaving him at the airport played out in his memory. "I didn't take it well. I fell into a deep depression and barely graduated college, and it was Norah who brought me out of it. But I just couldn't love her like I loved Senna. There wasn't that 'her soul matches mine' feeling that I had with Senna. But then I got a letter in the mail about a year later from Senna saying she had gotten married and was happy and had hoped I had moved on and was happy too, and I could barely see straight because for all that time I had hoped and prayed that she would come back to me, but she never did. So I did the only logical thing I could think to do at the time and proposed to Norah, who seemed to be the only woman I could make happy, and hoped that my own happiness would follow."

"Have you had any contact with Senna since?" Dr. Sydney inquired.

"Yes. Several years later we met again at the wedding of a mutual friend. Her daughter was the flower girl and Tahno was the ring bearer. For me it was like seeing Senna for the first time all over again. She was still radiantly beautiful, and I was just as bewitched by her as I had been the first time I met her. I fantasized about walking up to her and asking her to run away with me. We could even bring the kids and start the family that should have been there all along. But of course she was married to a tank of guy who could have beaten me to a pulp, so I spent that evening sitting at a table across the room and going through all the what if's and should-have-beens in my mind until I couldn't take it anymore and told Norah it was time to go," Cohen recalled, shaking his head at his own foolishness.

"So is that where it ended?" Dr. Sydney asked.

Cohen let out a mirthless laugh before shaking his head. "I wish that was where it ended. No, the sick twist of irony is that Senna's daughter is Korra, my son's girlfriend. Seeing them together has been like re-watching myself and Senna all over again."

"Does it seem to you that they have the same type of relationship that you and Senna had?"

"No. I have seen them argue on occasion, but they haven't fought, to my knowledge, nearly to the extent that Senna and I did."

"So do you feel that because the relationship between Senna and yourself didn't work out, that the one between your son and her daughter won't as well?"

"I used to," Cohen confessed as he recalled what had happened just the other day when Senna came to the courthouse to pick up Korra and Tahno and take them to her house.

Two Days Ago…

Cohen sat on the long, wooden bench situated in the hallway, staring off into space as he set his elbows on his knees, his hands loosely folded until he felt a weight settle next to him. He turned slightly, surprised to see Senna taking a similar pose.

"So..." Senna began awkwardly, sighing and giving him a sideways glance before continuing. "Were you aware that Tahno and Korra had a fight not too long ago?"

A little taken aback by the unexpected question, Cohen hesitated before responding, "Yeah. I noticed she wasn't at the house for a few days."

"Korra was really upset," Senna replied with a downward twist of her mouth.

"Tahno seemed like he was losing his mind," Cohen muttered softly, memories of what he used to go through whenever he and Senna used to fight flashing through his mind.

"Did you also know that Tahno actually came to me to ask for advice on how to fix it?" she asked, a gratified smile suddenly gracing her features.

"Really?" He asked, completely stunned that his son would ask for help, especially from her.

"Yup. He came to me at work and admitted he messed up and asked what would be the best way to fix it. I was extremely impressed by that. Actually, I've been impressed with him from the start, but that shouldn't be a surprise now should it?" She probed with a small smile, nudging his shoulder with her own like she always used to do whenever she was trying to get him to relax.

Cohen snorted a dry laugh in response, because all he seemed to get out of Tahno lately was an angry, mouthy, disrespectful teenager. "We must not be talking about the same kid," he muttered disbelievingly.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure we are. You know your son is more like you then I think either of you realize. He's smart, determined, talented, and very charismatic when he wants to be, which is almost exactly what you were like at his age I think," Senna complimented. "I find it nearly impossible to not compare the two of you, which isn't fair because he isn't you and you aren't him, but the similarities are still there. You should be proud of him; he's turned out really well."

"If you say so," Cohen mumbled, still wary of her praise.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked then, apparently changing the subject. Cohen nodded his consent and waited while Senna seemed to mull over her words carefully for a moment. "Do you really hate my daughter?"

Cohen turned to look at nothing in particular for a moment while he thought it over. "No," he replied after a moment.

"Even after all that went down with Child Protective Services when Sura went missing?" she queried further.

"No. Not even after all that."

"Then why do you treat her like you do? Is she really behaving badly, or are you just taking out all the pent up anger and frustration you had at me and unleashing it on her? Because if that's the case, you need to cut that shit out right now. I cannot begin to tell you how hurt and offended I was when you implied that she was a gold digger and a tramp, because that's not just a stab at her character, but mine too. Do you really think I would raise my daughter to be like that? Or is that what you thought I was when we were together? Is that why you thought I was with you?"

Cohen wasn't used to the barraging questions and struggled for a moment to choose which ones to answer first. He groaned and rubbed his face in his hands. "No, I never thought that about you. I just... when I see them together, it's like seeing us be together all over again, and I just don't want Tahno to go through the same hell I did when you left."

"And just what makes you so sure she's going to leave him? Let me tell you something, even as young as Tahno and Korra are, they're much stronger together than we ever were. That, and THEY ARE NOT US. Maybe this is the reason we never worked out, so that they could," Senna pointed out. "Since you haven't even bothered to get to know Korra, allow me to tell you a little bit about her. She doesn't want you to hate her. She probably wishes she had your approval almost as much as your son does. It kills her that you and Tahno don't have a good relationship with each other. I've told her before that it's none of her business-"

"Because it isn't," Cohen cut in.

"Will you let me finish?" Senna snapped back.

"Please, by all means," he replied sarcastically before Senna groaned and rubbed her own face.

"I don't want to fight, Henny," Senna said as she sighed in defeat and shook her head.

