Disclaimer...not mine...belongs to CBS...WB...whoever else. Not intended for anything but entertainment...no infringment intended...Just my idea of fun

Of course those of you who have watched both shows know I've taken some liberties with the characters to say the least. :)

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As Beth enters Mick's office, she watches him pace back and forth. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor. Why does this bother you so much?"

"Because there are only about 3 things I want out of life and Josef has given me nothing but grief over them when all the time he was holding out. The thing with Sarah was bad enough but if this is what I think then…"

"Well, we won't know until we see him. When is he due?" Beth asks.

Mick glances at the clock. "He should be here soon. Beth I meant what I said. If Josef comes after either of us, you shoot him with my gun and make it dead center."

Beth's shakes her head in exasperation. "Mick, Josef is not going to hurt either of us. I don't believe that and neither do you. You're just pissed because he didn't say anything to you about Logan. Calm down."

Mick hears the knock on the apartment door and he turns to go answer it. Beth steps in front of him. "I'm going to go and see if it's Josef, if it is, I'm going to let him in, and you are going to stop acting like an idiot."

"No. You're not." Mick says.

"Yes, I am." Beth counters.

They continue until Josef pokes his head through the office door. He can hear them arguing like a couple of kids. "Did you forget I have a key?"

Both of them turn and glare at him. He looks at them and looks down at the floor for a minute. Josef looks back up he smiles shyly, "Surprise, it's a boy."

Mick walks past him into the other room and doesn't say a word. Beth walks over and gives Josef a hug. Josef looks back at Mick and then arches an eyebrow at Beth. She shrugs nudging him back into the other room. Her message is clear. Make things right.

Beth walks toward the kitchen. "Josef would you like a drink…how about you Mick?" Josef wants half-and-half and Mick grumbles he wants scotch straight up. Beth mixes a half scotch, half blood for Josef and gives Mick a glass and the bottle. He wants to act like an ass he can just pour his own drink.

They sit in silence for a bit and finally Josef clears his throat. "Look I know you're mad and I'm sorry, but the kid had to come first. Be pissed all you want but admit to me that you would do anything to protect your own humans from the rest of us…." Josef sighs. "Even from the best of us."

Mick understands what Josef is getting at and knows there is a lot of truth there. He would do anything to protect Beth. "How long have you known about him and how the hell could you have left him in that house?" Mick asks bluntly.

Josef scowls at thoughts of what hell Logan's childhood must have been like. "I actually didn't find out about him until about ten months ago. I had absolutely no idea and when my investigators got the whole story, I made sure that son of a bitch wasn't going to ever lay a hand on Logan again. The Kane kid thinks he paid for that bastard's execution, for his sister's murder, but I was way ahead of him and the wheels were already in motion. He just paid the bonus money." Josef lets out a growl. "The only reason I didn't do it myself is because there were too many eyes on the son of a bitch."

Mick nods. That sounds like Josef. "I wish you'd said something."

Josef lets out a sigh "I know, but it's been kind of a shock. I haven't really been on even footing since I found out. Let me start at the beginning. You remember back in the late 80s? You'd abandoned me for her." Josef tilts his head towards Beth and Mick nods. "and I was seeing quite a few actresses at the time?"

"Humans?" Beth asked

"Yes, Humans but nothing serious, just having fun with pretty ladies. Anyway, there was one very pretty lady that found out what I was and she didn't care. I didn't tell you at the time because I thought you'd be mad, like I was when Beth found out about our people."

Beth frowns at him and he waves his hand in the air at her "A secret is a secret is a secret."

"Anyway, that was Lynn Lester and because she knew, I took things farther than I normally do with humans. This went on for about a year and one day she disappeared. I didn't think much of it. I kind of figured she just moved on to something else. It was never a serious relationship for either of us."

Mick is thinking back to those days and clearly remembers Lynn. Mick smiles. "I knew she knew. I just didn't let you know, I knew she knew."

Josef rolls his eyes "Yea, and who's on first?"

Beth just looks confused.

Josef and Mick both stop to think for a bit. "Anyway Lynn leaves and I don't hear from her again until ten months ago. Her name is now Lynn Echolls. She wanted to see me and I thought what the heck. I have fond memories of her and she kept my secrets. Well, she could have dropped a house on me. She wants me to make her disappear to the Netherlands, and she wants me to kill her husband AND she wants to do this because she and my son's lives have become unbearable. I thought she was crazy as a loon but then she showed me a picture of Logan, good-looking kid that he is," Mick rolls his eyes at that as Josef continues. "and she gave me blood samples. She told me to have the DNA tests done and call her back. I did, I had to. I couldn't take the chance she wasn't lying. He's mine all right."

