DISCLAIMER: I don't own Oz, or any of the other characters from Buffy, they are all products from Joss Whedon's head

Willow: How can you be so calm?

Oz: Long, arduous hours of practice.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

"Jake, have you seen Danny?" Marie asked her husband. It was a Sunday and as lapsed Catholics, Jake and Marie Osborne, were not regular church goers. They went to church, on Easter and Christmas each year. But since that Sunday in particular, was neither Easter nor Christmas, Jake and Marie were sitting on the couch watching Star Trek.

"Upstairs playing, last I checked," Jake replied.

"He's been quite for a long time," Marie commented glancing towards the stairs. "Maybe I should check on him."

"He's fine, Marie. He's probably reading," Jake commented.

"I suppose," Marie said and turned her attention back to the television. After ten minutes she gave up trying to focus on Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and the rest of the Enterprise crew.

"I'll be back in a moment, I'm going to check on Danny," Marie told Jake and she went to check on her nine year old son. She climbed the stairs and stopped to knock on the door that was at the end of the hall. There was a sign on the door that notified everyone that the room was 'Danny's Room'. The door was also decorated with cut out pictures of Spider-Man, Super-Man, Bat-Man and the like.

Not waiting for an answer, Marie entered her son's room. Danny was a meticulous tyke. He had a file cabinet, that contained all of his comic books. A toy chest, filled with action figures and puzzles. There was a guitar, that Danny had received for his most recent birthday, propped up against his bookshelf. Everything was neat and clean and in it's place. Everything that was except for Daniel Osborne. The little boy was no where to be seen.

"Jake," Marie yelled for her husband. Jake ran up the stairs hearing the worry in his wife's voice.

"What is it what's wrong?" Jake asked, Marie needed not to answer. Jake realized what was wrong as soon as he stepped foot in Danny's room. "He couldn't of gone far. I'll check the rest of the house, you check outside for him."

The two split up Jake searching the rest of the second floor of the house along with the ground floor, calling out Danny's name as he went along. Marie checked the backyard, and front yard, but like Jake they both came up empty in the search for their son.

"I don't understand where could he be. I didn't hear the front or the back door open. And Danny always tells us if he's going some place," Marie said, she was beyond worried and nearing the land of out right panic. "What if he's lying in a ditch somewhere hurt?"

Jake resisted the urge to laugh. What was it with mother's always thinking that their children were lying in a ditch hurt or even worse dying.

"I'm sure Daniel is fine. Maybe he went over to Devin's. Why don't you call over there and I'll check the house again. Hell he might even be over at Maureen and Ken's," Jake said and made his way back up the stairs.

Jake rechecked all of the rooms and again there was no sign of Danny. He was just about to make his way back down stairs when he remembered the attic. Jake pulled the stairs down and climbed up them.

The attic was dusty and full of old furniture, family heirlooms, broken and forgotten toys, and holiday decorations. Amongst them sat Danny in a pool of light, sitting before a five foot tall mirror. The little boy was staring straight ahead breathing so slow it was hard for Jake to even tell that his son was breathing. Jake stared at his son trying to figure out just what Danny was doing. Finally after several long minutes Jake questioned his son.

"Danny," Jake said softly.

"Yeah Dad?" Danny said not moving, not even trying to meet his father's eyes in the reflection of the mirror.

"Wh-what are you doing son?" Jake asked.

"Practicing," Danny replied monotonely.

"And just what are you practicing?" Jake questioned

"Being calm."

"Oh. Okay then," Jake said and with that he left the attic to inform his wife that Danny was safe.

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