A/N - Never trust a stranger who enters your home.
"Love you, Daddy."
Chase's lips tug up at the corners in spite of himself. "I love you too, Gracie."
There's a shuffle on the other end and a muffled voice tells Gracie to go and get her coat before the line goes dead. Stacey doesn't talk to him unless she has to. Usually to ask for monetary help for the kids when they need new clothes. He loves that Stacey lets him be a part of their lives, but the almost surgical removal from hers… His therapist keeps telling him it'll get better, that eventually it won't hurt as much but Chase dreads that day just as much as he dreads the phone calls.
"Such a shame." Chase turns, brandishing the phone like a sword at the stranger stood behind him. Obviously it's not an intimidating sight, and the dark-haired, well-dressed stranger stands there, leaning on his cane just raising an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Who the fuck are you?" He's brandishing the phone, dangerous or not, he knows he could easily whack the shit out this weirdo if push came to shove. Maybe not with the phone but he's committed to wielding it now.
"I'm exactly what you need." the stranger raises his cane and Chase finds himself drawn to look into the glass globe that sits on top. Chase goes to say something but the words die on his lips as he watches.
From deep within the glass, a small red light pulses, swells and fades, slowly growing with each throb. The longer he looks at it, Chase feels his breathing start to match it, swell, in, shrink, out… Everything around them kind of fades away. It's still there, he can still see it but it just….doesn't matter.
The phone falls to the floor and Phantom smirks as he watches Brody's jaw go slack and his eyes turn glassy. the deal maker lowers his cane and snaps his fingers in front of Chase's face but the unfortunate father doesn't react. Good.
Phantom removes the hat from Chase's head before tapping his cane on the floor. The apartment is gone, and now they stand on a rooftop, Chase's toes right against the edge but still stood straight. A wind blows and Phantom uses a hand to hold the man in place. "Not yet." he chuckles.
Once the wind eases, Phantom tosses Chase's hat over the edge, watching it fall to the ground, landing not far from a collection of trees in the grass of the garden below.
"Time to introduce you to your new family."