Author's Notes – Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. I used to answer reviews, I'm sorry I don't really do that anymore as I'm a bit swamped with things, but I appreciate them a lot.

Summary – Tommy introduces Mercer to the wonders of McDonalds.

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'Second Chances'

Tommy

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"What is this again?" Looking at the so called food in front of him, Mercer pokes at it testingly, probably certain I'm trying to kill him with the fried chicken meat.

"It's a Chicken Mcnugget, you really should get out more." How is this guy twenty eight years old and yet has never set foot in a McDonald's before? It's just not normal. I mean what humanbeing hasn't gone to McDonald's at least once or twice in their life time.

Holding the piece of food up for examination, he's never going to eat it at this rate. Hardly even touched his fries, now what's wrong with them? "I don't see any part of a chicken that is edible that this could have come from. Why exactly couldn't we have just eaten at the Hamilton again?" You mean that place that was going to make me put on a suit until they saw who I was with and then offered us free rein of the wine list?

Taking a drink of my milkshake, I try to avoid giving him a 'duh' look as I honestly think he's being serious. "Because they had live lobsters in the tank watching the other lobsters get cooked and selected to die. That's not cool. How would you like to watch your buddies get eaten?" Okay so it's not the main reason, but it is a decent one.

"I think they'd be slightly more edible than this thing you claim is chicken." Oh god, this man is impossible. I can't believe I even agreed to go out in public with him. This definitely counts as charity.

Rolling my eyes, I take the chicken from him and quickly dunk it into the barbeque sauce and then the hot mustard before handing it back. "Here, you put sauce on it and you don't even taste the raccoon meat." Okay that was a joke, don't look sick now.

Finishing off my quarter ponder with everything, I begin working on his fries now as my company continues to simply stare at the piece of food in his hand, cringing it would seem at the thought of eating it.

"Okay that's it, I can't eat this or watch you eat anymore of it, it's like assisting in your suicide. No, no, no we are going back to my hotel and ordering real food that will actually be food." Right, like I haven't heard that before. Okay so the ordering food is a new part of it, but come on this is California and I'm not naive.

"I am not going to your hotel with you." Finishing off the fries and satisfied for the moment, I toss the trash before settling down to polish off my shake. "You're going to have to put out a lot more than McDonalds to score with me despite what the other executives might have told you." Oh please don't give me a look like that. Do you know what a joke is?

"I knew I made the right choice to not marry and have children." Pushing the Chicken McNugget box towards me, he clearly isn't going to eat them. Fine, more for me. "Are you at least feeling better?"

"Better then what?"

"Better then the lobsters." Ew, did the uptight business man just make a joke? Heaven forbid, his stockbrokers will surely think the world is ending. "Better then before we left and came here and got something to eat."

"I don't know, I still think you're a jerk. Do you always jump to assumptions about people or am I just special?" And no I didn't jump to the assumption he was a jerk, I based it on his verbal abuse of earlier.

"Well despite how harshly they came out, you have to admit they were fairly accurate assumptions. At least one or two. You said yourself you're failing half of your classes." I would argue, but I can honestly tell he's trying not to set me off again, plus, hard to argue something that you know is right.

Shrugging and suddenly finding the table very interesting, I try my best to avoid the problem. Which I'm getting very good at in most situations these days. "I really don't see what business it is of yours. Why do you even care?"

"I don't want to see you drop or fail out of college." When I give him a suspicious look, he heaves a sigh. "You have potential Thomas, if you didn't you wouldn't be killing yourself to be in classes even though you know you're going to most likely fall asleep during them and get in trouble." This is true.

Shrugging and squirming uncomfortably I really hate it when people throw me for a loop like that. "Yeah, well doesn't matter, I'm not gonna be able to get any financial aid after the grades come out for this semester."

Sighing and I think knowing that I'm definitely right about that, he leans back in his chair, studying me much too intently. "What do you like to do Thomas? What interests you? Not what major you feel like doing or any of that, just enjoyment wise, what do you like to do?"

