Chapter 16

The SUV rolled up the gravel driveway as slow as molasses dripping from a bottle in a Canadian winter. Danielle and James watched it grow closer, the moment lasting for a small eternity. They stood on the top steps of the porch, waiting for Happy to bring the car to a stop and reveal their son. Danielle smiled widely, excited to reunite with her son. It was only when she felt James' hand interlock with hers and hold tightly that she remembered the gravity of the situation.

"Why don't you wait here?" She turned to him to gauge his reaction.

He tilted his head slightly in question.

She placed a hand on his chest to calm him. "Let me go get him from Happy and I'll explain who you are."

"Okay," he agreed, voice shaky.

Danielle gave his hand a squeeze before letting go and walking down the stairs to meet the SUV that had finally reached the end of the driveway.

Happy got out of the car and waved.

"Thank you again, Happy. I can never repay you." Danielle replied.

"Don't worry about it. They were great." He said, coming around the front of the car to the back passenger door.

"How's Morgan?" She had thought of the little girl often in the last twenty hours.

"She'll be okay."

Danielle noticed his red rimmed eyes. "And how are you doing?"

He smiled, sadly. "I'll be okay."

He didn't let her go on as he opened the back door and helped unbuckle Jamie. The little boy was fighting his restraints and doing more harm than good for his escape. Finally, he was free and he jumped down and ran to his mom.

"Mama, I missed you!" He said, excitedly.

"I missed you, too." Danielle patted his back while he had himself wrapped around her with his head pressed against her hip. "Did you behave for Mr. Happy?"

Jamie stepped away to look up at her. "Yes, mama."

"Good." Danielle took Jamie's bag from Happy. "Now, can you say thank you to Mr. Happy?"

Jamie turned to his driver. "Thank you, Mr. Happy."

"You're welcome, Jamie. I'll see you all later." Happy waved again and got back into his car. Danielle backed Jamie a few steps away and they waved goodbye as Happy drove off.

"Who's that, mama?" Jamie asked, pointing toward the house.

She turned to see James had ventured to the bottom of the stairs, but he hadn't dared to come closer. She could see the longing and the hesitation in James' body, like he was being pulled in two different directions once more.

"Jamie," Danielle bent down to be eye level with her son, "I need to tell you something."

All he could do was watch.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs, James watched Danielle speak with their son and try to explain the stranger on their porch. James didn't know how she would do it, but he trusted her to explain it the right way.

While they talked, he took in the features of his son. They shared the same dark brown hair and prominent brow. James could imagine the boy in front of him could grow to look exactly like him in twenty years time.

In twenty years would they have other little kids running around looking like clones of them? James had never been allowed to imagine a future with a wife and kids and a white picket fence, but now that they had saved the world, maybe that was what he wanted.

His attention refocused in the present when he saw Danielle approaching him with their son in tow.

She stopped in front of him. "Jamie, this is your father, James."

James froze, unsure of how to greet a child, let alone his own.

Jamie took the initiative. He stepped forward with his right hand stretched out.

"Hello, I'm Jamie." He said as confident as a six year old can get.

"Hello," a smile cracked James' lips, "I'm James"

James shook the little boy's hand, the small cold fingers pressing against his large warm palm. They stood there a moment before James let go and their hands dropped to their sides.

"Are you really my dad?" Jamie questioned, boldly.

James looked to Danielle for help, but she simply nodded.

"Yes, I am." He answered.

"You have a metal arm?"

James shrugged his metal shoulder and flexed the fingers on his metal hand. "Yes I do."

"Cool! Do you want to see my toys?"

He almost smiled. "Yeah, I would like that."

Jamie took James by the metal hand and started pulling against him toward the house.

James was caught off guard by the strength of the small child and met Danielle's reassuring eyes. She waved her hand to encourage him to go play with his son, and he allowed himself to be dragged up the stairs and through the front door.

Danielle followed along with Jamie's bag swinging in her hand. As she entered the house, she heard Jamie chattering away in his room, showing James every cool toy and figure he owned. She wanted to witness their interactions and measure James' reaction to their son, but she knew they needed this time to get to know each other. Instead, she emptied Jamie's bag and took the dirty clothes to the laundry room.

Back in the living room, she had just sat down on the couch when she heard little feet running toward her. Danielle watched Jamie run around the couch before he stopped abruptly in front of her.

"Is everything okay, Jamie?" She glanced behind her to see James walking quickly to catch up. She turned her attention back to her son.

"Mom," he took a breath to calm himself, "can we go outside? Dad said he could teach me to throw a baseball and I want to try. Please, please, please!"

"Yes, of course you can go outside."

"And dad, too?"

She giggled at his request. "And your dad, too."

"Yes!" Jamie ran back around the couch and past James. "Come on, let's go!"

He was out the door and onto the porch before either one of them moved. Danielle got up from the couch and approached the frozen James standing in the entryway to the hall. He was staring at the open door.

Danielle stopped behind him, stretching up on the balls of her feet to rest her chin on James' shoulder.

"He called me dad," said James in disbelief.

"See. There was nothing to worry about." She patted his back. "Go play with your son."

James turned around and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, then he disappeared out the door to teach his son how to throw a baseball.