Midsummer Realities
"Your…father?" Dr. Britton sounded, well, shocked wasn't a strong enough word.
"Yup, was kinda of shock to us too," Fairy said watching Britton in slightly amused fashion. She had asked that she be able to tell Doc, so her newfound dad (that still sounded strange), was waiting outside the office.
"Your father…do you take a lot after your mother?" Britton questioned, reaching into a side drawer he lovingly referred to as the "Fay Survival Drawer". He pulled out a bottle of Advil and gulped a couple down.
"Actually, I take quite a bit after him from what I'm told…" Fay answered her eyes glinting mischievously.
"So…he's asking for custody, right?" Britton still sounded dazed.
"Yeah, I wanted to…tell you in person, Doc. Ya know?"
"I know, thank you, Fay. I hope Mr. Burnett appreciates what he's getting."
"Yeah…well…He's in for it, that's for sure…."Fay said thoughtfully.
"I know," Britton said, trying not to grin. "So, I assume you'll be talking to the proper authorities today, then?"
"Yeah, Dad says he doesn't think it'll be too hard to get custody, I'm out of the state's hair and he's my natural father. Makes everyone happy, we're getting the blood tests today to cinch things." She looked uncomfortable about the last.
"The important thing is, are you happy Fay?" Britton's voice dropped to that low serious tone he only used for Talks.
"Yeah…Yes, I am, I know it sounds funny. I mean I've only known him a week, but…I feel like…like I belong," she said softly, smiling.
"Then I'm happy for you," he said standing and holding his arms out for a hug, which Fay quickly gave. "And don't be a stranger, we'll miss you, you know."
"I'll miss you guys too," Fay said hugging him, then pulling away, she smiled, trying to make her suddenly wet eyes unnoticeable. "Thanks, Doc, for everything."
"There's no need to thank me Fay, it's my job. Now, go on, Mr. Burnett probably thinks I've had you long enough." He watched her leave smiling slightly, then turned back to his desk and sat down.
"Her father…."
*****
"How did it go?" Owen asked as Fairy walked out of Britton's office.
"Ok…. After he stopped repeating, 'Owen Burnett, is your…father?'," she said grinning.
"I see, you will of course, get that a lot," Owen said deadpan, a soft smirk barely curving his lips.
"Oh well, I know what you're like when you let your hair down," Fay teased with a smile, which Owen, quite out of character, returned.
*****
Dr. Daren sighed. He would have thought after seeing Alex through his terrible twos he was ready for anything, he was wrong. Rick Daren was Alex's physician, and privy to all the child's secrets, he had been brought in around the same time Alex was suffering from colic. After seeing the baby make his toys come to life the doctor had been shocked to say the least, but had calmly went on to pronounce the boy's condition and stay up with Fox the rest of the night to remedy it. Afterwards he had found himself on the payroll of a very grateful Xanatos, called upon when Alex had some childhood sickness or another, and eventually he'd began treating gargoyles, too. However the slight teenager Mr. Burnett had left him with was at the moment worrying him the most.
"Now, Fairy, why don't you put me down so we can talk civilly…." His voice, to his credit, was calm and firm, not at all reflecting the fact he was floating somewhere near the ceiling.
"Drop the sharp objects and I'll consider it," Fairy said, her voice firm, and to Daren's surprise, slightly frightened.
"Sure, no problem," he said releasing the blood drawing equipment, which floated across the room into a garbage can, then allowed himself a measure of relief as his feet touched down.
"Ok, Fay, I think we can wait a bit on the blood test, how about we move straight to the examination?" He said with a slightly forced cheer. He moved to pick up her file and started reading over it. Everything seemed normal till the age of eight…Then…
"Dear God…" he hissed softly.
"Fairy?" Daren's voice came out slightly hesitant.
"Yeah?"
"It's says here you were admitted to a…mental ward at the age of eight, is that true?"
"Yeah…" her voice was soft.
"Why?"
"It says on the record."
"I know what it says on the record, but I want to know what really happened," his voice was soft and coaxing.
"I…I told them that I could…do stuff…They were doctors, adults…I thought…I thought they'd help…Instead…" her voice broke and a soft sob sounded.
"I've never been able to look at a needle without flinching since…S…Sorry…"
Daren said nothing but gently enfolded her in a hug. It was long minutes before she raised her head with a soft smile and look of resolution.
"Let's get the needle over with, huh?"
*****
Owen walked in a while later to find Fay laughing at something the doctor had said, and nursing a lollipop. She smiled when she spotted Owen and waved the purple candy in greeting.
"Hi, Dad, Dr. Rick was just telling me about when he met you," she said grinning.
"I see, are all the tests completed Dr. Daren?"
"Yes, Mr. Burnett, but if I might I'd like a word with you…" Daren's voice had went serious.
"Of course, if you don't mind waiting Fairy?" he asked turning to the teen who was floating a good two inches off the examination table.
