Passing for a Family
Of Glimpses into the Past and Revelations

Jonathon Roys wasn't the worst man, though many would say otherwise, but he was far from the best.  He did whatever it took to accomplish what he set out to do, whether it be a multimillion dollar business deal, or taking his grandchildren fishing.  Yes in both his business and personal life he did what others may not have necessarily done in his place.  It was with that character trait he took over the city.  He was still young, only twenty five when he started his law office.  Back then it had only been he and Marcus, and Marcus’ baby sister in the garage of their house in the center of town.  He and Marcus put up fliers and handed out business cards on the street as Marcus’ sister Elizabeth ran the front desk, phone calls, and paperwork as a pro, even as she was attending college herself.

 ’Elizabeth…’

How he had loved his Elizabeth.  She was his only love.  Elizabeth had been sweet and kind, loving to even a stray animal, but could curse with the best of them.  She could be stubborn, and feisty when it suited her too.

Such a beautiful woman, body and soul, his sweetheart, his angel.

It had taken them awhile, he’d known her since she was a child, Since first grade when he’d first met Marcus.  Back then she’d followed them everywhere trying to do as they did.  Then, and for most of their childhoods she’d been annoying the five year gap between them had seemed massive.  After awhile, as annoying as she was she became his little sister as well.  The first change in their relationship didn’t happen until her parent’s died, Marcus had been 20, Elizabeth 16, it had been a simple car accident, yet there were no survivors.  Marcus had easily gotten custody, having graduated just months before, and in a well respected internship at a law firm.  Jonathon had already been planning on moving in with Marcus and they had an apartment with an extra bedroom that they’d be planning on using as an office.  Instead it became Elizabeth’s room.  Living in the same house had been different, and dealing with a crying, distraught female was something completely unfamiliar to him.

A year could change a lot of things, a year living in close quarters with her, a year of fighting emotions he really didn’t want to believe he had.  A year that ended with he and Elizabeth kissing after she had had him pretend to be her boyfriend to scare off an ex.

Marcus had nearly beaten him to a pulp when he discovered that Jonathon was in love with his baby sister.

‘Nearly took my head off….’  He thought to himself as he remembered the fight that night.

That fight hadn't ended till the police had thrown both of them into separate cell's side by side.  At least Marcus couldn't strangle him through the bars.  In the end it was Elizabeth who had come to bail them out of jail.  Once outside the jail Elizabeth turned and punched Marcus, yelling at him for being an idiot.  Jonathon had cracked up laughing till he was sent down on his butt by a punch from Elizabeth yelling at him for egging her brother on.  As Elizabeth had stomped off towards the car in anger the boys shared a look.  It would be wise in the future not to mess with Elizabeth….

When their wedding day rolled around Marcus insisted in taking him out the night before, leading for him to be hung over the next day.  It took all his strength, and a large dose of self preservation, not to burst out laughing as a bruised Marcus walked his smug and angelic looking little sister down the aisle, and stood as best man throughout the ceremony.

For the whole ceremony Marcus had to keep wiping blood from his face with his shirt.

‘He proved blood is hard to get out of silk…’  Not long after the wedding Elizabeth had announced she was pregnant.  Well, Marcus said she announced it, Jonathon still said she beat him with a high heel while yelling.  God forbid you say the word “Hormonal”.

Ducking and dodging high heels became a sport in his house and office, but it was all worth it when the baby was born.

‘Daniel…’

Elizabeth loved her baby boy.  He was spoiled rotten by time he could sit up!  The best of everything, silk onesies, Mini-Armani suits, silver spoons, everything and anything they could afford.

They're lives couldn't have been better, or so they though.  Then just 10 years later, Elizabeth got pregnant again, this time with a baby girl.  They made her a pink and yellow room, her closets were full of clothes before Elizabeth was even two months pregnant.  Her room stuffed with stuffed animals and toys, all for their princess.

‘Only the best’

But then tragedy happened.

Elizabeth was very sick the whole pregnancy, on bed rest since her second month.  Daniel didn't take to this well at all.  He’d become used to getting everything he wanted, used to his mom’s full attention during the day, used to being the prince.  Then all the sudden his mother couldn't play with him, or do whatever HE wanted.  Jonathon couldn't handle him, and Elizabeth’s stress kept going up as she tried to reassure her little prince she loved him just as much as before, tried to do as much as she had before, despite her worsening condition, and against doctor’s orders.

He’d wanted to hire a full time nurse for her, and a nanny for Daniel, but Elizabeth wouldn’t hear of it.  Daniel was at school for a good part of the day, and the housekeeper came in only a few hours after Jonathon left for work.  She could care for herself for a few hours, and she could get through to their son.

How he wished she had listened.