Josef shakes his head as he remembers his panic. He'd spent all the years after Sarah only caring for people who could take care of themselves, because humans are too damn vulnerable. "I couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell anyone until I had decided what to do about him, Lynn, and that bastard who had been abusing Logan. I could have killed her when I found out the level of abuse Logan was subjected to. She'd left that out and I'd already paid to have her tucked away in the Netherlands in a convent of all places. My whole life has become the twilight zone because you know, I don't get involved with humans, it never ends well, and vampires can't have children. The freakin' twilight zone."

Mick gets up, goes into the office and comes back with a file folder, and hands it to Josef. In it are all the pictures that Mick and Beth managed to take of Logan while they were in Neptune. The four of them spent some time on the beach very late on an overcast day. Beth took a bunch of pictures. Josef stares at one picture after another. "I don't get to see many pictures of him. This is the first ones I've seen of him surfing. Now and then Veronica takes pictures of him and Ryder intercepts them off her computer and sends me copies. He's very good at tapping her computer through her Internet connection. I'm surprised you could even get any of them. She's as paranoid as I am. She's got scrubbers on the net munching up pictures of him."

Beth watches Josef as he looks over the pictures. "God you have no idea how much I'd like to meet him…spend some time with him."

The idea worries Mick when he hears Josef talk about meeting Logan. "I asked Veronica about the picture munching on the net. Logan didn't know but he didn't care either. You know he kind of reminds me of you. At first I thought you were completely different but he's pretty hedonistic. Loves woman, money and fun."

Josef smiles at that. "Yes, even over the time I've been keeping tabs on him I've noticed we have some things in common. Although he likes white and I like red."

Mick smiles and Beth looks a little confused. Josef shakes his head. "Never mind, vampire humor."

"Josef tell me where your biker buddy fits in." Beth asks

"Well, I've known Weevil for a couple hundred years and he was in the area already. He didn't know Logan, they don't exactly travel in the same circles, but I contacted him and asked him to see if he could find a way to sort of keep track of Logan and make sure if any of the tribe showed up to call me. Weevil owes me big time from the old days. I saved his ass more than once and the way he lives, he knows he may need me to save him again so it was safe to have him around Logan. You'd be surprise at how, with enough money, you can get blood into a vamp in jail. It's not easy or cheap but it's doable. So now I owe him for the next time he gets himself tossed in the can before he can get out of town."

"So he's essentially your onsite security." Mick says.

"Weevil and Veronica have a mutual interest in keeping Logan in one piece even if she doesn't know it. She helps Weevil out, and he helps her out and between them, they have more information than the local cops do. I don't know if Veronica and Logan will last but for now, they seem to be doing ok. I just worry that her P.I. work is going to drag Logan into something dangerous."

Beth sits there marveling at how Josef all of a sudden sounds just like any other parent. It is surreal to say the least.

Mick eyes Josef. "I think it already has, at least a couple times."

Josef looks at Mick. "What are you talking about?"

"According to Veronica, Logan has saved her from a meth head pusher and charged some kid with a gun that was shooting at her. She said when she's in danger he's absolutely fearless and it scares the hell out of her." Mick says.

Josef's face is a hard line. "I know about the Fitzpatrick's and I have plans for the whole lot of them, they are a problem what can't wait much longer. They are crazy from the drugs and Veronica is in real danger from them. As for the kid with the gun, I knew that Logan saved her but not that he was charging loaded guns. Damn kid."

Mick and Beth exchange glances then she starts to laugh. Josef looks offended for about a minute and then he starts smiling. "I can't help it. Even vampires apparently have some sort of parental instincts. It is sort of the same feelings you get with a fledgling vampire. Although this is decidedly different because Logan is already grown up but the urge to protect is the same."

Mick realizes he hasn't heard everything. "You know I have more questions than can possibly be answered right now."

"Me too. Me too." Says Beth

"Yes, I can just imagine." Josef stands up and starts pacing and scowling and Mick wonders at the change in his attitude. "You didn't really think I would hurt you and Beth? What was this business about not wanting to go to the house?"

"Josef what am I suppose to think when I find out you have a son that you haven't mentioned? What I think is your security concerns have gone into over drive to protect the kid and you would do anything to that end. As you pointed out, I'd do anything to keep Beth safe." Mick smiles at Beth.

"I'm sorry about all that but I wouldn't hurt you or Beth because I know neither of you would hurt Logan." Josef smiles "Trust issues…Mick you have trust issues."

Beth laughs. "This from Mr. Paranoia."

Josef paces a moment. "Look, I have a lot more to tell you about what I've planned so far and I need your input. Especially since, you have at least met Logan and Veronica but I'm getting hungry and I'm sure Beth probably wants food. Why don't we all take a break and meet back at my place at say eleven and we can talk some more?"

