Heimat AU: Mikey's Rescue

Chapter Fifteen: Christmas (Part Two)-What's A Father?

Collum stood frozen.

His parents were here. He hadn't seen them in over eleven years. He hadn't heard from them. He hadn't written to them. He thought he'd never have to see them. Ever again.

Yet here they were.

He was aware that he was holding Mikey too tightly. But Mikey was frozen too. He could feel the fear coming off of Collum and he looked at the two strangers standing way too close to them.

"Collum." The man said again, irritation is his tone. "You're not even going to greet us after all this time?"

Collum's mouth was dry and he shook his head. He wasn't going to do this here.

His fear, all that old fear, came racing to his head. He looked at Mikey and then to his father. No. Mikey couldn't be here. No. No. They weren't safe around Mikey. They weren't safe around Maia. Around Lauren. He needed out. He needed his children out.

He looked around. No one was watching now; the crying children had been ushered away and everyone had gone about their business.

"Going to run?" His mother snapped and looked from Collum to the shaking child in his arms. "That can't be yours? Surely yours is older, now?"

Collum hugged Mikey closer. "He's mine."

The woman rolled her eyes. "With that same whore?"

Collum's anger flared through his fear and he breathed hard. "Don't you say that about Lauren." He said. His tone deadly.

Mikey looked at Collum. He was angry. He had never seen or felt him this angry.

His mother rolled his eyes and looked at her husband. "You talk to him. You're the only one who could get through to him, anyway."

Collum was seething.

His father was smirking.

"So. What made you think you could be a father, Collum?" His father spit out. He laughed a humorless laugh. "You run from everything. Even now. Didn't want to face me and you thought of running, didn't you? Is that what you're teaching this boy?"

"I'm teaching him love and affection and kindness and everything a father should be. I'm not teaching him anything you taught me." Collum said.

His father rolled his eyes and laughed that laugh again. He turned eyes on Mikey. "Looks like a weakling. Didn't know I could sire two cowards."

Collum turned his back on his father and put Mikey on the ground. "Mikey, buddy, go find mommy and Maia, okay?" Mikey stood stock still in fear and refused to let go of Collum's arms. "I'll be right there, I promise, can you go get mommy for me?"

Mikey nodded and then gulped.

He wanted mommy, but he also wanted Collum.

Mikey turned and walked away and Collum let out a relieved breath. He turned back to his father.

"Get out."

His father laughed and rolled his eyes. "Look who's suddenly a badass." His father took a step closer. "That little fuck up needs to learn how to be a man too. Like you did, Collum."

Collum shoved his father away from him.

"There it is. That temper. You think you're giving him love and affection. You're going to give him nothing but a black eye one day." His father snapped out.