Ties That Are Not There

By Clorinda

Rated: PG

Category: General

Summary: Hannibal would have been proud to have Face as a son, but Face wasn't what he wanted. Face wasn't his family. Ficlet.

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Decked in dark forest green, I saw him stride towards where I stood. He lifted a cupped hand in stiffened salutation, and I returned the gesture. Lieutenant Templeton Peck. And damn, I was proud of him.

I had a son once, a long time ago. Even before, I joined the war. His mother died, and only I remained for him. Then, one day, he died too. He was blond as well.

Maybe that was what I saw in Face. The son I had lost my chance to raise.

But there was always a difference.

Face was his own man. He built himself out of nothing. He grew without a home, without anybody. That never stopped him from building all that people never halted to give him. He grew up penniless; he grew up to make himself rich. He was always looked at as the poor, pitiful Catholic boy who goes to Church every day to thank God for all he's been given; I see Face right now, on the run from the law.

Like I said just then, there was always a difference. One that I was too blind to see. I would have always been proud to have Face as a son, but Face wasn't what I wanted. Face wasn't my family.

And I should have known that.

—- End -—