Gregory's Epilogue

Gregory's Epilogue

It took Gregory about five minutes to realize getting an eleven and nine year old ice cream at night was a very bad idea. Especially when he was supposed to be watching them for the night.

After about the third go through of ‘Baby Shark’, Gregory started to wonder if anyone had ever tried using the song as a torture method. Thankful, by then they’d reached his driveway, and he was able to make it stop.

“Uncle Gregory?” Ally whispered before Gregory could fully climb out of the car. He stopped and turned back to her.

“Yes, Ally?”

Ally bit her lip and glanced toward the house before unbuckling. “When’s Simon going to get home?” she whispered. “It’s been so long since he left, and I miss him. We used to have so much fun together.”

The question was innocent enough, but for Gregory it felt like a punch to the gut. After waking up in the hospital to learn that his son had died, Gregory couldn’t really wrap his mind around it. 

Maybe it was the fact that there hadn’t been a body or something else, but Gregory just couldn’t believe that his son was actually gone. It felt… wrong. If his son was really dead, wouldn’t he feel it? 

He knew that if he truly believed that Simon was dead, he wouldn’t be able to come back from that. Even after losing him to the Phantom Thief, Simon was and always would be Gregory’s world. 

The day he believed Simon was gone for good was the day he’d die too.

“I… I don’t know, honey,” Gregory said, shaking himself and clearing his throat. “Hopefully soon, but… but you know Simon, he… he’s full of surprises. Now, come on! I think it’s way past your bedtime.”

With that, Gregory quickly climbed out of the car, waiting for the two troublemakers to get out before ushering them up the driveway and toward the front door. 

He quickly unlocked the door and motioned them both inside before flipping the light on and turning toward the security system. 

It was then that he realized that it wasn’t on. 

Gregory knew for a fact he’d set the alarm system before leaving that afternoon, but it wasn’t set now. And there was only one reason that would happen. Someone had turned it off, and he had a feeling they were still there.

Reaching for his gun, Gregory quickly swept his gaze around the room, and it only took him a second to spot where they’d gone. The carpet on the steps leading up stairs had slight visible footmarks where the carpet had shifted since he’d vacuumed it that morning. 

“Kids, I need you to stay here and do not go upstairs,” Gregory ordered, leaving no room for argument as he stepped toward the stairs. He wrapped his hand around the gun tucked under his jacket as he flipped the lights back off and crept up the stairs and to the top.

Once he reached the landing, he glanced around him and spotted light seeping out from under Simon’s door. Gregory knew without a doubt that he hadn’t left it on; he rarely even went in there, especially in the past month since… he’d woken up in the hospital.

But before he could think about why someone would be in his son’s room, the door was opened, and he lunged at the intruder.

Gregory punched out at him, but the intruder was quick and brought his arms up in time to block Gregory’s attack. He grabbed Gregory’s arm, but Gregory easily twisted his arm to the side and broke out of his grip and came on the attack again.

The intruder ducked and took a step back, nearly tripping and falling down the stairs in the process. But Gregory didn’t have to worry about him falling as the intruder quickly caught himself and moved to the side of the staircase.

Gregory moved to follow, opening his mouth to say something when the intruder glanced around, then stepped toward the banister running along the second floor and overlooking the living room.

Before Gregory realized what the intruder was doing, he grabbed the banister and swung himself over before letting go. 

The next second, Gregory lunged forward and looked over the railing.

To Gregory’s surprise, the intruder landed on the couch, then rolled off of it and back onto his feet. That’s when he realized the living room was where his niece and nephew had decided to go, and now they stood face-to-face with the intruder.

Gregory didn’t even hesitate as he turned and bolted down the stairs, taking them faster than was probably safe.

“Help, Uncle Gregory!” he heard Ally scream, just as he stepped into the living room. She was clinging to her brother as they both scrambled back and away from the intruder.

Lunging forward, Gregory slammed into the intruder, causing them both to stumble away from Ally and Eric before he grabbed the intruder and threw him back and against the wall. Gregory quickly pinned him there with his arm against the young man’s neck. 

“Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?!” he hissed, gritting his teeth as he narrowed his eyes at the shadowy figure in front of him. Ugh. He should have left the lights on earlier.

“It’s me,” the intruder gasped out, grabbing Gregory’s arms and pushing back enough to get air into his lungs.

At that moment, Gregory was pretty sure his heart stopped beating as his eyes slowly started to adjust to the darkness of only seeing by moonlight. “Winnie?" he whispered, lessening the pressure against his son’s neck as his mind tried to catch up to what was happening. “You’re… you’re still alive?”

His son smiled warily at him as Gregory pulled his arm off completely and let his arm drop to his side. “Yeah, I’m alive,” he said, rubbing his neck. “Though, you sure gave it a good try, Dad. Or should I still call you ‘Winfield’?” 

The question barely registered before Gregory was grabbing his son and pulling him into an embrace. “Oh, my gosh,” he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as he sent up a prayer of thanks, burying his face in his son’s hair.

He was alive!

It wasn’t until that moment that Gregory realized that a part of him had started to believe his son was dead. Thank God that part of him had been wrong. 

Gregory tightened his hold on his son before kissing him on the top of the head. “Don’t you ever do something like that to me again!” he whispered, still not letting go.

Simon chuckled as he tried to worm his way out of the hug. “I guess you’re glad to see me, huh?”

Reluctantly, Gregory let go and took a step back. “You, young man, have a lot of explaining to do,” he said, frowning as he crossed his arms.

Simon opened his mouth, but before he could form a response a squeal came from their left, a second before Ally and Eric slammed into Simon. Ally threw her arms around Simon’s neck and jumped on him. 

“Simon!” she cried. “You’re home!”

“Ugh,” Simon grunted, quickly wrapping his arm around his cousin and picking her up. “I think you’re getting too big for this, Ally. And if you keep yelling like that, I’m going to end up deaf.”

“You’ve been gone for like… forever!” Eric said, following his sister’s example and throwing his arms around Simon.

Chuckling, Simon reached out and rubbed the top of his cousin’s head. “It’s good to see you too.”

Gregory swallowed as he looked at his son, and his obvious bedhead. How long had he been in the house before they’d shown up? By the looks of it, long enough for him to have fallen asleep.

Speaking of… “Okay, Ally, Eric,” he said, clearing his throat. “Why don’t you two head up and brush your teeth? Then you need to head to bed soon.”

“But Uncle Gregory…” they both whined, but Gregory just raised an eyebrow and nodded toward the stairs. Glancing at each other, they reluctantly did as he told them. He was just glad Frank and Helen didn’t let them get away with arguing.

But as soon as they were out of the room, an awkward silence settled over the house as he turned back toward his son. He wanted to reach out and make sure that Simon was still actually there, but he didn’t. They both just stood there, looking at each other, until Simon cleared his throat.

“Wow… when I was their age you never let me stay up this late,” Simon said, smirking as he shoved his hands into his pockets. 

Gregory snorted. “If I remember right, it was a nightmare to get you in bed before midnight,” he huffed. “I don’t think you can say anything about how late I’m letting them stay up.”

Silence fell over them again, but Gregory didn’t let it last long this time.

“I think we need to talk,” he said, crossing his arms. “A lot.”

Simon bit his lip before nodding. “Yeah, I figured that was coming,” he said, sighing. “Go make sure Eric and Ally are actually heading to bed; I’ll make you some of that nasty coffee that you like.”

It was less than five minutes later that they both sat across from each other at the kitchen table. They sat there in silence for several seconds, Gregory staring down at his coffee, Simon spinning the hot chocolate he’d made himself around in his mug.

“I think a part of me expected you to be yelling by now,” Simon whispered, glancing up at him. “Why aren’t you?”

Gregory sighed and leaned back in his seat. “The fact that you’re supposed to be dead might have something to do with it,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee. “It’s a bit hard to yell at someone you’re just glad to see alive.”

Simon ducked his head. “I’m sorry about that,” he whispered. “But… the Phantom Thief had to die, and that was really the only way to do it.”