Cohen wasn't sure if she was even aware that she had just used her old pet name for him, but he certainly caught it, and he felt his breath hitch in his chest at the sound of it and found himself speechless.

"My point is, Korra just wants everyone to get along even though you're all in the midst of this whole ordeal. Her heart's in the right place, so if you could just try and be a little warmer to her, it would mean so much to both of us. That's all I'm asking. If what we had ever meant anything to you, please just be kind to my child," Senna finished as she sighed and stood up to leave.

"Senna," Cohen called out to her, swallowing tightly as she turned around. "For you, I'll try. I'll do better."

"Thank you," she replied gratefully, gracing him with the same smile that always seemed to haunt his dreams at night, and then she left.

Present

"So is the fact that Korra is Senna's daughter the only reason why you would dislike her? You did say that Tahno became more rebellious since his association with her. Do you feel she is a bad influence?" Dr. Sydney inquired.

"As much as I would like to say yes, she really isn't that bad. In fact, there are parts of her that I admit I wish Tahno would take after. She's actually respectful to her parents, and she has this drive to prove herself and really tries to impress those around her. Granted, she is very opinionated and outspoken, but her mother was like that too, so I can't really fault her for it. And she's actually encouraged Tahno to grow up and take responsibility more, and to think about and plan for the future. I still feel he's going in the wrong direction, but hopefully one of these days he'll wake up and change. I doubt it though; he's alarmingly stubborn. Not unlike his old man, unfortunately," Cohen added sardonically.

"We all hope our children will come away with our best traits and leave behind our unsavory ones," Dr. Sydney replied.

"The more I think about it, as much as Tahno is like me, he isn't me. He's his own person with his own life and problems to deal with," Cohen concluded, making peace with the situation. "I've only recently realized that all this time I've been trying to live through him, instead of giving him the freedom to be whoever he wants to be."

"I believe that's a very healthy attitude to take, Mr. Malek. You've made a lot of progress," Dr. Sydney extrapolated as he studied Cohen carefully. "Now, branching off of that revelation, would you further conclude that you have exemplified a double standard in your relationships with your two children?"

"How do you mean?" Cohen replied, truly curious now instead of defensive like he may have once been at such a suggestion.

"I mean that in your past behavior with Tahno and Sura, you have been admittedly harsh and judgmental when it comes to the interests and passions of one child, and yet accepting and compliant with the other, despite the fact that they are both interested and passionate about the same thing. Music."

Cohen could barely comprehend the glaring validity of the therapist's words. There was no denying it. "You-you're right," he managed to say. "But… I can't explain why I've done that."

"I can think of a few reasons," Dr. Sydney suggested as he folded his hands in front of him. "For one, you see yourself in Tahno, but not in Sura. And you subconsciously punish him for your mistakes by expecting him to live up to the same goals you set for yourself. Another possibility is that Tahno represents a close relationship you feel that you have lost and are now resentful towards, whereas with Sura there is a connection you are struggling to develop. Therefore, you are markedly more tolerant with her expressed wishes that deviate from your ideals than you are with his."

For once, Cohen couldn't think of a single thing to say. He sat in stunned silence, staring at the psychiatrist as he went on even further.

"There also seems to be a solid presence of fear. You are a man who prefers to present himself with a strong air of confidence, and that's completely normal. But the truth is that you feel a magnificent lack of confidence in yourself when it comes to your children, and nothing in your past has taught you how to deal with that. You're afraid of Tahno repeating your mistakes and ending up as unhappy as you are. You're afraid of Sura's autism because it's something you can't fix, and you fear that you might do more damage if you were to get too close."

"Well there you go," Cohen bit out in anger, all of it focused on himself. "I guess you have all the information you need."

"What do you mean?" Dr. Sydney asked in confusion.

"Don't you have all the proof you need that I'm an unstable parent and don't deserve to be in the same room with my children anymore? You can write your report now and make sure I never even see Sura again." His voice was beginning to tremor as feelings of dread surrounded him.

"My report will be quite the opposite, I assure you," Dr. Sydney said calmly, looking steadily into Cohen's startled face. "If anything, Mr. Malek, the information I've gotten from you proves that your children need you very much. Fear for your children is natural, and it shows that you love them very deeply. The high expectations you have for your son show how impressed you are with his potential and how sure you are in his talents, and for your daughter I can only see what an immense soft spot you have for her. Now, I will be suggesting some methods that we will be implementing to help move the family in a much more positive direction, and perhaps we will even start some grouped family counseling..."

After leaving Dr. Sydney's office sometime later, Cohen could sense himself beginning to feel lighter. For one thing, he was finally starting to let go of all the emotional baggage he had been carrying around for the better part of two decades. It felt good knowing he wasn't alone, and that at least one other person knew the struggles he had fought, even after discussing the shameful affair he had had with Tiffany. Also, it was strangely uplifting to admit he needed emotional support, and it was fortifying to know that he would be going forward in his relationships with his family with the support of someone who understood him. For the first time since he didn't know when, Cohen was looking optimistically towards his future.

More Author's notes- Thank you to Alaburn for betaing, you're so awesome. And special thanks to Mel for beta reading this chapter and giving some absolutely amazing insights on Cohen, I'm sure you noticed that most of Dr. Sydney's dialog was actually taken directly from your feedback and really speaks of your brilliance and killer grasp of phsychology, you're so amazing. Also the 'whisper sweet nothing's ' scene was actually inspired by ShOrtSh4dow's fan art by the same name so shout out to her for her support and ability to inspire us with her awesomeness.

So I know this chapter was very Cohen centric but it needed to be done.

Thank you for reading, reviews are love.