Mick and Beth look across to each other and she nods so Mick agrees and they plan to meet back at Josef's at eleven.

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Josef dismisses most of the household staff for the night. Only Robert who has known Josef longer than anyone is still in the house. Robert has taken care of Josef and his houses for more years than either of them can count. Robert knows about Logan and is as amazed.

Mick and Beth drive up after Beth gets dinner. It was early enough when Josef left that she got a catnap in also. She feels rested so she can go all night with these two night owls and not miss any thing.

Mick knocks and Robert answers and lets them in. "Josef is in the study." Mick starts to turn and Robert calls him back. "Mick, think carefully about the advice you give him, about the boy. I…. don't think he's thinking straight. You know, I want the best for him but if he loses this kid, it could knock him flat and he may not get up again. It was bad enough after Sarah."

Mick knows what Robert is getting at. He nods and they go into Josef's study.

Josef asks if either of them wants a drink. He pours a glass of wine for Beth and a couple scotches for himself and Mick. They all sit and start again.

Mick decides he can steer the discussion in the right direction. "So, what next? Are you just going to keep him safe for the rest of his life and get regular reports on him?"

Josef looks at Mick somewhat surprised. "I'm going to invite him to meet his long lost brother."

Alarmed Mick asks. "His brother?"

"Well, I can't exactly be his father right off the bat now can I? Look he's old enough now that I could claim to be his brother and it works age wise because Lynn had him when she was 26 so I could be 7 or 8 years older and still be his brother. My records have always been just sketchy enough so that they could be altered without much trouble to fit what I need and this is what I need."

Beth watches Mick as he starts pacing the room. Josef watches him and he gets up and starts pacing the other side. Beth thinks she's getting motion sickness having the two of them going back and forth.

Mick breaks the silence. "What are you going to do down the road when he starts to catch up to you age wise, when he ages and you don't?"

"I'll either tell him the truth or if I don't think he can handle it I'll die tragically in a fiery crash and leave him my empire and start over quietly somewhere else. I will say he's shown a talent for the money. I keep tabs on his financial transactions and he's managing his own accounts and he's turned 1.5 million into almost 3 million."

Mick gets to the heart of the matter. "What if you tell him the truth and he wants to join up? What if he doesn't want to and you have to just watch him age and die?"

"If he wants to join up then we worry about finding him a sire at that time. Unlike you, I don't have a problem with that. If he doesn't then I've gotten more years with him than I ever expected... God, all of a sudden I feel like I'm talking to myself."

"Josef, I just don't want you to go off the deep end if something happens…. even something unexpected happens to Logan. It's hard with humans…. they're fragile." Beth hears Mick's voice breaking.

"Like I don't know that." Josef lashes back at Mick

Beth thinks about Veronica. "Josef whatever you do you better make it damn good, because if there are any holes anywhere in your story Veronica will find them and it will be all over. Have you thought about where she fits into all this because if you haven't you better. I talked to her enough to know that part of the problems they have had over time is her inability to let things go. If you try and tell him and not her, she's going to sense something and dig until he has to tell her to keep her and if you haven't prepared her it could be bad."

The trio laps into silence again. Beth breaks it this time. "What I want to know is how…this happened…and if it happens very often." She smiles at Mick thinking about the fact that they never use birth control because after all, Vampires can't have children and she pushes her wine away. Mick smiles. He can almost see the thoughts going through her head. Mick laughs softly to himself realizing that hope for some of the things he wants from life are coming from Josef yet again.

Josef sighs. He knew this question was coming. "I have no idea on either count. I'm quite sure if it happens very often no one is talking about it for the same reasons I can't. I've lived four hundred years and I've got a lot of enemies, hell Mick's less than a hundred and he has a lot of enemies. It's the way it is in our world. At least if Logan is living here he can be protected from someone figuring out who he is and trying to get to me through him." Josef shakes his head trying to make sense of it all. "Before I forget to mention this, when I had the DNA tests done my research guys said Logan's DNA is different from a normal human. They don't know how the differences affect him but they are there. In some respects, they mirror some of the changes our DNA goes through when we are turned. They are working with a couple of vampires that are getting ready to be sires. They're going to do before and after DNA tests. It will be interesting to see how they match up to Logan's DNA. Of course, no one knows the exact nature of the DNA they're working with. I've given them as much information as I can without exposing Logan."

Mick shakes his head. "Josef you can justify this however you want but if you mess this up it's not just your life that ends up a mess but this 18 year old kid who is probably better off where he is."

Josef growls. "Mick, that's not an option. I'm going to see my son and with any luck Logan and Veronica will be living here. It's their choice but I'm not going to put this off any longer."

Mick sighs…"Josef I think it's your own ego that wants him here and I think it will be everyone's undoing."

