I sat wrapped in an emergency blanket near Sean and his daughter as my home went up in flames. The police and a few federal agents were talking to the witnesses as the firefighters worked to keep the fire from spreading. When Murdock had learned that my mother wasn’t coming out he had tucked me into his side and rumbled like an overprotective bear at anyone who came too close to me. I had to admit, even with my memories of being an adult, it was comforting. I used the safety provided by papa bear Murdock to try and settle the new memories of childhood. My new name was Michael John Sheppard, which was a bit of a laugh when I considered my previous life, and I was born on the summer solstice of 1990. The Aspects had told me that I would be born with a new name, but had let me pick my previous lifes middle name as a new first name to avoid confusion. Apparently pushing a bit of influence to choose that wasn’t going to upset the balance any, especially as Michael wasn’t an uncommon name. My childhood had been pretty normal, though apparently even without my memories I was regarded as highly intelligent and spent most of my free time reading books that would normally be beyond my age. The rainbow decorations were actually a reference to an educational and reading children’s television show hosted by some relatively famous actor. My mother had clearly cared for me, and in my memories I was still dealing with the loss of my father, though I was proud of him. My adult knowledge was enough to tell that while I may be a bit of a loner in my new life, I was still relatively emotionally healthy. Or at least I would be, I couldn’t hold back the sadness I felt with the loss of my new mother.

Part of me wanted to curl up in a corner and hide from the world that took away a loved one, and the other part wanted to catch the man that killed my mother. Luckily the discipline from my former life helped me to understand that there was nothing I could do until I grew up. If the police caught and punished the man I would let it end there. I could understand not leaving witnesses, and the man had chosen to not kill the sleeping version of me.

I felt Murdock start to rumble his protective growl and heard footsteps approaching. From the protective shelter of his arms I could see the black dress shoes, socks, and slacks of what I assumed was one of the federal agents. The man stopped a couple feet away and said in a calm voice, “Mr. Murdock, my name is Agent Cole Jameson. I was wondering if I could speak to young Mr. Sheppard for a moment.”

Sean’s voice was heavy with his accent that I had, thanks to my new memories, managed to place as Irish as he answered, “Iffin ye want to speak to the bairn, ye’ll do it with me here. His mum is gone and I’ll be damned if I let ye take advantage of the lad while he’s in shock.”

“That’s part of the reason I am here. I just wish to know if he saw anything before he came down the fire escape that would help us put the pieces together. If he is okay with you listening than I don’t see any problems,” the agent replied in a calm, yet somehow friendly voice, that was at odds with my understanding of intelligence agencies.

My voice was somewhat muffled by talking into the side of the large man who had appointed himself my temporary guardian as I said, “It’s okay Mr. Murdock. They need to know.”

He loosened his grip on me, but still kept an arm protectively around me as I turned tear streaked eyes on the agent. The agent to my surprise sat down in his suit on the ash and grime covered ground without any sign of discomfort so he wouldn’t loom over me. Giving me a friendly smile he said, “One of the firemen told me that when they asked the name of your mother you told them that they wouldn’t find her until the fire was put out, and that she had passed away already. Can you tell me what happened?”

I could appreciate him trying to be gentle with a child in how he described the event. I had told the man who had wrapped the blanket around me that my mother had been killed in our home before I ran for the window. I hadn’t mentioned exactly how I found her, but I knew even as a child not to be an idiot. I spoke up and an inner part of me grinned at the slight shock on the mans face, as I said, “Can Mr. Murdock see your badge please?”

After the shock the man’s smile actually grew a bit warmer as he reached into his jacket for a badge holder and he said, “Very good, but does Mr. Murdock know what to look for when he looks at a badge?”

I gave him a bit of a smirk as Rhiannon giggled into her father’s side. The large hand of Sean reached forward and opened the badge, tilting it towards the nearby streetlight as he looked it over. He then handed it back and said, “My ex is a criminal defense attorney Agent Jameson. I am also aware of your particular agency. Lad, he’s honest about who he is at the least.”

I smiled up at Sean before saying, “You may want to cover Rhiannon’s ears. She doesn’t need to hear this.”

