Lifted

by BerryCoffeeCake

Dr. Tenma and Astro have disappeared. Metro City is still a wreck after the fight with the peacekeeper and morale is low. The government wants Astro in town for a speech to give the people some hope, but Astro just wants one thing. Astro X Cora

3. Chapter 3

(A/N: Hello everyone. For chapter three I'm going to spend some time elaborating on some things that were discussed in the first two chapters of this story. Also, you get to see what happens in Astro and Tenma's split therapy sessions! Cora finally find's out what's going on with Zane and the kid's and, Emily Niele, now temporary President of Metro City in Robert Logan's stead, finally starts getting things done and has a 'meeting of the minds' with Dr. Tenma. Enjoy!)

Chapter Three: What's In The Box?

Astro, Tenma, Elefun

"How about that time?"

"Nwo."

"Nothing at all?"

"I SWAID NWO!"

Dr. Elefun frowned at the site in front of him. It seemed every time they got one step closer..they took another one back. Astro was sitting at the kitchen table with his mouth open and his tongue stuck out over his porcelain teeth glaring at his equally frustrated, dark-blue eyed father. Stuck to Astro's tongue were several electrodes hooked to a large machine on the table Dr. Tenma was standing in front of. For the past two months now…Tenma had been trying to figure out a way to make it possible for Astro to taste food. He had gone about the process of re-designing the entire inside of Astro's mouth to make it more sensitive to food and touch…and he'd even found a way to get him to actually salivate somehow. Astro had cooperated when it had all began, but gradually, it got to the point where every time Tenma would even suggest making any changes to him, one could see the boy visibly recoil..sometimes even shudder. It was odd though. You could definitely see that he hated it..all the poking and prodding..and tweaking…but he never refused when his father came at him with another idea about how changing something about him would 'make things between us better!'.

Elefun looked at his watch. It was almost two o' clock. He stood up from his seat in the corner and cleared his throat loudly to get the pairs attention. They both turned slowly and glared at him..Tenma with his dark, angry eye's and Astro with his sad, lonely ones. He nervously scratched his few remaining gray hairs.

"It's almost time for your erm…sessions with Dr. Ramsey…I think we should start getting ready. We'll need to move the one of the arm chairs into the study on the other side of the living room."

Astro ripped the electrodes off of his tongue immediately upon hearing this request. "I got it Dr. Elefun!" He slid out of the kitchen and into the room beyond. He had been doing that a lot. Sliding around the kitchen…or any of the rooms in the house without carpet ever since his father had replaced his original red boots with actual legs and feet. He still had the ability to fly of course, now he just had the luxury of choosing what particular pair of sneaker's he wanted to wear. That, and the fun of slipping around in his socks in the kitchen and knocking thing's over. Elefun chuckled inwardly. It seemed that even though Astro didn't enjoy being poked and prodded at by his father, he was getting some benefit out the changes being made to him. A little daily joy. Knowing that little bit of information would probably make Tenma so happy he'd pop. Astro was young yet though…and it would take time for him to realize that about his father. Tenma needed simple reassurances that he was on the right track. It would take Tenma a long time to realize that about Astro too. Astro didn't need to be spoiled or smothered, he just needed a good hour of his father's time..doing something they both enjoyed. A simple trip to the park to feed the ducks or just walk and talk. The trouble was, he tended to always respond in an extreme manner. Earlier that morning, when Astro had attempted to get him to go in to look at some plants in the green house he'd found interesting, Tenma had rushed in a bit too enthusiastically. He had even gone as far as correcting his son when he'd falsely identified the plant he was trying to show him, AND read him a passage about the plants uses, and where it could be found in the wilderness. After that, Astro spent most of the day in his room..away from his father, staring out the window, or watching television. Until Tenma decided it was time to finish working on the sensors in Astro's tongue anyway.

Dr. Elefun looked over at his colleague who was carefully folding up the wires to his machine in a small case. He looked away when Tenma sensed him looking…and looked back with those eyes of his.

"What?"

"Nothing…"

"What is it?"

"Nothing Umataro."

"You're always looking at me funny Elefun….why?"

"I wasn't looking at you funny!", Elefun spluttered out making a slightly frightened jerky movement.

Dr. Tenma placed the case down on the kitchen table, his eye's flashing dangerously. Dr. Elefun felt his face burn out of embarrassment….especially when Tenma's usually straight mouth curled into a smile. A very deranged smile. He began walking toward him.

"Do I have something on my face fat man?"

"Tenma…you're my friend, and I have a great deal of respect for you, but-don't you think it would be a good idea to try and keep private jokes between the two of us? Astro's in the living room and he'll hear you if you say-!"

Dr. Elefun retreated backward toward the door trying to get all this out but was cut off by Tenma midsentence.

"Hear me say what exactly my dear PAKADERMIS J. ELEFUN? That you're a big-!"

"NOOOOOO!" Elefun charged, his face as red as a tomato, and clamped his hands over the man's damned mouth and shoved his taller, much thinner frame against the wall next to the kitchen door.

"YOU HAVE THE ABSOLUTE WORST SENSE OF HUMOR TENMA! MY SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS NOT A TOPIC THAT YOU OUGHT TO BE PICKING AT ME ABOUT!"

At that moment the kitchen door opened up, and a very confused looking Astro walked in. Dr. Elefun had his father pinned up against the wall with his hands clamped hard over his mouth glaring at him. Astro stared.

"Um…I moved the love seat…and Dr. Ramsey's here..what're you guy's doing?"

Elefun looked over at Astro and released his thin, evil, rogue of a father who still had that deranged grin plastered all over his face. Damn him. Damn him and his sick sense of humor! Not only did he get messed with at the Ministry about his…'personal tastes'…by the other scientists, but he had Tenma making his life hell outside of it as well too. And after all he'd been doing for him and his son! Hiding them and letting them eat, and sleep in his home, and even getting supplies from the Ministry in secret from old co-workers for Astro's modification's! Astro didn't actually eat….or sleep…but still! To go to all this trouble and poked at about something as personal as that! The beast !

"Your father and I were having a private discussion Astro…that's all. Nothing to be concerned about."

"Oh..okay then."

Astro walked back out of the kitchen leaving the two scientist's alone.

Dr. Elefun eyed Tenma angrily.

"You know…it's a shame you don't share some of that dark humor of yours with your son, Tenma. I think it would benefit him to know just how horribly twisted you really are."

Tenma chuckled. It was an eerie sound to hear. It was one he didn't make often. He thumped Elefun's large, bulbous, nose with his forefinger.

"Don't deny it, you slovenly pansy! You know my 'twisted sense of humor' makes that abnormally large butt-crack of yours sweat." Tenma turned and walked smoothly out of the kitchen with his nose in the air, evil grin firmly in place, leaving a very incensed Dr. Elefun in his wake.

"Bastard.."

(A/N: Yes. I made Dr. Elefun gay. I tried my hardest to make up a wife for him..but I couldn't. Sorry folks. On top of that, would a wife really put up with a guy like Tenma lurking around the house? I wouldn't. lol And before there's ANY confusion, Dr. Tenma is NOT gay in this story, and NOR WILL HE BE. I just always imagined that if from the '03 series and Elefun from the movie worked together as colleagues, that Tenma would make Elefun a nervous ninny because of how dark and moody he is..and spend most of his time punking and embarrassing him even though they really are very good friends. Some people might complain about the sense of humor thing too. :/ Tenma might be insane, and have issues, but that doesn't mean he is incapable of poking fun at someone for a good laugh or making an indecent joke. In short, I decided to go for a 'love hate' relationship for Tenma and Elefun for some laughs. Can't be all serious all the time right?)

Cora

Cora stared at her mother's backside hopefully. "So…can I go?"

"Eat your breakfast."

"Moom! You said you'd give me an answer in the morning! It's morning-so answer!"

