AN- Sorry for the delay but my internet connection is on the fritz thanks to a fault on my phone line and then I couldn't get into ff.net. Grr.

Thanks for all the reviews! Yellowvalley – Connor will appear again (but not much!) this is really Duncan and Tessa's problem, Neoinean, hum, looks around, me? Would I do that? (grins).

***

Tessa paled slightly and pressed her lips together. "Richie wishes to go to New York?"

"He called Connor from the Hospital and asked him if he could." Duncan watched her carefully for her reaction.

Whatever he expected, it wasn't this.

"When will he be leaving?" Tessa asked, flatly, turning away.

"Tess," Duncan followed her. "You can't mean that."

Tessa walked back into their bedroom and sat down at her dressing table, picking up her hairbrush and starting to brush her hair in quick, sharp, strokes. "If Richie wishes to go to New York, who are we to stop him?"

"His legal Guardians for one." Duncan pointed out.

"The authorities think that he is eighteen." Tessa pointed out. "They will not mind."

Duncan took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face. This evening was rapidly seeping out of his control.  "Tess, I thought we were making a family here. I thought that was what we all wanted."

"Clearly, Richie does not if he is choosing to go to New York."

"Did you two have some kind of fight?" Duncan asked with sudden insight.

Tessa paused in her brushing, then continued, brushing, even faster than before, as she spoke.

"Connor will take good care of him. It is for the best."

"For the best? How can sending him to the other side of the country be for the best?"

"He will be safer there."

"Safer? In New York?" Duncan spluttered.

Now he knew something was amiss. Despite all and any evidence to the contrary, Tessa still firmly believed that New York was the most dangerous of all US cites and that it was not possible to cross the street without the threat of mugging, or worse.

"Tessa, just last week you were painting a picture of New York to Richie that made it look like Sodam and Gomorrah combined. Now, all of a sudden you want him to go, all by himself?"

"He will not be by himself. He will be with Connor."

"He should be with his parents."

"Yes, but we are not his parents," Tessa flared with sudden heat. "Connor will know how to deal with him."

"Deal with him?" Duncan's eyebrows shot up.

"God knows, I cannot. No child of mine would know how to pick pockets and hotwire cars as he does."

It was several moments before Duncan was able to speak. Forcing his words out over a suddenly dry throat.

"You're always known what Richie was. I've never tried to hide that from you."

"How could you?" Tessa gave a hollow laugh. "I was right there when he broke into the Store."

"And you felt sorry for him. You wanted to help him."

"I saw a frightened boy, who had a sword at his throat! Who would not wish to help him?"

Duncan thought he could see where this was going. "Tess, Just because he's got a little more comfortable with us. A little more cocky. It doesn't mean he isn't still that frightened child under ...."

"Don't you understand? He was not the frightened one!" Tessa threw at him, before biting her lip abruptly and turning away.

Quietly, Duncan came up behind her and put his arms around her, waiting until he felt her relax into his arms.

"You're home now, you're safe." He spoke quietly.

"I am supposed to be the adult. I am meant to be the one taking care of him," Tessa protested. "I should never have taken that shortcut, it worried him so, but I was busy being angry at myself for running late. I refused to listen. to what I saw as his foolishness. Then he told me not to stop. Mais non, I had to the respectable thing, and it nearly got us both killed."

She took a long shuddering breath.

"I had hoped that I could be as a mother to him. I saw in him the child that I longed for. That we both wanted to make our family complete. But how can that be possible? He does not truly need us. He has just been … " she struggled for the word. "humouring us. You should have seen him, Duncan. Such a few moments, and the car looked utterly worthless. Where did he learn such things?"

"Just because he's not helpless, doesn't mean he doesn't need us, love." Duncan corrected.

Tessa shook her head. "Do you know how many times I have scolded him for waving the vegetable knife around as he talks? Such a small blade. What real harm could it do? Not to someone who thinks nothing of taunting hooligans who carry such large knives, when they themselves are totally defenceless, because he thinks I am more deserving of protection!"

"Taunting?" Duncan frowned.

"He actually encouraged this Vinnie to attack him, so he could retrieve my bracelet."

"I see." Duncan's jaw tightened.

"He was trying to do the right thing." Tessa offered, in defence of the teen. "He remembered that it was the first thing that you ever bought me for Christmas. It was important to him."

"Doesn't that tell you something?" Duncan hugged her a little closer. "Family is important to him, love. He can't quite get his head around the fact that we've been together for twelve years. That's almost as long as long as he's been alive. Because he's never had that."

"Teresa and his family were good to him. Emily also. There must have been others."

"But Emily died. And Teresa was forced to give him up. He doesn't know what it is to be safe. To be loved for what he is, no matter what. To make mistakes and to be forgiven for them. So, he's not a toddler that we can raise to like porridge and enjoy modern art, but we can still love him and that's what makes a real family."

"I do love him," Tessa pressed her lips together. "How could I not?"

"Tell me." Duncan encouraged.

She smiled slightly. "When you must face a challenge, he is so sweet, he will make he watch a film, or find some other distraction, asking such questions that I can't help but laugh. It does not ease the worry, but it makes the time pass more quickly. When that gallery curator was so rude, he convinced me that my art was worthwhile and I should not give up. He made me ring the gallery director and arrange to show him my work, which he loved! "

"Could a toddler do that?" Duncan nudged. "Besides, Tess, think how dangerous it would be to bring an infant into our lives. I, for one, thank God everyday, that Richie, at least, has some idea to take care of himself."

"And us?" Tessa arched a brow.

"Isn't that what a family does?" Duncan nuzzled her close, please to see a glimmer of her normal self. "Look out for each other?"

"And, how exactly, does Richie take care of you?"

"He reminds me what it is to be young and new," Duncan said a trifle wistfully. "And, he doesn't hesitate to tell me that I'm full of crap, when he thinks it."

"Duncan!" Tessa protested, leaning back against his strength.

"I have been smothering him, haven't I?" she asked, after a moment.

"A little," Duncan acknowledged. "Don't get me wrong, he still needs guidance. He's not yet quite as old as he thinks he is. But he's not our little boy, either. We need to lead him to make his own choices. Not just expect him to follow ours."

"If he will forgive me." Tessa said, unhappily.

Duncan looked up as the phone started to ring.

"That'll be Richie."

He surged to his feet, anxious to take the call before the machine cut in.

"Hello?"

"Mac?" Richie didn't give him a chance to reply. "Look, we're done here, but its kinda late. I don't feel right about asking Gary to drive across town at this time of night so I'm just gonna crash at his place tonight, OK?"

"Rich ..." Duncan began.

"I'm fine Mac, it was just a couple of stitches. No biggie. Anyway, I'll talk to you tomorrow. G'night."

"Richie .." Duncan found himself staring dumbly at the receiver as the teen hung up.