Family of two

13 - All in one afternoon

Mike's POV

Jack and he had taken Teddy to the pit. There weren't much people there at this time of the afternoon and he had taken this as an opportunity to spoil the kid with some dauntless cake while Eric was in a meeting with Four. Mike had taken a liking to the kid in the last weeks, as well as Jack. Though Teddy wasn't shy around them any longer, Mike had noticed that he was still a little bit jumpy when it came to loud noises, although it was getting better every week. Eric really had done everything in his power and as much as Jack and he were concerned he had done a pretty good job. Mike still remembered how unsettled Eric had been with the situation in the beginning, fearing he wouldn't be the right one to raise the child but honored bound by his word and friendship with Ethan. Work wise Sean had apparently cut him some slack and then Julie had also helped him on occasion. Mike was glad Eric had begun to work closer with Sean and to cut his ties with Max. In his opinion Max was a bad influence on Eric something he had seemed to notice lately.

"So Teddy, tell me what's your favorite food?" Jack addressed the boy.

Teddy was lost in thought for a short while before he answered: "Spaghetti with tomato sauce."

"Um. I never had that. Did you, Mike?"

"Yeah. My mother used to cook it, when I was a child. "

"You never eat it?!" Teddy exclaimed in-between.

"No never, Teddy. It's not served in the cafeteria." Jack explained.

"Oh. But, Eric can make it for you."

"You think he will do that?"

Teddy nodded: " 'Cause! You are his friend!"

Mike laughed out loud: "I can almost hear you asking."

"You think I won't do it?"

"I dare you to ask him in front of everyone at the next patrol-meeting." Mike challenged Jack with a gleam in the eye.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. I'll do it."

Teddy looks from one man to the other, trying to understand what was happening.

"Sorry Teddy." Mike addressed the child. "Now, do you want to know my favorite?"

The conversation continued for a while drifting from food to various other things they could think of. After a while Mike noticed Jack glancing at his watch.

"Is it time?"

"Yupp. At least if the meeting went as planned."

Eric had always been very punctual and even more so now that he had Teddy to take into consideration, so Mike had no daubt his friend would stuck to the time they scheduled.

"Hey Teddy" Mike prepared the kid. "We gotta go back in a while, okay."

"Okay. I want to get a cake for Eric, can we do that?"

Eric would definitely love that.

"Sure, you want to get it for him on your own or shall I go with you?" Mike knew he was pushing the boy a little but there weren't any other people at the counter at this time and Frank, who was serving, was a nice dude.

After some thinking Teddy decided: "I get it myself," before standing up and walking over to the counter, sporting a determinate look on his face. Mike could see him talking to Frank who handed him a plate with a piece of cake. Looking down at the plate Teddy was on his way back, crossing the space near the entrance when Four walked right into him making the boy stumble and drop the cake. Immediately Mike and Jack stood up and headed over to the boy who stood there frozen, looking at the cake with desperation while Four looked down at the boy astonished and a little apologetic.