Matty yawned. He was starting to get tired, but he did not want to go to sleep.

His dad looked at him gently "You want to go to sleep, kiddo? We've been talking for a couple of hours."

Matty nodded no. "No Dad, I'm scared when I wake up. I am not going to be able to speak anymore."

His mother smoothed Matty's hair, "Don't worry about that, sweet boy. No matter what happens. Whether you can speak or not in the morning. It does not change how much we love you. How amazing you are. Gosh, hearing you and your dad tell this story. It's been wonderful. How about you just tell me a little more? Then you go to sleep, ok?"

Matty nodded, "Well nothing that exciting happened after Tony. Grandfather used his connections and Mitch never bothered Tony and his mom again. Dad and I had a really good life in England. Tony was great. Grandfather got Tony and his mother a flat near the college when his mother got out of rehab. And well Tony really did not have to do much for dad at all except type up his lesson plans for him, run errands for dad and play video games with me.

Grandfather was getting weaker. Age was taking a toll on him. Irene had gotten her business degree, so she just handled running his estate more and more. She started using Tony more and more to help her with the business dealings and affairs of grandfather. Irene is good at trading and investing in stocks. I know she and Tony are still doing that for my estate to this day. Uncle Joe helps them out now too.

It's weird that it is all mine now. I am going to split it between the five of us when I turn 25. I want Leann to have the title too. She can be Lady Leann Stetson. I think she would like that."

Her mother smiled, "You are still Lord Alexander Matthew Stetson in England, sweet boy. Uncle Joe reached out to the College of Arms. Only the Queen herself would be able to change it. And she probably would only do that if you brought some sort of dishonor to your family name which stripped you of the title. Plus you and your sister are both American citizens. Your sister will be just fine not being Lady Leann Jennifer Stetson."

Matty smiled, "Yeah, I guess. It is pretty cool of Uncle Joe to keep helping with the legal affairs. I don't think Leann cares that much whether she is or isn't a lady. I mean the burping contests she keeps having with Jimmy and Mandy are probably not going to help her get that title. Especially if the final decision lies with the Queen of England.

I am getting sidetracked again. I'll get back to the story.

Having Tony in our lives was great. He knew our secret. He really liked me, and I liked him. He was a lot older than me, but he was my best friend when I was over there. He had been through a lot when he was a kid too. Except I think he had it worse. Mrs. Montez his mother. I mean once she got clean. She was super nice, and she really does love Tony. But she was with some really dodgy guys before she cleaned up. With everything that happened to me. It all happened when I was five and was such a small part of my life. I mean I know it screwed me up. But I have had so many more good times than bad.

I joined the soccer team, and I was starting to be able to read lips. Things got so much easier for me when I learned to read lips. It was really hard in the beginning when dad was the only person I could really communicate with.

Grandfather loved that I joined the soccer team, and I was a really good goalie. He would come to my games the first couple of years when he was up for it. He was starting to get really old though, so it got harder for him. Dad and I were really happy in London. I mean dad was a little sad because he missed you and our family.

I remember when we were there for about three years. Grandfather barely left his bed. He knew he was dying. But he was worried about Irene. He really wanted Irene to marry dad when he passed away. That is when dad when on a date with Irene. That was a disaster because dad thought of her as a kid. Plus, he never wanted to marry anyone ever again. You were the only woman for him, Mom.

That's when I volunteered to marry Irene and how all the jokes began. They teased me so much about that. She is really pretty but I think it would have been weird. Irene was family even back then, but I was a little kid. It ended up being perfect that she ended up marrying Phillip. I would have married her though when I turned 18 to protect her. I still would to protect her.

Dad went on another date that same year with the science teacher at my school. She could hear but she had a deaf daughter. She really liked dad and well she was gorgeous, Mom. I mean she looked kind of like Michelle Pfeiffer but with dark hair."

His mother raised her eyebrow at his dad, "Oh really, this I have to hear."

Matty nodded, "Well she flirted with dad for a while. Until he finally decided to just go on a date with her. At least she was the same age as dad. Dad did like her. I could tell. I remember he left me with Tony for the night when he went out. He was only gone for like two or three hours. When he came back he sent Tony home right away. Then he grabbed a bottle of Scotch and he poured himself a glass and gulped it down. Then he poured another one. Then he walked over to the sofa and I went with him.

I tapped on him, "The date didn't go well?"

Dad ran his hand through his hair, "Actually it was going too well. I just... can't do that to your mother. I know she would want me to move on. God, at least with Irene I could use the age difference excuse. But Maggie is smart, funny, and very beautiful. She would be good for you too. I used to be good with women. Too good. When I met your mother. I had four black books."

Matty tapped on him, "What's a black book, Dad?"

Dad took another swig of scotch, "Address books with women's phone #'s in them that I could call if I wanted a date."

Matty looked at him, "You never ask for women's phone #'s though. You totally just ignore all the girl's drooling over you during your classes. You ignore the single mother's that drool over you too. I can't see you having one black book let alone four."

Dad nodded, "I used to be different, kid. Your mom changed me. She ruined other women for me. Every girl I ever loved it did not end well. My first love was a general's daughter. That ended up getting my uncle reassigned. The next girlfriend that I had that could've been serious. She died. I was 23 years old and she was the first person I was close to that I lost at the agency. The third one her name was Eva. I thought I was in love with her. I would've married her. But she ended up marrying another man. Thank God because it turned out she was actually a KGB agent. Had I married her that relationship would not have ended well. After Eva, I kind of gave up on ever having a serious relationship. I never had any relationships last more than 2 or three months until your mom. I went with your Aunt Francine for about 3 months, but we were too much alike. It was more like a friends with benefits relationship. It didn't work out. If you ever meet her she acts like I broke her heart. She is just more mad that I was the one that broke up with her instead of the other way around."