*Demimia turned around and looked at her daughter angrily. She was not a happy woman this morning, and Cora, not even so much as offering up a 'good morning' before begging her for an answer to what they had discussed the night before was pissing her off even more. Or at least her face betray anyway.

"EAT."

"I'm going to-but you said that-!"

"SHUT UP AND EAT YOUR PANCAKES!"

Cora stared at her mother in complete shock with her mouth hanging open. Her mom wasn't the typical house-wife by any means, and when she was angry she was pretty prone to using profane expletives to express herself….but never had she said anything like that to her daughter with such extreme venom in her voice. Her nostrils were flared out and her cheeks had red spot's on them exactly like Cora's when she was truly furious about something.

Cora looked down at her pancake's and picked up her fork and slowly began to eat after recovering from her mother's harsh words. Her ear's felt hot, and her stomach did a flip every time she swallowed, but after about fifteen minute's she had gotten the plate of pancakes, egg's and sausage down her throat. She wasn't sure why her mother was so angry this morning…especially since it was one of her off days. What had changed from last night?

When she was done she made another attempt at getting her mother to answer her.

"Mom…? Can we please talk?"

"About you wanting to traipse around Metro City looking for a bunch of sniveling, dirty, garbage eating Orphan's?"

Cora nearly picked up the empty plate in front of her and bashed her mother over the head with it, but she settled instead for rising up out of her seat and throwing a used, dirty, napkin at her instead, and hitting her in the face with it.

"THEY AREN'T DIRTY, AND THEY DON'T EAT GARBAGE!"

Demimia grabbed the napkin off of her face and threw it to the floor. She didn't speak. She just waited.

"WHY ARE YOU BEING SO BITCHY? CALLING MY KID'S GARBAGE EATER'S?-DO YOU KNOW I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT HITTING YOU OVER THE HEAD WITH THAT PLATE JUST NOW? YOU WERE REALLY COOL ABOUT ME GOING TO LOOK FOR THEM LAST NIGHT-WHAT CHANGED ALL OF A SUDDEN?"

Cora was standing up on her tiptoes, her blue eye's wide, and angry , and watery with coming tears. She was shaking with pure unadultered, motherly fury…..just like her own mother had figured she would be after having made the cruel comment she'd made about her friend's. The way Cora had talked about all those kid's…their habit's, their quirk's…their dream's, and even some of their fear's had gotten Demimia worried that Cora's attachment to them was more than just a strong, friendly bond, which was why she had decided to forego giving her a definite answer until this morning. When Demimia had insulted them, Cora hadn't referred to them as 'my friend's' she'd referred to them as 'my kid's'….which had been the biggest give away of all.

Demimia softened her facial expression to a calmer one, and spoke in an even, level tone.

"You're not going Cora. You're staying home."

"WHY?" The tears fell after hearing that. Cora wanted to see her friends so badly.

"Because if you go out there and look for them and find out they aren't any better off than they were when they lived in the Outland's you won't be able to function."

Cora kicked the wobbly kitchen table as hard as she could, causing her empty breakfast plate to fall of the table and break on the floor with a loud crash. She then proceeded to stalk around the open kitchen and living room kicking things and knocking them over out of anger. Demimia watched a while longer before speaking again.

"I'm not trying to be cruel Cora. I just don't want to see you go through what I did…with you."

Cora stopped her rampage and turned to look at her mother with her reddening, teary eyes and disheveled black and pink hair. "Whaddya mean 'what you went through with me? You don't understand even a little bit about how I feel about them! And then for what you just said about them-I should just so-so-!"

"Punch me?"

"YEAH!"

Demimia glanced down at Cora's small, shaking fists and rolled her eyes behind Cora's back when she had turned around again to kick over the little rubbish bin by the couch, sending its contents all over the floor and under the coffee table. She had seen bigger hand's on eight year olds..and Cora might be pretty upset…but she wasn't going to actually hit her own mother. And if she did…well then it would be time to bring out her good old friend 'Mr. Whoop-A-Child Till' Their Ass Turn's Blue' which was hanging on nail in her bedroom. She hadn't used it on Cora since she was seven…but who knows? She was raging pretty bad at the moment. Maybe what she'd said had been a little too insulting. She continued to talk.

"That's exactly how I felt all those time's the women I work with whispered behind my back about how I was an unfit parent when you were running around in the Outland's salvaging robot parts."

Demimia screwed up her face into an impersonation of Darcy Field's, a co-worker in one of the other repair tents.

"Did you see how thin Robert's daughter is? She looks like she barely eats anything at all! Robert's gets more work than any of us-so you know she can afford to feed and dress that child better than that! Someone should call child services!"

She did another.

"Ha! And I thought Demimia was a teeny-tiny piece! You seen that bony little trollop daughter o' her's? Bet that'd be like tryin' to stick a tree-trunk in pin-hole! HAR! HAR!"

Cora shut her eyes tightly, shivered, and screwed up her mouth in disgust. She knew some of the men at the construction sites looked at her when she walked by, but she hadn't thought that they'd taken that much notice when she'd walked by, running errands for her mother, or getting lunch. People actually thought her mom was like that? Uncaring and aloof? The men at the construction sites actually thought they wouldn't get busted up and cussed out if they ever made a pass at her? Cora opened her eyes again and just looked down at her feet. Understanding had just settled in.

"And I bet you'd just love to hear what I had to put up with from your Aunt Angela the day I told you you could stay at Hamegg's."

Sniffle. "No."

"Alright. Now do you understand why I don't want you to go Cora?", Demimia asked walking toward her, and wrapping her arms around her.

"Because I'll freak out if I find out their doing bad because I'm…I'm.." Cora looked up at her mom and returned the hug with a confused expression on her face.

"Why would I freak out?"

"You'll freak out if their doing badly at the orphanage because you have a strong motherly desire to protect them. It's motherly love hun. I feel the same for you when you leave here to go and have all those little adventures you have. I want to follow you around beat the spit out of everything that could be doing you harm…but I can't….and you wouldn't want me to."

"So I love them like a mom?"

"Yes."

"I thought…I thought I was just…really attached."

"You are. Which is why I'm not going to let you go. You're fourteen Cora. You're not ready for the 'Oh my god where's my baby at?' freak out's just yet. It really isn't something you should be worried about right now….but I will see what I can do about locating them so you can see them. If they aren't doing well you'll be more of a help to them here with me than you could be backpacking around the city by yourself looking like one of them."

Demimia guided Cora over to the couch and sat down still holding her. Cora's eyes lit up.

"You'll really help look?"

"Of course. Why would I not? I've got a friend who's a social worker I'm going to go and see tomorrow about it. I called her after you went to bed last night. She can give us a list of all the Orphanage's and on my off days I can stop in on some of them."

Cora hopped up out of the loose hug and enveloped her mother in a tighter, more joy expressant, bear hug. Or she tried to anyway. She was small, so a bear hug from her didn't really feel too much like one.

"I love you mom!-And I'm SO sorry I called you a bitch! And you'll tell me like super-super right away when you find out where they are right?"

"Yes, Cora. I'll even come pick you up and take you to see them all myself. And you'd better be.",Demimia laughed. "Now get off me and clean up this damn mess you made in my living room! And get the glass up from that plate you broke!"

(A/N: When I saw the 2009 movie and saw how Cora interacted with the kid's it really made me see her as sort of their surrogate mother so to speak. She was always comforting Widget and Sludge, and remembered to bring Grace something dangerous back to play with. That, and she was always telling Zane how crappy the world was like parent's often do their older kids when they tell them about something they think is great that they happen to know a bit more about. And as far as the way I chose to show her relationship with her own mom….ugh…sorry. I hated the way the movie did it. Everyone in Metro City save for a few people looked exactly the same. Generic and boring. Especially Cora's parent's. So I made up a cool, robo-fixin, world-weary mom for Cora! Hope you guys like Demimia…cuz she play's a big role at the end of this. .)

