CHAPTER 10
Feeling the Love

The only thing that woke Tony up that morning was the sun peeking out through the blinds. Even if it was Christmas Eve, he wasn't overly enthused. Mostly because he had only managed to make Tim angry with him when it came to his hopefully soon-to-be family. And tonight, he was going to meet Will and Jedd's adoptive Father, Conner, which only served to make him nervous. He closed his eyes again, and buried himself under the covers again, he was not about to get out there and meet Conner, he was simply too nervous.

He heard the door creek open about an hour later, and a gentle hand moving along his cheek. He knew it was Sarah by the touch, she had soft, smooth hands where as Will's showed roughness from his years of military service. "Time to get up sweetie, Conner's here." Tony turned over again, and Sarah frowned a bit "Tony... It's time to get up." She added, firmly.

"Yeah, because I'm doing SUCH a great job with the family so far." Tony turned over in his bed "Just tell Conner I'm not feeling well."

Sarah sighed, it was days like these she wished she knew how to handle a teenage boy better. She gently rubbed his back, sighing. "Sweetheart, you got off to a rough start, but Conner's a nice man." Sarah sighed a bit, she looked down at him "Jedd and Pearl both like you, Annabelle likes you... Tim is rough to everyone to begin with." Tony looked up at her "You can't spend the entire day fearing your own shadow." She added.

Tony slowly sat up, and stared over at Sarah. He sighed a bit, looking down for a moment. "Alright, I'm getting up, Sarah. Give me privacy." Sarah smiled, and stood up, the boy sighed, and stared over "But if I do screw this up, I hope you know. I'm leaping under my bed, and not coming out, EVER." He stated bluntly, Sarah giggled as he stood out of bed, and looked over at Sarah "Will's not mad I wouldn't talk to him last night, is he?" He asked.

"Just concerned." Sarah replied "I am too, Tony. You know... We're here to talk to when you need us."

Tony stared at his Foster Mother silently, he stared down for a moment. He knew that, they'd been there for him more times than any other family. And now, they were in the process of adopting him, the earliest stages, but working on it none-the-less. "I know Sarah, and I'll talk to you guys when I'm ready, but..." Tony was silent for a moment "That's not now." He explained.

Sarah nodded her head slowly, understanding well enough. Will had barely talked to her about his parents death after they had been married after all. Tony looked at her slowly, and she took a deep breath. "I understand, Will couldn't talk about why they put him in the system... For fifteen years." Sarah admitted, quietly, Tony nodded slowly "Take your time Tony, but just remember. As far as I'm concerned, you're my child..." She paused "You can talk to me any time." She added.

As Sarah left, Tony took a deep breath. Carefully slipping on his clothes, a knock on his door made him nearly jumping five feet in the air. He turned around, finding Annabelle standing there. "Dad asked me to come see what was keeping you." Tony smirked at her "I can see you're moseying along. Should I tell him you're being lazy?" She teased.

"Nah, I'm just nervous." Tony laughed at her quietly "I'm coming down, now."

Tony started to head for the door as Annabelle blocked his path a bit. "Look, Mom and Dad aren't the only people you have to talk to. I know we only met a while ago, and we haven't... Hung out much." His older foster sister shifted a bit "But you're still my little brother, and that's going to be permanent soon. So you can tell me what's going on, if it's easier." She explained.

Tony stared at Annabelle, her eyes were filled with concern. Tony stared at Annabelle slowly, he looked over her shoulder, then led her in and closed the door. "What did you find out?" Tony asked.

Busted. Annabelle's eyes fell, she'd been given away by something. She sighed a bit, looking at him. "Last night, I came in looking for you. And saw your computer was open, guess you were in the bathroom. I saw the emails from that 'David' guy." She looked at him "I only saw the titles... But, Tony, is your Dad in jail too, or...?" She began.

"He is... Was in rehab." Tony replied, he took a deep breath "He was a deadbeat and a drunk. And he's been trying to contact me for a few months now." He explained, knowing there was no hiding it.

"Have you replied?" Annabelle asked.

"Are you KIDDING me? Of course not, I watched him beat my Mother every single day. No way in hell do I want ANYTHING to do with him." Tony replied, Annabelle frowned slightly, he turned his head away a bit "I think he's trying to find me. And I'm just a little scared he's getting closer." He admitted, Annabelle stared at Tony "Even though he's probably clean now, I don't want to go back to him, at all." He admitted.

