AN: There we're two chapters posted today, so if you haven't already read chapter 13 please do. See you Saturday!

Once we've finished the Lego set, I show Miles the console video game systems we have, and then produce a copy of Minecraft like Tris had suggested. His eyes widen and he immediately asks to play.

He sets everything up and I plop onto one of the beanbags in front of the TV. Once he has everything set to his liking, I am surprised when he drops onto my lap. He begins explaining the game to me, and showing me different things on the controller. The game is simple enough and he has me play for a while before I hand it back over to him.

I look over at Tris and she's smiling at us. I return her smile and then look back at the game. This is something so simple, but I am feeling overwhelmed with emotion and I'm having a hard time not breaking down.

I love every second of this.

"Mom, come sit with us." Miles calls out, and Tris walks over, "here, you sit next to Dad," he pulls the bean bag next to me.

"Where are you going to sit, bud?" She asks.

"On Dad." He says, and he plops back onto my lap. Miles continues his monologue and Tris and I chuckle at his constant energy. I lean against her shoulder and she leans into me.

"Dad, are you allowed to keep the Legos here?" Miles asks out of the blue.

"I don't think they'll let me, bud. This place has some pretty strict rules."

"Ok, I'll keep them at home for you since you'll be home with us soon." Miles states.

I glance at Tris and shakes her head, "Miles, what are you talking about?"

"I heard Nana and Grampy talking about it last night." He shrugs without taking his eyes off the screen.

"What did they say?" She asks.

"That Nana and you are working on getting Dad out of here, and that she thinks it's gonna work this time because he's not being a stubborn asshole anymore."

I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing.

"Miles!" Tris exclaims.

"I didn't say it, Nana did." He says innocently.

"You can't repeat bad words bud. Just because an adult says something, doesn't mean it's okay for you to say it too."

"When can I say it then?" Miles asks.

"When you can grow a beard."

"That makes sense." Miles decides, "So, when are you coming home with us? Our apartment is awesome Dad, it's all the way up like twenty stories. There's this awesome bakery downstairs that has the best chocolate cake. I get one every year for my birthday. My birthday is in August which is coming up in the summer Dad and I want you to be there. Oh and Mom's bed is humongous too. You'll probably fit, even though you're really tall."

"Miles, hey, let's slow down bud. Your nana is right, I was being a stubborn asshole, but I'm not anymore. I've got you in my life, and your mom, and I have a lot to look forward to when I get out of here. I just don't know when that will be. I've been here for almost ten years now, almost as old as you are. The truth is, there's a chance I'll be here for another ten."

"I'll be twenty?" Miles asks.

"I hope that's not the case. Your mom and your nana are working hard to get me out of here, and I am too."

"Dad, what did you do for them to put you here? I know what Mom, Jack, Nana and Grampy tell me, and what I learned in school, but I want to know from you."

Fuck.

I take Tris' hand in mine. This is what Mike warned me about, and if I'm going to answer my son I'll need her support.

"That's a fair question, bud. I had a mom too, but she wasn't good like yours is. She raised me to believe in terrible things, and she forced me to leave home because she wanted me to break laws for her. And I did, even though I had no idea I was doing bad stuff, I was just listening to my mom."

"Because your mom was that Jeanine lady, the bad lady?" Miles asks.

"Yes, but also because I wasn't smart like you to know right from wrong, not until it was too late. I listened to my mom even when I was old enough to know better, and by the time I finally was brave enough to try to change things it was too late. Miles, I'm here because I made some mistakes in my past, because I didn't stand up for myself when I knew that people in my life were teaching me to do bad things."

"But you're not a bad guy Dad. Nany and Grampy said so, and so did Jack and Mom." Miles says.

"What about you Miles, what do you think?"

"I think you're awesome. I love you Dad." He says and throws his arms around me for the first time. I wrap him in my own arms, and I am losing what little bit of control I have over my own emotions.

"I love you too, Miles." I reply.

He turns his attention back to his game and I begin tracing my fingers across Tris' hand.

"Your skin is always so soft. It's just like I remember. Are you okay today?" I whisper.

"Dad, will you and my mom get married when you get out of here?" Miles ask out of nowhere. I move away from Tris.

"Miles, that's not an appropriate question." She replies.

"Why not? You didn't want to marry Jack, doesn't that mean you want to marry my dad? You must love my dad, because you were crying when you told Nana you weren't allowed to see him and you said you missed him." He presses.

"I did miss your dad, Miles, I missed him a lot." She glances at me.

I can do this.

"Miles, your mom and I haven't been around each other since before you were born. We've only been back into each other's life for a few months now. We care each other very much, but we're not ready to get married yet. We have to focus on getting me out of here first."

"But you have known each other for a long time, not just for a few months, but years Dad." He argues, "I want to keep you... I don't want you to have to move out like Jack did... you're my dad and you should want to marry my mom..." his chin trembles a bit and he crawls into my lap.

I wrap my arms around him, "Hey bud, it's okay, let me try this... I'm new at this whole dad thing but hear me out. I'm not going anywhere, okay? Whether I get out of here in a few months, or if its years, I'm going to be your dad and I'm going to be in your life. Whatever happens with your mom and me, no matter what I am still going to be there all the time for you. It's not your mom's fault that I haven't been around, that was mine. Your mom came here every visitation day, and I refused to see her."

"Why?" Miles interjects.

"Because I was a coward. I wasn't brave like your mom when I had to testify, I was a coward and I wouldn't answer their questions. When your mom came here, she did so in an effort to tell me about you, and I wasn't brave enough to talk to her."

"Because you didn't want to be my dad?" He asks tentatively.

"No way, not that. It was because I liked your mom a lot, and when I realized I couldn't be with her, I got mad."