It was in her seventh month when the housekeeper had arrived at the house, two hours later than normal to find Elizabeth unconscious on the floor in the hallway between Daniel’s playroom and the kitchen, cookies scattered beneath her, Daniel’s playroom set up for a movie day.  A piece of paper written in a young boy’s handwriting clutched in her hand.  The housekeeper called the paramedics and tried to perform CPR, until they arrived.  She was rushed to the doctors, but there was nothing they could do at that point but deliver the baby.

He lost his wife, but gained a daughter in a matter of an hour.

It didn't take him long to decided a name.  She looked just like her mother, so she would be called Elizabeth also, her middle name Marie after the housekeeper who saved her life, even if she couldn’t save the girl’s mother.

But baby Liz had as many problems as her mother had had.  A rather sickly baby from the very start, she demanded all of her father’s attention through all the doctor visits and surgeries.  To make matters worse Daniel seemed to hate his little sister.  He ignored her, and fought with her in phases constantly throughout her short life.

He resented the attention the “intruder” took from him, to Daniel that's what she was an intruder.  At ten he changed from a happy spoiled child to a sulky moody tyrant.  Elizabeth hadn't lived past the age of five.  Her poor little body just couldn't go on any longer, and on the day she died Jonathon barricaded himself away from everyone.  He barely ate, and didn’t sleep, the only reason he kept going was Elizabeth would have wanted him to care for their son.

He managed to get himself presentable for the funeral with Marcus’ help, managed to put on a stoic and strong mask to hide his true feelings.  Elizabeth’s funeral had been the best he could afford, she was buried next to her mother, his beloved wife would finally get to meet their beloved princess.

Daniel had pouted and been restless throughout the whole service and funeral.  When halfway through the service he had asked rather loudly if they could leave yet it had cemented his fate.  He was taken from the church and sent to boarding school the next day.  But even that hadn't worked.

He had grown more entitled it seemed as he was with others of his mindset.  Jonathon had hoped marrying Rosalie and the births of his children would have calmed this aspect of his personality, but no, nothing.  He stayed as distant to his father and uncle, and as determined that he was entitled to things, without having to work for them.  He loved Rosalie, Jonathon knew that, but he loved her like a possession, and his children were possessions, ways to get power, things to control, not as parts of himself.

After the car accident and their deaths…He seemed to finally understand what it was like for Jonathon to lose Elizabeth, both of his Elizabeths.but when Jonathon had learned the truth about Samantha….It seemed Daniel followed his father more closely then he could ever know.  Jonathon wiped away the single tear that fell down his cheek.  He didn't want to think about that.  He opened the file before him and smiled at the pictures.

Jonathan didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry when he read the files.  She was alive, healthy, and happy.  Everything he had wanted so desperately, for her, and for all his grandchildren.  Looking at the files again he blinked, they had changed her name.

‘Elizabeth…’

But he wasn’t sure he was upset about that.  He’d always wanted Daniel to name her Elizabeth.  It had caused a huge fight first before Ella was born, and then before the twins.  Picking up a picture he stared at it.  It was a simple shot of his blond Granddaughter, happily playing at the park.  She looked so like his Elizabeth.

A few months had passed since he first received any photographs.  The first was of her learning to ice skate, but she seemed as capable of that as her true father was at negotiating.  She seemed happy at least.

Jonathon didn't know what to do.  He could out Daniel's lies, and never see his older two grandchildren or his newborn grandson again, or he could keep this secret He didn't know which was the best choice.  If he did out him…Samantha would come back, but he would never see her again either.  A question entered in her brain as he stared at a snapshot of his blond bubbly grandchild standing in a pirate costume pulling a slightly older boy down the street.  She looked so like her grandmother, he remembered being the boy in that scene.  Why did Daniel send her away?  Why get rid of her?  Was he not able to care for her in his grief?  Did she look too much like his deceased child?  Jonathon stood pushing his chair away.  He need to talk to the wretch he called a son.

—

Daniel was at home when Jonathon burst in.  “Father.”  He said not looking up from his paperwork.

“I know what you have done.”  Jonathon growled.

“Wha-What do you mean?” Daniel stuttered.

“I am ashamed to call you my son, You have gone against everything I have tried to teach you all your life!”

“Wha-what are you talking about?  I haven't done anything.”

“Samantha!”  Jonathon took a step closer, as Daniel jumped at the name.

“Samantha is dead!” Daniel yelled, a small part of him whispered in his brain ’liar’

“LIAR!” Jonathon roared losing the control he was so famous for.  “She's DEAD, she died the same day as my Christine.”   ”I know differently.”  Jonathon roared,” I KNOW the TRUTH!  You sent her away!  I've SEEN HER!”

“S…Seen her?”  Daniel paled, then trying to recover he continued.  “Your delusional Father, She is DEAD you were at her funeral.  Stop doing this, it's not good for Rose, it's not good for Ella or Jackie, and it's certainly not good for what little relationship we have.”