"You have to tell Mom and Dad, they'll help you. They can keep him away." Annabelle replied.

"If I have a reason to, I will." Tony replied, he stared at Annabelle "You have to promise you won't say a WORD to them. I'll tell them myself if I have to. But right now, he doesn't know where I am. He's not allowed custody, and..." He paused "I haven't seen him since I was two. He left us, after he got tired of beating my Mom half-to-death. I only know where he was because I heard my Social Worker talking about it." He paused "There's no way in hell he's coming for me." He explained.

Annabelle stared at her Foster Brother for a moment. She didn't like keeping secrets from her parents, but for someone who was her brother, she would. "Alright, Tony, your secrets safe with me." She added "As far as I'm concerned, this conversation never happened." She then added "Come on bro, they're waiting, we really NEED to get down there." She told him.

Tony smiled and nodded, leaving with Annabelle slowly. Outside the home, Ironhide, who had listened in felt his optics fell. He hated, absolutely hated it when he was right about such things.

...

Conner Lennox was an unexpected man for Tony. The African American man was tall, muscular, with a well-defined structure, and a permanent smile on his face. The man was a retired Military Officer, that much he knew, it was why Will had joined the military. But looking at him, if he hadn't been built like Hulk Hogan, one could have never told. "So originally, you're from Ohio?" Conner asked, Tony stared at him, and nodded slowly, shifting on the couch a bit "I have a few friends over there, nice place, haven't been in a while, though. Where are you from in that area?" He asked.

"Honestly, sir, since I was only four when I was taken away... I don't remember." Tony admitted.

"Conner, none of this sir business from any Grandchild of mine. Fostered or otherwise." Conner smiled, he shook his head and seated himself on the chair across from him "You know, you remind me of an old friend of mine, slightly. Are you by any chance related to Lexi Anderson?" Tony stared at him for a moment "Apologies, right, four years old. Asking is kinda pointless, eh?" He asked with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry, I wish I could answer. I just..." Tony turned his head "I only ever knew my Mom or Dad."

Conner nodded, understanding, he looked over at the other room, where Will was. "Will came to us older, I guess I'm more... Used to Foster Kids remembering their family." The man explained, Tony nodded his head slightly "Will was thirteen, ten when he got into the system, Jedd was, eight, only been in the system a year. They remembered A LOT." Tony smiled a bit, nodding slightly "I would be interested if you were related, though." He added.

"Why's that?" Tony asked.

"It'd be ironic because I dated her." Tony laughed at that, the man smiled "Quite the beauty, that Lexi. She'd have to be your Grandmother though, seeing as I'm not exactly a spry young thing." The eighty-six year old noted "But I wouldn't be surprised, she had a son. And you have her eyes." He tilted his head "What did you say your last name was?" He asked.

"Pearson." Tony replied "I hope to change it to Lennox soon though." In the corner of his eye, he noticed the smile on Will's face regarding that.

Conner looked curiously at Tony, and for a moment, Tony wondered if this Lexi really was related to him. But Conner shook his head slowly. "Coincidence, I suppose. She married a man named Pritcher. No siblings that I knew of either." Conner shook his head slowly "Maybe a distant relative, that's always an option." Tony nodded in agreement "Now, I didn't know much of what to get you, since I didn't know enough about you." He added.

"You didn't have to-"

"But I did." Conner carefully removed a small pendant from his satchel nearby "I give a gift out to my Grandkids every year on Christmas Eve. I don't believe in game systems or anything, everything has symbolism." He handed it to Tony carefully, who pulled it forward "Every boy in the Lennox family has one, Will, Jedd, me... Now you. It's our crest, from back in the olden days." Tony smiled a bit, it was a small shield with a large 'L' in it "The girls have one of course, but significantly different, more feminine." He added.

"But I'm not a Lennox yet." Tony replied.

"I think Will and Sarah would disagree." Conner smiled.

Tony smiled he looked down at the pendant, and let it sink in. As he gave Conner a quiet "Thank you" he felt every ounce of fear he had had leave him. He slowly settled the pendant around his neck and let it fall. And as he did so, for the first time, he felt like he was truly a part of the family. He just hoped, more than anything, he'd soon be a true part of the family.