"Did you love my mom when you all made me?" He asks

"I loved her as much as an eighteen year old boy is capable of," I glance at Tris and smile, "When I got locked up here, I didn't want to love her anymore, and I didn't want anyone else to love me either."

"You didn't want us to love you because you thought you were a bad man." Miles says and I nod, "Nana always tells me that I shouldn't beat myself up when I make a mistake. You shouldn't beat yourself up dad. It was just a mistake."

"You're wise beyond your years, Miles." I say softly.

"Mom tells me the same thing," He replies, "It's okay for you to love my mom now, and for my mom to love you now because you're not a bad man, you're a good man, and you're a good dad. Mom says it all the time, Dad."

"Miles..." Tris warns and he turns his grey eyes to her, "Whatever happens between your dad and me, you're always going to be our main focus. There will never be a time where the two of us don't love and protect you."

"But I think that you already love each other," He huffs, "Sorry Mom," he says quietly.

"Miles, it's okay to want to have a complete family. I think we've both wanted that for a while, right?" Tris asks and he nods, "Now that your Dad is in our lives, he's not going anywhere. That means, no matter what happens between him and me, from now on, we will always come together to be your parents. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, but does that mean you won't let him live with us when he is able to get out of this place?" He asks.

"It means that your dad and I have to figure things out between him and me, and that is a decision we will make together. It means that no matter what he and I decide, you will always be our number one priority." She replies.

"What if I want Dad to live with us?" He asks.

I want that too. I didn't realize how much until today.

"Like every other decision, it's something we will take into consideration when we make it." She replies.

She's not ruling it out.

"Miles, were you upset when Jack moved out?" I ask.

"Yeah," he nods, "I told Mom then that I didn't want him to leave."

"Was she able to work something out to make it a bit easier for you?"

Miles looks thoughtful for a moment, "Yeah, she made sure that Jack and me spent time together still. She even went with us sometimes. It was cool when he got his apartment too because I got to hang out over there with him. Oh and we got to go places too..." he trails off, "You don't want to hurt my feelings if you guys break up like Mom and Jack did."

"There's the Erudite in him," I chuckle.

"Dad, I don't go to Erudite elementary, I go to Candor," Miles says with exasperation, "Erudite is our rival."

I laugh and Tris joins me.

"I get it now, its adult stuff," Miles adds as he scampers off of my lap.

"I hope that was okay," I say quietly, once he is sure that Miles is out of earshot.

"I'm so sorry, I had no idea he was going to say any of that, it's not something he's even asked me. I didn't want this visit to be uncomfortable for either of you."

"Its fine, Tris. He's nine, and he's curious just like we are. Our curiosity made him, you know?" I smirk and nudge her shoulder, and I bury my face in my hands, "You're blushing." He laughs.

"I can't believe he brought up all of the love stuff, especially about when we made him, you handled that extremely well." She says.

"I think I confused love and lust back then, like we talked about before. I was mad at you for choosing to stay with Four instead of wanting to be with me."

"I didn't know there was choice to be made. I was conflicted too, because after what happened in Erudite I felt something for you that I didn't expect. As an adult, I know it wasn't love." She replies softly.

"No, it wasn't love, not back then at least, but he's definitely perceptive to the nature of things now."

"Eric, we have to focus on your case, and on making sure whatever we do doesn't hurt him, you heard him," She replies quietly, "He already has his heart set on us being together."

I reach for her hand and thread our fingers together, "My heart is set on that too."

She pulls her hand back and I steel my features so I don't react.

"Eric, I need you to know that no matter what happens, you and I will be in each other's lives. We will raise our son and be the best coparents we can be. You have to understand that I can make no promises outside of that,"

"My relationship with my son is separate from my relationship with you," I reply quietly.

"Since this is a personal visit, I can speak a little more freely, and I need you to know that I'm so confused right now. I know lines are becoming blurred with you and me, and I can't let anything that I may or may not be feeling for you personally impact our case," She replies.

"Tris, I'm not asking you for anything more, at least not right now. I know our focus is our son and getting me home to him. You know there's something here between us, and I understand why you're being careful when we're being recorded for the case."

"It's not just the recording," She blurts.

That hurt like hell.

"Eric, I didn't mean that." She says.

"I can tell that you have something heavy weighing on your mind today. I also know you well enough to know that whatever it is, we can't talk about it in front of our son. I understand Tris," I reply. There's so much more I want to say, but today is about Miles, and I need to focus.

Miles brings an old game called Pictionary to the table and calls us over. We proceed to play until Mike knocks on our door and politely tells us that Miles and Tris need to say their goodbyes so he can escort them back out.

I pick Miles up and give him a bear hug, and Miles face is split with a huge grin. He kisses me and hugs me again tightly before he runs off to get his coat on.

I turn to Tris and gesture towards my hair with a grin. She pulls my hair down, and runs her fingernails across my scalp like she knows I love.

I lean towards her and whisper, "You and Miles give me hope."

"That's a good thing."

"It's terrifying." I sigh.

Miles runs over and jumps on me again, and we hug one more time, "Bye Dad, I love you." Miles says.

"I love you too bud." I reply, failing to fight tears this time.

"Are you sad?" Miles asks curiously.

"I'm the happiest I've ever been, Miles. Having you here, and having your love makes me whole." I replies tearily.

"I'm happy too Dad, I've wanted to see you for forever. We are finally a real family."

I lean back towards Tris and whisper, "Miles first, us second. I promise you, I do understand, take whatever time you need with this. Whatever is going through that head of yours, we've got this."

"Thank you," She squeezes my arm before following Mike out of the room.

It's official, I completely adore my son, and I am falling in love with his mother.