Astro, Tenma, Elefun, Dr. Ramsey

"Alright, Astro…I want to start by asking you about what you told me yesterday about the incident when you were nine year's old."

Dr. Ramsey tapped the microphone on the table to make sure it was functioning. Tenma was in the next room, and he had to be able to hear what was said. The same would go for Astro when the time was up and it was his turn to sit out.

Astro looked down at his bare feet and wiggled his three month old toes. "Um..should I describe what happened or..?"

"However you feel it'll help you m'boy."

Ramsey took a cigarette out of the package of Camel's in his shirt front pocket along with a silver lighter and lit it. Astro scrunched up his nose. His dad had made it possible for him to be able to smell five months ago by totally revamping his nose and some of the sensors in the skin on his face. He'd just found a new scent he didn't like.

"Well, Dad was working at home because they were doing renovations for something at the Ministry. A lot of the other scientists were at our house too because I guess they couldn't work at their own houses…."

-Flashback-

"But Dad! You said you'd watch it with meeee!"

Nine year old Tobio Tenma, Toby for short, bounced up and down on his father's California King-sized bed holding up a copy of the movie "The Heiress". It was Saturday morning, and it was supposed to be the day Tobio got to pick a movie he liked out of his father's extensive classical film collection, and they sat down and watched it together in the living room with a bowl of popcorn. He had seen this particular movie before and always liked to hear his dad explain it to him. It was Tenma's favorite out of all the old movies he had..and seeing as how just getting a 'Good Morning' out of his father was more and more difficult lately….Tobio was willing to do anything to get his father's attention. Even watch an old 40's movie his young mind couldn't grasp the concept of.

"I can't son…not this morning."

Umataro Tenma sat at a large mahogany desk on the other side of the room rifling through some papers. He had yet to change out of his black, flannel sleeping pants and house robe. He looked at the clock. It was 9:15 A.M. He had an hour before everyone came. He ran his finger over his chin. Stubble. ' A quick shave and a shower…and then maybe some coffee with a little Bailey's Irish Cream mixed in..' As he thought this he felt a tug on his arm and looked to see his son Tobio looking at him holding up the DVD. His big, brown eyes held a pleading look, and they were starting to water a bit. If Tenma hadn't currently been absorbed with thoughts about his next big project he would have at least hugged his son and promised to watch the movie later that evening. No such luck though.

"I can't Toby. Just watch it with Nora.", he said nonchalantly rising from his seat at the desk and striding over to his walk in closet to find something to put on. Tobio tottled after him. He was a little on the short side for nine. People were often surprised to find out he was three year's older than what they usually put him at.

"I don't wanna watch it with Nora! I wanna watch it with youuuu!", Tobio whined, only to be shot down again.

"I have people from work coming over today to discuss an important project Tobio-I just can't! Nora can watch it with you, and I'll explain if you ask me later-and what did I say about following me in here?"

Tobio looked at the large black laquer chest up against the wall in the closet next to all of his father's shoes and belt's and ties. He had come in here once before when he had been a bit younger and tried to see what was in it, but his dad had caught him right before he'd been about to open it. His father had since then banned him from the closet period and kept it locked when he wasn't at home…which was pretty rarely these days anyhow. Curiosity wasn't why he was here though, so he didn't heed his father.

"You said when you didn't have work that we would start watching movies together again! You said no the last eight times dad!" His eye's watered up even more at his father's next response.

"Because I have to work to keep you in silk pajama's boy!", Tenma said irritably and then turned to look back at his tie rack.

Tobio began to cry in spite of having told himself earlier that he wouldn't if his dad said no.

"You said you would!-You said you would!"

Tenma turned around again.

"Stop it Toby! You're too big to be having temper tantrums! You'll be ten next month! STOP IT!"

Tobio cried louder and hugged the DVD to himself, big wet tears dripping down the front of it.

"My b-b-birthday's NOT next month dad! It's next week! You forgot my birthdayyyyyyyy!"

Tenma was irritated now. If he didn't hurry he'd have to welcome everyone in in his pajamas. And here his son was wasting his time fussing about some movie he wanted to watch. He pulled off one of his ties off the rack they hung on and then went back to deal with Tobio. He picked up his nine year old son who squalled and kicked and cried all the way out into the hallway where he left him sitting on the floor with the DVD between his short, little legs. He frowned as he looked down at him sitting there wetting up the front of his pajama's with his tear's. He felt bad…..really, truly, bad for not remembering Tobio's birthday. He had honestly thought it was next month…he would have to deal with it later though. Renovations at the Ministry would take another two weeks and all he had to do today was go over some simple schematics with his co-worker's. He would have time to make it up to him.

"NORA!", he bellowed when Tobio cried louder and tried to wedge himself in between his father's legs and the door, while beating his fist's against his waist.

"I don't care about pajamas- and silk makes me sweat-and you don't care about me-and you never-never-never-never-never-never –NEVER do ANYTHING with me anymorree!"

Nora came up the stairs a second later, her robotic eyes blinking in question, and looking between Tobio and Professor Tenma.

"Yes sir?"

"I need you to please take Tobio to his room. He'll have his breakfast up here this morning. And if you could also fix my morning coffee?"

"Yes sir! No problem!", Nora said picking up the crying boy in her robotic arms and speeding off down the hall with him. She took him three doors down to his room, and sat him on his bed. Nora tilted her large, pink, metal head and just watched the little boy cry for a moment before finally saying anything. It was interesting to the house bot to watch this display of emotion, but it eventually went back to doing its duty by trying to calm Tobio down.

"Master Toby….please do stop crying now. Your father will be upset if you continue."

"He doesn't care about meeeeee!"

"Master Tenma cares a great deal about you Master Toby."

"No he doesn't, he doesn't even talk to mee-heeeee!"

Nora stuck her arm out and patted the crying boy on the head to try to soothe him.

"I believe that he does."

Tobio stopped bawling and snarled all the snot that had begun to drip out of his nose right back in and glared at the robot.

"You believe what he made you to believe. All you do is what he tells you!"

Nora continued to pet Tobio until her robotic hand was knocked away by the boy.

"Go away Nora! I don't want you!"

Nora stood still, blinking her eye's at the boy, making her clicking and whirring noises. He was not crying now…so she had done her duty she felt..in a sense…but something in her system was telling her that there was more she should do for some odd reason. Master Toby's heart beat was quite fast at that moment, or at least that's what her readings of him were telling her. He was shaking, but from his body temperature she could not understand how he could be cold. She took a quick scan of his head. His *amygdala seemed to be in a whir of activity which suggested that he must be in some sort of distress. But what kind? Nora tilted her robotic head again, still observing him.

"GO AWAY NOOORRRRAAAA!"

"I can't Master Toby."

"YES YOU CAN! YOU HAFTA DO WHAT I SAY TOO!"

"But you seem to be very distressed….is there not any way in which I can assist you?"

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!", Tobio screamed kicking his bare feet into Nora's pink metal chasse.

Nora finally retreated out of Tobio's room, her electronic brain confused and all a buzz with his strange actions. Normally, Tobio treated Nora with as much kindness and respect as he did his father, and never once had he gotten upset and kicked at her before. She was his friend when his father wasn't around and she always did her best to help him. He felt a pang of guilt when Nora exited but he was just too upset to think of apologizing to the house-bot who would probably only tell him it was alright and that she 'understood'. Nora didn't understand though. Nobody did. Tobio flipped himself over onto to his bed face first, and began to cry again…this time, not out of anger….just pure hurt and sadness.

