Jesus Christ. Six months? I guess I really shouldn't, but will anyway, blame the tempting new fanfiction I've started writing but haven't posted yet. Honestly, I need to rethink that monthly update schedule or at least stop-watching films that I know will give me new ideas and therefore take up time that should be rightfully spent on this. I bet I end up being one of the fanfiction writers who gets a project stared, sees a new one, forgets the old one and then remembers it later. Anyway, here's chapter 3 – part two; chapter 4 should be forth coming but I can't be too sure at this point.

Chapter 3 – part two

Wrong. It was something that had always been used to describe Caelan. He was viewed by many factions in heaven as a grotesque atrocity to everything in existence. Safe to say, the opinion of those who dwelled in hell wasn't much better all things considered. However, it is correct to assume that since the Creator had never made any attempt to correct this heinous error that neither did many of said factions. They firmly believed that Caelan served some greater purpose of which they were not at liberty to have knowledge in case their actions somehow altered or prevented it.

It is also true, that though many of the legions of angels that serve the Creator are loyal, despite never having seen it's true from, that there are also many secret factions within heaven that disagree with its decisions. If it were not for the loyalty of the Archangels such as Michael, they would have long ago attempted to usurp their omniscient and omnipotent parent.

One of these factions in particular has spent many thousands of years investing its time in 'cleansing the Earth of abominations'. Working in secret, sending out its own agents of destruction whether they be human or otherwise, whatever and whoever it took to complete their objective. At some point within the last decade, this hidden movement had sent out agent, after agent, after agent only to find that the greatest affront to nature, to their Lord high Creator, Mother and Father of all that lived and all that it saw, survived each and every attempt upon its life.

Even after they had redoubled their attempts in both frequency and intensity when the child first transformed, first changed into its true form, portraying an insulting resemblance to its father, the traitor that had broken so many rules in mating with that whore whom the child called 'mother'. Such a creature, the leader of the fraction had decreed, should have never come to be and as such it was in their best interests to terminate the creature

"But can it be done?" One asked.

"My brother, nothing is eternal. Only our Lord whom we serve and the immortal souls that he grants to the pure." The leader replied calmly, fingers tented and eyes looking over the top of them to his followers.

"Kron has been supplied with all the resources that he will need in order to finish this. Once he has completed his assignment, he has been given strict instructions to tie up any lose ends." A brief pause followed, "No one will know of our involvement in this brother." The leader continued.

"What of the mother and father. You know once the child has been killed, they will hunt anyone involved to the end of existence. If they discover that we…" The first demanded.

"Do you really have so little faith in me, brother? Emotions, such as anger are blinding: they cloud judgment. The death of the monster will cloud their vision and it is then that we shall strike, ridding the world of scum once and for all." The leader rose to his feet and continued, "The extermination of this 'Caelan' shall be a lesson to all those who transgress against our Lord. His foul existence will prove of use to us brother: as a message to those who are against our just cause."

The first was silenced.

"Yes brother. Forgive me." The first bowed low to the Leader.

"All is forgiven my brother. All is forgiven."

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It was also true that She was doing it again. She was staring at him. He didn't like it. If she were half as smart as she appeared, she'd know this. Alas, she continued to watch him intently from the corner of her eye and to be frank he was bloody well fed up with it. It wasn't that he wasn't used to being stared at. As the new kid it was normal; people wanted to figure out how this stranger would fit into their already established order and the first method of deduction was to look at how they dressed and held themselves. It wasn't that she was watching him that bothered him. It was how she was watching him that was the issue.

It was the knowing look of someone who understands that there are things in this world that science cannot explain, that there are things that go bump in the night and that there are also those who bump back so to speak. It reminded him of how his father had looked at him the first night he had transformed: when vomit that bubbled and boiled after being superheated inside his stomach spewed from Caelan's mouth and as his body burned inside-out like a volcano or star collapsing turning supernova. That look had appeared very rarely since then and he'd only ever seen on it the faces of a few heroes, like Dr Strange (who wasn't really that odd in Caelan's opinion, maybe just a bit eccentric).

Although, the look only lasted for a moment, as the initial shock – that something so sweet and innocent could come from a being so destructive – wore off and afterwards they tended to leave him be. Sometimes questions would be asked. Sometimes they'd play with him like Spiderman normally did but now they just tended to remark on how much he had grown since they'd last seen him, what a handsome young man he was turning into (and to not turn out as his father had). From others the look never lasted for more than a few minutes whereas this had been going on (not so) discreetly for several hours.

Also this much attention from a member of the opposite sex other than his mother was alien to him and a little disconcerting as a result.

