The Magpie's Death

A Different Family (1)

Jack stared at him for a moment, still smiling, but his eyes were curious.

"Leo Evans. It's nice to meet you." He took his outstretched hand and grasped it tight. While his face said he was happy to play along, his grip was too strong for a normal handshake. "Is there anything I should know about Leo before he starts?"

He teased, poking fun at his new alias, but Leo continued to grin. It was less playful than before. He pulled at Jack's desperate hand, bringing him close, and lowered his head.

"He's a thirty-one-year-old man who was abandoned as a child and led an unforgivable life since." Jack's eyelashes fluttered at the breath in his face, his eyes widening under them. "But then he met someone beautiful, with a beautiful soul, and fell in love. Now he just wants to live a peaceful, ordinary life he doesn't deserve."

The dark green swirled, now looking at him in obvious shock. Jack took a small breath. "Then... Leo Evans is..."

"My real name." Leaning a bit lower, he gave him a long kiss, then moved his head over his shoulder. "I've lived as someone else for over twenty years, but now I'm ready to be myself. With you."

Jack chuckled and sniffed. Leo let out a small huff.

"Why do you cry so much?"

The question was answered with a hard punch to the side. "Because you keep doing things that make me cry."

Placing a large hand on the curve of Jack's back, he pressed him to his chest. "I know. I'm sorry. It won't be perfect, but I'll at least try to make you smile more than I make you cry."

Jack chuckled again, followed by a sigh of both frustration and defeat. His arms wrapped around Leo's waist and his body was warm and comforting against him. After a year alone, running and hiding, always keeping himself on the edge, Leo had forgotten how wonderful the feeling was.

"Dada?"

The familiar, sweet voice drifted down from the second floor. His heart skipped at the sound, his breath catching in his throat. Little footsteps stomped down the stairs. Jack released him, letting him crouch down to catch his daughter as she ran into his arms.

"You back now?" Ellie asked, loud in his ear as he hugged her. "You stay now? Dada, we miss you! You gone so long."

Leo couldn't stop the tears welling in his eyes. He was a different person, but so was this girl in his embrace. She was a few inches taller and her hair was longer, resting on her shoulders. Otherwise, she looked the same. The same grey-blue eyes and ears too big for her mousey face, and the same dirty-blond, wavy hair, with colorful bobby pins trying to pin back the wild mess.

But now her tone was emotional. She was excited and scolding. Her eyes sparkled as always, but now her lips curled upward, creating a tiny dimple in each cheek, and her breath was a little heavier, not just from racing down the stairs.

"Dada?" Ellie tapped at his back, stuck to him in his strong hold. "You okay?"

He loosened his grip, letting her move out where he could see her better. "Ellie River... Look at you. Listen to you. What happened to my little girl?"

"Huh?" Her eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head, her expression unmistakably curious and confused. "I is Ellie. You forget me?"

Chuckling, Leo shook his head. "How could I ever forget you?" He had thought of her every day he was gone and dreamed of her night after night, but even in his best dreams, she wasn't as amazing as this. "You're just speaking so well and you look so happy. I was surprised."

"You come home," she said, lifting her arm and putting her palm up. It was almost a shrug, telling him her reason was obvious and she couldn't understand why he would be surprised. "You is safe. Jack is happy. So I is happy too. You is not happy?"

"I'm so happy."

He pulled her back into a tight hug. She had always been confident, but now it was clear in her words and movements. Taking in the smell of her shampoo and the faintness of crayons, he went through memories of walking with her through the city, buying her pink rain boots, rubbing her back during each nightmare, and trying to decipher grunts and sighs and screams. For the first time since leaving with Red, he was certain that every moment and every sacrifice he'd made was worth it.

"I'm happier than I've ever been. I missed you so much."

"I miss you too, Dada." Ellie gave him a kiss on the cheek and he huffed out a laugh, his eyes watering again. "Dada, don't cry. Only Jack cry."

He couldn't stop a loud laugh from snorting out. She sounded so serious and frustrated. He twisted to look up at Jack. His freckled cheeks flushed and he looked away in shame.

"Does he cry a lot?" he asked her, keeping his teasing gaze fixed on Jack.

Ellie nodded. "He always cry. I hug and listen and he cry. I take care."

"I'm sure you do." Aside from the broken grammar, she sounded like the adult in their relationship. "My daughter always was strong." He loosened his hold again to look at her and she nodded with a small smile. "Oh, but... I guess you're not my daughter anymore, are you?"

"I not? Why? You not want me?"

"I want you, very much." He reached into a pocket with a playful smirk. "But, something important needs to happen for us to be family again."

Her head tilted. "What?"

Letting her go, he stood with a groan, his bad leg stiff from squatting. Jack eyed him, his suspicion overpowering the embarrassment, and he grabbed Jack's hand, bringing him a little closer.

"You're Ellie River Glass now. There's nothing I want more than to join your family, but I'm just a stranger..." He moved a plain, smooth, wooden ring around in his fingers, then a loving smile spread wide across his face. "So, I need Jack to-"

"Yes."

Leo laughed, squeezing his hand. "You didn't let me finish."

"Are you kidding?" Jack guided the ring onto his own finger. "You were gone a year and I spent most of that time worrying you were dead. Now that you're back, do you think I'm ever letting you go? You're stuck with me forever."

Pulling Jack's chin to him, Leo gave him a gentle kiss. "That's all I want."