Second Chances

Wednesday

   Axel once again drops Sadie off at her middle school. Kissing her head and waving her off with a "have a good day." The smile on her face filled Axel with such happiness. 'I'm glad she's happy.'

  Today, Axel was stopping by the hospital to meet with Phil. They needed to have a talk about the future of the Toma team. He was quick to find his way to Phil's office, a nurse informing him he was there. Axel knocks and Phil tells him to come in.

  Inside Phil was working through a nice sized stack of paperwork. His aged eyes look up at Axel and he sets his pen down, giving his full attention.

"What can I do for you Axel?" Axel sits in front of Phil's desk, overlapping his fingers comfortably in his lap.

——

"I want to reinstate the Toma team." Phil was in no way surprised at Axel's statement. He knew without a doubt the Toma team would find their way back to each other. Admittedly he didn't think it would take quite so long, or a child for that matter.

  He pushes his paperwork to the side gently and leans back in his chair. It wouldn't be a problem to reinstate the Toma team, in fact the council has been pushing for their return. They believe they work better as a team, which they're not wrong about in Phil's opinion. That's why he has done his best these past years to convince them individually, but no dice. They were all too stubborn headed.

"What about Sadie?" Axel scoffs at Phil, as if he wouldn't think of that.

"One of us will be off mission always in case of emergency. Sadie will be a main priority." Phil nods in expectance. He should have known Axel wouldn't come to him without a plan already thought up.

"Then it seems I've no reason not to agree.." Phil has to hide a smile behind a cough. The council could finally stop pestering him about the Toma team. Now all he has to do was figure out a way to help out the Blackborne team next. 'Though I think I may already have the perfect idea.'

———

  Axel was thrilled to say the least. He didn't expect it to be this easy? He assumed the council would had to have been involved. He supposed though, this way was much better.

  Axel waits patiently as Phil mumbles and scratches writing on a paper in front of him. Not long and Axel's eyes go wide as the paper is presented to him.

"Should be good." He raises a brow at Phil and looks over the paper. 'That's it?' Axel assumed it would be a much more difficult process to get done.

"Thank you Phil." Satisfied with his visit, Axel leaves Phil's office and makes his way down to the main floor of the hospital. He momentarily spots a haggard looking Sean before he disappears down a hallway. 'I should call Owen later.'

  In his suv, Axel drives to the aquarium to spend the rest of the day there. His office was a very relaxing place for Axel to be during the days. Surrounded by books and different small aquatic creatures in tanks. He definitely would have to bring Sadie some time.

  Axel spent the afternoon reading through his books and studying his creatures. As he found a stopping point, Axel remembers he planned to make a call to Owen. Fishing out his phone from his pocket, he finds Owen's contact. It rings a few times before it picks up.

"How can I help you...Axel." 'Stiff as ever I see.'

"I'm calling to check in on everyone Owen." News of Sang's infertility because of her past abuse wasn't a well known topic. Very few in the academy were even aware of it, the Toma team being some of the few.

  Axel hears Owen's stressed sigh over the phone and he clenches his jaw. He felt terrible for this younger team his own had come to appreciate as more than friends. He wishes there was something he could do for them. Sang, as Axel knew it was taking it the hardest. 'Why wouldn't she?'

"It's been better, we're working through it. Thank you for calling Axel." Axel was never sure how to approach becoming closer with Owen. Ever since the Blackborne team had met Sang however, it had gotten somewhat better.

"Of course, let me know if you need anything Owen." There was a silent pause over the phone before Owen clears his throat.

"I will, thank you again." The phone was hung up from the other end and Axel sighs as he shuts his phone off.

  Time had passed by so quickly, Axel was caught off guard when his alarm to pick up Sadie went off. Throwing on his coat, Axel leaves the aquarium. Sadie's middle school wasn't far from his place of work so he arrived quickly.

———

  Sadie excitedly ran to Axel's suv as he pulls up to her school. She always felt so happy when she saw that Axel once again had came to pick her up. It made it that much easier for her to trust him.

"Hello sweets, how was your day?" The second she closes the suv door and buckles Axel is asking about her day. Something she wasn't afraid to fill the car with. Sadie explains her whole day to Axel on their way back to the house.

  Something she didn't see Axel absolutely smiling about. Sadie didn't realize how much Axel truly cared for here, and it's only been five days...

  They arrive at home and go inside together. Sadie greets Dahlia as she rubs against their legs in her own cat like greeting. Sadie happily pets Dahlia before plopping onto the couch to do her homework. By the time she finishes up her science and history, a small cup of grapes was being handed to her.

"Take a break; refuel, and I'll help with your math?" Sadie nods while grabbing the cup of grapes and eagerly munching on them. After the snack, Sadie and Axel sit and finish Sadie's math homework together. Sadie did her best to do most of the work, only asking for Axel's help if she was really stuck. 'I really wanna get this.'

  She places her things safely back into her bag and pulls Dahlia into her lap while Axel grabs his book from the other morning.

——-

"What are you reading?" Axel looks up at Sadie as she asks about his book. He puts a finger in the book to keep his place and flips it to the cover to show Sadie.

"It's called, "Aquatic Life." It's about different sea animals." Sadie tilts her head, she had no clue Axel was into sea animals. Sadie personally doesn't really like water. Her parents never took the time to teach her how to swim, till this day she still has no clue how to do it.

"Want me to read some of it to you?" Sadie nods and makes herself comfy on the couch. They stay on the couch with Axel reading to her for a little over an hour before he closes it with the bookmark in place.

  Sadie's eyes open as she hears the book close and she blinks with blurry, tired vision at Axel. He chuckles at her and ruffles her hair.

"How about turning in early tonight sweetness?" Sadie yawns and stands, tucking Dahlia in her arms to sleep with her. Axel guides her sleepy form to her room with a hand on her back. Sadie rubs her eyes, sitting in her bed while Axel pulls her covers around her. A kiss to her head and Sadie smiles at Axel before laying down and watching him leave her room.

"Goodnight sweets." Axel closes the door and Sadie bites her lip.

"Goodnight dad..." Is quietly spoken into the dark room before Sadie falls asleep.

——-

'How dare that little brat do this to me!' Kaylie paces around her dingy living room. Not long after she threw away her biggest mistake, Blake actually had the audacity to leave her! Up and kicked her from his house and left her to fend for herself.

'How could anyone do this to me?' She grinds her teeth as she thinks of what she could have had. 'If only they had just excepted it!' Kaylie flung the nearest object into the wall, breaking it completely. An angry scream leaves her chest and she opens her phone to make a call. The call goes through and she doesn't wait for the other person to speak. 

"I need your help with something."