It wasn't that he didn't find her attractive. Short chestnut hair, olive skin and green eyes she was turning into quite the attractive young woman. Sure, she wasn't stunningly beautiful but she wasn't unattractive. Her name was Natalie Cortez and she was round about his age. Fairly tall, average student and on the free running team the school started last year.

Reaching out with his abilities – even though he knew some boundaries were being crossed – he listened into the conversation she was having.

"I think he came from New York or Rio."

"New York or Rio?"

"What?" Her friend demanded.

"Oh come on. It's not like they're right next to each other."

"Hey. You try asking everyone about the new guy without them thinking you're into him?"

"No. That's what I have you for." Natalie replied grinning.

"Oh shove off." The friend paused and lowered her voice, "Why are you so curious." then she smiled and gasped, "You like him don't you?"

"Claire, shut up. I just have a feeling. There's something not right about him."

"Yeah, cause you know he's still wearing…"

At that point Caelan choked and stopped listening immediately. Well, he hadn't learned much from that (other than that he should perhaps avoid Claire). Still at least he knew part of the reason why she was spying on him.

"Dude you okay?" His partner asked.

"Yeah, yeah. What're we doing?"

"2x – 3y=11 is equal to x+7y=30, find x and y."

Caelan groaned.

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Unluckily, the rest of the lesson dragged itself by, broken and bleeding fingernails doing little damage to the remaining metaphorical distance that was in this case time. Slowly, but surely, the remainder of the lesson passed with little to no distractions and finally the sweet, high pitched symphony of sound that was the end of period bell sang out. That just left fifth period. Now all that he had to do was find those elusive S buildings and this day would be over.

The dog would probably be sunbathing right about now. If not it would be tormenting his mother by stealing anything and everything that it could from the toolbox. So long as he walked it tonight, feed it and made sure it behaved itself when he got home he could perhaps manage to sweet talk his mother into letting it stay. And if that didn't work he could always ask his father.

Half smiling to himself he once again consulted the map. There was a rectangular building drawn on with S1, 2, 3 and so on labelled but due to the positioning of the rest of the buildings such as the sports hall he wasn't entirely sure which one was which. After half a minute of turning the map this way and that – and of not getting anywhere – he approached a cleaner.

"Science blocks the first building on your right as you walk out the backdoor." The caretaker told him. His accent was from the southern states and Caelan found himself comparing it to Johnny's. It was defiantly Texan. Thick but Texan.

Caelan nodded, "Back doors that way." The man gestured.

"Thanks." Caelan began tucking the map away into his jean pocket.

As he walked away the Texan shouted, "Say hi to your pa for me next time ya see him."

Frowning he turned around. The caretaker was gone. Caelan shrugged. He'd properly walked into one of the classrooms to clear a mess up or something.

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Science was another lesson that he had absolutely no aptitude for, so he was quite thankful when he found out that he'd be in set three or four. Admittedly he liked chemistry but that was mainly because one of his former teachers had been a bit of a firebug and had allowed Caelan to play with the Bunsen burners one too many times. (It wasn't Caelan fault, after all, that he had an affinity towards it.) So he sat in the lesson, trying to concentrate on what was being said and had a go at not eating his pen lid.

Partway through he signed, like his father he had no talent for this sort of thing.

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It was true that Ghost rider's talents didn't include science. He didn't, as they say, have a knack for it. Hunting, on the other hand, he was excellent at. However it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened:

The building had all but been burned to the ground; his son's fire had consumed the entire west wing of the building and almost completely demolished the south before the nearby fire department had managed to gain control of the blaze. They'd put down the initial cause of the fire down to some exposed wire on the west side of the building and a gas leak. Nothing had been heard over the roar of the blaze and its ferocious light had blinded any passers-by or neighbours from seeing both parties as they escaped.

Unfortunately, whilst the fire had erased any bodies left behind during the fight, it had also expunged any clues that he could have used in order to track down whoever was responsible. It was down right infuriating, especially since it had taken a week of patience waiting until the police decided that there was no evidence of foul play and a further few days before he was able to approach the building without arousing suspicion, motorbike helmet or not.

"Found anything?" The voice on the other end of the receiver questioned, amid constant hammering.

"Nothing." Was his taciturn reply, followed by a question of his own, "How is the boy?"

"Caelan? He's fine, just fine. He started school earlier today."

"Don't know why you bother sending him to those places. You know as well as I do how little time he spends there."

"He needs an education. Plus he also needs to learn social skills and how to interact with people his own age."