(A/N: Okay, I did a little research and from what I found, the Amygdala is supposed to be the part of the brain that control's emotions. Just so everyone knows. ^.^ Also, sorry if Toby seems a little immature for nine year's old…but…most of the time when kids have limited interaction with their parent's they kinda are that way emotionally anyway from what I've seen. I know my version of Astro looks like a sharp contrast, but I figure if he wasn't talking to his dad or hanging out with him any then he would have to pick up some of the things he knows at 13 from somewhere else..like maybe school, or another grown up. Maybe Dr. Elefun? Lol)

Dr. Ramsey was leaning back in the easy chair with his eye's closed nodding.

"I see. What did you do after you sent Nora away?"

"I cried for a long time…and then she brought food. I don't remember eating any of it."

"After that?"

"Dad's Ministry douche bag's showed up."

"Language Astro. Language."

"Sorry."

"And then?"

" I started thinking.."

"Thinking what?"

"Thinking that if I just jumped off the top of the stairs and…died….that.."

"That what?"

"That he wouldn't even notice I fell. He'd just…keep talking about schematic's and propulsion systems. He'd just forget me like he always did when his job came up."

Astro was bent very low over his own lap with his arm's wrapped around himself, his forehead touching his knees.

"When you jumped, what happened?"

Astro sniffed. He was beginning to cry.

"I broke my leg…and dad caught me right before I got to the bottom. He saw me when I j-jumped."

"Astro?"

"What?", he responded snapping his head up from its position on his knees. Ramsey had his eyes open now. Astro was full on crying.

"I'm going to ask you two more questions…and then you may leave."

Astro stared in response, tears pouring silently out of his brown eyes.

"You weren't trying to end your life were you? You just wanted him to catch you at the end of those stairs…to see if he really cared. You may have been small but I don't think a tumble down the steps would've quite been enough. Am I correct?"

Nod.

"Last question."

Ramsey leaned forward and looked directly into Astro's eyes.

"What is it…exactly…that you want from your father?"

It took a moment for him to gather his thoughts, but he knew. He put his forehead back down on his knees.

"I just want to do normal stuff. Talk about father son stuff. Go fun places…it doesn't have to be everyday….just sometimes. I know he's got stuff to do, but if he could just talk to me for a little while….normally like he used to when I was little….that would be enough. Now…when we talk…it's so…stiff…and when I try to do something fun he makes it all serious and awkward. It's like-like trying to be friends with a frozen T.V. Dinner."

Ramsey nodded. "Alright Astro. You're done m'boy. Go clean your face and go in the other room. …you can come in."

Astro got up and just as he was about to make his way to the bathroom, his father walked into the living room. Astro looked down at his shoes when he got near him, but was startled when his father's feet stepped in front of his, and stopped. He looked up to see his father looking down at him with a pained and confused expression on his face, as though he was trying to figure out how to say something.

Astro stared, unsure of what to do.

Dr. Tenma looked over toward Dr. Ramsey who held a concerned expression on his pale, wrinkled, grizzled old face…at least until Tenma asked him the seemingly simple question his supposedly brilliant mind was wrestling with at that moment.

"Can I hug him?"

Dr. Ramsey smiled.

"Ask him."

Tenma looked back down at his son who was looking at him, too. He held out his arms in a sort of questioning way.

Astro took a moment to think, and then shook his head. He didn't think right now was the time. He had tears all over his face and he wanted to go wash off the 'sissy'. He then walked past his father and went into the bathroom to wipe his face off.

Dr. Tenma, looking a bit disheartened went to go sit down before Dr. Ramsey.

Ramsey leaned back in the easy chair again.

"He's a teenage boy….and teenage boys often have difficulty with the whole 'tear shedding' thing you know. He'll hug you afterward though, I can assure you. Especially if my hunch about him is right."

"What's your hunch?", Tenma asked waving his hand disdainfully through Ramsey's cigarette smoke.

"Did he have good grades in school? But bad behavior?"

Tenma looked at him and nodded. "He was always top in academics, but he was rather…"

"Used bad language? Refused to take part in group activities with other children and whatnot?.."

"Yes."

"It was his way of trying to show you he was worthy of notice."

"How do you mean?"

"Children growing up don't really understand the intricacies of adult life until they become an adult themselves..so they assume that what they see us do on a regular basis each and everyday, must be all there is to being grown up. Astro saw you work, mostly alone at night at your home when you were away from your job. He also saw you reprimand some of your underling's at the Ministry with coarse language. He gathered, from all this, that being an adult, means cussing like a sailor when your angry, and always being on your own, and never taking any assistance from others."

"So he doesn't want to hug me because he thinks he's not…supposed to?...That I'll think he's weak if he comes to me for support, and reject him?"

"In a nutshell…yes, Dr. Tenma. But now that you've offered your support, I think he'll take you up on it fairly soon if you're patient."

Emily Niele

Emily looked around at the dismal surroundings. Dirty floors, low quality food..children in launder's dresses cleaning, and slaving…this was complete and utter bullshit. Never. Never in her whole life had she been as angry as she was at that moment. Heads were about to roll, and the reporter's, and social worker's, and office assistant's all standing around her could see it plainly in her sharp, thin face.

All the children had been told to line up against the wall by the care takers who had rushed there once they'd learned that there was going to be a surprise inspection of the Orphanage. There hadn't been time to try and make the kid's or anything else look presentable, and the care taker's, a stout man by the name of Otto Loudres, his wife Laura Loudres, and Mr. Arthur Hammond all stood sweating like pigs trying to maintain their smiles, and hoping against hope that Emily Niele wasn't about to do what they had heard she had done to numerous construction agencies and other Orphanages around the city. They hoped..that maybe…just maybe she was in a merciful mood.

No such luck.

"Prison."

Pencils' and pens of reporters began to scratch away at a mile a minute.

"I WANT THESE PEOPLE THROWN IN PRISON NOW! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!"

Laura Loudres clung to her husband shaking, her mouth hanging open in shock. She looked to him and shook to get him to say something. Anything that would keep the policeman coming toward them from throwing her into the back of the police car she saw outside.

"M-Miss Niele, if I may be allowed to speak in my, and my wife's defense-!"

Arthur Hammond cut him off. "I don't have nothin' to do with any of this! All I do is what they tell me!-I ain't done nothin'!"

Emily walked up and shoved her way through the policemen that were attempting to try and handcuff a screaming and kicking Laura Loudres who had tried to run when one of the policemen had gotten too close. She got directly in Otto Loudres's face, her pointy nose poking into his chin.

"You can speak for yourself and your wife in court!", she snarled jabbing him with her pointer finger in the chest. "I'm no Robert Logan, and I'm no President Stone. I don't forgive easily, and I don't listen to excuses or take bribes from fat louses like you! You're going to jail and you're going to pay for what you've made these kids suffer through!"

Otto Loudres was handcuffed by a policeman but before he was taken away, Emily took her heeled foot and slammed it down onto his slippered one making him howl with pain. If there was one thing that set her off worse than any other, it was seeing children be mistreated…and this…this Orphanage that was supposed to be a place for them to come to be cared for…it was an abomination. Children sharing beds, and scrubbing toilets, and stairs, and they even had the older ones out working detail at construction sites and doing landscaping for the Orphanage! Some of the kids even slept on the floor for lack of beds, or just wanting their own space.

When she heard the car doors slam shut, and Mrs. Loudres's screams were silenced, Emily let out the breath she had been holding in while yelling in Otto's face, and peered down at the children in front of her, all lined up against the wall. It had been a week since she'd been made temporary President, and everywhere she went it seemed like people were taking advantage of the chaos to make a quick buck or exploit a group of hapless Outland refugee's into doing hard work for little pay. This whole situation was proving to be much more difficult that what she'd expected. She had known it was bad from the start, and she'd tried unsuccessfully to get Rob to see it was only going to get worse if he didn't learn to multi-task and act quickly. He was at home resting now though. That was where he needed to be until he was physically and mentally fit enough to take care of things on his own. She just hoped his wife, Amy, wasn't making too much noise in the day room flouncing around on the futon with her boy-toy. Her heart began to thud painfully in her chest at the thought of that…Robert at home lying in bed, and his two angelic little children asleep in their bed's while their mother went out partying, and throwing her goods at other politicians who laughed about it behind Rob's back. He was really, truly a good hearted man with good ideas and intentions, but he was pretty short sighted when it came to the inadequacies of others..even the people close to him. He was the kind of man that liked to make everyone happy. Very Selfless. Too selfless. She would think about all that at a later time though. She had an obligation to the little ones standing in front of her. And she also had to make sure the detective she hired to find Dr. Tenma wasn't sloshed at the stake-out this morning. Good detective he may be, Mustachio was nearly always half into his cups when Emily went to go and see him for updates. Rob was going to owe her so much for all this shit.

