A/N: This has been in my drafts for years now. I wrote this chapter a while ago and I'm undecided on whether or not to continue. Let me know.

Includes the regular characters from the TV show 'Lie to Me' as well as my own creations. The Lightman family tree has grown! Cal has a long lost brother who has three children: Jack (12 years old), Clara (9 years old), and Teddy (6 years old).

Feel free to review - I'd love to see that the 'Lie to Me Fandom' is still out there!

Hope you enjoy,

Tina

Let There Be Lightman

Jack Lightman looked into the back of the cupboard and sighed dejectedly. Empty. Not even a can of beans. Until this morning it had been a great holiday - none of the bleak London grey they had left behind. Washington D.C had been everything he had expected it to be, and then some. And yes, he had begged his dad to take them to New York, or Florida, somewhere fun, but hey! It's better than nothing right?

But now the seemingly perfect trip had started to go downhill. He was screwed, his brother and sister were screwed, his dad (where ever) he was really, really screwed. He just knew it.

The 11 year old fought back tears of frustration as he recalled the events of the past few days…

They had just seen the White House, all four of them, Jack, Clara, Teddy and their dad, Chris. He was just locking the door of the motel room. All four of them still had grins on their faces, tired but happy from the day of sightseeing. It had been a while since they had all spent this much time together. Not since the kids's mum had died, Chris thought.

Chris's phone buzzed and he quickly answered it. The kids were being loud so he put one finger in his ear whilst talking to block them out. His smile faltered as he listened to the man on the other end of the phone, but the kids didn't notice.

It wasn't until after they had eaten that he told them.

"Look, kids"

Jack and Clara looked at their father, Teddy however was under the table. The six year old was too busy with his toy tractor. "You too, Ted, I'm serious".

The boy poked his head out from under the table and pulled himself up onto his chair.

"I know that you've been wondering, you know, how we got the cash together for this trip and all that" Chris spoke awkwardly, clearly he had been hiding something from the children and they looked at him worriedly. Chis saw their faces and tried to reassure them.

"Everything's fine! It's fine, it's not like before." He sighed "Okay, I'm just going to tell you alright? The money was from a job, okay, well, it started as a job, and then well, things got, err, complicated. And I really didn't want you to get involved!" He spoke quickly, trying to get all of the words out.

"But now I know what I know, and well... It just wouldn't be fair on you guys..." he trailed off and smiled awkwardly.

"What is it Dad?" asked Jack, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. After all, Dad swore that he'd stopped all of the dodgy deals with Vince and his gang! He'd promised he'd stop with all the drug deliveries, and yet here he was! On a job, trying to disguise it as a holiday. Jack couldn't help frowning at his father. Their holiday had been hijacked.

"Well, you know when we went to that book store the other day?" Chis asked.

Jack remembered they originally went to get a book that Clara needed for school, however once inside, their Dad had been more interested in this guy who was promoting his book, some kind of psychiatrist or psychologist or whatever. Jack thought it was strange at the time, after all his Dad had never been interested in psychology. In fact, he couldn't remember a time when his Dad had actually read a book.

Chris looked like he had seen a ghost when he came out. Clara had asked him about it but he acted as if she didn't say anything. Jack couldn't remember the guy's name but he remembered that he had a teenage girl with him, Emily he thought the man had called her.

Anyway, what had this go to do with his dad's business?

Chris held the book he had bought in his hands. Clara reached forward to examine the book. She read aloud 'Dr. Cal Lightman, Hey! The same surname as us. Anyway, he's some kind of shrink or whatever, seems he reads people's minds to find the truth" she finished, "What a load of bollocks!"

"Language" Chris said

"Why do you have this book, do you think he can help you, you know with Vince and that?" I asked, genuinely surprised, "Why not go to the police-"

"No, no no, no police" Chris interrupted

"He only helps people who can afford it Dad, he won't even let you through the door, why go to him?" asked Clara.

"Because, because he's.." He trailed off, his voice almost a whisper.

"He's my brother."