A/N: Sorry this took a while, there was writer's block, along with a few awkward social situations that needed to be dealt with. And I finally got to see the series finale (which I thought was pretty good, except that it was the end of an awesome series)! So, this is somewhat AU now.
Previously:
"D—Dad," Ned stuttered. "I have to talk to Emerson about th-the client—"
"Not now, you don't," Jack said, sitting back in his seat. "I saved your life, the least you can give me is a conversation with some answers."
Emerson looked at Ned with some nervousness and frustration. "You know I can't talk with this client without you," he said, chuckling to hide how serious he was from Jack.
"Then do some interviews or something instead. Take Olive and—" Ned stopped.
"Chuck?" Jack prompted. "Was that her going into the kitchen just now?"
Ned cleared his throat. "I—I have no idea what you're talking about," he lied nervously. "Chuck was murdered more than a year ago. And Mr. Charles passed away when I was ten."
"That's true," Jack said. "But that doesn't explain why he visited my apartment yesterday."
Ned's eyes widened. Mr. Charles had broken rules number eight and seventeen by simply visiting his father, let alone telling him about Chuck. The list of rules apparently didn't matter to him after he ran away.
"Oh, how cute, you still can't lie without your eye twitching like that! So, how long ago did you bring back Chuck?"
"I think we should continue this conversation in private!" Ned's voice jumped to an uncomfortably high pitch.
Jack drank the last bit of his coffee. "That's a good idea."
Ned stood up, and ignoring the way Olive gaped at him as he walked by, he led the way to the apartment stairwell through the kitchen. As the door swung open, he mouthed a horrified "Oh my God!" to Chuck, who stood at the main table holding the vase of flowers that Ned was sacrificing for his Blissberry pie.
"I'm so sorry," she squeaked. In a desperate attempt to hide from Ned's father, she held the flowers in front of her face as she twirled out the other door, timing it carefully enough to dodge him. Although, now she didn't know if her precaution would even matter, in light of her dad's secret-spilling.
Digby bounded over as soon as Ned opened the door, but immediately shied away when he saw the new visitor.
"Oh, is that Digby? When did that happen?"
Ned's hands were still deeply buried in his pockets. "When I was nine."
"What a shame." Digby barked viciously at him. "Oh, it seems like he doesn't remember me."
"I think he does," Ned said darkly.
Ignoring Ned's jibe, Jack wandered around the living room, looking the pictures on the wall and perusing the bookcase. Ned watched anxiously as he picked up one of the few family pictures he owned, examined it, and set it back down gently, smiling about how cheerful they had appeared.
"How much do you know?" Ned finally asked.
"You have a gift," Jack said. "We—your mother and I—discovered that when you were four."
Ned sat down on the couch. "You both knew?"
Jack chuckled to himself. "We went to the museum, and there was an interesting little incident that was hard to ignore…"
On a dreary Saturday afternoon, Ned and his parents were touring the Papen County Historical Museum. Although the mummification exhibit was closed for renovations, Ned was happy looking at the small animals on display, not listening to his parents discussing their current marital woes behind him. The museum was unusually empty considering the miserable weather, and this was optimal for their argument to remain private. And, considering Ned's curiosity about the furry stuffed squirrel on display, the isolation was optimal to keep other things private as well.
Ned had reached out to pet the squirrel only to see how soft it was, but it suddenly wriggled under his grasp and leapt to the floor, free of the display. Young Ned screamed, trying to get away from the animal, both of them completely terrified. The quiet argument stopped, and while Ned's father ran over to comfort the young boy, Ned's mother lunged for the squirrel. The squirrel, disoriented by its new freedom, tried to scurry away, but a bright blue spark crossed between the small animal and her hand, and it fell to the floor, motionless again.
"You would tell anyone you met about "the running squirrel", and we finally got you Digby to distract you," Jack said, laughing about this fond memory.
"Digby was a bribe?!"
"It worked!" he said. "You forgot all about the squirrel."
"Wait…" Ned looked up at his father. "You mean that I must have re-touched the squirrel. You said Mom but it must have been—"
"I know what I said."
His mouth fell open for what felt like the hundredth time today. "You mean…Mom…"
"Yes."
Ned stood up, running his hands through his hair. "But I never saw—she never said anything—I mean—oh God, I can't breathe!"
"It was a shock to me as well," Jack said somewhat unhelpfully.
"I—I don't—I need to get some air—to think—I need to get out—"
Jack watched as he fumbled to undo the lock on the door. "Ned, please, we really need to talk."
Ned threw the door open, and Digby rushed past him. "Please, j—just don't. I need to think," he blurted before storming out and slamming the door behind him.
A/N: I seem to be ending with cliffhangers a lot...I considered ending it right before Ned's reaction, but I thought that it would be easier like this. What did you all think of the series finale?