'Details…all these details. No point whining though. Best get to work.', she thought, and proceeded to ask the children to tell her their first and last names if they knew them, and then for all of them to describe to her exactly what had been going on from the time they'd gotten there. She had to know how long this had all been going on so she could make absolutely sure Otto and his hag rotted in the Metro City Prison for a good long while, and the kid's, all of them tired from kitchen work, and the boys weary from yard work, and covered in mud from sloshing around uncovered construction sites, had no problem whatsoever discussing the injustices they'd suffered at the hands of their caretakers.

Ramsey, Tenma, Astro, Elefun

Ramsey tapped the microphone again for the second time to make sure it was functioning and looked up at Dr. Tenma. He looked very uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable indeed.

"Are you alright?", Ramsey said raising a grey-white eyebrow.

Tenma nodded quickly. "Yes."

"You look rather pale Dr. Tenma…"

"Just ask your questions!"

Ramsey frowned. What had caused this man's demeanor to change so quickly? He was sitting on that couch looking as if he expected to be sentenced to death in the next few minutes. Perhaps he was just apprehensive about what he was going to be asked? Ramsey sat back in the chair and nodded slightly. Whatever it was, he would most likely give it away over the course the session. If he didn't, there would be other sessions to get it out of him.

"Tell me something about your teen years Dr. Tenma."

Tenma visibly stiffened up even more if it were possible.

"What about them?" His voice had a hostile edge to it.

"I don't know. Anything. Did have any good friends? Girlfriends? Did you play sports?.."

It was a full three minutes before he responded.

"I had a few friends. I ran track in high school..and in college for a semester."

"No girlfriends? You're not unattractive man…you didn't date at all?"

"I did."

"Were you and your wife high school sweet hearts or…?"

"I'd rather not talk about my wife."

There it was. Tenma didn't look like he could get any stiffer or paler. That had to be it. He hadn't wanted to be asked about his wife. Ramsey thought about pressing it and just continuing to ask. Tenma made a pretty interesting psychological specimen, and his relationship with his wife may have something to do with why his relationship with his son was in the toilet. He pressed a bit more just to gauge reaction.

"What was her name?"

"I said I don't want to talk about my wife."

Ramsey gave a look of offense to try to lure Tenma. "And why on earth not?"

"Because she has nothing to do with this situation!"

"The hostile way in which you are responding to my questions makes me think she might have a good deal to do with this situation Dr. Tenma!"

"Your job is to help my son and I—not hammer us with uncomfortable questions!"

"Astro didn't have a problem answering any of the questions I asked him- and not all of them were easy questions for a child to answer by my definition! And yet here you are, all in a tizzy because I'm asking you a question about your past! I can't do anything to help either of you if you don't cooperate with me-and right now you are being very uncooperative Tenma!"

"I'm not answering any questions about my wife!"

"I take it you won't answer your son when he asks you about her either will you?"

That seemed to snap something. In a good way….or in a bad way…Ramsey wasn't able to tell. At least until Tenma spoke again after a full five minutes of staring a hole into Ramsey's forehead with his dark eyes.

"Yumi."

"Yumi?"

"Amaya, Maeyumi—Hoshie, Tenma."

"Yumi for short I presume?"

Nod.

"You spoke her name with some pride in your voice…your relationship was good?"

"Very."

"I see.."

Tenma looked a bit less stiff now, and his body language was much less challenging. Time to ask a bigger question.

"Your relationship was good you say, but…where is she now?"

A sharp intake of breath could be heard from Dr. Elefun out in the hallway, and the creaking of the chair Astro was sitting on in the other room. He no doubt had his ear mashed up right against the microphone. It was as he'd expected. Astro didn't know anything about his mother..or rather Tobio's mother if you wanted to get technical…and in turn he knew even less about his father. It was starting to make a bit more sense now.

Tenma didn't respond verbally. He went back to a defensive position, and simply looked away, mouthing something incoherent. Ramsey sighed. He hadn't answered, but at least Astro was on the other side of the wall listening. Hopefully, the boy would see fit to seek an answer to the question on his own if his interest was piqued as much as Ramsey hoped that it was. The best way it seemed to get these two to stop spitting fire at each other would be to get them talking to another…learning about one another.

Ramsey let the silence go on for a minute longer thinking of another question to ask.

"What do you and Astro spend most of your time doing here?"

"We watch television. And he goes in his room around midnight every night."

"Anything else?"

"Sometimes I work on him."

"What do you mean by 'work on'?"

"I'm sure you've noticed he looks different from when you first saw him."

Tenma didn't explain anymore beyond that. Ramsey was starting to feel perturbed. Tenma wasn't cooperating at all. Not even a little now. Astro was right…trying to get to know this man was like trying to be friends with a frozen T.V dinner. He decided to go for a whole new method.

"Is there anything you would especially like to discuss Dr. Tenma?"

A pause. And then a slow, gradual smile. A small one to be sure…but still a smile.

"As a matter of fact Dr. Ramsey…there is."

"Yes?"

"I'd like to talk about you."

Ramsey sat up slightly in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly…the skin around his eyes wrinkling.

"What's your wife's name Ramsey?"

Ramsey played along.

"Dianna Rosemary Ramsey."

"Hmm..not too much pride in that…I take it the two of you argue a good deal?"

Bigger smile from Tenma.

"Not at all. She's just as ugly as sin, and not much in the mood for play now she's past menopause."

"Mm. Pity that."

"Indeed. Do you have any hobbies other than robotics Dr. Tenma?"

"Do you have any hobbies other than playing Sigmund Freud?"

"When Astro was in here talking to me about his incident with trying to get you to watch the movie with him-he mentioned a black box in your closet!"

The crack at his profession had Ramsey standing up now with his finger pointing directly at Tenma's face. He was flushed, and he had his teeth bared in anger. He had lost his patience and his professionalism. The chair in the next room could be heard sliding back, and Dr. Elefun sounded like he was hyperventilating out in the hallway. Ramsey plowed on, his pride having been stabbed at.

"What's in the box my man? Pictures of your deceased wife? Love letters? Locks of her long, golden hair? She's dead isn't she? Did you dry up her soul like your drying up your sons you despicable maggot?"

Tenma's smile did not falter in the slightest, and he didn't move from his position on the couch. He leaned all the way back and relaxed so as to have a better view of the so called 'best psychologist in the city' standing over him shaking with rage. It was a shame he'd let a petty insult drive him to such a level…he had really given him good advice on how to better get along with Astro thus far. All's well that ends well though. Elefun was going to cry himself to sleep later on about wasted money but he'd be alright. He had his nightly dreams of romps with scantily clad man-candy to cheer him up.

"Actually Ramsey…my wife had black hair. Short, curly, black hair…and being of a practical nature, she didn't too much care for long, winded, love letters. She liked to get right to the point of things. And as for what's in the box I kept in my closet? Well…if I told you… I'd have to choose something of its contents to use on you..and I don't think you'd enjoy that."

"YOU-!"

The living room door burst open and Elefun ran in and put his rotund form in between the two of them. He was trembling and sniffling a good deal.

"Ramsey just leaveeeeeeeeee! Ohhhh Tenma how could youuuu!"

