The rest of the school year went really well for Matty. Jeff and Bobby became Matty's best friends. Lacie had been really nice, but it did not end up working out. They had a few dates but Matty & her ended up just being friends. Matty led Arlington High's soccer team to an undefeated season. Matty actually liked going to school again for the first time since he was ten years old.

Irene had her baby on Phillip's birthday on March 26th. It was a boy they named him Jonathon Carl King. It really was just one baby. Jamie had gone back to New York after the holidays. But just to clear things up. He decided to move back to DC. He started dating Colleen Dennis. He was living at home right now. It was pretty great having Jamie at home. Even though he was kind of unemployed and not doing much of anything. But dating Colleen was cheering him up.

The school year ended, and the whole family was going on a European Cruise from London to Barcelona. Phillip, Irene, and their four kids were all in one cabin. Jamie, Leann, and Matty shared a cabin. Joe, Carrie & Joey had another one. His parents had their own cabin to themselves. His father had gotten his grandmother a cabin all to herself in case she wanted to entertain. They also wanted the extra space in case some of the other cabins got too crowded.

Matty was in a cabin designed for kids. There were two sets of bunk beds. Even though Jamie was thirty he didn't care. Matty took the top bunk and Jamie had the bottom bunk. Leann had the top bunk on the other side. Matty figured since it was a 10 day cruise. Joey would most likely end up in their room too.

On the 2ndday of the cruise, Matty was alone in hiscabin. Jamie was with Phillip and his family. His sister was hanging out with Joey. Matty was just by himself reading a book.

His father came into his cabin. He walked up to him, "There you are. Are you alright, kid? Everyone is asking about you. All the other kids except the babies are playing in the pool. Why are you just hanging out in here by yourself? You should go read on the deck or something. Get some fresh air."

Matty smiled, "I just wanted to be alone for a little bit. Our family is so loud. I was deaf for ten years. I just still need some quiet once in a while but I'm totally fine, Dad. Why aren't you with Mom?"

His dad smiled, "I've been replaced as the love of your mother's life by our new grandson. It's nice that Irene named him after Grandfather."

Matty smiled, "I was going to name my son Jonathon if I ever had one. Phillip needs to stop having kids. He's taking all the good names."

His dad smiled, "Well I think Jonathon was Irene's choice. I think Phillip wants you, Leann or Jamie to name one of your kids after him. I think that may be his agenda by taking all the good names."

Matty smiled, "Well he will have to rely on Jamie or Leann for that. I doubt I'll ever have kids. I'm lousy with girls. Look at Lacie and Rachel. I just ended up being friends with both of them."

His father smiled, "I was terrible with girls too when I was your age too."

Matty looked at him, "No you weren't. You had four black books. You got the colonel re-assigned to a different air force base because of you and the General's daughter. Aunt Francine has told me stories about you."

His dad laughed, "Kid, believe me. I never said I was terrible at getting the girls. I was just terrible at keeping them. You will figure it out. You are only sixteen. You have time. I didn't find your Mom until I was in my early thirties. Then it took me over three years to get my act together with her."

Matty looked at him, "Speaking of Mom. This vacation are you going to go see Sonya when the boat stops in Hamburg? I saw you and Mom arguing about it."

His father looked at him, "Now that you can hear, I keep forgetting you can still read lips too. That's a dangerous combination. I'm glad you are going to be working for me when we get home. I am going to have you work on transcribing surveillance videos we don't have sound on. Your Mom is also going to be starting up a class on teaching the freshman how to tap with each other. She is going to want you to help her with that. In the meantime, don't worry about Sonya, alright? I just want to have a conversation with her. Make sure she really did have nothing to do with what Birol did to our family."

Matty looked at him, "You think she was involved too, don't you?"

His father sighed, "It just seems like too big of a coincidence for Sonya to just have really bad taste in men. There is something bigger going on here. I feel it in my bones. Your mom thinks so too but she doesn't think I should poke the bear just yet. That our family needs some peace for a while. She thinks if I start asking questions now they'll come after us again right now. She wants us all to have a break from it all. Especially because Jamie is doing so much better. He's actually making plans now to buy a bookstore. He said he wants to call it Matty's Books & Coffee."

Matty smiled, "I know. I want to give him the money for that in return for free books and coffee for life. Or even just free coffee. Is he still going to have an art gallery in it? I don't think he's taken a single picture since everything happened. I'll talk to Irene about letting him use my trust fund for the book store."

His dad sighed, "You will have to ask him about the art gallery part. I'm guessing he will. He still likes helping young up and coming artists. As for Irene, I already talked to her. I figured you would be very okay with that. Jamie seems pretty insistent that he uses his own money. He has been doing better but it still is worrying that he hasn't touched his camera since everything happened. Your mom did pack his camera in our bag just in case. She's hoping getting away from it all will help get him even more back on track."

His dad smiled at him, "C'mon let's go see what the rest of the family is up to. Although it is nice and quiet in here. Sorry about the bunk beds, by the way. I know you and Leann are getting a little old for that. "

Matty smiled, "I like them. Leann does too. It works out because you know Joey is going to end up in our room by the end of the trip."

Matty went up to the deck with his father. The twins, Joey, and Leann were all in the pool. Uncle Joe and Aunt Carrie were sitting with Jamie and Philip talking quietly. His mother was holding her new grandson. Irene had Baby Dottie on her lap. Mattylooked over and saw his grandmother at the bar flirting with a couple of older gentlemen.

Matty looked at his father, "Mom's right, Dad. Don't poke the bear. Don't go see Sonya. Just leave it alone unless they come after us again. You never know with Birol gone, even if they do come after our family again. It probably won't be for a while. Nothing happened for five years after the warehouse explosion. And that wasn't even Karbala. It seems to be every five years or so is when something major happens. I'll be 21 in five years. I will hopefully be a fully trained agent by then. "

His father sighed, "I don't know, kid. I just have a bad feeling that if I do nothing right now. Things will blow up again. I think there's something bigger going on here. I have a bad feeling something else is coming. What worries me is I don't think Sonja is the brains. Alexei Makarov and Birol are dead. Birol was probably the brains. But the fact that Birol, Makarov and the Kovacs family are all connected. We are missing something."

Matty looked at him, "Whatever it is we will be ready for it. Right now, everything is going good. Just worry about it later when and if something actually happens. Let's just enjoy our vacation."

Notes:

It's over! Well not really. It's just over for now;)

Coming later this year - Prodigal Son III - A mysterious woman gives 32 Year old Matthew Stetson a package. Hijinks ensue.

Coming sort of soon - Fathers and Sons - Phillip and Jamie's story in the Prodigal Son Universe. Will go from before the series until after Prodigal Son II. It will be a bridge story between Prodigal Son II and Prodigal Son III.

Coming very soon - Alternate Perspectives aka the story that has the good parts Matty slept through in Prodigal Son I.

Just want to say thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed my crazy story. You are all just so nice.:):):)