"Sarah, how can he learn such skills if he is constantly running."

Sarah scowled and her voice became cold, "Would you prefer that he die making a stand?"

"No." Ghost rider replied matching the coldness in her voice with a sharpness of his own. "I don't think that it's healthy for him to spent a handful of months in one place at a time."

She sighed, her voice softening, "When I was a girl, we spent less than that wherever we stayed. Remember the city of Argon?

"Yes. We were there less than a week and you managed to insult not only the captain of the guard but the high priest of their temple as well as the Queen and half a dozen of the King's concubines."

A smile spread across her lips, "What was it you said to King Solis? Something about how if he didn't call of his guards that you'd tear out his intestines and strangle him with them but not before you would rip off his…"

"Yes, yes I remember. You kept reminding me the entire journey to the Sand Sea."

Sarah smiled, "But you laughed all the way there."

"Out of annoyance."

"If I was so irritating as a child, then why did you not perform the sleeper hold upon me?"

"Like you would have stayed still long enough."

"I am sure that overpowering a fourteen year old girl would not have been that difficult for you."

He sighed and said, "Please rephrase that sentence."

It was then that a burst of laughter erupted from her throat. Ghost rider shook his head in disapproval.

If he was honest, he didn't mind. She hadn't changed as dramatically as he had once thought and these days familiarity was so much more comforting than it had been before Caelan's birth. What had once been such a strong bond had become fragile, more so than life itself. He couldn't blame her though. He'd tried to rip her heart out after all.

Sarah checked the time on her phone and said, gently, softly to her distant husband, "Caelan will be home in a few hours. Do you wish to speak with him?"

"No. We've already been on the line for too long. Someone may have tapped in by now."

Sarah sighed, "Goodbye then. Send word if you find anything."

"I will."

He went back to his search, rummaging through chunks of rubble. The back entrance opened and boots made their way across the building.

Jonathan Blaze entered what was left of the room, a cup of coffee resting comfortably between his hands, "Residence said they saw a man in a suit, claimin' he was C.I.A. Askin' questions about Sarah and the kid."

"Name?"

"Special agent James Flinn. But I don't think that's his real name. From the sounds of things he's the same guy from Mexico."

"Hurm."

Johnny walked over to the spirit and asked, "You talk to Caelan recently."

The growl that was sent his way told him more than words ever could.

"It was just a question." Blaze replied calmly although he could not fault the creature he had come to have a sort of friendship with.

Most fathers worried about their children but they didn't have to deal with constant assassination attempts on their child's life since they were six. Most fathers also weren't thousands of years old with more than their fair share of guilt. And most of all, most fathers got to see their children in person, not stay away in case they inadvertently put their child in danger. The last time the spirit had seen his child was about three years ago, on New Years day. Their last conversation four months ago.

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"Why are you going?"

The boy's eyes were big and blue as they had always been as he stared up at his father, having to crane his neck up to do so.

"It's not safe for you to be near me, Caelan. I'm sorry."

"But, but, when will you come back?"

Johnny followed the conversation, although he'd rather have been elsewhere. The look on the kids face was practically heartbreaking.

Ghost rider sighed, kneeled down in front of his son's face, which was now thinning out and losing that baby face quality it had possessed during the child's younger years. "I don't know."

He may have been thirteen but that didn't change the fact, never would change the fact that he still craved his father's company and to spend time with him. It was because of that that emotions were whirling around inside the child, making his shake with self-control that wavered. Johnny could see Caelan's skin turning a light smouldering red. Ghost rider noticed this as well and placed his skeletal hands on either side of his son's shoulders to comfort the younger being.

"I'll keep in touch still." At that point Caelan body took on a blue hue as appose to the light red, his face turned gaunt and his eyes were becoming more and more hollow as the conversation wore on.

A final sigh, "Come here." Complying, the child allowed himself to be wrapped up in his father's arms.

Johnny didn't know if Caelan fully transformed or not, all he knew was that his Godchild was silently crying in his father's arms, being rocked back and forth in the arms of a creature whose own heart was crying out in anguish.

And that's Chapter 3 finished. The identity of the Texan is meant to be a surprise for later on in this fanfiction but after re-reading this myself I realise that you'll either have guessed who he's meant to be or won't be surprised at all when he is eventually revealed. The next chapter will involve Sarah more and I may go into more detail about her and Ghost riders' relationship, although I may be pretty much doing that in a prequel I've done some planning for but may not start writing until this is finished. I'll see how things go.

Before I finish I'll just say that I muchly appreciate anyone who still follows this and special thanks to those of you who've reviewed.