Josef turns to Beth. "What do you think? Is he better off? Would you have been better off if you didn't know what Mick is and that he loves you?"

Beth smiles at Josef. "You don't play fair. To answer your question no I wouldn't be better off."

Mick scowls at her but she just shrugs.

Beth walks over and puts her hand on Josef's arm. "Josef if you were going to offer him a regular human life I would agree that it would be a good thing. The problem is people keep abandoning him or they never loved him to begin with. I can't believe his mother is alive and left him. I'd like to help you strangle her. If he loses you it is not going to do him any good to have your empire it will be just one more person he's lost. I think you should leave him where he is for now. Keep track of him like you've been doing and maybe help him from the shadows. He's young enough that you don't really have to decide this now. Let him grow up."

Josef sits back down heavily in the chair. He puts his face in his hands and leans over. "What if someone other than you discovers him?"

"You've got a pretty good system worked out. I think even if Veronica and Logan go their separate ways she's not going to let anything happen to him. They really do love each other. It doesn't take long to see that. If they work on it they might stay together. But you really need to make sure she stays safe. She is really his weak spot."

Josef looks up at Beth. "You're suggesting that I continue to rely on a teenage girl who weights maybe a 105 pounds to keep my son safe. That is one big if."

"I know, but some times that just the way it is, and they both have Weevil to help out."

Mick laughs. "And Mr. Snappy"

Beth and Josef look at him like he's nuts and he explains about Veronica's Taser. "I have a hunch she's not hesitant to use it either."

"All right…here's what I'll do. I'll leave things as they are for now but prepare an emergency exit in case things change drastically, but I want to meet him. I don't care how it happens but I want to meet my son."

Mick slowly shakes his head. "Josef, that's not a smart idea…. If you didn't look so much alike..."

"I don't give a shit." Beth jumps as Josef's glass shatters against the wall and his fangs flash. "If the three of us give this some thought we can figure out how to make it happen."

Josef looks over at Beth and smiles sadly. "I'm sorry. I don't want to frighten you. I just want to meet my son. Is that so hard to understand?"

"No, Josef. It's not hard to understand at all." Beth says.

"Also I'm going to give Weevil the go ahead to turn him if he gets critically injured, same with Veronica. We can always do whatever we have to later with the fall out if it is a bad move. It's still better than having them dead with no recourse."

Beth looks across at Mick. Mick knows she's thinking of his refusal to turn Josh. Beth starts to cry silently and leaves the room. Josef looks up and watches her leave. "What was that about?"

"Josh"

Josef sighs. "Shit."

"It's ok. You do what you have to. It's not the same thing and you don't have my...issues on the subject. You're paving the way ahead of time. You know, maybe if there were a way to introduce him to a vampire other than you ahead of time, it would help later. Maybe Weevil or someone could kind of inoculate him to the idea. That way he would be ahead of the game, if it came to a turning. The whole vampire thing would not be such an alien concept."

Josef smiles at Mick. "That's really a very good idea. I'll think on the proper players."

Beth wonders back in and she goes over and sits on Mick's lap. Josef looks over and smiles at her. "Forgiven?"

Beth smiles, "Nothing to forgive. The past just has a way of sneaking up on a person. Remember that."

Josef snorts. "Believe me. No one knows that better than I do."

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Beth is wandering the apartment deep in thought. Mick watches her wander around not paying much attention to what she's doing. She's thinking about Josef's problems and it's making her restless. Mick wishes he had an easy answer for Josef as well but he just doesn't see it. Beth wonders over to where Mick is on the couch and sits down. "What if he just told them both the truth, right up front, no beating around the bush? He just flat out told them who he is and what he is. We could be there to help explain things, especially me since I'm still human and most of the time," she grins. "I have no problem relating to the two of you."

Mick shrugs and laughs a little. "It's a pretty odd concept for a vampire to go that route. We spend our entire lives hiding who we are from humans it wouldn't even occur to one of us to tell someone straight on. I think though first someone would have to have a good conversation with Weevil since he's the only vampire that's spent any time with the two of them. He may have an idea of how it would go over. I told Josef that he should find someone to tell them about vampires, show them ahead of time to get them use to the idea before the whole thing is in crisis. Maybe that would be the first step and if it went ok than Josef could just meet with them and lay it out. It would certainly be better than them stumbling on it later and worrying about them thinking vampires are nothing but monsters."

Mick smiles and thinks of his worry when Beth found him all vamped out trying to get the poison out of his system. Mick knows that with Beth he'd gotten lucky. Most humans would not have reacted the way she did. She got use to it and they moved on although he thinks the desert was really the turning point for them. She knew what dire straights he was in and he had refused to drain her. At that point, she knew she would never ever fear him.

"It's certainly worth considering. I'll talk to Josef and see what he thinks."

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As always loved to hear what people think...