Jonathon pulled a picture from the inside of his suit jacket, throwing it down in front of Daniel, “YOU KNOW SHE IS ALIVE!  LOOK AT HER!”

Daniel swept the picture off his desk, “That thing is NOT my daughter, I watched my daughter die in that crash.  I am not going to humor the whims of a senile old man.”  He said as he watched in satisfaction as the picture landed in the trash along with several other papers.

“You know, I can see it in your eyes,” Jonathon grabbed the picture, tucking it back into his pocket, “What would Rosalie think of this?”

“Rosalie will never know, Our Samantha died on that road, along with her twin.”

“Your Samantha?  Oh, that is how your separating it.”  Jonathon shook his head, “Well, the Samantha that shares your blood, and Christine’s face is alive and well.  Besides, I think Marcus Jones might have something to add to this conversation.”  Jonathon smirked inwardly as Daniel flinched at the name, “Did you honestly think your Uncle would keep something this big from me?”

“I will not have you destroying what’s left of my family with this story.  Haven't we been through enough!  The twins are dead, Rosie's still recovering, Ella spent nearly a year in those leg casts and will probably be on medicine for the rest of her life, and Jackie, our poor Jackie suffered brain damage and still can barely talk, or walk!  Why must you make up these imaginary stories, Father?  Leave it alone.  Live for the grandchildren who are alive and stop tracking down ghosts!”

“I will not let my grandchild stray far from me.”  Jonathon grabbed Daniel by his shirt, “If that means outing you to your wife so I can get her home so be it.  I know what you have done, All I need to know is why you sent her away.  Why you abandoned her.”

“Then you will lose all of your grandchildren.  I will not let you destroy what's left of this family.”  Daniel said, “Our Samantha died in the crash, Goodbye father, if you keep bringing up the past, you will lose Ella, Jackie and Chris, be happy tracking down ghosts.”

Jonathon turned from the room still not happy but realizing his son wasn't going to tell.  He was almost out the door when he heard Daniel move back towards his desk, “The theri freak doesn't deserve such happiness while his family had suffered so much.” his son whispered to himself, Jonathon was shocked.  “Theri…”Jonathon said slowly turning around, “You would forsake your own blood for that!?”  He whispered to himself, finally having the answer as to why, and knowing what he had to do.

“John!”  Rosalie smiled as she came through the door, children following her.

“Rosalie!  You look radiant as always.”

“I didn't know you were coming.”

“Oh, I just stopped by to talk to Daniel.”  Jonathon looked towards Daniel who looked ill.

“What about?” Rosalie asked concerned.

“He was just leaving!” Daniel interrupted.

“Yes, I must go.  I came to tell Daniel I'm starting a new Practice I want him to takeover.”

“Really?”  Rosalie and Daniel asked in unison.

“Yes, a Theri Law Division, to help captured therianthropes and their families.  He could work from my cross town office for now, but I would like to open the official building in Phoenix.”

“Oh that's great!”  Rosalie smiled hugging Daniel, “Isn't that wonderful honey!”

Jonathon walked to his car a grim smile on his face.  He knew, he knew now why his son had given up Samantha, He would have to make sure she was happy, Daniel didn't deserve her, he had to make sure the young woman who adopted her did.  He remembered the girl, Alisa.  The summer before the accident he had stopped by, Rosalie had been visiting her mother, Daniel was supposed to watch the kids.  He remembered his son sending Ella and the kids out telling them to go to Alisa's.  He remembered confronting his son over who the girl was.

He actually met Alisa later that day when the 17 year old brought the four children home.  Jonathon pulled out his phone flipping it open and hitting the speed dial, “Jordan?  I want some more information regarding Alisa Hall, standard fee, with a bonus if you play your cards right.”

A few weeks later he had his answer, along with a lot of pictures.  Alisa Hall, a 20 year old Secretary for the DTC Washington Branch., in college for a degree in Education at the University of Washington.  Lived in a small home with a Caroline Thorpe, a doctor at a local hospital who also volunteered at the DTC, Caroline's son Evan aged 8 and an Alexander Mond age 22 a teacher.  By all reports, Samantha was well cared for.

But more importantly, she was happy, loved and happy.

Tears came to Jonathon's eyes as he looked at the pictures.  Seeing the happiness in his granddaughter's face as Miss Hall and Mr. Mond taught her how to ice skate, as they visited the zoo with young Mr. Thorpe, Samantha in her Kindergarten school photo, smiling, her front tooth missing.  Looking so much like his Elizabeth it almost took his breath away, but…even knowing she was loved, he just could not stop the ache he felt when he thought of her gone.  He needed to know her, for her to know him.  Slowly he pulled out a piece of paper, and began to write, hoping what he was about to do wouldn't cause him to once more lose his granddaughter.