Shrugging, I hear the words come out before I can stop them. "It doesn't matter because I can't do it anymore, she took it away from me." When this earns me a questioning look in return, I quickly shake my head. "Besides I don't want to talk about that."

"Alright."

Becoming uncomfortable with his stare and the silence now, I need to find something to say to get him off the topic of my life. But what? "You know what's a cool movie? Jurassic Park. Especially the raptors, those were awesome." Lame. So very, very lame, Tommy.

"It was a very illogical movie though." Your point?

"So? It was cool. Not everything has to be logical you know. Sometimes things just are what they are for no reason what so ever." At least I like to believe that's true, otherwise the world would be a very boring and depressing place.

"That was a completely illogical and pointless statement." Seeming to think something over, he finally leans back onto the table, fingers laced together and eyes boring into me. "And honestly I'm not even certain why I'm arguing this with you. You just demand confrontation don't you?"

"I've heard it said before, but come on, confrontation can be fun if done right." When this doesn't seem to settle with him, I give up. "You're seriously a very unimaginative and not very fun person you know that right?"

Sighing and apparently deciding to change tactics on me, Mr. Perfect suddenly gives off a winning smile. "Alright what would you like to do that is fun, Thomas? I've taken you to this god awful eating establishment because you'd rather have processed animal parts fried in grease, than real food, so now what should we do?" This is new…and slightly unnerving.

"You don't have many friends your own age do you?" Okay so that was meant as a joke, I didn't mean for it to come out so harsh.

"Friends get in the way of progress, Thomas. If I made friends with everyone I came across I'd have no employees and certainly not own half of this city as you so tactfully put it earlier today." Well no, but you might be a smidge happier.

"What's the point of having everything if you don't have anyone to share it." Waiting a moment and smiling when he seems to lack an answer for this, I plow ahead. "Money is no good if you don't have anything worth while to do with it. I'd rather have friends who love me than employees who hate me."

"You are a very fascinating boy."

"I get that a lot." Yawning and laying my head down on my arms, I probably shouldn't have come out when I'm still this tired and wrecked. I could definitely go for a nap right now.

Maybe seeing this too, my companion is quick to change topics on me this time. "Do you have a lot of nightmares, Tommy?"

Caught off guard, I give a small shrug. If I say yes, he'll want to know what they're about, and right now I feel just about tired enough to let something slip, and wouldn't that be great.

"Have you ever thought of seeing a doctor?" Getting another shrug in response, he sighs before pressing on. Gotta give the man credit, he isn't easily deterred. "This is obviously effecting your life and not in a good way. Maybe you should think about talking to a professional or maybe get some sleep aids."

"I don't like drugs. Besides if I'm on finical aid for school do you really think I could afford to see a doctor?"

"What about your parents, surely they could help you a little where your health is concerned." Suddenly knowing by my expression that he has once again said something stupid, he gives a shrug. "What did I say now?"

"Nothing, s'not your fault. My parents were killed in a car accident when I was eight. Got jerked through about five fosters homes, before an old family friend found me and took me in. He runs a racing team, nice guy, but money's all tied up and I don't want to put him out for anything." Making a dismissive gesture with my hand I know I could call John and he would help me, but again would have to let on to what the problem is and what the nightmares are about, it wouldn't be good.

"You're still exhausted aren't you? Even after that little nap in class." What gave me away, the yawning or the fact I can't get my head off the table? "Want me to take you home now?" That'd be great, carry me while you're at it.

Nodding and reluctantly standing up, I push my exhaustion away for the moment. "Yeah I need to get back, my friends tend to worry when I go off for long stretches of time. They're a bit over protective." Not that I mind really, a guy needs all the paranoid and over protective friends he can get when fearing revenge from the Evil Alliance.

Holding the door open for me, he follows me out to his waiting limo, where I'm certain I catch something muttered under his breath that sounds suspiciously close to 'that must be nice'.

To be continued………..