Astro came in as well…but oddly enough he didn't look upset or even in the least bothered by what was going on in front of him. He looked more curious than anything else.

"Mom had black hair?...", was the question he asked, and both Tenma and Elefun looked over at him, and then back at Ramsey who was now grinning. He had succeeded in getting Tenma to talk about his wife, and say a little about himself by prodding him in the right way. Tenma was the kind of individual that liked to push people's buttons, or atleast that was what he had gleaned from what had just happened. It was defense mechanism of his obviously. Piss off the person asking you uncomfortable questions so you won't have to do anything but sit back watch the other individual rave and rant idiotically. Good strategy, but not quite good enough for Ramsey.

Ramsey looked at the clock and clapped his hands together. "Well ! I believe our little exchange of wit and your refusal's to cooperate with me have taken up the entire thirty minute session! I'll pack up my equipment and get going! I'll be back in…oh…a couple of days to see how you two have progressed. I expect a big improvement next I see the two of you! And Astro, make sure you get down to the real nitty-gritty with your questions. Your father seems to like to be as basic with his answers as he can be when the questions aren't asked in the most brutal, direct manner, possible."

Tenma went stiff for a moment..knowing that he'd been duped into doing something he really hadn't wanted to do. Ramsey had just made it so that the rest of his evening was going to be a very uncomfortable one indeed. He got up off the couch and shoved passed Elefun who still hadn't realized what had just happened and went back into the kitchen to find something to pretend to be busy with so he could think of what to say to Astro later on. He still didn't feel that his relationship with Hoshie bore any similarities to his relationship with Astro, and the comment that Ramsey had made about him 'drying up his wife's soul like he was drying up his son's ' was ripping him up right now….though he had pretended not to be bothered by it earlier. Then there was everything Astro had described during his time on the couch. There was so much to talk to the boy about! And Tenma hated talking with a passion. Especially emotional talks. Maybe he could write a letter? No. There was so much to say that it would take longer than what he knew had patience for. How do you have an uncomfortable conversation…without actually having it? Tenma stood over the pile of dishes in the sink and thought as he listened to Elefun wailing out in the living room. His mind went back to something he had heard Astro say to Ramsey an hour ago.

'I liked when he would explain the plots of all those old movie's to me..'

The reflection of Tenma in the dirty sink water changed from an irritable and stressed man who needed a shave, to thoughtful one…who needed a shave. His usually unexpressive mouth spread into a smile. A real, true, genuine smile for the first time in a good while. He was going to need to borrow Elefun's zip-car tonight. AND borrow some money for some snacks.

Cora, Zane, Widget, Slugde, Grace

"Heh…You gonna let go anytime soon?"

"Shut up Zane…and you smell like ass!"

"Quit hugging me then!"

Laughs from the other kids behind her made Cora tear up again and whip around and wrap her arms around Widget, Sludge, and Grace all at the same time.

"Do you guys have any idea how much I missed all of you?"

Grace rolled her eyes and slid out from underneath Cora's arms.

"Duh! You've been crying and hugging us for like an hour now! Jeeze!"

It turned out that Cora and her mother hadn't had to wait on her mother's Social Worker friend to get them a list after all. The night she was supposed to come over to bring the list she and her mother had seen the broadcast on the news about an Orphanage that had just been closed down and it's owners sent to prison for the exploitation and neglect of the children there. When Cora had seen Grace standing in the background behind a blonde woman being interviewed by the reporter on the scene she had completely lost it just like Demimia had said she would and demanded that she be driven to the new place they were now being kept so she could smack up anyone there that even looked like they were thinking about mistreating her friends.

The new place they were now all living in was called St. Elmo Mc'' Guire's Home for Youths, and it was much, much more legitimate, clean, and orderly than where they'd been before. There was bed space enough for everyone, and no one was made to clean, other than keeping their beds neat, and their own clothes and bodies washed which wasn't too much to ask considering everything they'd had to do before. The building was bigger and closer to the government building and the Police Station too. The care-takers were nicer, and much more involved as well, and there were several more staff around to make sure things went smoothly and schooling was mandatory in all Orphanages now…or at least Emily Niele had made it so when she'd found out half the kids she'd talked to couldn't spell their own names properly, and upon hearing this Cora had insisted that Zane and all the other kids take full advantage to which they all responded, "You ain't our mom!" which had made Cora's mom laugh so hard she'd spit out the pineapple juice she'd been drinking.

Cora felt her stomach rumble, and she stood up put her hands to her stomach. Her appetite had just come back to her all in a rush. She turned to look at her mother who had heard the loud rumble and was standing over her and the other kids with a big grin on her face. They were all in the visitation room at St. Elmo's standing in a little huddle in the middle of the room. Zane and the other kids weren't going to admit it, but they had missed Cora as much as she'd missed them and no one wanted to sit down for fear of one of their number suddenly disappearing from their midst.

"Mom?"

"Hungry hun?"

"Starving."

Zane took a moment to look Cora up and down.

"I thought something looked different about you! You're all skinny now!"

Cora turned back around and jabbed a finger in his face.

"Well I was worried about you getting something to eat dip shit! What? I'm ugly now or something?"

Zane shook his head and blushed a little. "No..you've never been ugly..I just always remember you being…not so bony. You didn't have to starve on our account."

Cora laughed and jumped on him for another hug. "I'll be back to normal eventually. I feel like I could eat a horse, a hippo, AND whale right now….so gimme like a month and I promise I won't look like a twig anymore okay?"

Widget and Sludge came up behind her and hugged her legs and Grace stood grinning looking for where she could get in on the love fest. It really felt like old times. For Grace anyway as she stood watching her friends laugh and joke and hug one another….but it felt like there was something missing still. The little ginger haired girl poked out her bottom lip, folded her arms, and looked up at the ceiling with her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed…thinking.

"Guy's?"

Everyone looked at her, including Cora's mother.

"I think we're forgettin' somebody."

Cora let Zane go and wriggled out of the twin's leg embrace and walked over to tweak Grace's hat on her head a bit, and then kissed the little girl on the forehead making her wipe it off and push her away slightly with a mock grossed out look.

Cora laughed again and gave Grace a slight push back. "Who're we forgetting Gracie?"

And that's when the answer not only popped into Cora's own head, but all the other kid's at once, and for a moment, they all stood there feeling really guilty. Cora especially.

Zane said it first.

"Dude…we forgot Astro."

Cora's stomach rumbled loudly and her cheeks turned pink at the mention of Astro's name. She was still having those stupid ass dreams! She felt bad that she hadn't thought that much about him other than that though…but she'd been so concerned with finding Zane and everyone else that she just hadn't put a whole lot of thought into wondering where it was he might be.

Cora turned to her mom again who had a very comical expression her face. She had her hands over her mouth to try to keep from laughing out loud, her eyes were watery and squinty and her cheeks were puffed out…all to hold in the laughter. Cora had told her mother about the ridiculous dreams she'd been having and she'd told her that Astro was another boy that used to live with them at Hamegg's, but she hadn't told her that Astro was a robot….and that he was the same robot that had saved Metro City from total destruction. She just didn't know how she would take it if she told her she'd had a dream about being pushed on a swing in a big, poofy, princess dress by a robot in a Victorian tuxedo. And she especially didn't want to tell her about the one where Astro had taken her horseback riding and heroically saved her from riding over a cliff on her frightened horse and she'd rewarded him by….no….just no.

"Mom? Do you think we have enough room in the living room for them all to spend the night and watch movies or something?"

Demimia swallowed down her laughter, and nodded. " I don't think we can just take them with us though, Cora. And you know I have to get up early tomorrow for work."