At the mention of his son’s alter ego, Gregory felt himself stiffen. “And why exactly did you have to become… that other person in the first place?” he asked, looking Simon in the eyes. “Did I do something wrong raising you?”

He didn’t miss the way Simon winced at that. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “Winf…” He let out a low growl and tightened his grip around the mug he was holding. “Dad, you know that after… after what happened with Jimmy, I wasn’t in a good place. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Then why?! For two years I’ve been asking myself that question,” he said, letting go of his coffee mug long enough to run his hand through his hair. “Why?” 

Simon scooted down in his seat and sighed. “I…” He closed his eyes and blew out a breath. “Griffin,” he whispered. “It was because of Griffin. I couldn’t just let Jimmy’s killer get away, and it wasn’t as if he was an easy man to get to once he disappeared. I… I had to prove to them that I wasn’t the same boy anymore.”

“So you thought it was a good idea to go after the leader of the Underground by yourself?” Gregory hated the fact that that sounded like something he would have done at his age.

Simon shifted in his seat. “I… I wasn’t working alone,” he said, giving him a small smile. “I was contacted by a government agent who knew what had happened and wanted my help getting Griffin. They killed Jimmy to break me, so that’s exactly what we gave them. Me broken, and turned to the ‘dark side’.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Gregory asked. Because that was what hurt the most, that his son didn’t trust him enough to tell him what he was really doing.

“I needed you in the dark, so that when the time came for me to get arrested so that they would believe without a doubt that I’d turned, you would be able to do it,” Simon said, laughing drily. “You were the only one I trusted to bring me in without trying to kill me.” 

“And you don’t think I could have done that while knowing the truth?” Gregory asked, bending forward. “In case you’ve forgotten, I was the one how taught you how to… go undercover.”

Ducking his head, Simon stared down at his hot chocolate, though Gregory doubted it was still hot. “I knew that if I told you what I was planning, you wouldn’t let me do it,” he whispered. “Besides, it wasn’t your problem.”

Gregory stood up so sharply, his seat teetered on the edge of falling over. “You were thirteen! It was my problem,” he said, fighting to keep his voice civil. “Winnie…” Gregory grimaced when he remembered the last time he’d called him by that nickname. “I’m sorry, I forgot you don’t like me calling you that.”

Crossing his arms, it took everything in him to keep control of his emotions. His own son hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him the truth. Even though Gregory would rather die than let anything happen to him.

Simon sighed and stood up. 

“I didn’t… I didn’t mean that then or now, okay? I was just staying in character,” he said, squeezing his eyes shut as he rested his hands against the top of the table. “I’m sorry. I know I was awful to you before I left, and I wasn’t much better after you… well, arrested me. But I did all of it because I hoped it would make it easy on both of us.” He opened his eyes and looked up at him.

“I had to go after Griffin,” Simon whispered. “But it was my problem, and I didn’t want to drag you into it. I’m sorry.”

The next second, Gregory slammed his fist down against the table, causing the cups to rattle. “You’re my son!” he said, then blew out a breath. “Your problems will always be my problems, because I love you and you mean the world to me.”

Closing his arms, Simon ducked his head. “I… I just want to come home,” he whispered, glancing up at Gregory, and Gregory felt a stab of pain as he realized once again how young he really was. 

He might act older, and most people believed he was, but Simon was still just a kid, and not even sixteen yet. But even if he wasn’t, he would always be Gregory’s little boy.

“Can I come home, Dad?” Simon asked, tilting his head and searching Gregory’s eyes as if he actually thought he might say no.

Gregory stepped around the table, and Simon blinked as he turned toward him. A second later, Gregory pulled him into another embrace, cradling the back of his son’s head in his hand as he pulled him close and kissed the top of his head.

“It wasn’t home without you,” Gregory whispered, pulling back to get a look at his son’s face. “But… no more secrets ever again, aright? Your problems are and always will be my problems, whether you tell me what they are or not.”

“Okay,” Simon whispered, nodding as he rested his forehead against Gregory’s shoulder. “I love you, Dad.”

Gregory squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed. “I love you too, kiddo.”