To the Stars and Back [Sanders Sides Analogical AU]

M. I. A. pt. 1

Nico was playing at the park with his uncles, laughing as he swung from the monkey bars. His uncles, Uncle Remus and Uncle Roman, were sitting a bit away on one of the benches, talking loudly to one another and weren't able to see a middle aged man walking over to their nephew. Nico noticed the man approaching him, noting his dirty and ripped blue jeans, his dirty and faded red shirt and brown jacket even though it was very nice out for Florida.

"Hello there little one," the man said to the three year old.

"Hello mister," Nico replied respectfully, hopping off the bars and onto the other part of the playground.

"So are you enjoying the park?" asked the man,

"Yes sir," Nico answered, still being respectful like his dada taught him.

"And are you parents here with you?" He asked, Nico starting to feel uncomfortable around the man.

"No sir, but both my unkies are. Ma unkie 'Oman is a po-wece officer and ma unkie Jan says ms unkie 'Emus is a cwackhead," Ni o said. "I think I'm gonna to go back to my uncies now. Bye mister." With that he hopped down from the playground only for the man to grab his arm and put a hand over his mouth.

Nico froze in fright and tried to scream, but it was muffled by the man's hand. The man wrapped his other arm around Nico's middle then carried him away from the playground to the nearby forest, tears running down the boy's cheeks as he was taken away from his uncles. The man ran fast through the woods, keeping his hand over Nico's mouth the whole time so he couldn't scream for help.

After realizing what was happening and deciding that he'd gotten way too far from his unkies Nico got too panicked and bit the man's fingers, hard, causing him to scream and let go of Nico. The boy dropped to the ground took off running into the forest, trying to get as far away from the man as he could.

Nico ended up climbing a tree and watching as the man passed him, not even bothering to check the branches above his head.

After the boy felt safe he climbed down the tree, only then realizing that he didn't know where he was. Everything seemed the same, and all the trees were so much bigger and taller than he was, towering over his short self. He suddenly felt so incredibly small and meek in comparison and shrunk into himself.

"Uncie 'Emus? Uncie 'Oman?" Nico called, his bottom lip quivering and tears pooling in his eyes.

Night was falling quickly as it was still technically winter (and his unkies had taken him out after dinner to get him tired for bedtime), Nico looking around as the trees' shadows grew longer and new, strange sounds filled the forest. Whimpering and crying Nico climbed back up the tree, deciding it would be the safest place to stay for the night. He shut his eyes and fell into a very restless sleep with the sounds of the woods waking him up nearly every few minutes until he actually slept slumped against the trunk.

Here's that angst y'all never asked for! Enjoy.

Me after making this chapter:

(To give y'all even more angst since that wasn't enough to make you cry, just think about how Virgil's going to be feeling throughout this.

Remember, when he was three years old he was stolen/kidnapped from his family and put in child trafficking for four years (where he was terribly abused, assaulted, and mistreated).

Now his three year old son has disappeared...

and he can't do anything about it because he's seven months pregnant.

Just think about that.)