Cora frowned. She had only just found them…plus she wanted to talk to Zane about looking around for Astro. Who knows? Maybe Astro was flying around somewhere looking for them. Or maybe he was stuck somewhere with his dingy looking father all alone. Cora had seen him lurking in the background after Astro had defeated the peacekeeper. How could someone as nice as Astro be related to someone as douchey looking as that? It was odd. After all the cheering and hullabaloo was over, Astro had run right to him like he was happy to see him, and the guy didn't smile or anything. Just grabbed his hand, and walked off.

Cora looked at Zane. "Do you think your care-taker's would mind if I slept on a couch here or something? I can go home really early?"

Zane shrugged. "I dunno…they're all really nice…much better than what we're used to, but there kinda strict too. But you can gimme your phone number though! They let us use the phone here in the day time."

Cora nodded and ran over to her mother to dig in her purse for a pen and a piece of paper.

"You better call me in like the next thirty minutes Zane! I'm not kidding!"

All the kids laughed, and Zane repeated the statement they had all made in unison earlier.

"Dude! Seriously! You're not our frickin' mom!"

"Well I'm the closest thing you got to it chicken boy! Hush!" Cora shoved the piece of paper with her home number on it into Zane's hand and then turned to the smaller children.

"I wish you guys could come over….but since I don't know the rules on that yet I'll be here every day to check up on you okay? Grace…be good, and don't cuss too much. Widget, don't let anyone bully you! And Sludge, if anyone picks on you, tell Zane, and he'll tell me and I'll fuck em' up good! Zane…seriously dude…start showering..and learn to read!"

"Whatever."

Cora gave them all one last, tight, group hug, and then left with her mother. They were shown out by one of the cleaning bot's that helped out the janitors. Cleaning up after sixty kids with just sixteen janitors was tough. You needed a cleaning bot to pick up some of that slack. Cora practically skipped to her mother's car. She had seen her friends, and she would probably see Astro sometime soon too. She was feeling very optimistic. He had to be somewhere right? Time to go make Demimia spend thirty bucks at Mc Donald's! Whoopee!

Tenma, Emily, and Mustachio

Emily looked around the inside of the foyer with raised eyebrows. Mustachio, a short, stout man with a thick, gray, walrus mustache stood next to her wobbling slightly, but with an equally impressed look on his face. The inside of this house….was beautiful.

Emily looked down at the white marble floor at the fine sheen of dust that now covered it, and then the expensive pottery over in the corner, and large old oil paintings on the wood panel walls. She had only seen houses like this in movies, and on MTV Cribs. There were even wall sconces with real candles in them. She stepped out of the foyer and into the living room, Detective Mustachio following behind her.

"Damn…this guy Tenma had 'spensive taste!"

"I can see that.", Emily said slipping her heals off and rubbing her feet over the soft carpet. It felt like stepping on feathers.

The living room was gigantic, but minimally furnished with a large black grand piano sitting by the fire place which was big enough for a person so lie in. It was dark inside the house, but there was just enough day light left outside to be able to see the opulence of everything within. She looked up at the ceiling where a large crystal chandelier was making prisms on the wall above the mantle. Good lord…Tenma didn't just have expensive taste….he had outrageously expensive taste. Was that an actually bear skin rug in front of the fire place? She left her shoes where they were and went up the stairs. They were actually real, wooden, stairs. Not the steel and glass ones you typically saw in more modern homes. The banister was smooth, and polished, but covered in a sheen of dust just like everything else in the house. Tenma hadn't been here in a while, but it was to be hoped that eventually he'd have a reason to return….and when he did, Mustachio would give Emily the heads up and she'd head in to do what needed to be done. With a police escort of course. She hardly knew anything at all about Dr. Tenma accept that he was Minister of Science during Stone's administration. She couldn't be sure whether or not he would be hostile when she attempted to talk to him, and Mustachio, though tough and dependable, was too lit most of the time to be any use if there was a tussle.

She walked along the little walkway past three rooms, all of which she peeked into before getting to the last one. The first, looked like a child's room, probably Astro's. It was full of all sorts of toys, and video game magazines and consoles and a stereo system more sophisticated than anything she'd ever seen. A kid this spoiled had saved the entire city? There was even a vintage pin-ball machine in there! And more pairs of expensive shoes, and clothes than any human being…or robot… could possibly ever need.

In the second room, there was what looked like several large shelves of books, and music records…..really old music records. There were large wall length windows on the right side of the room that showed out into the back yard where the grass and bushes and trees had grown wild for not having been tended to for several months. This room too had a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the floors were made of a dark oak polished as impeccably as everything else undoubtedly was. The third room had been rather uneventful. It was full of file cabinets and nothing else…and all the file cabinets had been locked so she left out of that room as soon as she'd realized she wasn't going to be able to get into any of them. The last room, which she knew had to be Dr. Tenma's bedroom proved to be the most interesting out of them all…and not just because of all the expensive furniture either.

She heard a glass clink behind her and turned around to see Mustachio standing behind her holding a bottle of Brandy and two glasses she was sure he'd taken out of the little 'entertaining' cabinet downstairs on the far wall in the living room. He was grinning and moving his eyebrows suggestively.

"How about we partake of the fruits of the science man's labor Ms. Niele?"

She rolled her sharp blue eyes and pushed open the door to Tenma's room and stepped inside.

"Put it back Mustachio. If he comes back here we don't want him to know anyone's been through looking for him."

"Awww, c'mon! Just one drink? I got us in here, and wasn't easy ya know! It took me forever to figure out where he'd hide his spare house key! Wanna know where I found it? It was up in one of the rain gutter's on the second floor! I nearly broke mah neck! And besides! Don't you want a little drink? You're always so stressed lookin'."

Emily ignored the Detective and looked around. The sunset was over now and it was full on dark outside now. There were windows, behind what looked like a big bed…but she couldn't see much else. She decided to take a little risk, and wandered over to the big wooden desk and flipped the little lamp on it on to get some light. She looked back to the bed, and heard Mustachio make a noise behind her.

"Mmm. You could do a lot in a bed that big! Ha ha!"

"Shut up Mustachio!"

"I'm just saying! I'll bet whoever he's married to is one happy broad!"

"Stop with the crude jokes, and just investigate!"

Emily walked over by the bed, running her hand over the red, silk sheet's and think blanket. She was here on business but she couldn't help being impressed by all this. Tenma must've been making tons of money as Minister of Science….and if he wasn't…then did he hail from some wealthy family somewhere? She walked over to two double doors that were directly across from the bed. Most likely the closet. As she opened it and stepped in she heard the head board on the bed knock against the wall loudly. She looked over her shoulder to find Mustachio lying face up on the bed with his hands behind his head.

"Ahhh! Now this is a bed!"

"Get off it Mustachio! Didn't you listen to what I said earlier?"

Emily walked further into the closet after saying this and turned on the light within, and looked around. All the clothes and shoes were gone. So he had been here to get his clothing…he'd probably gotten all of his son's as well. She looked down at the floor at the back of the closet where rested a large, shiny, black lacquer box, the only thing left other than one or two funky looking ties on a rack and a few old hats. She bent down and peered closer at it, and then..after a moment…opened it up. Her eyes widened, and she slowly but surely reached her hand in.

"Oh…my…god."

Mustachio grumbled outside on the bed. "What'd ya find Ms. Niele?"

"I have absolutely no idea…" Emily pulled her hand out of the box and stared at the riding crop in it. She looked back down inside the box at all the other…questionable artifacts inside it. She dug around for a good bit looking around until she noticed that Mustachio had gotten pretty quiet back behind her. She stood up and closed the box, and then walked out of the closet only to bump into someone who was obviously not the man she'd come in with. She heard snoring. Did that stupid bastard really fall asleep and not notice this guy walk in?

She jumped back into the closet, it being the only place she could move back due to the tall, dark figure standing in front of her. He walked forward too, and when she saw his face…she relaxed a bit…but only slightly from recognition of who it was. The look on his face kept her mostly on edge however. He was looking over her shoulder at the opened black box behind her, his mouth set in a grim line and his dark eyes flashing angrily.