The old bear gave me a searching look that changed to one of solemn understanding as he leaned over and brought his daughter closer murmuring for her that there were things she should hear. Once he had shielded her ears I explained to Agent Jameson, “My mother was shot in the back of the head by someone as she ran back into our apartment, she was headed in the direction of where she kept my father’s pistol. It couldn’t have happened very long before I woke up to the fire because the blood hadn’t dried yet, but it was warm enough that it was painful to breathe in the living room.”

Agent Jameson gave me a sad look as he said, “I’m sorry for your loss young man. Is there anything else you can tell me?”

I considered for a moment, putting on the look of someone who was thinking hard, before I said, “I don’t think the man who set the fire was the same man who shot my mother.”

The agent cocked his eyebrow in question and I explained, “If he wasn’t worried about innocent bystanders, why would he leave a potential witness.”

“What potential witness?” he asked, and it was my turn to give him an arched eyebrow.

I explained, based on my younger selves choice of reading it could be explained, “If he shot someone shortly after they opened a door to an apartment he would need to check to make sure no one could identify him for that shooting. I was still in bed asleep. Unless he stood closer than we are now there is no way he could have been sure if I was actually asleep or not, but instead he saw me laying in the bed and left. To me that means he wasn’t one to go after someone not involved.”

I caught a hint of the agent being impressed by my observations in his eyes as he said, “That is a very good point, but how did you come by it?”

I mumbled my answer a little embarrassed, and spoke a bit louder when Sean nudged me, “The comic book mercenary, he’s a hired killer but doesn’t go out of his way to involve extra people.”

This actually startled a laugh out of the agent before he said, “I believe the appropriate quote for this is ‘from the mouth of babes.’ I actually have to agree with the comparison. Is there anything else you can tell me?”

I shook my head and the agent looked to Sean and said, “Thank you both. A member of child services will likely want to speak to the both of you.”

“I’ll leave a message with the police here then. I don’t want them out in the cold too much longer. We will be down at Clinton church, the father and I are old friends.” Murdock said.

“I’ll tell them, it will go over better if a member of law enforcement approves it. Young Sheppard, if you think of anything else please give me a call,” Agent Jameson said as he handed the two of us a pair of business cards.

As the adults stood, Sean lifting his daughter who had collapsed into sleep, the agent moved away and Mr. Murdock looked down at me and asked, “Can you walk a few blocks, or should I see if I can flag down one of those cabs the vultures are showing up in?”

I reached up and took his other hand and said, “I can walk Mr. Murdock, it might help me sleep when we get there.”

He nodded at me and let a proud smile show on his face, “You saved my daughter from possibly dying in that fall lad. I’ll do anything I can to help make sure you're taken care of.”

“Worry about your daughter Mr. Murdock. Mama Sheppard didn’t raise no slacker,” I said, affecting an accent I had heard on the television.

A huff of laughter escaped the man as he let go of my hand and ruffled my hair some more before taking it back up and walking with me towards the nearby church. When we reached the security line he froze, and I looked up to see Jennifer DiAngelo, formerly Jennifer Murdock standing by the barrier staring at us. Her gaze softened when she saw both her daughter and myself in her ex-husbands protective care.

Her voice, sharp and to the point, cut through the noise and said, “Where are you going with them?”

“To Father Fortem. Child Services expects that to be the location where they can find Michael,” Sean said.

His ex nodded and said, “I’ll come with you, my car is blocked in by the crowd for now. If she wakes up I’ll take her home while you wait with Michael.”

I spoke up, “You should both take her home, she needs both of her parents right now.”

Jennifer looked at me and her voice softened, “It isn’t a good idea to leave you alone until Child Services has spoken to you. I don’t want them filling your head with lies.”

“Thank you Mrs. Murdock,” I said.

I could feel Sean’s hand stiffen in mine and his ex said in a chiding tone, “It’s DiAngelo dear.”

I grinned up at her, my recent memory review had revealed a few things, and said, “You’re Rhi’s mother, and you spend the night at Mr. Murdocks place often enough, why isn’t it Mrs. Murdock?”

Jennifer shook her head at me and said, “Cheeky little brat.”

I kept smiling as she took up my other hand and walked with us towards the church, glaring at anybody in the way with eyes that had stared down convicted killers in a courtroom. Maybe I could still manage to enjoy my childhood.