"No prob," she said smiling," I'll just steal the doc's comic page," she said grinning as the aforementioned page floated to her.
"Just put 'em back when you're done, I hear Dlbert's good this week," Daren said smiling as he led Owen to the adjoining office.
"I think you should read over this Mr. Burnett," he said offering the file to the rigid man before him. He watched as his blue eyes scanned with practiced ease over the first few pages, then watched as the emotion Owen wasn't supposed to posses flooded his eyes.
"It took a bit of time and trust for her to let me even draw blood," the physician said softly. "As it is I'm not sure if she'll ever be over her fear of needles, and then there's the…other things."
"A scar across her back, from an iron belt buckle, a stabbing scar on her chest, signs of numerous broken bones, and with her ability to heal…" Once again Daren stopped.
"We'll never know some of the things she endured," Owen finished softly, slowly relenting the file to the doctor, a look of pain that made Daren flinch crossing his face.
"Thank you doctor, I…need to speak with my daughter if you don’t mind?"
"Of course not, the tests should be completed within days, I'll contact you then," he said quietly leaving the room to retrieve his things.
Owen barely heard the man as he fought the rapidly rising anger he felt. How dare they harm her?! They should be made to pay, every last one of them.
Yet, his soul whispered softly, if he had been there, wouldn't this have been avoided altogether?
The harsh pain that hit his heart at that knowledge made him flinch, he had failed Sam, and now it seemed he had failed Fairy too.
*****
"He told you, huh?" Fairy's soft question sounded as he stepped into the room.
"Yes…Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew it would hurt you, like it is now, and it was all so long ago for the most part…I just…I just wanna forget it some days…"
"But the past can't be forgotten, " Owen said softly.
"Fairy, I'm sorry, if…" he began.
"No, don't apologize, Dad, please, they did it, not you. You…You're the only good thing that's come my way in long time, and I don't want to waste time with 'What ifs' and passing blame. What happened, happened, but it's over now," she looked up to smile at him and in a motion that was becoming all too natural she found herself in his arms in a hug.
"You're so much like your mother," Owen said in a soft, choked voice.
"You always know just what to say."
"It's a gift I was hatched with," she said smiling.
*****
The following week the newspapers carried the shocking news that Owen Burnett had found his long lost daughter, and had wasted no time in adopting her. He soon became the hot topic of discussion in the gossip columns.
*****
It was shortly therefore after that Owen was sitting at his desk completing paperwork, while across the room on his leather couch a recently comforted Fairy had managed to drift off, curled up under his over coat. She'd ran in only an hour earlier from a nightmare and Owen had held her till she stopped trembling and sobbing, catching only that it had been about "The Day". She'd finally dozed off, and he, reluctant to loose her company even as she slept had covered her and went back to his papers.
"There is no use in remaining invisible, My Queen, I know you are there," he said quietly, not even glancing up from his work.
"No formalities tonight, Puck," Titania's voice said softly as she stepped into the light his desk lamp threw.
"Yes…Mother." He felt a whisper of her magic touch him and he was suddenly in his true form, looking rather surprised.
"You have told the entire world of your daughter, but not you family? This pains me, my child."
"I have told my family," Puck's voice took on an edge he seldom used in his true form.
"These people are my family, Mother, you and I both know that. And even if I had wanted to, do you blame me for not wanting a repeat performance of what happened with Alex?" He turned from the slightly hurt expression on his mother's face, to look instead at the sleep softened features of Fairy, an involuntary smile coming to his lips.
"Well said, Puck…" the voice from the shadows caused both Titania and Puck to look up in shock. Oberon said nothing, instead he softly brushed a strand of hair from the sleeping child's face.
"I should have guessed though, I suppose, from the first, I saw you in her eyes. Her mother must have been a truly remarkable woman."
"She was," Puck said softly, watching Oberon's unfamiliar show of emotion with surprise.
"In light of the most recent events, we are inclined to alter the conditions of your curse Puck," Oberon said turning suddenly back to his usual self.
"You may also train the child in our ways, and protect her likewise from harm, so it is degreed by us."
"Yes, Milord," Puck said bowing, feeling the relief course through him, as he had already entertained questions on that subject. With a curt nod, Oberon turned and extended a hand to Titania. Titania gently kissed Fairy's brow.
"Sweet dreams, little Princess," she breathed softly, taking her husband's hand and disappearing. Puck as Owen, rose silently and gently picked up Fairy. Carrying her to her room he smiled softly, feeling vaguely content and relieved that the confrontation he had known would happen was over. He was also comforted by the fact that both Oberon and Titania liked the child he held, his child, he reminded himself again.
He quickly stopped the smile rising to his lips as he encountered Xanatos walking from his own office.
"Everything ok, Owen?" he asked softly.
"Fine, sir," Just fine, he added softly to himself as he walked past to tuck Fairy Titania Smith Burnett, Princess of Avalon, into her bed.