She stood there watching him for a moment, not knowing what to say, and then finally spoke.

"Hello Dr. Tenma…my name is-"

"Emily Niele? The one that left a hundred and fifty messages on my answering machine?" He stepped around her and closed the box. She didn't know how to respond to that last so she kept going trying to be as polite as possible. He looked a lot different from the picture she'd seen of him in downstairs on the wall holding his son, both of them dressed in matching outfits and smiling. The man standing in front of her now had a full growth of jet, black beard and his clothes…which looked like they had once been very nice, looked drawn up and wrinkled as though he had tried to wash clothes that were supposed to be dry-cleaned in an actual washing machine. His shoes, which she automatically knew by looking at them were very expensive Italian leather shoes. They were now scuffed badly and it looked like the bottoms of the shoes were starting to peel from the uppers.

"Uh…yes. I'm Secretary of State to President Logan…we've been looking for you and your son for a while now to talk to the two of you."

Tenma bent over and picked up the riding crop she'd left on the floor, and then turned around to look at her. He blinked slowly.

"I'm not going to make anything for the government. If that's what you want I suggest you walk out now, and take that idiot snoring on my bed in there with you." He didn't say it loudly or even in a rude manner. He was letting his body language get the message across without having to be excessively brutal with his speech, and Emily got the message loud and clear. She didn't leave the closet though, and she knew how to look pretty scary when she wanted to too.

"That's not what we're interested in Dr. Tenma. What we've actually been trying to get in contact with you about is-"

Emily jumped backward and bumped the closet door, her mouth hanging open in shock. Tenma had just smacked her leg with the riding crop and none too softly either! And he was grinning now. She turned and ran out of the closet catching another blow to her backside as she ran to the side of the bed to wake up Mustachio.

She practically screeched in the slumbering man's ear. "WAKE UP YOU FAT IDIOT HE'S HEREEEE! WAKE UP AND PROTECT ME! HE'S INSANE!"

Tenma walked slowly out of the closet still holding the crop laughing. Laughing out loud with his eyes closed and bearded chin pointing to the ceiling. He looked the spitting image of a mad scientist at that moment. Messed up clothes and all.

Mustachio jerked awake and hopped up off of the bed and immediately put his fists up looking around confusedly. "Where is he? I'll get em'! I'll get em'!" Emily turned him in the right direction and pointed.

Tenma stopped laughing abruptly, and tossed the riding crop onto the other side of the bed and looked at the wobbly detective and the woman behind him, his grin still in place.

"Sorry about that Ms. Neile, but I have a rule about that box you see."

"And what's that you maniac?"

"Anyone who open's it gets hit with whatever they take out."

Emily narrowed her eyes at him. "Why would someone who has children keep a box like that in their house! You've got-you've got knives in there!"

"Why would someone who's supposed to be a very professional government official stoop to sneaking around in another man's house?"

"We were looking for some evidence that you'd been here recently so we could try to talk to you next you came back! We've been calling both you and Dr. Elefun for months!"

"Have you ever thought that maybe Dr. Elefun and I just aren't very social people? You do know what they say about Robotics Engineer's don't you Ms. Neile?" Tenma's grin widened.

"No! And I'd rather not know Dr. Tenma! I just want to talk to you about your son, Astro!"

"Ah. Well if that's the case then whatever your question is, the answer is no.", Tenma said picking up a small bag off the bed and putting it under his arm, and giving them a mock smile. He then turned on his heel and proceeded to walk out of the room.

Emily pushed the wobbly, and confused Mustachio ahead in front of her following Tenma out into the hallway. Mustachio looked back at Emily. "Do ya want me to hit em' or what?" Emily shook her head no after thinking about it a moment as she watched his tall, dark figure walk leisurely down the stairs taking in the scenery. She hadn't expected to be…hit with a riding crop….but she had to at least try and get him to agree to meet on another day to discuss a deal or something. His frazzled clothing, and deranged grin made him look crazy…but maybe he could be reasoned with somehow. Worst came to worst…she could just shove Mustachio on him and run away.

She trotted past Mustachio and down the stairs after him. "Wait! Can you just listen to what I have to say for a few minutes?"

"If it's about my son..no."

"We just want him to make some appearances with President Logan to-!"

" You mean you want him to parade around in front of cameras for the people's entertainment?"

"NO-! We-!"

"He is not a show piece and nor will I allow you to make him into one."

Tenma had finally stopped walking. He was standing by one of the big velvet couches closest to the entrance to the foyer. His grin had disappeared and he looked angry now. Emily wasn't cowed however, and stepped closer.

"Your son is a hero Dr. Tenma! There are a lot of people out in the city who would really love to see him! We don't want to make him a show piece, we just want the public to see him, and be inspired by him. Do you have any idea how bad things are right now in Metro City?"

"Not really. And to be quite frank I could care less Ms. Neile. What would me allowing my son to be present at one of your 'town hall meetings' accomplish?"

Emily narrowed her already sharp, blue eyes at him. Soulless bastard.

"Like I said before. Things are bad, and morale is low Dr. Tenma. We think that allowing everyone to see the person who made it possible for us to even be where we are now, would give them some strength to keep going. It would help Astro too. People out there know about him….and they know about you, and why you made him Dr. Tenma."

"Do they? And what exactly do they think I made him for? A charity to them? Someone for them to call on when they need someone to fight monster's and out of control robots?" Tenma was now standing directly in front of her, his teeth bared in anger.

"No, Dr. Tenma. Most of the people native to Metro City know you made him in the image of your son that passed away. All the other scientists at the Ministry didn't have any issue's whatsoever with telling President Logan and I…and the press where Astro came from."

"What do those sniveling refugee's and construction worker's need to see him for then? You couldn't get your reporter's to right an inspiring enough story in the paper?"

Emily thought a moment then smiled, and shook her head. "No. We couldn't. You put a lot of love into making him though. That was pretty clear to everyone who saw him fight that day. We just want to see if Astro can get the public to put a little love into rebuilding this place."

Tenma's anger seemed to ebb slightly at hearing that last, and Emily took her chance.

"If you don't have time now…maybe we can discuss it more on a later date?"

Tenma looked at her, and then at the portly, intoxicated man behind her still standing on the stairs looking on. Then he looked around the inside of his living room…and at his frazzled clothing. He thought about Astro's holey socks, and busted tennis shoes, and Elefun's incessant nagging about how Astro needed to be around friends and whatnot. Then the hostility and ice usually surrounding his heart melted slightly and he let his eye's travel back down to those of Emily Neile's.

"I'll talk to you. But I'm going to go ahead and give you a head's up right now Ms. Neile. Most people find me a difficult man to get along with when it comes to negotiations. You'd best be prepared to hand in all your chips!"

Emily nodded quickly and followed him into the foyer when he began walking again, not paying attention to the seriousness with which he made the comment. "Where can we find you? What time?"

"Since you found my spare house key you can just meet me back here in a week….and…Emily is your name correct?"

"Yes?"

"Two things. One. Don't bring the drunk. Two….you would be much more attractive if you would take your hair out of that ridiculous bun. How old are you? Thirty-two? It makes you look at least ten years older than you are."

And with that, Tenma walked out the front door of his home leaving a very rattled Emily standing in the foyer clutching at her bun angrily.

"Bastard!"

(A/N: Okay. Hope you guy's enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it. I did a lot of embellishing on Tenma as you can see. It's just the way I see him I suppose. I can't go into explaining because it would take too long. Anyhow, in the next chapter Cora and Astro finally get around to seeing one another, and you get to hear a little bit more of what Astro thinks about everything that's going. As for the thing with the box…um..I hope I don't get banned for that or anything. And if anybody wants me to explain why, just pm me, or wait for my next Astro fanfic. Read and Review please!)