As the days were getting longer, Dimitri had started taking Ivan out for a walk in the late afternoon before night fell. They took the stroller to the park and then he let Ivan out to run around and play. He loved moments like this when it was just the two of them, Ivan keeping up a constant commentary on who knew what as he discovered new things about the world around him. He was just about to round up Ivan to take him home for a bath and bedtime when he saw a familiar face coming down the path. Dimitri knew Neal although he wouldn’t say he knew him well which was odd since he was Lissa’s boyfriend. Then again, Dimitri was known to be a bit anti-social but he was working on that so he smiled and nodded as the other man approached.
“Hello,” he said. “Headed home?”
For the last few weeks now that the weather had started to warm up a little, Neal had taken to taking the long way home on the way back from the office. He was too used to walking most everywhere he needed to go around New York or Paris, and it was around this time of year that he really missed being home. New York City in the fall and spring were his favorite seasons. He’d gone from a time when he never thought he’d want to ever stay in one place to wanting to set up roots in the city. Then everything with Keller and the Pink Panthers happened, and all that had brought him here. Atlantis was no Manhattan or Paris, but he felt himself starting to set up roots all the same.
Even though the frigid temperatures were gone, there was still a chill to the air, so he tugged his coat tighter around him as he walked. When he looked ahead, he saw Dimitri walking with his son, and he gave them both a wave as he approached.
“I am, actually. Figured I’d take the long way since it’s not so bad out here lately. How about you two?” Neal leaned over to greet Ivan. “Hey, buddy.” Holding up a fist, he waited until Ivan did the same and lightly bumped them together in a fist bump.
Dimitri smiled. He liked watching Neal with Ivan, the little boy was friendly and enjoying being around other people. “We usually try to go out in the evening for a little while if it’s not too cold,” he said. “He’s been at day care all day so having a little fresh air makes him happy. Ivan’s like his mother, doesn’t like being cooped up.” Dimitri wasn’t a fan of it either but he believed that Rose might hate it worse than he did.
Neal scrunched up his nose and shook his head at Ivan. “I don't like being cooped up either, pal, so you're in good company.” Being cooped up meant that Neal was in danger of getting bored, and boredom and Neal Caffrey did not mix. It was a dangerous place that probably sent a chill down Peter's spine. Idle hands and what not. Cupid antics aside, Neal had been on painfully good behavior since being here. It wasn't that he did have the familiar urges, but he knew that Atlantis had eyes in places even Peter didn't have.
“I can walk back you guys if you don't mind the company.” Back when he and Lissa still shared an apartment, one of them would usually stop by the market on the way home to pick up something fresh to make for dinner that night. Now that they were staying with others, he'd broken that habit for the most part.
“How's training going?” he asked. Neal was sometimes involved in missions to a degree when it came to working with the police department, but he wasn't as involved in the normal training process like the others.
“Sure, that’d be great,” Dimitri replied as he put Ivan in the stroller much to the toddler’s dismay. He could certainly get around on his own power but if they let him do that, it might take forever to get home. "Training is very busy. With the new schedules, it’s going a lot smoother though. I’m also very glad that I’m not the only trainer anymore.” When he’d first arrived, there had been periods of time when there was no one but him doing the training but with the steady arrivals recently, it was good to have some help. “All in all, I think we’re in pretty good shape as far as the training goes and each team having a day to do something for team building is going to be helpful I think.”
“Yeah, I can imagine that it makes things easier on you to have others helping out with the workload.” Neal knew from Lissa that the other man tended to take on more than he probably should. In that way, it reminded him a little of Peter’s work ethic.
“I’ve only ended up on one of the missions, but it was home. I’m good with not having to deal with that again for a long time.” Not the people he saw when he was able to visit home, but the circumstances around having to go back. He never wanted to deal with that again.
They walked together, and while it was still the long way, it wasn’t too long of a walk back. “I know they’re all lucky and glad to have you on board to help out with everything.”
“I went on a mission right after I came but I haven’t been since. Partly because of my job but mostly because Rose and I can’t both be gone at the same time. Someone’s got to keep this little guy out of trouble.” He put his foot on the back of the stroller and did a wheelie and Ivan cried out in delight, his laughter ringing through the twilight. “He’s going to be just like his mother, I’m afraid. The more exciting the better but I’m that way too so I guess we’ll just have to make sure he doesn’t break too many bones before he goes to kindergarten.” Dhampirs healed faster than humans anyway so if it happened, it wouldn’t be a big deal but Dimitri didn’t like to think about Ivan being in pain even for a short time.
“It took some getting used to at first. Rose had been to a couple of other places before I got here. Had actually seen a couple of other versions of me and was pregnant when we showed up,” he shook his head. “And my memories didn’t go as far as hers but we’ve talked about it since then and I’m glad I haven’t remembered some of the things that I did and said. None of that matters though because I’m still me and she’s still her and Ivan is ours. I don’t completely understand the multiverse but that’s okay, I’m happy.”
Neal grinned a little at Ivan’s excitement as they kept walking. He understood that both Dimitri and Rose weren’t able to be gone at the same time, and it was nice to see. Having grown up without a father for most of his life, Neal appreciated seeing the dynamic between father and son more than some might would since he knew not to take it for granted.
“That’s really great to hear,” he said. “With the memory differences aside, it’s great that you guys were able to come together here as you did.” It was strange to think how people could come from so different points in time. The people he’d known had come from basically the same timeframe, but Elizabeth was from a bit earlier which was more than fine by Neal. She didn’t have the memories of what happened when he’d faked his death.
He shook his head. “I don’t completely understand it either,” he said with a laugh. About that time, they reached the base of the towers. “Here we are. It was good to have the company on the walk home.” Bending down, Neal gave Ivan one last high five. “We’ll all have to get together to have dinner sometime soon.” Smiling, he said his goodbye and nodded to the other man as they started towards their own buildings.