I didn't know everything back then, Dad didn't talk much about his love life, "You dated mom's sister?"

Dad laughed at me, "Your Aunt Francine is not your mom's sister. Your mom was an only child. She is not related to us at all. Francine is just one of my closest friends and I never had many of those. Francine was even best man at my wedding."

I raised my eyebrow, "You had a girl for your best man?"

He laughed a little, "I did. If you remembered her. You would understand. I miss her. If there is ever any trouble, kid. You can trust your Aunt Francine to help you. Remember that. She might not be family by blood but she's family."

Dad was getting a little drunk but I didn't mind. I felt bad for him because he was so sad and missing everyone. But I also always got way more information about the family when he was like that.

I smiled at him gently. "Ok. I'll remember that. I bet mom would be ok with you moving on though, Dad. From everything you've told me about her. She would've wanted you to be happy."

Dad took another gulp of the scotch, "I know, kid. I can't be happy with anyone else. Your mom ruined other women for me. She was the most incredible woman I have ever met. She could see right through me. I was so different back then. I had lost everyone I have ever gotten close to. I had given up on the idea of ever having a family. I figured families were for other people. Not me. I convinced myself that I was better off on my own. That being on my own was the best. I didn't have to answer to anyone. I could do what I wanted when I wanted. Nobody cared about me. Why should I care about anyone else but myself?"

Matty raised his eyebrow, "You care about other people so much, Dad. You help everyone."

Dad smiled at me, "I was talking about back then. Not now. Your mom changed me. She saw the real me from the very start. I tried to push her away. I didn't want her to get hurt. But your mom was stubborn. She just pushed right back and didn't take any of my crap. God, I was so stupid. I was so scared in the beginning if I had known how good it was going to be with her. I wouldn't have waited 3 years to make a real move. I was such a self centered jerk back then."

Then I tapped on Dad, "I don't believe that. You are the best, Dad. You'll do anything for anyone. Well maybe not everyone but if you like someone or they are a kid. You will do anything for them."

Dad ruffled my hair, "Not everyone, kid. It's different with you. You are my son. I'd die for you, kid."

I know it was not different with me. I have seen how nice Dad is with my own eyes. He just thinks he's mean and tough. He's a huge softie."

His dad gave him a dirty look, "I am not a huge softie. I am mean and tough."

His mother laughed, "You really are all bark with no bite. Matty's right about you being a huge softie. Now I feel bad about dating while you were dead. You really went home and got drunk after every date?"

His dad smiled shyly, "I only had two dates while you were dead. One of which was Irene. She's just a kid. That one I should never have agreed to. The one with Maggie was a real date though. I did like her but it felt so wrong. When I kissed her it felt so wrong. I couldn't do that to you, Amanda. It felt like I was cheating on you."

His mother kissed his father, "Matty was right about that too. I wouldn't have minded. I want you to be happy. I dated while you were dead."

His dad scoffed, "Yeah and I met a couple of the guys you dated. You were just dating them to get your mother off your back. Lester the accountant dweeb? And Davis the dork from records? The kids were right about how lame they were. You have a type when you just want Dotty to leave you alone and your real type."

His mom raised her eyebrow, "Dork and Dweeb? You have been spending too much with Phillip. What's my real type?"

His dad gave her a goofy smile and went over and kissed her, "Me."

His mom smiled at his dad when they broke apart, "Well it's nice to know your ego hasn't gotten any smaller after all these years. But you are right you are exactly my type. Although that new transfer agent Hawkins from MI5 is not all that bad looking."

His dad looked at his mom with a hurt expression, "The James Bond wannabe? With the accent, dark hair and piercing blue eyes. I don't care how good of an agent he is. I'm putting his ass back on a plane as soon as I go back to the office. Although he is an expert on Karbala. As soon as he helps us find Addi Birol. Then I'll put his ass back on the plane."

His mom laughed, "You really don't have to be jealous. I was just teasing you. You know I'm yours. I always will be."

His dad kissed his mom again, "And I'm yours. Forever."

They put their foreheads together and his mom said, "Forever."

Matty wasn't grossed out by his parents this time. He could see how in love with each other they were. It was nice. Matty wondered if he would ever find love like his parents had. What he had with Rachel was great, but he knew she wasn't the one. Matty was pretty sure no other girl would ever be interested in him. He was too weird. Too much of a freak. He also didn't want to hurt Rachel by breaking up with her and he was not sure he would ever be able to get another girlfriend. Matty liked having a girlfriend but he knew they didn't have the spark that he saw his parents had. Or even the spark that he could see that Irene and Phillip had. Matty wanted that one day. He would never tell anyone that though.

Notes:

I'm back with a brand new laptop. So you are all stuck with my crazy story for a while. Also if you write FF stories too. Always save your work in multiple locations to spare yourself the joy of re-writing things. I probably won't be updating as quickly as I was because I am still cleaning up the rest of the chapters of this story. But you won't have to wait a month for the next chapter. Most likely just the weekend.

Next chapter: Final England Chapter before we go back to the the sequel.

Matty will find real love but he has to wait until Prodigal Son 3.